The Definition of Rock and Roll

Introduction

What is rock and roll?
It is a musical genre, but at the same time, it is a culture, an attitude, and an impulse.

Rock and roll is not polished music.
Rather, it is a sound that rang out before it could be polished.

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Rock and Roll as Music

The roots of rock and roll lie in blues, R&B, and gospel.
• 8-beat or shuffle rhythms
• Simple chord progressions
• Repeated phrases
• A groove that makes your body react first

Momentum over technique.
Feel over structure.
Rock and roll is not "music meant to sound skillful," but "music that makes you move."

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Rock and Roll as Culture

Rock and roll was born from the fringes of society.
• The sense of alienation felt by the youth
• Rebellion against oppression
• Questioning the values of adults
• A sound to create a place for oneself

That is why the first rock and roll was dangerous, noisy, and unwelcome.
Yet it kept ringing out because it was necessary.

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Rock and Roll as a Spirit

The core of rock and roll is being free.
• Impulse over rules
• Honesty over evaluation
• Real experience over correctness
• Action over explanation

To play the sound that comes from within you without hesitation.
That attitude itself is rock and roll.

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Conclusion

Rock and roll is not finished music.
It is a living sound.

As long as there is an impulse to want to be free,
rock and roll will continue to ring out somewhere.