The difference between Ska, Reggae and Rocksteady

[yerk3]

I've noticed that rhythmic "chan-chan-chan" thing before, and now I've heard Bob Marley vocalize it, but I still don't know what it's called.

[fuckoffben]

@yerk3 the tempo? something like that i think :)

[yerk3]

@fuckoffben It's not the tempo, it's that' accentuated kind of thump on the up beat.

[fuckoffben]

@yerk3 oh you mean what the sound is and not what the pace of the sound is called?

[yerk3]

@fuckoffben Yeah.

[DuderBre]

hes too high, i cant understand him.

[BabylonGenocide149]

@DuderBre nah you think too much.

[yerk3]

@DuderBre Being high doesn't impede people's speech. It's just hard to understand for people who aren't familiar with the Jamaican patois. Lots of words are pronounced differently and there are a lot of grammatical conventions that are left over from West African languages. 

[SuperSlutMagnet]

Reggaeton and all the people that blast it at parties annoy me. It's NOTHING like ska or reggae, just something for mexicans to get drunk to. Live in California and call me a racist for saying it. Bob Marley pretty much summed it up perfectly here lol

[J5MARLON]

To bad he died before the big emergence of dub, dance hall, Reggeton. Dug is like Ja- Ja Jaaaaanng ja-ja. Dance hall Jang ding nink kink ding ja-ja- jang. Reggeton jang shinkt beep bop beep jang bing -ja-jang.

[monkeytown1000]

See Bob's right foot is all strapped up, cos of the rare melanoma that ultimately spread and killed him. Doctors had offered to amputate the toe, but he refused because of his rasta beliefs, if it had been amputated he might have lived.

A great, great loss.

[leftocastpunx83]

@monkeytown1000 i was sure bob marley was assasinated?!?!

[cheeki0]

@leftocastpunx83 there was an attempt but he died of cancer

[yerk3]

@leftocastpunx83 He died from a melanoma that started on the bottom of his foot. People thought it had to be an assassination because black people very seldom get melanoma because their natural melanin provides more than enough UV protection. The soles of the feet and the palms of the hands, however, don't have any melanin in them, and are equally succeptible to melanomas in all races. Bob Marley was known to go barefoot whenever he could.

[leftocastpunx83]

@yerk3 Good info, thanks!

[bapyou]

Beautiful Jamaican people. <3

[angelortiz69]

greatest influence in the whole wide world. no one like BOB MARLEY.

[TheVIVAKENBARLOW]

the bit where he explains the difference between the use of off beat in each is amazing. makes perfect sense. true legend

[oskar182avila]

some one explain me, why jamaica 69?

[MrBrandon621]

ska is awesome! love the specials :)

[jackskellingtonation]

someone needs to put subtitles on this!!!

[357lisandro]

subtitulos porfavor =)

[VKRISTYN20]

i freakin love bob marley<3 i so would have married him! hahaha! (: he was the greatest music artist ever! and he wasn't amazing just for his music, but for his out look on the world and stuff!

~PeAcE & lOvE~

[mjjcng8958]

how could you not understand what he said? i am not even jamaican and i understand. just listen a little harder and you'd understand

[blindfire7unloaded]

Damn, my grandpa sounds just like this. Only a deeper voice. Being Jamaican is fucking awesome.

[Bass1sounds]

Yes i really really miss Bob Marley since you left us in May 1981

[Ma965]

we miss you Bob

[razzza]

Pt. 2

Even people like joe higgs...ja-na-na...you know that music, used to play that plenty

So um, from there now it develop to people start...chank chank chank for ska, ya know?

And then for rocksteady like....jang, jang, jang

For reggae now is....chik, chik, chik, ya know?

So ya have 3 different feel, but the 3 of them can put together again and make one thing still.

Cheers to those who wanted a translation and the (?) in my previous post is "plenty of"

[mthai66]

@razzza Funny that he can't remember the name of the 'Riddim&Blues' style

[razzza]

Translation:

"When the musicians in Jamaica started to play, I know they can play Calypso too cuz them play alot of Calypso, but because the American influenced music come pass thru down there ya know. Them start fi kinda get more...to...them time you have Fats Domino and (?) them type of people. So, after a while the music start to drift from the reggae, see it used to be a music....almost like a half-blues .....we used to play before the ska start, ya know?

[razzza]

@razzza ah crap. I dropped a "fi" in there. LOL. My mistake. In that context just switch "fi" for "to"

[razzza]

@razzza I listened again and "Half-blues" may be "off blues" like off beat blues. Not 100% sure wht he said there, but after listening again "off blues" kinda makes more sense for what he said.

[flashforwardism]

could someone add a traduction?

[razzza]

@flashforwardism add a what?

[leo2274]

exelente, diferenciacion de ritmos ! Grande Bob !

Larga vida al rey !

[rmnvaldivia]

its funny i try to explain the difference between a 4x4 beat and a break beat the same way lol....although i just end up confusing them lol. rip bob. your teachings and music still lives on...even through youtube!!!!!

[wawadelanoche]

yea

[SaEb0]

esta chula su playera

[sandrochatlos1]

could some one tell me what he is saying in words....i can't understand him too well...

[Nachoidess]

I didnt understand nothing

[wkoffs]

mr. bobby

[curepunkx]

seriously what the hell did he say?

[thatoneskater21]

fuck cancer it shuldnt of taken him

[HardKore5250]

why did he get it did he smoke too much weed?

[numb3r2wo]

Why did I actually here percussioin when he started doing the (chink) for Rocksteady??

[aannets]

Beautiful Bob, love him forever xxx

[Nikoz7Makaveli]

who can tell me some real Rocksteady songs of Bob Marley?

[alejandroiltopo]

simmer down

[Nikoz7Makaveli]

No thats ska

[lordkoos]

@Nikoz7Makaveli

Bus Dem Shut is a great Wailers rocksteady tune... also "Hypocrite" and the original first version of "Stir It Up".

[Nikoz7Makaveli]

Thnx alot, clear! I cant find the original version of Stir It Up, can you help me?

[skabbs]

best part of the video is at the end when they play prince buster and have people skanking

if anyone knows anything about reggae id hope they would know prince buster is the best

[dericofilho]

@skabbs hi! do you know which prince buster's song is this?

[mikeytheskinhead]

i think some of you have missed the point of what is being said here about the differance between reaggae, ska and rocksteady and how jamaican music develop from the three styles of music through age and time. i'm sure if i can understand the three types of jamaican music i'm sure other people can. it is all down to the rythym that deffers reggae, ska and rocksteady. not how much Bob Marleys estate is and not who copied Bobs music.

[CLEKTRONIK]

Because of recent developments the Marley estate is now worth over 1 B$.

I think this bloke truthaxe is having a laugh and looking for attention..poor demented sod.

[CLEKTRONIK]

"However, his description about various music falls flat"

In this particular segment/footage, or generally?

Would it surprise you to know there are thousands,

perhaps millions of people who understand, Bob's

interpretation quite clearly, ie Sting-Eric Clapton etc?.

What qualifies you to make such a statement?

[TerryMarineBMF]

Respect one anudder

Angie Angel, i luv u

1000%ROCKSTEADY!!!

[tjmexregga]

WAHTS the diferent to Ishank and shank , ajajaja WELL master marley is soww fany dare , respect and blesssss reggae is Jah music

[SRHelmick]

Damn I love that man. So sad he's not with us anymore.

[metalJemp]

@SRHelmick  He is....

[kalesteinsegek]

dont bother liennto, truthaxe is an idiot

[bonidg]

a los 0.55 min lo explica mas q claramente

[JoaoFlagras]

I do not understand this video but I love you anyway you're the guy

i love you

i love you

[piepy86]

true true... :D

[jab300]

cool

[YouGlued]

barack obama dancing in 1:21.. haa!

[scheetah1971]

U R right....the man behinde the dancing woman....

[scheetah1971]

u have good eyes..

R.I.P Bob

[einenrauchen]

lol I thought the same!

[fahrigonzo]

isn't it joe gibbs?

[lionfjuda]

at 0:39, who does he mention?

[tonewheeler76]

Joe Higgs, a Reggae singer. Bless ! R.I.P. Bob Marley, his legend will live on forever

[Slimemachine]

i would say that this is SKA

[karofinne]

is the first riddim he sings calypso? and then ska, rocksteady and reggae?

[karofinne]

Hi where did you find this?

[manutdfanatics]

What is that music at the end of the video? Sounds very good.

[rolko86]

I think that's "one cup of coffee" from Marley but i am not so sure of it . And I think this isn't the original version.

[manutdfanatics]

It's really not the original version, but now I think so too, that this is that song. So thank you! Vagyis köszönöm, mert látom, hogy te is magyar vagy.:)

[rolko86]

Örülök, hogy segíthettem! Főleg egy honfitársnak ;-)

[hersham05]

the end of the video is from 'Prince Buster - wash wash'

[manutdfanatics]

Thank you! I'm looking for this song for weeks!

[HermesGott]

Did you ever have a physician who totally ruled in physics but couldn't explain shit about it? Beeing good in something doesn't mean in the least that one is able to communicate this ability or the underlying principles.

There's a reason why there is such a thing as a teacher, which is not necessarily the brightest person in its field but maybe better able to communicate something than a nobel prize winner. I think Bob just did it, but if you have no idea of Reggea, this really doesn't help.

[TruthAxe]

ska = cut time (2/2). rhythm guitar downstroke on the downbeat. walking bass on every beat in the measure.

rock steady = cut time (2/2). rhythm guitar downstroke on the upbeat. wandering bass provides second voice melody.

reggae = 4/4 time. rhythm guitar downstroke on the upbeat. wandering bass provides second voice melody.

Too bad Bob Marley can't explain this.

[strumpeteer]

He did better. He explained it in terms so that a person, with or without any education in music, can clearly understand.

A person who does not have any formal knowledge in music whould be asking you "WTF is a wandering bass or downstroke?"

Anyway, well done Bob!

[ImaniHekima]

@strumpeteer It's also nice to have the music explained by someone who was there and saw what went down.

[liennto]

Too bad your textbook explanations of Jamaican rhythms sound ridiculous. I went to music school too, but give me Bob Marley scatting the rhythms to me any day over your scholarly drivel.

[TruthAxe]

You amuse, liennto.

Mere words whipped you into frenzy. Meanwhile, you attack me because you cannot attack my expressed ideas.

Good luck in your idol worship of Bob Marley.

[liennto]

Frenzy? Please, cool as a cucumber... Attack? Wow youre sensitive. I'll be more gentle as I point out that its laughable you flex your music theory muscles (or more like copy/paste from Wikipedia) and claim Bob Marley "cant explain it". So, dont you think that sounds like youre trying to say you have a better understanding of music than one of the most famous musicians of all time?

[TruthAxe]

You amuse, liennto, again!

Look at you go! Like diarrhea from your fingers, you spew your schizophrenic shit on YT.

Clearly, you're a Wikipedia kid since you show the world what you would do if you needed knowledge -- cut and paste from Wikipedia.

Bob Marley comes across as a man ignorant about music. He lacks the intellect to speak about music, properly.

This video gives ample evidence of such truth.

Keep amusing, liennto.

[liennto]

True musicians need not speak about music, they simply play it. only bitter, confused and lonely trolls like yourself think music should be 'spoken properly' of. Miles Davis (heard of him? you probably think he's 'ignorant about music' too... whatever that means) once said, 'I dont care if a guy can only play two notes, as long as he can swing'. intellect? nah... and, btw, your sentence 'this video gives ample evidence of such truth' is a very sad attempt at sounding 'smart'. die now.

[TruthAxe]

Oh how you amuse, liennto.

Mere words have you enraged. Look at you go!

Here's a gift for you. Call 1-800-661-2121. Someone is there to help you, yet you must make the first move.

Your mommy and daddy shall thank you. Your friends, if you have any, shall thank you.

Keep dancing on the string as I pull them, puppet.

[jdawg1692]

you're a fucking home douchebag, liennto's right its about the music not the way you talk about it, nobody gives a flying fuck if he can talk about music you're dignified uptight asswad scholar way. Bob Marley has made more beautiful music than you could ever dream of you fucking faggot. Go crawl in a hole with a fuck buddy suck each others dicks and then blow your head off with a shotgun, the world needs less people like you

[TruthAxe]

You amuse, jdwag.

Bob Marley would agree with me and suggest that you need serious help for your unstable mental health.

Freaking out over mere words on YT is no way to go thorugh life, jdawg.

Second, you amuse, jdawg.

Cognitive dissonance has triggered your deep-seated homoerotic desires and fantasies.

Your anger manifests because you're surpressing your homosexism.

Get help.

[mishymog]

music is a feel babe, if you're passionate about it you'll agree... you can have all the textook smarts in the world, and all the training, but putting emotion and true feeling into your music is something that can never be taught..

Bob was an incredible person for this reason, he was one of the pioneers bringing this new music to the world. It makes no difference if he could write a book about exactly what he did... that's not the true point of music..

[TruthAxe]

In truth, good performance takes feeling.

However, music is the logic of organizing sounds according to accepted rules.

When someone "makes music" and does so well, we consider it good or a work of beauty.

That said, no one has attacked Marley about his performance.

However, his description about various music falls flat.

Merely, I explained what Bob Marley could not, which should help any musician.

However, getting attacked for it amuses me and is not in the spirit of Bob.

[mishymog]

fair enough, I understand your view, but personally I believe some of the best musicians are those which have an undestanding of the essence of music, and can explain them or communicate them to ordinary people. The spirit of Bob, as you say, wouldn't want someone advocating "rules" about communicatig music over a natural physical communcation.

I respect that you must have great discipline in music, but I honestly think you are missing the point. sorry people are being horrible here...

[TruthAxe]

Thanks for apologizing for others, but you need not. Oh, and I have not missed anything.

Listen, knowing the rules and jargon of music lets musicians who speak different languages, share and collaborate.

It's the same as other fields that adopt notation and jargon for universal communication.

It's helpful.

Again, difference exists between PERFORMANCE (playing) and DESCRIBING.

In this vid, Marley tells about music by example only 40% of the time. The rest he blathers. Not helpful.

[anmata01]

Well, I came to Youtube to learn the difference between ska and rock steady and was directed to this video. What better person is there to learn this from than Bob Marley? He explained it perfectly! Its crystal clear now. Thanks for posting this video.

[hutnik09]

JAH Bless

[Albyiscool]

what did he say??

[bastuctuc]

okey bob, thx to help me find the light

[madmax8903]

I'm not musical and I thought it was pretty clear what Bob said. Most of you guys are right. These are the people who made the music, so they must know what they're talking about. Let the historians sort out what was what after the creators are dead.

Barry Norman spoke to Glen Ford years after it was made about the seminal movie Gilda. He kept talking about film noire. Eventually Ford interrupted him:

"What's film noire?"

"You made them. Gilda's one."

"It is? But what is it? I've no idea"

[gustavosouzabh]

You´re completely right!

[Umskiddy]

The comment below was meant for hultonclint - not the legendary Bob.

[KOMA99]

i like how young obama came in behind the dancing girl at the end.

[livefastsk8faster]

haha that was funny!

[bologna500]

That cracked me the fuck up!! XD

[dvdpz]

i was just gonna say the same thing! hahaha!

[jwattie]

So simple to describe something so beautiful!

[sunmanpatoo]

thanks 4 breaking it down bob

[prodigy987]

F*cKING Legend!

[hepcat330]

couldn't explain it better myself.

[Zeitgeist74]

That was cute how that little black chick was doin' that little dance at the end. ;)

[iqbal55]

i barely understood what he was saying at the beginning but that was awesome! i get what he's trying to say when he gives the examples.

[achaed]

this is sooo cool!!! i totally got what he's saying especially that last part when he was demonstrating the variations of accents in the rhythm. i didnt know it roots back to the oldskool shuffle! Bob totally rocks.

[hultonclint]

He doesnt say anything about a shuffle. The piano rhythm he imitates at first is for a different rhythm that was played during the R&B phase (late 50s to around '61) of Jamaican music. Then he doesnt explain how one jumps from that rhythm to the fast, offbeat skank of ska. He just says, "from there now it develop." How? They are totally unrelated rhythms, Bob.

Yeah, the shuffle is there in the TIMELINE, but what the Skatalites did in their ska rhythm was a radical departure

[bizarreworld123]

hultonclint:

It is obvious that you're full of yourself, and not of the subject under inspection. Don't confuse yourself. Who says Bob was trying to tell us how one developed from the other? He merely was demonstrating the difference among the rythms. Stop being full of yourself, for all you're doing is studying what others have lived. You cannot pretend to know more than those who have lived it. Don't mislead yourself.

[TobiasNeverNude]

I thought he explained that rather well. He's talking about shuffle first. Check out New Orleans music like Fats Domino and Professor Longhair. The music of New Orleans was extremely influential in Jamaica (particularly Fats Domino). The Desmond Dekker song "Jeserine" is a great example of the influence of Fats (the piano intro bit). Then he explains how shuffle mixed with calypso to create ska, which is similar to shuffle but with the accent on the opposite beats.

[hultonclint]

I have video blogs about this on my channel, including "Jamaican R&B" and "Ska" where I've tried to deconstruct the various elements that went into these shifts. "Shuffle mixed with calypso to create ska"? Even if that were wholly true, it is too vague to actually "explain" anything...unless you are someone like me or you (I assume) who actually kinda knows-- but for others, his examples will sound nearly identical.

[hultonclint]

(Continued) And the r&b piano riff he "plays" isnt even a shuffle -- it's another r&b rhythm of the time which has little correlation between the version of "ska" rhythm that would go on to form the basis of rocksteady.

[TobiasNeverNude]

I can't remember where exactly, but there's a really interesting interview with Chris Blackwell on the topic.

[JRock005]

I understood him the first time I watched it...

[Umskiddy]

Prat!

[808Productionz]

Listen carefully to the beat in how he explains it. Each explanation of each type of music has a different beat.

[hultonclint]

WTF have you read anything I wrote? Did you check out my channel where I vlog after listening VERY carefully to 1000s of songs in Jamaican music and then jam + analyze the rhythm changes year by year? Everyone here that says "Yah, I totally get it from his explanation" either 1) ALREADY had it / knew it, so the vagueness of it is moot point; or 2) Thinks they get it, meaning they follow the explanation itself (as an explanation) but probably do not actually get all the differences in the music

[KenCat1337]

Relax, man.

[Umskiddy]

hultonclint - you're a prat and an arsehole.

Did you seriously expect Bob to decribe the differences in the highbrow manner of an distiguished English university music lecturer? Bob had nothing to prove to the likes of you.Besides, what do you want to know for?Even if it was explained to you in the manner in which you seek, you'll NEVER be able to perform reggae properly anyway.Reggea is about a feel, emotion, passion and an instinct that is synonymous to the people of Jamaica.So give up!

[aperez024]

bredda, couldn't have said it betta me self.

[hultonclint]

Uh, Bob, ha ha.....how does that "explain" the differences? Do we really think anyone would actually understand the difference from that? "chununa - chununa - cha" :)

[nikesbskater0s]

i know

[sugaprima]

could u imagine u still touch peopls hearts all over the world man r.i.p bob we always love ya

[firebladerr1]

nice little clip

[PattiSchmidt]

Wha'a clip!!!