Music from the Caribbean

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Calypso
Calypso Definition: Calypso is a popular style of world music which evolved in
Trinidad and Tobago at the start of the 20th century. It is a style of song that
combines story-telling with memorable tunes and rhythms. It is an important feature
of the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival which is held every year. It ranges from a man
with a guitar to a singer with drums, saxophones, brass and guitars.

Characteristics:
1) Rhythm:

Calypso often has the rhythm above played in many of the parts. The melody can
also often be syncopated.
2) Steel pans these are oil drums, created by being hit a lot with a hammer to make
dents of different sizes which sound as different pitched notes. Pans of different
sizes are made to create a range of notes. They are divided into drums (from highest
to lowest) in sopranos, altos, tenors and basses like a choir. They are hit with small
beaters with rubber ends and you cant easily sustain notes, so players have to roll
each note that they want to play for a long time.
Steel Pans were invented in the 1940s, when Calypso had already been established as
a style, so many people simply started playing Calypso on the new steel pans.
However, you can play any kind of music on a steel pan, and you can play Calypso on
any instrument.
3) Subject matter Calypso has always been associated with social comment.
Songs subject matter often reflects island life, relationships and politics.
4) Harmony is simple. Songs are often made up of only 2 or 3 chords.

Keywords
Verse/Chrous Form

Syncopation

Carnival

Trinidad and Tobago

Steel pans

Music from the Caribbean

G. Forbat

Listening Examples:
Lord Kitchener: Search anything on YouTube
Mighty Sparrow: Search anything on YouTube

Likely characteristics from the Elements of Music:

Rhythm and Metre: Drum fills, syncopation, pulse.

Harmony: Diatonic, simple chords e.g I, IV and V ( = chords of C, F and G in C
major)
Tonality: Major probably.
Texture: Homophonic
Melody: Riff, phrasing, sequences, moving by step (conjunct), improvisation,
ornamentation.
Timbre: Steel pans (soprano, alto, tenor and bass), acoustic, electric guitar, electric
bass, solo male singer, saxophones, percussion characteristic shimmering sound
created by steel pans. Drums rolls.
Dynamics: nothing interesting to report.
Structure and Form: Song Form verse, chorus, intro, bridge.