Jessebel B.

Bedis BSBA MM-3H

Kinds of Music: Vocal Music

What is vocal music?

Many of us have favorite songs or singers we love to listen to. You might belong to a church
choir or have played a role in a high school musical. And you've probably sung ''Happy
Birthday'' to a family member or friend. But what do these things have in common? They're
all examples of vocal music.

Vocal music is music that uses and emphasizes the human voice. Sometimes instruments
are used, but the voice is the most important part. Vocal music is the opposite
of instrumental music, which uses any combination of instruments, such as strings,
woodwinds, brass, or percussion, usually without the human voice.

Vocal music has been utilized for millennia as a means of artistic expression, and it can be
observed in various cultures worldwide. This form of musical expression is deeply ingrained
in human culture and serves as a fundamental medium for communicating a wide range of
emotions. As a result, diverse cultures employ different vocal styles and techniques to
convey an array of sentiments.

5 Types of Vocal Music

There are several different types of vocal music that people listen to every day.

1) Opera

Opera music has become one of the most popular forms of music worldwide. Some would
even say that it rivals rock and pop music in popularity.

Opera traces its origins to Italy in the 1500s. That year, Jacopo Peri's work La Dafne was
performed in Rome at a wedding banquet by an ensemble known as La Peri.
A subsequent work, L'Euridice, changed everything. It was written in 1600 but was not
performed until almost 170 years later. L'Euridice introduced opera as we know it.

Some famous composers include Mozart, Rossini, Verdi, Wagner, and Puccini. Some
notable performers include Placido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti, and Beverly Sills.

Opera was originally meant to be performed as entertainment for nobility and royalty.
Modern Opera carries on elements of classical vocals and Italian music.

2) Gregorian Chant

Gregorian chant is one of the most ancient forms of Western vocal music. This music
derives from ancient plainchant.

Gregorian chant is a collection of sacred vocal music traditionally performed by monastics.

The history of Gregorian chant is long and complex. St. Gregory I inspired the name of this
chant.

It wasn't until the 7th century A.D. that Charlemagne codified standard usage. It contained
both melodies and texts that are still in use today. People then expand upon them over time.

To make it uniform, he used elements of music familiar to Latin cultures at that time. These
include plainsong as well as adding his unique style of rhythm.

This method of chant hasn't changed much since its introduction. Today, you can hear this
chant in cathedrals and other sacred spaces worldwide.

3) A Capella

The history and characteristics of acapella music are as old as the song itself. Whether in
ancient civilizations or the modern-day, Acapella is prevalent. It finds importance in social
settings and the evolution of musical styles.

Acapella music was born out of the need to replicate songs using only the human voice. It
does this without the help of instruments or technology.

With time, it became an art form in its own right. These characteristics make it stand out from
traditional Western music even today.
Early A cappella was born out of necessity. Street performers didn’t have access to
instruments when they wanted to sing. So they found ways to make music without them.

It led to a style more focused on vocal skills than traditional music-making. It still maintains
popularity in certain musical traditions.

Because there is no instrumentation in most Acapella, vocalists can be more creative. They
can display remarkable range and control of their voices.

4) Pop

Pop is a catch-all term for accessible, catchy, simple, or commercial music. It's sometimes
called Top 40 music or mainstream music. Pop refers to any popular form of music (rock,
country, hip-hop) enjoyed by a mass audience.

What constitutes pop music today is vastly different from what was popular in 1956.

The 60's decade marked a rebirth for American music. Detroit was home to some of
America's most popular Motown artists. Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, and Marvin
Gaye are all legends from there.

The 1970s gave birth to multiple genres, including disco, punk, glam rock, heavy metal, and
folk. Then came Jimi Hendrix. His distortion-heavy style influenced generations of guitarists
to come.

The 1980s was a decade defined by pop music. Michael Jackson ushered in a new era of
pop music, which some call New Wave or New Romanticism.

This movement combined elements of rock, funk, soul, and dance. It creates an upbeat
sound that appeals to audiences around the world.

The 1990s were all about girl power. TLC, Destiny's Child, Missy Elliott, Alanis Morissette,
and Christina Aguilera lead the way.

It’s now a virtual free-for-all in terms of styles. Artists today mix melodies from all over Pop
music history.

5) Beatboxing
If you've ever heard someone beatboxing, you know it can be an impressive display of vocal
music skill.

A beatboxer creates music and sound effects using their mouth, lips, tongue, voice, and
body. A single beatboxer typically performs unaccompanied, but groups can comprise
multiple beatboxers.

Beatboxing is popular in hip-hop music. It has also become prevalent in other genres such
as pop, rock, R&B, jazz, techno, and reggae. It's not uncommon to hear beatboxing in film
scores or video game soundtracks.

Beatboxing as we know it today started in the 1980s as an element of hip hop. At first,
beatboxers were only using their mouths to produce beats. It soon evolved into creating full
tracks with nothing but their mouths.

Recently, beatboxers combine all types of sounds from electronic instruments with their
voices. Today, thousands of recognized beatboxers collaborate to create a wide range of
music.