Musical Skills!! 29lar style, does that denote rock, rhythm and blues, jazz, or dance? The
musical direction should be well defined.
Often, the creatives listen to music to help spawn musical ideas for
commercials. A group of Spanish monks recorded an album of Gregorian
chants that became a popular hit. The album inspired the creatives to use
a Gregorian chant on what would become a very successful wine commer-
cial.
Gregorian chant dates back to Pope Gregory I (Gregory the Great),
who was pope from 590 to 604. To achieve musical authenticity, the follow-
ing rules have to be observed:
- An unaccompanied men’s chorus—usually sung by monks—
singing in Latin - A single line melody with no harmony
- Music that was unemotional in attitude because the music served the
religious text rather than the beauty of the singing - A scale system that was neither major nor minor
Gregorian chant is written in various formats. It can be sung in theantipho-
nal(two choirs with alternating lines),responsorial(the soloist sings and
the congregants respond), ordirect(sung without alternation) performance
styles. Ask the creatives which format is most appropriate for their project.
In addition to the three performance styles mentioned (antiphonal,
responsorial, and direct), follow the compositional rules. Study the written
music (which has been converted to modern notation) and listen to well-
performed recordings, which will help composers and arrangers under-
stand the style. Listening can be especially helpful while in the recording
studio since it provides a reference point for the singers. Hire singers who
perform in this genre; they are versed in the nuances and texture of the
music.
The same general approach should be adapted to jazz, rhythm and
blues, hip-hop, gospel, country, ethnic, and popular music. There are ele-
ments in all musical periods that define a style.
Jazz
Jazz is America’s music. Started in New Orleans, the basic elements are
derived from the slaves who sang music while working in the fields. The
music developed into an extraordinarily intricate and unique form of
American music and produced some of the greatest instrumentalists and
singers of any genre of music. There is no other current style of Western
music that has its basis in improvisation. The harmonic jazz language,
which developed from this music, has been the inspiration for most other
forms of American music. This includes the music of George Gershwin,
Duke Ellington, Aaron Copland, Steely Dan, B. B. King, Kenny G, and