When/why did vocals-guitar-bass-drums become the vast majority of rock music group makeups? Even with the occasional keyboardist, bands are almost entirely the same instruments.

Question

When/why did vocals-guitar-bass-drums become the vast majority of rock music group makeups? Even with the occasional keyboardist, bands are almost entirely the same instruments.

In: 917

Answer 1

If you ever have the chance, either virtually or in person, see the effect that bass and drums have on a group jamming. It completely comes alive.

You just need some chords on top from there.

Horns and strings are OK but you need a whole section of players. One person on a piano or guitar can swap the whole section. Once electric amplification comes in the 50s, the guitar was in a league of its own because it was way way more portable than the keyboards of the time (real portable keyboards weren’t a thing till the 70s or 80s, and they were still heavy af)

So you are most likely gonna have guitars and pianos and electric amplification as the base for a lot of popular music (music made by non-professionals with limited budgets who then get noticed and catch on big).

Finally, electric guitars are far easier to play than most other instruments that actually sound OK. (Plus the electronic amplification makes it way, way easier to sound rich and full—a single note overdriven is pretty fat and fills up the sound well). Electric bass is the easiest instrument around as long as the music you are playing isn’t too complex.

Now that electronic music is available, we can create an act that rocks 1000 people with electronic software. Before that, the cheapest and easiest route to a loud, dance-able concert was a few people with guitars.