What is the difference between mento ska and rocksteady

However, since both of these genres have similar history does not mean that they are the same thing. People often tend to make the mistake of thinking that these two Jamaican music genres are the same. The difference between Ska and Reggae is that they both differ in tone, instruments used in it, and also in the music too. So, there is a vast difference between these two genres of Jamaican music.

Once you get the difference then you can easily make out which one is which. The genre was originated from the Caribbean genres like mento and calypso. The Ska musical genre was the precursor to two other musical genres like rocksteady and reggae. This style of music creates a piece of dancing music by combining elements like calypso and mento with a little bit touch of American jazz and rhythm and blues. Ska music was introduced way before then most of the other genres.

People once again loving it and this time the genre has made a huge comeback. The video was going viral all over the internet. The instruments used in Ska music are guitar, bass guitar, saxophone, trumpet, piano , trombone, drums, and organ. This is the reason why the Ska music is quite identifiable by the walking bass line of the offbeat.

Essentially these sound systems were like loud mobile discos! Thousands would sometimes gather and sound systems became big business. Reliant on a steady source of new music, these two superstars began to produce their own records, ultimately becoming Studio One Dodd and Treasure Isle Reid. As Jamaicans emigrated in large numbers to the U. Without the efforts of a white Anglo-Jamaican named Chris Blackwell, the rest of the world might not have come to know this Jamaican brand of music.

Blackwell, a record distributor, moved his label to the U. Songs that described dances were very popular now in the U. K, as well as Jamaica.

In the U. The name for this entire genre may have been based on that song title. The only noteworthy difference between ska and rocksteady was the tempo. Both styles had the famous Jamaican rhythm guitar complemented by drums, bass, horns, vocals and a groove that kept you on your feet moving, but the drum and bass are played at a slower, more relaxed, pace and the rhythm is more syncopated.

As a musical style, rocksteady was short-lived, and existed for only about two years. Exceedingly good post you got here. As 1 blogger to another, I recognize how tough and how much energy it requires to come up something substantial. You have my respect. Rocksteady, popular from to , saw bands slowing down song tempos and amping up booming backbeat basslines and one-drop drumlines while laying the guitar down loudly on the offbeats.

Vocal harmony groups became increasingly important, with many songs being sung entirely in three-part or more harmony. From there, reggae evolved. With reggae, the tempo slowed down even further, and all of the elements that are instantly recognizable as fundamental pieces of Jamaican music became prominent: The syncopated bass line and the one-drop drum hit became louder, and that syncopation drove the sound of the band.

The skanking guitar also increased in prominence. The horn lines, instead of following the guitar, were featured in designated spots and stayed quiet in others. Melodies were mostly delivered by a single lead singer, with harmony singers providing secondary vocal lines. Lyrics also changed quite a bit. Ska and rocksteady songs were fun, upbeat dance-friendly numbers about love and other lighthearted pursuits.

Though there are certainly plenty of songs with these themes throughout reggae, reggae artists also wrote songs about politics, poverty, and religion. Reggae gained favor at the same time that Bob Marley converted to Rastafarianism and began the trend of talking about spirituality in lyrics. Ska and reggae are extensions of the same branch of the world music tree. Ska came first. Its lighter tempo made for fast dancing.

By contrast, the uniquely Jamaican elements that characterize reggae are less heavily emphasized, though they do exist.