4. Anoushka Shankar: 'Breathing Under Water'

What is there in the introduction of 'Burn'?

a long sitar solo

What is there in the bridge between the chorus and verse two in 'Burn'?

a repetitive sarangi line

Describe the vocals in 'Burn'

they are mainly stepwise and syllabic

The vocals are doubled in ____ in the chorus and verse 2 in 'Burn'

thirds

The vocals have ______ _______ in the final chorus in 'Burn'

improvised riffing

What kind of role do the orchestral strings play in 'Burn'?

a significant role

The strings have slow-moving ______ ______ in 'Burn'

chordal textures

What are programmed percussion beats mixed with in 'Burn'?

Indian finger-cymbals

What are Indian finger-cymbals also known as?

manjira

When do the simple bass/snare patterns which appear in the verses of 'Burn' become more active? With what?

in the chorus with demisemiquaver hi-hat lines

Name all four instruments in 'Breathing Under Water'

strings, sitar, wordless vocals and keyboards

The sitar solo uses a variety of ______ ______ in 'Breathing Under Water'

playing techniques

Name three playing techniques used by the sitar in 'Breathing Under Water'

slides (meends), trills (gamak) and vibrato (andolan)

The sitar uses its ____ tessitura in 'Breathing Under Water'

full

What is the wordless vocal line used to do in 'Breathing Under Water'?

link sections

Other than a link to sections, what do the wordless vocals also provide in 'Breathing Under Water'?

a countermelody to the sitar

The string section is used very _____ in 'Breathing Under Water'

simply

What does the string section play in the first two sections of 'Breathing Under Water'?

mid-range block chords

Describe the string section and what it plays in verse 3 of 'Breathing Under Water'

when the sitar drops to its lower register, it plays in a higher register with more melodic interest

'Easy' is the most _____ of the three songs in terms of its sonority

Western

What does 'Easy' have a prominent role for in terms of instrumentation?

electric guitar and piano

What does the sitar play in 'Easy'?

a solo in introduction, then an articulated pedal Db during the first part of verse one and two

What does the guitar provide in 'Easy'?

a plucked accompaniment with ostinato-like patterns

Describe the piano part in 'Easy'

subtle, adding colour and decoration through high chords in verse 2, an inverted pedal D♭ in
octaves and an arpeggio figure

Describe the vocals in 'Easy'

they are in relaxed R+B style, mainly syllabic with a few melismas

Describe the more modern sounds used in 'Easy'

synth bass is used to emphasise the guitar ostinato lines from verse 2 onwards and there are also electronic drum patterns

The _____ textures are found in 'Breathing Under Water'

simplest

There are _____ clear textural sections in 'Breathing Under Water'

three

Describe the first textural section in 'Breathing Under Water'

it's entirely melody-dominated homophony with the sitar melody accompanied by slow-moving string chords

Describe the second textural section in 'Breathing Under Water'

there is a short polyphonic dialogue between the vocals and sitar

Describe the third textural section in 'Breathing Under Water'

the sitar plays the melody with a vocal countermelody

What else happens during the third textural section in 'Breathing Under Water'

there are traces of melody in the strings and occasional wordless vocal counter-melodies

Describe the overall texture of 'Burn'

homophonic with a sense of 'drone' from the synth bass (C# pedal)