Listening Quiz 5

Beatles

Clear two- and three-part harmonized

vocals

 Fluid instrumental technique

- Especially Paul’s bass playing and

George’s lead guitar solos

 Adherence to strict meters and beats

- Hardly any deviation from the beat

 Texture: Polyphonic texture with obbligato lead guitar

 Harmony: Experimental original chord progressions

(beyond blues and rock & roll progressions)

 Text content: Influenced by Dylan, Carroll, Joyce, etc.

and mind-altering drugs (Don’t do drugs!)

- Vivid imagery

- Songs meant to be listened to (not danced to)

 Melody: Fits the accentuation and flow of the text

- Some asymmetrical musical phrases to follow tex

Rolling Stones

 Covers of R & B, rock ‘n’ roll, blues, soul, Motown

- Original songs imitated cover models

- No unique personal style until c. 1965

 Stiff performances

 Strict adherence to the beat (precise rhythms)

 Energetic enthusiasm

 Intricate layers of sound (polyphonic) → more studio work

 Guitar solos worked into song texture (obbligato) in addition

to solo breaks

 Use of traditional, orchestral, and folk/ethnic instruments:

- Recorder (“Ruby Tuesday”), Marimba (“Under My Thumb”),

Strings (“As Tears Go By”), Sitar (“Paint It, Black”), Dulcimer

(“Lady Jane”)

 Expressive imagery in lyrics

 Music designed to fit the meaning and rhythm of the text

 Asymmetric balance between melodic phrases and

between verse & chorus

 Many songs based on a rif

The Who

 Short, catchy songs

 Modeled after rhythm and blues, soul, Motown influences

 Infrequent, chordal guitar solos by Pete Townshend

 Melodic bass lines (countermelodies) by John Entwistle

 Busy but not cluttered drumming by Keith Moon

 Teen anthems:

- Anger, angst, distress, anxiety

 Longer, more intricate songs

 More polyphonic, layered musical texture

 Long introductions to songs

 Much use of synthesizers

 Daltrey screams more

 Bass still melodic

 More melodic guitar work, but still much chordal soloing

 Moon’s drums maniacally busy, yet still not clutte

Psychedelic Rock

 Recording quality is hazy and/or muted

 Distortion sources:

- Volume levels in concert very loud

- Electronic devices & techniques for distortion:

Fuzz tone ; wah-wah pedal ; phasing (done on

control board) ; feedback

 Emphasis on instrumentalists (especially on lead guitarists)

 Combined traits of folk or folk-rock with hard R & B style

 Drug references: (Please do not use drugs!)

- Lyrics often drug-oriented

- Long, meandering guitar solos imitate a drug trip

(timelessness)

- Hazy recording quality imitates hazy consciousness of a

drug trip

- Constant change in focus of performers in the mix

Hard Rock

 Sound:

- Vocals mixed into overall sound

- Loud volumes

- Lead guitar-oriented

- Electronic distortion

- Thick-textured sound

 Form:

- Mostly riff-based songs

- Some use of basic forms (strophic, standard, hybrid)

 Harmony:

- Simple chord progressions of 3-5 chords

- Progressions based on practical guitar technique

- Power chords (root/fifth)

- Bass ostinato (riff) is the harmonic basis

 Time:

- Fast tempos in simple duple/quadruple meters

- Strong, hard backbeat

- Bass ostinato (riff) is also the rhythmic basis

 Melody:

- Vocals limited in range (some sub-genres shout/growl)

- Guitar solos have wide range

 Other:

- Album-oriented bands (as opposed to singles)

- Some lyrics cultivate negative images:

Witchcraft, black magic, death (“occult rock”)

Many lyrics deal with sex, drugs, drinking, partying