FAQ

Q: What is "gangsta rap attitude"?

Fri, 01 Jun 2007 20:37:54 -0800

Gangsta rap is a type of rap music that focuses on, and typically promotes, the lifestyles of contemporary inner city gangsters. While the term gangsta rap is often used to refer to West Coast rap created in the 90s by artists like Dr. Dre and 2Pac, at Pandora we use it to define any type of rap that focuses on crime or other 'negative' social topics.

Q: What is "downtempo influence"?

Fri, 01 Jun 2007 21:38:44 -0800

Downtempo is an all-inclusive term for laid-back electronic music that falls between electronic dance music (house, trance, techno) and ambient music (Brian Eno, Steve Roach, etc.). Like electronic dance music, downtempo has a definite beat and structure. However, it is slower, and is more likely to use dub-like hypnotic effects a la ambient music.

Q: What are "trance roots"?

Fri, 01 Jun 2007 21:39:50 -0800

"Trance roots" refers to music that references the musical aspects of trance.

Trance is a form of electronic dance music that first surfaced in the 1990s. It is characterized by several factors including repetitive synth lines, quick tempos (125-160bpm), dramatic build-ups/breakdowns, and a musical form that morphs between sections.

Q: What are "trip-hop roots"?

Fri, 01 Jun 2007 22:41:09 -0800

Trip-hop in its broadest scope is any type of electronic music with enhanced texture over beats from rap music. Trip-hop was developed in England in the 1990s, and gained popularity through artists like Portishead, Massive Attack, and Tricky.

Musicologically, trip-hop is characterized by the heavy use of samples and breakbeats, mellow tempo (85-110 bpm), minor key tonality, swung 16th notes, and heavy emphasis on sung vocals. "Trip-hop roots" refers to music that utilizes the musical aspects of trip-hop.

Q: What is a "G-funk synth line"?

Fri, 01 Jun 2007 23:42:02 -0800

This is a high-pitched synthesizer sound that is typically constructed using a sine wave synthesizer signal with plenty of portamento, which makes the notes 'slide' between one another.

The use of this sound was popularized by g-funk music (the "g" being short for gangsta), a type of West Coast rap pioneered most notably by Dr. Dre. Most g-funk songs are based around slowed down funk samples (especially from the band Parliament), deep bass lines, and the g-funk synth.

Q: What is "chopped & screwed production"?

Sat, 02 Jun 2007 07:43:04 -0800

Chopped & screwed (also known as screwed & chopped) is a style of southern rap music pioneered by the late DJ Screw of Houston, TX, USA. Using a sensibility not far removed from dub remixers like King Tubby and Lee Perry, DJ Screw would take his favorite records/beats and remix them by slowing them down, applying DJ techniques such as scratching, stop time, stuttering, and adding external effects to create a "chopped & screwed" version of the original. Today, many southern rap albums are produced as double discs complete with an original version and a chopped & screwed version. Modern remixers carrying on Screw's legacy include Swishahouse Records, Michale "5000" Watts, OG Ron C, etc.

Q: What is "vinyl ambience"?

Sat, 02 Jun 2007 08:44:32 -0800

When a record is played using a turntable there are several artifacts added to the sound. These artifacts are caused by dust or other imperfections in the groove of a record and they are often described as 'crackles', 'hisses', and 'pops.' They create a background ambience that affects the songs' overall feel and perceived sound.

Q: What are "headnodic beats"?

Sat, 02 Jun 2007 09:45:01 -0800

What do you call beats that are too quick to slow-dance to, too slow to really get down, but still make you want to move your body? At Pandora we call these 'headnodic beats.' 'Headnodic beats' will cause most people to sway their bodies or nod their heads in time, but are not ferocious enough to compel them/you to jump up and dance. Headnodic beats are often found in rap and downtempo music.

Q: What is "use of sing-jaying"?

Sat, 02 Jun 2007 10:45:29 -0800

Sing-jaying is a technique popularized by reggae (typically Jamaican) vocalists who use a repetitive vocal melody, or riff, as a basis for their rap. What results is a rap that is sung, but still has room for exciting rhythmic improvisations. Sing-jaying is the dominant style of vocal delivery in dancehall music and can be observed by listening to such artists as Barrington Levy, Eek-A-Mouse, and Sean Paul.

Q: What is a "wet/dry recording sound"?

Sat, 02 Jun 2007 12:45:56 -0800

When a sound is produced, what a listener or microphone hears is not just the source of the sound. Rather, it is an aggregate of the source and its reflections off of surfaces around it (i.e., sound reflections or echoes). A space is considered to be 'wet' or reverberant when sound reflections are prominent. When reflections are muted or absent, a space is considered to be 'dry' or non-reverberant.

One example of a 'wet' sounding space is a tiled bathroom, or large cathedral. An example of a 'dry' sounding space is a closet filled with clothes.

For a Pandora Presents... episode on related recording techniques, see Recording Vocals.

Q: What are "house roots"?

Sat, 02 Jun 2007 13:46:36 -0800

House is a type of electronic dance music that began in Chicago in the 1980s. The name is derived from the club where it was first heard - The Warehouse Nightclub - and in its earliest stages may be understood as a melding of disco with electronic music.

House music is characterized by a prominent four-on-the floor drum beat (four quarter-note kick drums per measure, usually associated with an upbeat high-hat), repetitive basslines, traditional pop harmonic/melodic structure, heavy use of looping, and sounds that are electronic, synthetic or sampled in nature.

Q: What are "IDM influences"?

Sat, 02 Jun 2007 14:25:02 -0800

IDM is an acronym for "intelligent dance music." This term has been controversial, even among those artists best known for representing this genre. For one thing, the use of the adjective "intelligent" alienates other musicians by implying that their music is not intelligent. For another, while the word "dance" is in the title, at best dancing to IDM is difficult, and in some cases almost impossible. Despite these faults, the acronym 'IDM' has persisted as a commonly used descriptor.

IDM came about in the early 1990s as an umbrella term for experimental music being created by electronic music producers. IDM is so diverse that it is not easily defined. From a very broad perspective, IDM typically features intricate editing, dense sample texturing, heavy use of synthetic effects, complicated and often confusing rhythms, and a general aesthetic of eclecticism and stretching of traditional musical boundaries.

Q: What is "Odd Meter"?

Sat, 02 Jun 2007 15:45:10 -0800

In music notation, a piece of music is broken up into small units of fixed length called 'measures.' Unless otherwise indicated, every measure is the same duration. The meter of a piece of music describes the number of beats contained in each measure. A majority of popular music is written with 4 beats per measure. Occasionally, writers employ unusual, or odd numbers of beats per measure to create a more unpredictable, off-beat rhythmic feel. For example, the bass riff of Pink Floyd's "Money" is written with 7 beats per measure. Other examples of odd meters include Peter Gabriel's "Solsbury Hill" (7), Dave Brubeck's "Take 5" (5), Radiohead's "Morning Bell (Kid A Version)" (5), Foo Fighters' "Times Like These" (7), and COB's "Eleven Willows" (11).

Q: What is "12-Bar Blues"?

Sat, 02 Jun 2007 16:38:54 -0800

The 12-Bar Blues is a musical form that evolved from the work songs of 19th century African-American plantation workers. By the 20th century, a standard 12-bar form developed that became the foundation for most Rock N' Roll and R&B music of the 20th Century, and is still ubiquitous today in American popular music. This form repeats every 12 measures (a.k.a. bars) and features a very simple and standardized chord progression. Over the years, musicians have elaborated the chord progression, but generally maintain the 12-bar length. In its most basic form, the 12-bar blues contains just 3 different chords, and this simplicity makes it perfect for instrumental improvisation and impromptu "jam sessions". In addition to countless songs by classic blues artists such as Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, B.B. King, & John Lee Hooker, a great many Pop and R&B songs over the years have been based on the 12-bar blues form. Examples include "Hound Dog" by Elvis Presley, "What'd I Say" by Ray Charles, "One Way Out" by the Allman Brothers Band, and "Why Don't We Do It In The Road" by the Beatles.

Q: How can I find out more about music theory and structure?

Sun, 03 Jun 2007 13:46:13 -0800

We're creating an audio and video series called Pandora Presents... that explores in more detail some widely used musical features. To listen, check out: http://blog.pandora.com/podcast