From
http://nomuzak.co.uk/against_pop.htmlThe things said here apply to 98% of pop music today:
The vast majority of the music is in 4/4 time. Thus, other time signatures, the common 3/4 and others such as 12/8, 5/4, 7/8, 6/8, 7/8, 7/16 etc. are not part of the vocabulary. Metre changes within a piece are not allowed, this is set at the beginning and never varies. This is one element in the reduction of complexity and the limitation of musical vocabulary in pop and rock music.
Additionally, there are no tempo changes within a piece of music, no changes of pace, either gradually as in accelerando, or sudden changes of pace. Tempo is invariant and usually strictly and fairly mechanically follows the beat imposed from the outset. This limits the possibilities of using and demonstrating “musicianship”.
Dynamics are also avoided - the music is at one level of loudness and dynamic changes such as pianissimo, forte, crescendo, diminuendo, are not part of the vocabulary of pop and rock.
Modulation is the process of changing from one key (tonic, or tonal center) to another, also known as a key change. This may or may not be accompanied by a change in key signature. Key changes are not allowed in rock and pop: once the initial key is set there is no variation. Possibilities for the development of the musical material are therefore severely restricted.
Complex rhythms are also avoided, the “groove” is restrictive, confining, and limiting of the rhythmic structure. A few basic rhythmic templates tend to be used universally.
Musical forms are also restricted to a few basic tamplates repeated ad nauseam. There is no development, an absence of the complex forms used in other types of music. The thematic development of the material is avoided, so that musical themes and fragments are merely repeated rather than developed. The typical length of the typical rock and pop song also prevents development and creativity and becomes another musical straightjacket.
Harmony is also restricted and commonplace. There is no room for the augmented and complex chords found elsewhere and the use of dissonance is restricted.
Timbre is severely restricted to a small number of templates. A small number of instrumental sounds tend to be used time after time, electronically processed to create the standard sound and timbre of the typical rock song. Timbre tends to remain the same throughout a piece and is not allowed to vary. This is “clone music” - music that has to repeat the formulae. The aim of constructing a piece of music is to mimic what has gone before rather than to act creatively.
