Section 14.4 Block Chord Accompaniments
This section contains the following subsections below:
Subsection 14.4.1 The “1 (2) &” Rhythm
In this section, we will discuss some accompanimental rhythms that occur frequently in popular music. The first such rhythm has two chords per measure, with the first chord on beat 1 and the second chord on the upbeat after beat 2.
You will find a similar rhythm and bass line in the next example.
The “1 (2) &” rhythm is also found in “Don’t You (Forget About Me),” a song associated with the film The Breakfast Club.
Below are five more examples of block chord accompaniment in the “1 (2) &” rhythm.
Notice that the example above (“That’s What I Like”) has the same progression as “September” by Earth, Wind, and Fire.
The example below has the “1 (2) &” rhythm in diminution.
Subsection 14.4.2 The “Barbara Ann” Rhythm
It is easier to describe the next block chord accompaniment pattern as the “Barbara Ann” rhythm than the “1 2 3 (4) & (1) & (2) & 3” rhythm. Below are six examples of pieces that use this rhythm, whether with block chords or solely in the bass line.
A slower version of this rhythm occurs in Deep Purple’s “Smoke on the Water.”
Subsection 14.4.3 Repeated 8th-note Chords
Repeated 8th-note chords occur regularly in “classical” music textures.
The next example is from the musical Annie. Note the “1 (2) &” rhythm in the bass line.
Repeated eighth notes are a standard accompanimental texture in rock.
The repeated eighth-note rhythm is also common in recent popular music. Note that the following example uses the 1950’s progression (i.e., – – – ).
Subsection 14.4.4 Repeated Quarter-note Chords
Repeated quarter-note chords are a common accompanimental rhythm in “classical” and popular music.
In the next section, we will examine accompanimental textures consisting of afterbeats and offbeats.