Print this page The Great Falsettos of the 50s and 60s
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The Great Falsettos of the 50s and 60s
<p>Come along to hear the high-pitched and unique sound of the 1950s and early 1960s. Beginning with the Post-War Doo-Wop craze, young men turned to adding shrill high notes to their harmonies. It was
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Come along to hear the high-pitched and unique sound of the 1950s and early 1960s. Beginning with the Post-War Doo-Wop craze, young men turned to adding shrill high notes to their harmonies. It was very effective. This style continued into Pop music with groups and individuals such as Del Shannon, Jimmy Jones, The Four Seasons, the Newbeats, the Tokens and many more. This style was incorporated into and made a distinct impact on the Surf and Summer music of the 1960s. Tonight we will investigate the best of falsetto songs and enjoy watching highlighted performances.
DELIVERY MODE
- Face-to-Face
COURSE OUTLINE
- The first falsettos. Delta Blues music featured falsetto in some of the early artists such as Skip James. Gospel music in the South also had falsettos.
- The Doo Wop groups could not have been unique without falsetto, Maurice Williams, the Tokens, The Five Satins, the Skyliners and many more featured these wonderful high sounds from males and sometimes females.
- Rock and Roll and Pop. Little Richard, Del Shannon and many more. Added falsetto sounds to their wild and emotive music. The Four Seasons were the kings of falsetto.
- Finally, falsetto absolutely made the Surf Music craze. The Beach Boys, Jan and Dean, the Sunrays and others used this signature sound.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of this course, students should be able to:
- Understand the place of the high register notes in popular music harmonies
- Demonstrate the effectiveness of falsetto within a song context
- Outline the history and development of this music throughout the 1950s and 60s
- Listen to many outstanding examples of the falsetto effect and its development through performances
