Acoustic Music Genre

Acoustic music mainly uses instruments to create its sound in a very simple and un-compromised way, compared to the use of electronics to improve the sound. 

Acoustic performers tend to improve their sound by using an amplifier, making their music louder more powerful. However, these amplification devices remain separate from the amplified instrument and reproduce its natural sound accurately. This is done by placing a microphone in front of the instrument, which is then attached to an amplifier.

During the 1990’s artists who realised the appeal of acoustic music but however were mainly associated with electronically produced music because performing acoustically, these performances became known as unplugged performances.

Music reviewer Craig Conley suggests, "When music is labeled acoustic, unplugged, or unwired, the assumption seems to be that other types of music are cluttered by technology and overproduced and therefore aren't as pure."

Acoustic Artists: 

Damien Rice - Cannonball

Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah 

Ed Sheeran - The A Team

Conventions of Acoustic music promos:

• Many of the shots seen in the promos are that of the performer him/herself either on their own of playing an instrument. Acoustic artists tend to focus more on the music rather than putting on a big performance, sometimes a narrative is used to help the song create a more emotional effect within the viewer and example of this is Ed Sheeran’s ‘ The A Team’. These promos can be based around either illustration, amplification or disjuncture, most of the time is is based on what the artist thinks will be best to show the song and the meaning behind it.
• Slowly paced camera shots, editing and movements are seen throughout acoustic music promos so that the viewer does not become distracted by fast paced shots, and therefore can understand the meaning of the song and the video. A range of different shot types are used throughout these promos, close ups and reactions shots can be used to put across emotions, however long shots and establishing shots are used to create an atmosphere for the mise-en-scene.
• The locations in these videos tend to be quite isolated locations, or a location that reminds the artist of the idea behind the lyrics. 
• The mise-en-scene in these promo are usually quite simple, keeping the main focus on the song and the performer, costumes are kept as real as possible, and the main props used are the instruments being played. The lighting will create focus on the important aspects, and will change depending on the mood of the song, for example, some promos will have spotlight to create more intense emotions, whereas other promos will be brighter creating a lighter mood.