If Greek music comes up in your exam you might get asked to list typical features of Greek music.  If you get this question, the following features are ideal answers.  

TOP TIP: you will not have to explain these features in your exam.  Single worded answers are fine for this type of question.

TOP TIP: if you are asked to list features of a style of music, there is usually a maximum of two marks for just identifying instruments.  It wont say this on the exam paper but it usually says it in the mark scheme, so you need to list musical features not just instrument names.

Instruments

There a number of instruments that can be used in Greek Folk music ad it will be difficult to learn all of them, so we will just look at the most common instruments used.

• Bouzouki - a small guitar like instrument with either three or four pairs of strings.  This is used as a melody instrument.  The melody in Greek music is usually harmonised in thirds.  Bouzouki players tend to use a lot of tremolo when playing (click here to listen to what tremolo playing sounds like - the example in this video uses a guitar).  Click here to see a Bouzouki being performed and to hear what it sounds like.

• Doumbek - this is a traditional Greek drum.  It is goblet shaped and performers can produce lots of different sounds by hitting the drum in different places and with different parts of their hand.  Click here to see a Doumbek being performed and to hear what it sounds like.

• Defi - the Defi is a small hand drum, which usually has bangles attached to it.  It can also have chines attached to it and it looks very similar to a tambourine.  I cannot find any YouTube videos showing this instrument being played, but if you click here you will see a picture of the Defi drum.

• Other instruments can include violin, bass and vocals.

Melodies

Greek music uses simple melodies with lots of ornamentation.  Greek melodies normally have a narrow range of notes.  Greek melodies are expressive and easy/enjoyable to sing.  Greek melodies are normally harmonised in thirds.  If you are asked to describe the melody in Greek music, make sure you say it is harmonised in thirds!

Rhythm and Metre

Greek music uses complex and irregular time signatures.  Examples of Greek time signatures are 5/8 and 7/8.  Not only is there normally an odd number of beats in a bar, the beats are counted in a strange way because of where the accent falls.  Try clapping these time signatures, putting an accent on the beats that are in bold...

• 1 2 3 4 5    (5/8)

• 1 2 3 4 5 6 7    (7/8)

If you are asked to list features of Greek music, saying it has an irregular time signature will get you a mark.  You might get asked to figure out how many beats there are in a bar for a piece of Greek music - this is often difficult to work out.  Try to figure out where beat 1 is then count from there.

Vocals

Greek singing is often quite decorative and will often feature lots of melisma.  Greek singing can also use microtones (you can find out more information about microtones on the Bhangra music page).  The vocals and instruments (e.g. Bouzouki and the Violin) will often perform in dialogue with one another.

Structure

Greek music is composed in short sections.  These sections are often repeated throughout a song.

Click play on the YouTube videos to hear examples of Greek Folk music.  Can you hear any of the features listed above?  Can you count along and work out how many beats there are in a bar?