For my Orthodox Friends, I can play Kosher Music
RULES FOR PLAYING KOSHER MUSIC
- When dealing with words from holy sources, it is necessary to sing them in a respectful manner fitting to the meaning of the words and not in a frivolous or disrespectful way. Care should be taken in the pronunciation of the words not to express them in a loose or disrespectful manner as is done by most singers of popular music.
- Instrumentation should be made in a respectable way to suit the meaning of the words. Sounds that give a disrespectful or indecent feeling must not be played. This includes electronic effects, distortion and "bending" the notes1.
- A misbalance between rhythm and melody creates negative feelings in the music. Therefore care should he taken to ensure that the melody is dominant over the rhythm and not to over-emphasize the bass accompaniments2. The use of "swing" both in the singing and instrumental accompaniment should be avoided3.
- Percussion should be used with taste in the appropriate places, and sparingly. The percussion accompaniment should be secondary to the melody. The use of percussion accompaniment in slow, quiet music is generally ridiculous4. "2-4" beats and other rock and disco beats in the percussion must not be used. The modern drum set was created to be used in wild, coarse music and other percussion instruments should preferably be used.
- The electric guitar and bass guitar have no place in the performance of Jewish music. The saxophone5 should also not be used.6
- Musicians who do not understand these points can not be used. The use of rock musicians is forbidden. Singers who sing at mixed concerts have been banned by Gedolie Yisroel from being used at any event or simchah.
- All forms of modern music popular music such as rock, pop, rap, reggae and trance are forbidden.7
- Loud amplification is dangerous to hearing and health, and even can cause dangerous to life in certain cases Therefore it is forbidden to over-amplify the music at all times.
- When playing at simchos only he person who pays the musicians has right to tell them what and how to play.
- Songs of the chareidi rock idols should not be heard at simchos. Also songs at have no relevance to the simchah should not be played. The music should be presented in a way befitting to a simchah shel mitzvh and must not create an atmosphere resembling a show of popular music. Singers should not be allowed to dance in front of the guests.
1) Rock musicians have adopted a trend to distort the natural tones especially with the electric guitar and bass guitar. Also the saxophone has replaced the clarinet in chareidi rock music because it produces similar indecent sounds.
2) These are also standard features of rock music.
3)"Swing" is the loose, bouncing jazz beat which can "jazz-up" any tune.
4) The Malbim [in Yeshayahu Ch. 24, 8] comments that the place of the drum is only in dance music.
5) When the saxophone was adopted for use in jazz bands in the 1920’s it received the name “the Devil’s Flute” because of it indecent seductive tones.
6) Even though it is possible to play these instruments in a respectable way, their use n modern chareidi music is intended to provide indecent effects.
7) Similarly, great care should be taken to avoid the use of prerecorded rock and disco beats in the electronic keyboard.