Rock 'N' Roll Bands

What are some of the characteristics of rock music? There are three basic parts, and these depend on the drummer, the guitarists, and the singer. The drummer plays loud, complicated rhythms. These serve as a foundation for the entire song. The guitarists provide the melody and harmony. The singer or singers sing loudly above all the music; they sing about today’s problems and about today’s youth. Sometimes these three elements blend into a beautiful musical experience; sometimes they produce only noise. Good or bad, this is rock music – the popular music of all young people and some older people today.
VOCABULARY
1. Look at the story. Find these words. Tell me what part of speech you think they are. (noun, pronoun, verb, adjective, adverb, preposition)
a. characteristics ___________________________________
b. basic ___________________________________
c. complicated ____________________________________
d. rhythms ____________________________________
e. foundation ____________________________________
f. entire ____________________________________
g. the melody ____________________________________
h. the harmony ____________________________________
i. elements ____________________________________
j. youth ___________________________________
k. blend ___________________________________
l. musical ____________________________________
m. produce ___________________________________
n. noise ____________________________________
o. popular ____________________________________
p. young ____________________________________
q. older ___________________________________
r. people ____________________________________

2. Give synonyms for these words and definitions:
a. fundamental ______________________________________
b. intricate______________________________________
c. whole______________________________________
d. give______________________________________
e. young people______________________________________
f. features that distinguish people or things __________________
g. the tempo or speed of a beat (in music) -------____________________
h. anything that accompanies the melody. Often it can occur as chords,
which are simply a few notes played simultaneously. _____________
i. parts of the whole thing _____________________
j. approved by the general public ______________________



GRAMMAR
Adverbs add to the verb Many adverbs end in “ly”
Adverbs answer the questions How? When? Where?
Example: She drives slowly. He drives fast. (How fast does s/he drive?)
1. They sing loudly.
Your turn:
2. ____________________________________softly.
3. _____________________________________badly.
4. _______________________________________beautifully.
5. ______________________________________clearly.
6. ______________________________________well.

Draw a line from the players in Column 1 to the instruments in Column 2
1 2
pianist guitar
violinist drums
guitarist flute
drummer cello
cellist violin
flutist piano

Your turn: Please write sentences using the words in the above exercise:
1. ________________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________________
4. ________________________________________________________
5. ________________________________________________________
6.________________________________________________________
CONVERSATION
Talk to your partner. Then write your answers in complete sentences.
1. How many basic parts are there in rock music?


2. Who plays the loud rhythms?



3. What do the guitarists provide?



4. What do rock songs tell about?



5. Is rock music always beautiful?



6. What kind of music do you like? Why do you like that kind of music?