What does motley mean in music?
A motley crew is an old English term for a group of people that are different from each other and don’t fit in with the rest of the world. They are usually people who are impoverished or criminals, and so they look different. The word comes from the French “motte,” which means “mixture.”
What does motley mean in music history?
The word motley in music refers to a jumble of instruments. It is an early reference to a type of music that was first performed in England in the late 16th or early 17th century. The name refers to the motley costume that these early performers donned. The performers often entertained guests in the home of a wealthy person, and in return they would play these oddball instruments.
What does motley mean in music theory?
A motley sound refers to an unsorted combination of instruments, using whatever is available to hand. It’s not a term used in music composition, but rather one used in the performance of music. In pop music, it’s not uncommon for a song to feature a backing track created using a keyboard, which is often accompanied by hand clapping, a drum kit and maybe a guitar. The term is most often used to describe a punk or ska sound, where the instruments
What does motley mean in jazz?
Dotted lines are used in early jazz scores to represent “motley” instruments—instrumentalists who could play multiple roles in a jazz ensemble. In the early 20th century, the most common example of a “motley” musician was the string bass. Early jazz string bassists had to be able to play piano and guitar parts as well as sing and play the string bass, so a single musician could fill all four roles in an early jazz ensemble.
What does motley mean in pop music?
The word motley, as used in music, has a few different meanings. The first is, as mentioned earlier, the “motley” outfit that jesters wore in the Middle Ages. This is the origin of the term “motley” when it comes to music. It can also allude to a group of musicians who have come together for a performance for a specific purpose.