hard rock

Hard rock is a form of rock and roll music that finds its closest roots in early 1960s garage rock. AC/DC, The Stooges, MC5, Guns N' Roses, Jimi Hendrix and Deep Purple are renowned examples of hard rock. Van Halen's music (until David Lee Roth's departure in 1985) perhaps best exemplifies the energy of the genre. Hard rock achieved maximum popularity between 1969 and 1985, and soon thereafter gave way to hair metal. Hard Rock is often loosely defined, and is primarily of use in describing radio station formats. There is often significant crossover with heavy metal music, but a few distinctions are worth noting: Hard Rock typically features major key song construction, as opposed to heavy metal, which is often minor key oriented. There is a heavy reliance on the pentatonic scale for most elements of song construction, and fifths (power chords) are often substituted for traditional chords. Chord progressions are commonly associated to 1-4-5 degrees of the scale, as in rock and roll. Hard Rock lyrics are typically not as "dark" as heavy metal lyrics, and are often sexual in content. Hard Rock is typified by a bright, trebly overdrive distortion effect on the guitars, lending to its overall sound. Drums can range from 100-150 Beats Per Minute, with 120 BPM being typical. Bass is usually warm sounding. The guitar solo is very important part of a hard rock song, and leads to the credibility of the song just as much as the lyrics and vocal melodies do. Songs are generally hook laden, and consist of:

an intro
verse
chorus
verse
chorus
solo
chorus
an ending

There is much room for variation, and repetition of verses and choruses. Jazz, Blues, and rock & roll were the roots of hard rock. Punk rock, Gothic rock, industrial music, heavy metal, funk, and fusion also claim these roots, but branch off at different points, eliminating elements that are considered unnecessary, and adding elements to typify their genre. Interestingly, death metal and industrial music also incorporate a march rhythm. The term "hard rock" is also used as an umbrella term for genres such as Punk, Gothic rock, Industrial, and Metal, in order to distinguish them from softer, more radio friendly Pop music. Obviously, the double use of "hard rock" has led to confusion in the past.

<< Previous

Word Browser

Next >>

crystal city, missouri
de soto, missouri
merrimack, new hampshire
mont vernon, new hampshire
whiteman air force base
phillipsburg, missouri
alma, missouri
nashua, new hampshire
higginsville, missouri
mount vernon, missouri
new boston, new hampshire

moscow mills, missouri
new ipswich, new hampshire
pelham, new hampshire
pinardville, new hampshire
sharon, new hampshire
east prairie, missouri
pinhook, missouri
temple, new hampshire
montgomery city, missouri
weare, new hampshire
dennis acres, missouri

diamond, missouri
windsor, new hampshire
redings mill, missouri
ritchey, missouri
saginaw, missouri
silver creek, missouri
allenstown, new hampshire
andover, new hampshire
boscawen, new hampshire
bow, new hampshire
camden point, missouri

bradford, new hampshire
houston lake, missouri
canterbury, new hampshire
iatan, missouri
platte woods, missouri
chichester, new hampshire
cairo, missouri
clark, missouri
jacksonville, missouri
moberly, missouri
contoocook, new hampshire