Dongbei Dagu: A Vocal Form in Xiuyan County, Liaoning Province, China

Abstract

This study “Dongbei Dagu: A Vocal Form in Xiuyan County, Liaoning Province, China”. The research objectives were 1) To investigate the development of Dongbei Dagu; 2) To analyze the music characteristic of selected songs of Dongbei Dagu and 3) To propose the guidelines of transmission and presentation of Dongbei Dagu. This study is a qualitative research, which includes relevant literature, investigation, observation, and interviews with key informants. These data were collected and analyzed through fieldwork method and included musician, performers and singers of Dongbei Dagu. The study results are as follows:

Firstly, the Dongbei Dagu from its origin, prosperity to weak, has undergone over 200 years of temporal and spatial evolution, and has become one of the earliest, most influential, and widely spread rap music in Northeast China. The Dongbei Dagu has distinct regional characteristics and a deep mass base. It is widely welcomed by people for its rich living atmosphere, beautiful singing style, and enjoyable performance form, and has produced extensive influence.

Secondly, the musical characteristics of Dongbei Dagu, it is believed that the melodies of Dongbei Dagu are very rich. In terms of rhythm, the main characteristics are slow rhythm, simple rhythm and strong rhythm, syncopated rhythm, single beat rhythm and other types of rhythms. The scale characteristics are mainly based on the pentatonic scale, hexatonic scale with Qingjue and Biangong, and heptatonic scale with Qingyue. The musical structure mainly consists of two-phrase structure, four-phrase structure, six-phrase structure, etc.

Thirdly, through my fieldwork, it is believed that the transmission and preservation of Dongbei Dagu have received the support of relevant vocal musician and researchers, and specific measures for the transmission and presentation of Dongbei Dagu have been summarized.

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