Several decades after its development in Jamaica, ska music remains popular and celebrated in older forms and modern reincarnations. The distinctive aspects of this musical genre are formed by its compositional structures and instrumentation.
What Is Ska?
Ska developed in Jamaica in the 1950s and is considered the predecessor to reggae music. Ska combines elements of American jazz and R&B with various genres of Caribbean music, most notably calypso.
Instrumentation
Typical ska band instrumentation consists of a jazz/rock rhythm section (bass, guitar, drums, piano) a singer or group of singers (typically male), a three-piece horn section (trumpet, saxophone, trombone) and electronic organ. Compositional use of this instrumentation is usually dense with all musicians playing for a majority of the song.
Form
Song forms in ska tend to be repetitive and based on traditional Western/American verse and chorus transitions that are introduced and broken up by prominent horn-section features. Alternating tempo speeds and breaks may mark different sections and instrumental solos, especially trombone solos.
Rhythm and Harmony
The tempo of ska is typically fast in 4/4 time with emphasis on the back beats (beats 2 and 4), created by heavy strikes on the drums. Accenting the offbeats (between main pulses) with instrumental chord punctuations creates ska's characteristic rhythmic feel. Songs tend to favor major keys and harmonies, similar to those used in jazz and blues.
Character and Gesture
The character of ska's sound tends to be energizing and emotionally upbeat dance music. Vocal and wind instrument lines move fast with extended passages written in unison or octaves. The singing generally sticks within a limited vocal range; it's punchy and percussive with a high density of quick-moving words.
