Elements+of+American+Folk+Music

=MUSICAL ELEMENTS OF AMERICAN FOLK MUSIC=

In the following sample of traditional American music, three musical elements stand out most. These are timbre (the instruments used and the sounds they make), the rhythm, and the form of the tune.

Timbre
In this sample, the musicians are using all string instruments. There is a distinctive difference between the strumming on the guitar, the plucking on the banjo, and the bowing on the fiddle. How the instruments are played makes a difference the sounds you hear. The singer's voice is somewhat coarse or unrefined, as is typical of American folk music.

Rhythm
The rhythm in this tune includes a very steady beat. The tempo is lively and quick moving.

Form
The form of this song is very basic. It includes verses that have the same melody but different words. This form is called strophic.

Boil Them Cabbage Down media type="youtube" key="zzVU2jo43MM" width="425" height="350" align="left"

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