What is the Difference Between Ska and Rocksteady

Ska and rocksteady are two genres of music that originated in Jamaica in the mid 20th century. Both share many similarities, such as similar rhythms and instruments. Moreover, both these genres had a major influence on the popular music genre, reggae.

The key difference between ska and rocksteady is their tempo. Rocksteady has a slower tempo than ska.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Ska Music
3. What is Rocksteady Music
3. Similarities – Ska and Rocksteady
4. Ska vs Rocksteady in Tabular Form
5. FAQ: Ska and Rocksteady

What is Ska Music?

Ska music is a genre of music that originated in Jamaica in the 1950s. It’s a type of danceable music that combines Caribbean and Jamaican rhythms, punk rock energy, and horn sections. The history of ska can be divided into three periods or waves. The first wave took place in the 1960s, with Jamaica gaining independence from the British and Jamaican musicians beginning to experiment with various styles of music. The second wave began in the late 1960s with the English record label 2 Tone. This was a revival of ska as reggae and rocksteady had become more popular at the time. The third wave of ska happened in the late 1980s and 1990s and involved many bands from different countries around the world.

Some of the most common instruments used by a ska band are guitars, trumpets, bass, drums, saxophones, and trombones. Some also use keyboards. Moreover, ska songs often have instrumental riffs played by their horn sections. These fill in the gaps between the sung vocals. Since ska music is a dance genre, it has a 4/4 time signature and a brisk pace. Drummers usually emphasize the backbeat on beats two and four, while guitarists often accentuate beats two, three, and four with percussive stabs. The bass guitar also plays an active role, mixing quarter notes and eighth notes. When considering ska lyrics, the first and second waves of ska music focused on issues like social justice, equity, and racial integration, while the third wave focused on various themes.

What is Rocksteady Music?

Rocksteady is another music genre with Jamaican origins. It evolved from ska, drawing on influences from jazz, Caribbean music, African rhythms, and rhythm and blues. However, rocksteady had slower tempos (generally 80 and 100 beats per minute (BPM)) with a focus on love songs and vocal harmonies. Some of the most popular artists and bands include the Silvertones, the Gaylads, the Melodians, Derrick Morgan, Alton Ellis, Roy Shirley, Ken Boothe, and Hopeton Lewis. In fact, most of the early rocksteady musicians were sky musicians who were slowing down ska tempos.

Like ska, rocksteady highlights the upbeats in a 4/4 measure. In rocksteady, the rhythm guitar pattern features silence on each downbeat, with an upstroke on every upbeat.

Similarities Between Ska and Rocksteady

1. Both originated in Jamaica in the 1960s.
2. They use similar instruments like guitar, bass, drums, and horns.
3. Both genres have offbeat rhythms.
4. They often include rich vocal harmonies.
5. Both had a major influence on reggae music.

Difference Between Ska and Rocksteady

Definition

1. Ska is a music genre that emerged in the late 1950s and influenced both rocksteady and reggae genres.
2. Rocksteady is a music genre that emerged in the late 1960s and was influenced by ska.

History

1. Ska emerged before rocksteady.
2. Rocksteady emerged after ska.

Tempo

1. Ska has a fast tempo with a brisk, upbeat rhythm that drives its energetic sound.
2. Rocksteady has a slower tempo with a more relaxed and laid-back groove.

The following table summarizes the difference between ska and rocksteady.

FAQ: Ska and Rocksteady

1. Is rocksteady the same as ska?

• Rocksteady is not the same as ska. However, rocksteady evolved from ska in the late 1960s. Rocksteady had slower tempos and focused on love songs and vocal harmonies.

2. What came first, ska or rocksteady?

• Ska is the music genre that was first developed. Ska originated in the late 1950s, and rocksteady evolved from ska in the late 1960s.

3. Is rocksteady slower than ska?

• Yes, rocksteady is slower than ska. Rocksteady generally has 80 and 100 beats per minute (BPM). In fact, some even describe rocksteady as ska with a slow tempo.

4. Is ska older than reggae?

• Ska is older than reggae, as it emerged in the late 1950s. Reggae originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. It was influenced by both ska and rocksteady genres, which also have Jamaican origins.

Reference:

1. “A Guide to Ska Music: History and Sounds of Ska Music.” Master Class.
2. “Rocksteady.” Wikipedia. Wikipedia Foundation.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Ska2” By Rubenelenano – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia

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