What instruments were used in motown music?
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Say the words "Motown Records," and what might come to mind are the individual vocalists and groups that allowed Gordy Berry's recording label to become popular. Not until 2002 were the instrumentalists behind the Motown sound known beyond the confines of Studio A. These talented musicians were nicknamed The Funk Brothers. Without that studio band, the Motown sound may not have existed.
Basic Instruments
The instrumental foundation for Motown music was made by combinations of percussion instruments, bass guitar, guitar, tambourine and piano.
Original Funk Brothers
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee James Jamerson played the bass guitar, inductee Benny Benjamin did the percussion and Earl Van Dyke played the piano on the first Motown songs of 1959 and on. Jack Ashford played the tambourine.
Additional Instruments
Some Motown songs utilized the marimba and vibraphone. The horn used most was a saxophone and, rarely, a flute, trombone or trumpet was used. Use of a string section was even less common.
Innovative Guitar
Motown's guitar sound was changed in 1967 by guitarists Melvin "Wah-Wah Watson" Ragin and Dennis Coffey when they used the wah-wah pedal for soul songs.
Innovative Percussion
A tire iron in "Dancing in the Streets," snow chains in "Nowhere to Run," and hand clapping and the tambourine on many songs were part of the Motown percussion sound. Sometimes two or three drummers would play at once in unison.
Echo Chamber
A hole was made in the studio ceiling to act as an echo chamber to create a reverb sound on recordings such as "Dancing in the Streets" and "Please Mr. Postman."
Tags: bass guitar, Dancing Streets, Funk Brothers, instruments were, instruments were usedSource: www.ehow.com
