Depending on the music genre, different instruments can be more important than others. For example, drums would be more important in genres like drum and bass and tribal music where the rhythm is at the forefront of the song. However, melody instruments like vocals and keys are more associated with more modern music such as pop and rock. This is because the melody is the most important so people can sing along to it. Together, all these instruments would make the perfect song where both the rhythm and melody are just as important as each other.
Drums
Drums are one of the more important rhythm instruments as a drummer’s main job is to make sure everyone is in time and if anyone is out of time, they need to make sure they speed up or fall back to fit with the rest of the group. The drums also set the initial tempo for the song. If the drummer wasn’t there, the group would struggle with the speed and might start the song at the wrong tempo as the rest of the group always follows the drummer’s speed.
As well as this, the drummer also sets the dynamics. The drums are unable to change volume so if the drummer plays loud, everyone else has to play loud to match. They also set where the dynamics change or when there are crescendos and diminuendos as if the drums change volume and the rest of the instruments stay the same, it would sound strange and uncoordinated. Drums provide a thick texture because of the low pitch percussion like the toms and bass drum and the high pitched cymbals like the crash. Without these drums, the song would sound empty and unfinished, especially in genres like pop and rock.
Drummer’s are hugely versatile in terms of genres. It is one of the easiest instruments to be able to switch genres quickly as we don’t have to deal with the key and melody of a song, only the rhythm. For advanced drummers, this can be made much easier as you can improvise and most listeners won’t be able to tell that you are playing the song different compared to if a guitarist was to improvise.
Guitar
Lead Guitarists are most likely to provide the most variation in their playing as one of their jobs is to make the song unique by using different rhythms and melodies, not to mention that most guitarists have solos (especially in rock music) in which they can show off their talent through the interesting and difficult guitar skills. Their parts are often loud and exaggerated to give the song more ‘oomph’.
In addition, instead of playing the lead part, they can also have a role in the rhythm. Rhythm guitarists are just as crucial because they make the song sound thicker with their full-sounding chords. In heavy genres like rock and metal, the rhythm guitarist often plays power chords (a two-note chord, with no major or minor key) whilst the lead guitarist plays a high pitched melody. This adds a sense of strength and vitality.
Also adding to the texture is the guitar’s ability to be modified so you can produce a totally different sound unlike anything else in the group. This can be done by using different settings on your amp or guitar, like gain and tone. Effect pedals like distortion and chorus can make a huge difference to your playing as well. However, these depend on what genre you are wanting to play, for example; distortion would work better on heavy tracks but you might want a cleaner tone for some pop and jazz.
Keys
The keys usually work with guitarists to emphasise the melody and/or chords of the song. Keys cover the harmony of the song; often playing the chords accompanied by the root note from the bass and playing over the riff played by the guitarist to tie all the melody together. Keys can be quite subtle in the mix however this isn’t a bad thing; they are there to compliment the melody instruments, not fight with them! Often, if the band doesn’t have a lead guitarist, the keys will take this role and if you are advanced enough, you could play the melody and chords at the same time.
As keyboards have different sounds to choose from, you can change what your playing sounds like; a bit like how you can modify a guitar’s sound. However, in this instance, you can totally change your keyboard to a different instrument. If this was needed in a song, the keyboard player needs to know how to play this instrument on a synthesiser correctly so it fits in smoothly and so it sounds like the real instrument. This means that keyboard players have a secondary role of filling in for other band members or instruments you need but might not have.
Vocals
The lead vocalist is the face of the band. They are the most prominent in a live performance and usually the most well known out of the group. Because of this, they need to have confidence and a strong sense of enthusiasm so the audience will remember the show. The singer has the job of providing the main melody and theme that goes over the rhythm and other melodies in the song. Vocals have lyrics (in most scenarios) so they must present the song’s story and emotion to the listener in a direct and optimistic manner, whilst also remembering the melody and working with the band.
Singers have different tones of voice that are suited to certain genres; a softer voice might be suited for funk and a loud, harsh voice might be suited for rock and metal for example. Therefore, a singer has to know their voice and what it can do. This includes knowing their vocal range so they are not straining their voice as this can make vocals poor and off-key. They also must know their own dynamic range; if you have a powerful voice, the rest of the band might have to turn up and work together so they can be heard.
Bass
The bass guitar primarily adds a thicker texture to the music. Because no other instruments in a normal pop/rock band can play this low, the bass provides this deep sound in the mix, meaning it is hugely important in bands. Bass guitarists are extremely underrated; some people class them as the least important in a group. However, most musicians know they are the underdog and are fundamental for any performance! For example, if you listened to a song without any bass, it would have a hollow-sounding texture.
As well as texture, the bassist provides the foundation for the rhythm. The drums also provide this, however they work together to produce a solid pulse so the rest of the band can follow it with ease. The bass drum on a drum kit follows the rhythm of the bass guitar to give the low frequencies more tone. Without this steady rhythm from the bassist, the song would be hard to follow for both the audience and bandmates.
Because the bass has such low-frequency notes, it can often provide the root note of any chord, meaning it can harmonise with the other melody instruments. The root note is crucial for harmonies as if the bassist were to play the wrong note, it would sound completely off, whereas if a piano or guitar did this, it would not be as prominent. With the bass providing the root note, it gives the harmony energy and power, especially in rock bands.