Punk
Instrumentation:
- Vocals (mainly male)
- Electric Guitar
- Bass guitar
- Drums
- Keyboards used by some bands
Performance and Arrangement:
- Hard-edged, raw and chaotic – stripped down, small ensembles, basic music with no frills
- Vocals often delivered at shouting level
- Simple melodies only covering a few pitches or delivered almost at shouted chants
- Backing vocals (when used) are similar; no complex harmonies
- Songs are based around simple chord structures. Three chord tricks like that used in rock n roll. Simple major chords or power chords
- Fast tempo
- Drums are loud and trashy with lots of cymbals used
- Straight forward rhythms, some simple syncopation
- Songs are often very short
- If a solo is included it is normally very simple and quick
Technology and Production:
- DIY ethics to the production
- Bands used small independent studios
- Raw unprocessed sound
- Guitar sound is often distorted, though quite thin and harsh comared to the full tones of heavy-rock distortion and fuzz
- Effects were still used but producers avoided the polished sound of pop and the psychedelic era
New Wave:
Instrumentation:
- Vocals (male and female)
- Backing vocals
- Guitar
- Drums
- Percussion
- Bass
- Keyboards
Performance and Arrangement:
- Adopted much of the punk DIY ethics; fairly raw and unpolished
- Wide range of approaches due to varied stylistic influences, from edgy power pop to reggae and disco, so delivery depended on style
- Song writing became more important, with some clever pop songs, but again avoiding the complexity of progressive rock.
Technology and Production:
- Similar to Punk – the aim was to achieve an energetic and unprocessed sound of real musicians
- The productions were still often a bit more polished than Punk
- Use of keyboards and more variety in the arrangements often gave more depth to the sound than was usual for punk