Killer Queen Vocabulary

Jukebox musical

When the score for a musical is made up of existing songs, usually all by the same artist or with a strong thematic link.

Glam Rock

A genre of rock known for over-the-top, glamorous dress sense including platform shoes, glitter and flamboyant hairstyles

Multi-track

A recording of a performance (or performances) on separate tracks in which each track can be edited individually to change levels, add effects, etc. In 1975, 24 track tape recorders, such as the one used for ‘Killer Queen’, would have been available in only the most exclusive studios.

Anthem

A song with a strong, memorable melody which has rousing or uplifting characteristics.

Middle 8

Connects two sections of a pop or rock song but is not necessarily eight bars long.

Outro

A concluding section, sometimes like a coda in Classical music

Capo

A clamp fastened across all the strings of a guitar to raise their pitch.

Harmonic progression

A set of chords that is then repeated.

Extended chord

A chord with at least one added note, such as the ninth.

Scalic

Music that is based on scales ascending and/ or descending in pitch

Harmonic rhythm

The rate at which the chords change.

Circle of 5ths

A series of chords in which the root note of each chord is a fifth lower or a fourth higher than that of the previous one.

Vamp

A short repeated accompanying phrase.

Synthesiser

An electronic musical instrument that creates sounds by manipulating combinations or waveforms or by modifying existing sounds.

Overdubbing

Recording instrumental or vocal music over previously recorded music.

Timbre

The particular tone colour of an instrument or voice.

Snare Roll

A rapid succession of hits on a snare drum

Swung

Music that has a triplet feel, even when notated with straight quavers

Compound metre

A metre in which the beat is dotted and subdivides into groups of three e.g. 12/8

Syncopation

Emphasising beats of the bar that are normally unaccented

Antiphonal

Music performed alternately by two groups which are often physically separated.

Syllabic

When one note is sung per syllable

Homophonic

A texture comprising a melody part and an accompaniment

Panning

Giving sounds different levels in the left and right speakers so that it sounds as if they are coming from different directions.

Effects

Electronic devices designed to enhance or alter the basic sound quality (for example, delay, reverb, etc)

Flanger/Flanging

A studio effect creating a swirling or swooshing sound.

Word -painting

Depicting a word in music to imitate its meaning.

Distortion

An effect that increases the volume and sustain on an electric guitar as well as making the timbre more gritty or smooth depending on the settings.

Wah-wah

A filter effect in which the peak of the filter is swept up and down the frequency range in response to the player’s foot movement on a rocker pedal.

Reverb

An effect which creates the impression of being in a physical space.

Pull-offs

When a note is sounded on the guitar by plucking the string with the fretting hand

Hammer-on

When you play a note on a guitar, then hammer a second finger down onto the same string to get a second note without picking.

Slide

Moving between two notes to create a glissando/portamento

Vibrato

A technique used to cause rapid vibrations in pitch. The term ‘vibrato’ is Italian and is the past participle of the verb ‘vibrare’, which means to vibrate.