What Are The Sub-Genres Of Gospel Music? Traditional Gospel. As the name suggests, the traditional gospel is the closest to the genre's origins. ... Quartet Gospel. ... Contemporary Gospel. ... Praise And Worship.
Christian or not, you must have heard of gospel music at some point. This genre is widely fused with other genres like rap, pop, and rock, so everyone is likely to have come across it at least once.
Gospel music has fascinating roots, and despite having emerged to encourage the masses to escape the misery of life, the genre has not lost its significance even today. As a derivative of Christian music, the gospel's lyrics have strong religious and social themes.
Madonna is a perfect example of an artist who has repeatedly used gospel music over her long career when discussing sensitive issues via music.
The infamous 1989 song Like A Prayer was one of the earliest instances of a pop artist leveraging gospel music, where she used the gospel to highlight issues of police brutality. Madonna's latest use of gospel was in 2019's God Control, which highlighted gun violence.
Regardless of whether audiences agree with Madonna's political views, there is no doubt the gospel infused her music with a power that generated conversation. It is precisely because of this ability that many contemporary recording artists continue to use it in their songs.
Evidently, the gospel has a long and proud history. Over the years, it has become increasingly complex, with various sub-genres emerging as a result.
Now, many musicians learning gospel prefer specializing in one of these new sub-genres. Conversely, music fans have also begun developing a discerning taste for what kind of gospel they like to listen to.
To help you identify which sub-genres of gospel appeal to you the most, here is a rundown of them.
If you are interested in learning more about gospel music from a professional music instructor, get in touch with Superprof. Superprof has experienced tutors and professionals of gospel music ready to teach you everything you want to know about the genre.
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What Is Gospel Music?
So what is Gospel music? It can be identified with its strong, powerful vocals, with an entire choir singing lyrics with a distinctive religious theme. These vocals often accompany claps and foot stomps, adding rhythm and flow.
The genre has historically been closely associated with African-American communities. It found ground in Black churches during the 20th century, becoming a regular and significant feature of church service. Since then, it has become mainstream and is sung at venues on various occasions worldwide.
Nevertheless, it never lost that distinct association with the Black culture of the 20th century.
Superprof's online gospel music classes can tell you more about the genre. You can learn more about its fascinating history and how to become a gospel musician.
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To truly appreciate the diversity of gospel music, it is vital to understand its history, which has made it what it is today. The genre has an extensive and enriching history – tracing its roots to the early 17th century.
During the Atlantic slave trade, many enslaved Black people would sing spiritual hymns and songs while working in fields. These songs incorporated themes of traditional African music and reimagined them in new and interesting ways. Over time, these hymns developed an increasingly Christian identity.
Although gospel has morbid origins, the genre became an essential feature of African-American culture and identity early on.
During the 18th century, many English composers wrote down gospel hymns to be sung during church service. At this stage, the genre was still in its infancy. However, it would soon take on a more concrete shape in the 1800s.
During the 19th century, a mass survival movement was underway, and various composers came forward with collections of gospel hymns. It was also during this era when Philip Bliss first coined the term "gospel music" to describe this new genre of church music.
However, it was not until after the 1920s and the advent of the radio that the gospel was able to adopt an association with Black music and culture. Black churches readily adopted it, and various publishing houses dedicated to publishing gospel records cropped up across the American states.
Ever since, the gospel has become mainstream and a significant part of the Christian culture across the world. From the late-20th century till today, the gospel has been experiencing its golden age. It frequently appears in chart-topping records and has splintered into numerous sub-genres, reflective of its complex and long history.
Yet, gospel music never shunned its religious origins. It is still a part of church service as a mandatory tradition in Sunday mass at churches across the US, particularly Black churches.
Thus, to truly appreciate gospel music's brilliance, it is important to acknowledge its history. Superprof can walk you through how Gospel has impacted other musical genres and its history, including the genre's evolution through the centuries. The gospel music courses at Superprof are particularly focused on the genre's history because of its significance to gospel music.
What Are The Sub-Genres Of Gospel Music?
There are four main sub-genres of gospel music. While all of them incorporate the core elements of gospel – a strong emphasis on the vocal chorus – they diverge from one another.
Here is what you need to know about them:
1. Traditional Gospel
As the name suggests, the traditional gospel is the closest to the genre's origins. It continues to present the gospel as it was sung for centuries. As such, it has the strongest themes of religion, spirituality, and Christianity. Moreover, this is the sub-genre that was developed by African-Americans and continues to be relevant and significant in Black churches today.
However, this does not mean the genre is static, locked away in some bygone era. Instead, the traditional gospel simply tries to uphold the core tenets and features of what first gave the gospel its distinct identity. As such, it has become closely associated with Black gospel traditions. Hundreds of traditional gospel songs are released every year, and the sub-genre continues to evolve in the US.
2. Quartet Gospel
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Although not as popular as it used to be in the mid-20th century, the quartet gospel continues to have a distinct character and identity. Quartet gospel is almost exclusively sung by male vocalists, all of whom sing with very tight harmonies – almost in unison.
Mastering that ability to sing harmoniously requires vocal talent, and today, you will still find quartet singers at churches performing for Sunday mass or church service.
Due to its close association with early and mid-20th century culture, there are many quartet singers in period movies. Its unique identity has ensured it has an enduring legacy and fan base.
3. Contemporary Gospel
The contemporary gospel is the obvious modern incarnation of the gospel. It seeks to produce trendier gospel hymns that adopt not only contemporary music but also modern messages.
As a result, it has been instrumental in attracting younger audiences to church and capturing their imagination. The contemporary gospel does not rely on vocals, claps, and stomps, either. It readily integrates the latest musical instruments into its sets – including electronic keyboards and guitars.
As such, it is very easy to integrate into other song genres, such as pop, rock, blues, and rap. This has made it very popular among younger audiences since it directly appeals to their sensibilities.
4. Praise And Worship
Praise and worship are a sub-genre of the gospel that attempts to adopt features of both contemporary and traditional gospel. Moreover, it is seldom sung alone or for a recording. Rather, praise and worship singers are predominantly performing artists.
They invite their audiences to sing along with them in praise and worship of God. Of course, this sub-genre continues to be very popular at churches and other religious events. Moreover, due to its adoption of contemporary musical instruments, it is also appreciated by younger audiences.
How You Can Learn American Gospel Music With Superprof?
Learning gospel is surprisingly not that hard – and actually quite fun! You just need to be able to memorize the lyrics and practice your vocals. Since it is primarily sung as a chorus, your combined vocal melody is sufficient to smoothen any bumps or flaws.
Moreover, since it is a team activity, learning gospel music can also give you the opportunity to make new friends. Learning how to sing this genre united can be a spiritual, uplifting, and fun experience.
So, if you want to learn more about gospel music, get in touch with us at Superprof. Our online music tutors are highly qualified and have the necessary experienced to give you the learning you need.
You will not need to leave the comfort of your house and commute to some distant music school to learn the gospel. Nor will you need to commit to a church, either. You can just appreciate and participate in the creative genius of gospel music online with others who share your passion for it.
Plus, learning gospel music online is not as expensive! We are well within everybody's means. So if you want to get started on your gospel music journey, contact us. We will connect you with a professional music tutor and schedule lessons according to your availability and convenience.
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