does “soft rock,” as a category, belong in a course on the history of rock? why or why not?

by Gia Nader 10 min read

What is soft rock style?

Soft rock (or lite rock) is a derivative form of pop rock that originated in the late 1960s in the U.S. region of Southern California and the United Kingdom. The style smoothed over the edges of singer-songwriter and pop rock, relying on simple, melodic songs with big, lush productions.

What is the difference between soft rock and light rock?

For other uses, see Soft rock (disambiguation). Not to be confused with Underground soft-rock mining. Soft rock, also known as light rock and adult-oriented rock, is a derivative form of pop rock that originated in the late 1960s in the U.S. region of Southern California and in the United Kingdom.

When did hard rock become a mainstream genre?

By 1968, hard rock had been established as a mainstream genre. From the end of the 1960s, it became common to divide mainstream rock music into soft and hard rock, with both emerging as major radio formats in the US.

When did soft rock become synthesized?

Soft rock was prevalent on the radio throughout the 1970s and eventually metamorphosed into a form of the synthesized music of adult contemporary in the 1980s. This section possibly contains inappropriate or misinterpreted citations that do not verify the text.

What classifies as soft rock?

Soft rock is a subgenre of rock music that emphasizes pop hooks, pristine studio production, and pleasing sonic aesthetics. It is typically performed by bands that feature guitar (either acoustic guitar or electric guitar), keyboards, bass guitar, and a drum kit (or drum machine).

How is soft rock different from rock?

Soft rock or light rock is really a subgenre of pop rock which uses the techniques of rock music (often combined with elements from folk music, brill building, baroque pop and folk rock) to compose a softer, more toned-down sound.

What is an example of a soft rock?

These soft rocks include argillaceous feldspar quartz fine sandstone, calcareous argillaceous siltstone, argillaceous siltstone, iron-stain argillaceous calcareous siltstone, iron-stain argillaceous calcareous feldspar lithic sandstone, and mudstone.

How do you define hard rock and soft rock?

Hard rocks are those types of rocks which are made up of hard substances like granite and basalt. They erode and weather slowly. Soft rocks are those types of rocks which are made up of substances like clay, shale and some sandstone which erode more rapidly and create more gently sloping cliffs.

Does soft rock exist?

Soft rocks do exist. For example, soapstone is a type of soft rock. It can be easily scratched by your fingernail, and has been used to make ornamental and practical objects for thousands of years, including sculptures, bowls, countertops, etc. Chalk is another type of soft rock.

What are soft rocks used for?

Coal is used for burning. Talc is a very soft rock. It is used to make talcum powder. Slate is a grey rock that can be cut into thin slices and is used to make blackboards.

How is soft rock formed?

Soft cliffs are formed of relatively easily eroded rocks such as clays, friable sands, and glacial deposits, contrasting with much more resistant 'hard' rocks.

How do they make soft rock?

The rollers keep the boiling of rock round and the heaters keep it just soft enough to work. A worker known as a sugar boiler then proceeds to "spin out", or stretch, the boiling onto a long flat slab, where rollers make sure it is kept rolling until it has set hard enough to maintain its round shape.

What does soft rock sound like?

Soft rock was commercial and inoffensive, taking the sound of singer/songwriter and pop/rock but smoothing out all the edges. Bands like Bread, the Carpenters, and Chicago relied on simple, melodic songs with big, lush productions.

What Is Soft Rock?

Soft rock is a subgenre of rock music that emphasizes pop hooks, pristine studio production, and pleasing sonic aesthetics. It is typically performed by bands that feature guitar (either acoustic guitar or electric guitar), keyboards, bass guitar, and a drum kit (or drum machine). Both male vocalists and female vocalists front soft rock bands.

A Brief History of Soft Rock

Soft rock got its start in the mid-to-late 1960s, but its largest commercial success came in the decades that followed.

What are the main themes of soft rock?

Soft rock songs generally tend to focus on themes like love, everyday life and relationships. The genre tends to make use of acoustic guitars , pianos , synthesizers and sometimes saxophones.

What is a soft rock guitar?

A hollow-body electric guitar of soft rock. A new instrument of soft rock. Soft rock or light rock is really a subgenre of pop rock which uses the techniques of rock music (often combined with elements from folk music, brill building, baroque pop and folk rock) to compose a softer, more toned-down sound.

When did hard rock become mainstream?

Hard rock had been established as a mainstream genre by 1965. From the end of the 1960s, it became common to divide mainstream rock music into soft rock as the true folk rock sound. with both emerging as major radio formats in the US.

What is the sound of electric guitars in soft rock?

The electric guitars in soft rock are normally faint and high-pitched. The Carpenters ' hit version of " (They Long to Be) Close to You " was released in the summer of 1970, followed by Bread's " Make It with You ", both early examples of a softer sound that was coming to dominate the charts.

What are the characteristics of soft rock?

Soft rock had the following identifying features: (1) the rock beat and other abrasive coloring (e.g., intense electric guitar lines, harsh vocalizing) were de-emphasized, and (2) song lyrics tended to be upbeat and/or introspective rather than rebellious in nature. The factors guaranteeing its success included the personal music preferences ...

When did soft rock start?

In a sense, soft rock originated in the late 1950s when pop singers began employing arrangements which incorporated elements of rock 'n' roll. Andy Williams, Guy Mitchell, and Tab Hunter all achieved notable success aiming their releases at a teen audience. The genre gained more widespread recognition, however, following the rise of folk rock and the singer/songwriter tradition in the mid-1960s. These two styles, both based in the Los Angeles recording scene, ushered in a softer form of rock music which made a significant dent in the singles and album charts.

When did folk rock become popular?

The genre gained more widespread recognition, however, following the rise of folk rock and the singer/songwriter tradition in the mid-1960s. These two styles, both based in the Los Angeles recording scene, ushered in a softer form of rock music which made a significant dent in the singles and album charts.

How are hard rocks transformed into soft rocks?

However, the transformation of hard rocks into soft is imposed by the inverse physical–chemical equilibrium conditions to which high PT minerals are easily transformed through weathering or when subjected to hydration under lower conditions of pressure and temperature (retro metamorphism, for example).

What is the main hint to understand the mechanical properties of rocks?

One may think that geological affiliation and environmental conditions of formations are the main hint to understand the mechanical properties of the rocks. It is expected that the input of highly energetic pressure–temperature (PT) conditions should impose the formation of harder rocks in relation to those related to the origin of soft rocks.

How much MPA is soft rock?

For practical reasons soft rocks which are differentiated from soils due to engineering reasons through a UCS of 5 MPa approximately will no more be considered soft when reaching a uniaxial compression strength about that of a strong concrete, that is, approximately 27.5 MPa and a modulus ratio above 200:1.

Can silica turn soft sand into hard rock?

Although reasonable, this is not a general rule since exceptions are found specially during the formation of chemical sedimentary rocks and by cementation effects by silica/iron rich oxides that may turn soft sands into very hard rocks. However, the transformation of hard rocks into soft is imposed by the inverse physical–chemical equilibrium ...

Who said the forbidden pleasures of Beale Street always come wrapped in the PULSING RHYTHMS

In his history of music in Memphis, Tennessee, one of the homes of rock and roll, author Larry Nager observed that “…the forbidden pleasures of Beale Street had always come wrapped in the PULSING RHYTHMS of the blues” (Larry Nager, Memphis Beat).

Is soft rock considered rock music?

Many people don’t even recognize soft rock as rock music. When they think of rock, they think of heavy metal or punk or rap or some other kind of very hard rock. The average church member is so accustomed to and even addicted to rock music in his daily life, he craves for it even in church.

Was rock music violent in the 1950s?

It is on the radio and television, in commercials, in stores, at sporting events. Even the mildest form of rock music was shocking to people in the 1950 s, but that which was shocking then is old hat today. As rock has gotten ever more violent and vicious, we have become desensitized to the milder forms of it.

Why are soft rocks considered geomaterials?

Soft rocks are a critical geomaterial since they present several types of problems. First of all, they may present undesirable behaviors, such as low strength, disaggregation, crumbling, high plasticity, slaking, fast weathering, and many other characteristics.

What are some examples of soft rock?

Other rock types which can also be considered as soft rock are the weathering products of crystalline rocks (granite, gneiss, etc.), which bring several geotechnical problems in urban areas, for instance, the slope stability at Rio de Janeiro, Hong Kong, and many other cities and regions.

When was the Geotechnics of Hard Soils and Soft Rocks Symposium held?

In 1998 , the Italian Geotechnical Society organized the International Symposium called “The Geotechnics of Hard Soils–Soft Rocks in Naples”. The next one was the 15th European Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ECSMGE) held in Athens, 2011, under the title “Geotechnics of Hard Soils–Weak Rocks”.

Why are soft rocks and soft grounds considered conservative?

In this way, conservative parameters are adopted, to guaranty enough safety, but very often against the economy.

When was the first soft rock symposium?

The first symposium specifically devoted to soft rock at our knowledge was organized by the Spanish geotechnical societies on soils, rocks, and tunnels, and called National Symposium on Soft Rocks, held in Madrid on November 17–18, 1976. However, the first event at international level was the Tokyo symposium of 1985.

When was the Soft Rock Technical Commission proposed?

Finally, in 2011 during the ISRM Congress in Beijing, a Soft Rock Technical Commission was proposed, having being accepted by the new president, Prof. Xia-Ting Feng and the ISRM board, with fruitful work up to now.

Is soft rock hard or soft?

Secondly, soft rocks have intermediate strength between soils and hard rocks. In some cases, they are too soft to be tested in rock mechanics equipment and too hard for soil mechanics equipment. This indicates that some adjustment in their testing must be developed to well characterize their properties.

What is the song "Soft Rock" by Lemon Jelly?

Released. 2001. ( 2001) Genre. Downtempo, trip hop, electronic. Label. None. " Soft/Rock " is a single released by Lemon Jelly on 21 June 2001. The 7" single was released in two formats; the first was limited to 1,000 copies and released on blue vinyl, each coming in its own hand-stitched denim sleeve with a flavoured condom, ...

What is the B side of "Rock"?

The B-side titled "Rock" contains samples of The Black Crowes version of Otis Redding 's " Hard to Handle ". "Soft", samples intact, would eventually be properly released as the B-side for "Nice Weather For Ducks" in 2003.