Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!uwm.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!brutus.cs.uiuc.edu!psuvax1!psuvm!auvm!BROWNVM!AP201059 From: AP201059@BROWNVM.BITNET (Ergo) Newsgroups: bit.listserv.allmusic Subject: ska "definition" Message-ID: Date: 13 Feb 90 13:01:40 GMT Sender: Discussions on all forms of Music Reply-To: Discussions on all forms of Music Lines: 11 Approved: NETNEWS@AUVM Gateway On the point that ska is "happier" than reggae, that's because it tends to be faster. Listening to Madness will give give anyone a good feel for how frenetic it can be, except, of course, for their cover of "Swan Lake". As compared to reggae, the biggest difference is in rhythm; bass lines in reg- gae are much more syncopated, while ska bass lines are somewhat more even, of- ten keeping up a walking or arpeggiating pattern. Usually, as in 4/4 ska, 2 & 4 are accented, and within each beat the second half is accented. (Keep subdiv- iding and taking the off beat and you've got ska.) Thanks to the other folks for the lyrical, historical, and instrumental points.