Solo Artists
A Brief History
Over the years Pop music has diversified into many different genres. There have always been solo artists in Pop music! When we looked at Rock n Roll we learnt about Elvis Presley; we could argue he was a solo artist because he performed under his own name. He had a band, but the focus was very much on him. That is the same for many solo artists; they perform with other musicians, but the focus is on them! The OCR GCSE Music exam focuses on modern day solo artists.
Suitable Decade
1990s to Present Day
Solo artists have been around for ages! But, your music exam will only focus on solo artists from the 1990s up to present day.
Typical Features of Solo Artists
Songs performed by solo artists will usually contain the following features. Remember this in case you are asked to list typical features for solo artists in your exam.
Music Technology
Modern Pop music uses lots of music technology. Scroll down to the Music Technology section to learn more about the types of Music Technology used by solo artists.
Verse and Chorus Structure
As with most types of Pop music, solo artists will typically use a Verse and Chorus structure. If you are asked to comment on the structure of a song (any Pop song, not just solo artists) and it has a Verse and Chorus structure, it is worth commenting on the fact the chorus is repeated.
Straight Rhythm
Solo artists will typically use a straight rhythm. Click here to listen to a straight beat vs a swung beat. TOP TIP: Rock n Roll music is the only type of pop music in the exam that uses a swung rhythm.
4 Beats in a Bar
Rock music uses a 4/4 time signature, meaning there are 4 beats in every bar. This is not unique to Rock music; the majority of Pop Music will use a 4/4 time signature.
Suitable Artists
There are LOADS of solo artists in Pop music! You will NEVER be asked to name the artist playing the extract in the exam - this would mean learning every solo artist from the 1990s up to the present day and the songs they performed!
Instead, you will be asked to identify a suitable artist. However, there are both male and female solo artists. So if you are asked to identify a suitable solo artist, you need to remember one male artist and one female artist.
Remember these Solo artists...
Male - Ed Sheeran
Female - Adele
If you are asked to identify a suitable Solo artist and you put one of these artists (or any other Solo artist from the 1990s to the present day), you will get the mark no matter who is performing the extract of music in the exam. BUT, you must get the gender correct - you will not get a mark if you put a female artist and it is male artist singing in the extract.
Instruments Used
Different styles of Popular Music will use similar instrumentation. Solo artists use lots of Music technology, but they use traditional instruments as well.
Drum kit or Drum machine
Bass guitar (electric)
Electric Guitar and/or Acoustic Guitar
Vocals (and backing vocals)
Synthesizer
Piano (sometimes)
Other instruments sometimes included...
String section (e.g. violins and cellos)
Brass section (e.g. trumpets and trombones)
Wind section (e.g. saxophones and oboes)
Technology
Technology continues to develop and musical artists are always finding new ways to incorporate music technology into their songs. Advancements in technology meant that musical artists could become more experimental. If you are asked to identify how technology has been used by a solo artist, the following answers will get you a mark.
TOP TIP: you will not be asked to explain what these forms of music technology are. If you are asked to list how technology has been used single worded answers for this type of question are perfectly fine.
Auto Tune
This is an effect applied to vocals. It can be used in small amounts to correct the tuning of recorded vocals to make it perfectly in tune or it can be used as an effect. When used as an effect it makes singing sound robotic. Daft Punk use this effect a lot. Click here to listen to a Daft Punk song; can you hear the Auto Tune effect being used on the vocals at around 1:05?
Reverb
This is like an echo. It is usually used on guitars and vocals.
Delay
This is a type of effect, usually used on guitars and vocals. The delay effect will reproduce something you say into a microphone or play on the guitar. The band U2 use a lot of delay on the guitar riffs they use. Click here to find out more about reverb and delay and what they sound like.
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is the correct name for a keyboard. Synthesizers can replicate many different sounds. They are an electronic instrument; the sound they produce comes from circuit boards rather than from moving strings etc.
Multitracking
This is a recording technique. It allows you to record something, rewind back to the start and then record something else alongside the first thing you recorded. This technique is used to create multiple layers in a song. Have you you ever listened to a band with just one guitarist or one singer but the song has lots of backing singing and multiple guitar lines and wondered how they did it? The answer is multitracking! Click here to find out more about multitracking.
Sampling
Sampling is when an artist will take a piece of a song that already exists and then use it in their song. They can speed it up, slow it down and change the pitch. It is normally played on a loop within the song. Click here to here examples of songs where sampling has been used.
Amplification
Electric instruments are nothing without an amplifier! Electric guitars and basses plug into an amplifier; this is how we hear them!
Singing
Quite often, solo artists are singers! So the singing is quite important and, if solo artists comes up on your exam, you will probably be asked about the singing.
Singers will use the same techniques as other styles of Pop music, such as...
Falsetto - Using head voice to reach a higher pitch. Click here to hear it.
Glissando - Sliding from one note to another note. Click here to hear it.
Melisma - Stretching a word or syllable over multiple notes. Click here to hear it.
Narrow range of notes - This is typical of a Pop song. A ballad might use a wider range - use your ears before putting this as an answer.
Layered / Multitracked - Solo artists often record their voice several times to fill out the texture of the music. Click here to listen to an Ed Sheeran song. Can you here there is more than one voice in the chorus? He has recorded his vocals several times both in unison and in harmony.
TOP TIP: Try to only comment on the vocal techniques you hear in the extract. For example, only put falsetto if you hear falsetto being used.
If there is more than one singer, you could comment on the following...
Singing in unison (multiple singers singing the same thing at the same pitch).
Singing in harmony (multiple singers singing the same thing but using different pitches/notes).
Further Listening
The YouTube videos below are good examples of Solo Artists. Can you hear any of the features we have spoken about above?