Vocal percussion
Encyclopedia
Vocal percussion is the art of creating sounds with one's mouth
that approximate, imitate, or otherwise serve the same purpose as a percussion instrument
, whether in a group of singers, an instrumental ensemble, or solo.
" is often used as a synonym for vocal percussion, but in fact is just one tradition of vocal percussion, originating in hip-hop
music and often used to accompany rapping
.
The vocal percussion used by most college and professional a cappella
groups attempts a more complete facsimile of the pop music
that these groups primarily perform. It is not necessary for vocal percussionists to attempt to imitate real instruments; in fact, vocal percussion often encompasses sounds not found on a drum set
. When it is used to imitate drumset music, however, vocal percussionists use three basic sounds: bass drum
, snare drum
, and cymbal
. Variations on these sounds can be used to approximate other elements of a drum kit. A pitched bass drum is used to replace a floor tom; cymbal sounds can either be made short like a high hat (employing a sharp ts-ts-ts sound) or long like a crash or ride cymbal (attacked with a psh or a ksh sound). When used in a cappella music, vocal percussion is used to keep time for the members of the ensemble. It is sometimes the only percussion that can be heard by the audience, and works as a complement to the music director's conducting.
In the track "Mentira" from his 1973 album "Previsao do Tempo", Marcos Valle
emulates a drum kit with his voice and performs one repeating pattern and one fill, although his vocal drums appear only in two short portions of the track. Valle intends to emulate a drum kit.
traditions, most notably in the traditions of North India
(bols) and South India
(solkattu). Syllables are used to learn percussion compositions, and each syllable signifies what stroke or combination of strokes the percussionist must use.
The art of speaking these syllables is called konnakol
in South India, and traditional dance ensembles sometimes have a dedicated konnakol singer, although this practice is now waning. At one time it was a very respected art form, with many masters and singers.
In North India, the practice of reciting bols is usually limited to the percussionist reciting the composition about to be played, often in the context of a longer solo. These recitations are also sometimes spoken by a Kathak
dancer.
Mouth
The mouth is the first portion of the alimentary canal that receives food andsaliva. The oral mucosa is the mucous membrane epithelium lining the inside of the mouth....
that approximate, imitate, or otherwise serve the same purpose as a percussion instrument
Percussion instrument
A percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
, whether in a group of singers, an instrumental ensemble, or solo.
In Western music
The term "beatboxingBeatboxing
Beatboxing is a form of vocal percussion primarily involving the art of producing drum beats, rhythm, and musical sounds using one's mouth, lips, tongue, and voice. It may also involve singing, vocal imitation of turntablism, and the simulation of horns, strings, and other musical instruments...
" is often used as a synonym for vocal percussion, but in fact is just one tradition of vocal percussion, originating in hip-hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
music and often used to accompany rapping
Rapping
Rapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...
.
The vocal percussion used by most college and professional a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
groups attempts a more complete facsimile of the pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
that these groups primarily perform. It is not necessary for vocal percussionists to attempt to imitate real instruments; in fact, vocal percussion often encompasses sounds not found on a drum set
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
. When it is used to imitate drumset music, however, vocal percussionists use three basic sounds: bass drum
Bass drum
Bass drums are percussion instruments that can vary in size and are used in several musical genres. Three major types of bass drums can be distinguished. The type usually seen or heard in orchestral, ensemble or concert band music is the orchestral, or concert bass drum . It is the largest drum of...
, snare drum
Snare drum
The snare drum or side drum is a melodic percussion instrument with strands of snares made of curled metal wire, metal cable, plastic cable, or gut cords stretched across the drumhead, typically the bottom. Pipe and tabor and some military snare drums often have a second set of snares on the bottom...
, and cymbal
Cymbal
Cymbals are a common percussion instrument. Cymbals consist of thin, normally round plates of various alloys; see cymbal making for a discussion of their manufacture. The greater majority of cymbals are of indefinite pitch, although small disc-shaped cymbals based on ancient designs sound a...
. Variations on these sounds can be used to approximate other elements of a drum kit. A pitched bass drum is used to replace a floor tom; cymbal sounds can either be made short like a high hat (employing a sharp ts-ts-ts sound) or long like a crash or ride cymbal (attacked with a psh or a ksh sound). When used in a cappella music, vocal percussion is used to keep time for the members of the ensemble. It is sometimes the only percussion that can be heard by the audience, and works as a complement to the music director's conducting.
In the track "Mentira" from his 1973 album "Previsao do Tempo", Marcos Valle
Marcos Valle
Marcos Kostenbader Valle is a Brazilian singer, songwriter and record producer. He has produced works in many musical styles, including bossa nova, samba, incidental music and fusions of American/European rock, soul and dance music with Brazilian styles.-Biography:Valle's talent was evident from...
emulates a drum kit with his voice and performs one repeating pattern and one fill, although his vocal drums appear only in two short portions of the track. Valle intends to emulate a drum kit.
In Non-Western music
Vocal percussion is also an integral part of many world musicWorld music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
traditions, most notably in the traditions of North India
North India
North India, known natively as Uttar Bhārat or Shumālī Hindustān , is a loosely defined region in the northern part of India. The exact meaning of the term varies by usage...
(bols) and South India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
(solkattu). Syllables are used to learn percussion compositions, and each syllable signifies what stroke or combination of strokes the percussionist must use.
The art of speaking these syllables is called konnakol
Konnakol
Konnakol is the art of performing percussion syllables vocally in South Indian music, the Carnatic music - South Indian classical - performance art of vocal percussion. It is comparable in some respects to bol in Hindustani music, but allows the composition, performance or communication of rhythms...
in South India, and traditional dance ensembles sometimes have a dedicated konnakol singer, although this practice is now waning. At one time it was a very respected art form, with many masters and singers.
In North India, the practice of reciting bols is usually limited to the percussionist reciting the composition about to be played, often in the context of a longer solo. These recitations are also sometimes spoken by a Kathak
Kathak
Kathak is one of the eight forms of Indian classical dances, originated from Uttar Pradesh, India. This dance form traces its origins to the nomadic bards of ancient northern India, known as Kathaks, or storytellers...
dancer.