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I had not heard of this, and I find it interesting and compelling. But I do not get the comparison to heavy metal. Heavy metal, as I understand it is defined
by recursive 3y ago
I had not heard of this, and I find it interesting and compelling.
But I do not get the comparison to heavy metal. Heavy metal, as I understand it is defined by dissonance, instrumental virtuosity, and overdriven amps. Musically, it seems almost like the complete opposite of sacred harp. What's the connection?
- bossyTeacher 3y agoHeavy metal dissonant? I don't think that's the case. It might be loud or noisy but not dissonant
- recursive 3y agoFrom wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heavy_metal_music#Typical_harmonic_structures https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heavy_metal_music#Typical_harm... > Heavy metal is usually based on riffs created with three main harmonic traits: modal scale progressions, tritone and chromatic progressions, and the use of pedal points. Tritones are notably present in heavy metal, as a genre, to my understanding. That's consistent with what wikipedia is saying. The tritone (6 half-steps) is generally regarded to be one of the most dissonant intervals in western music.
- engeljohnb 3y agoI think comparing it to metal is just a quick shorthand to say "it's heavy music." > dissonance, instrumental virtuosity, and overdriven amps I'm probably just splitting hairs here, but although those elements are common, metal is a really diverse genre (I think the only one more diverse is jazz). Really the only two things music needs to fall under the "metal" umbrella are 1) being heavy and 2) having double bass drum. Sacred Harp seems to meet the former.
- GardenLetter27 3y ago> having double bass drum Iron Maiden famously never use a double bass drum (except for Face In The Sand).
- engeljohnb 3y agoMaybe I should've said "double bass" instead of "double bass drum." I think Steve Harris' right hand would have still counted!