AQA GCSE Music Set works element features

Flashcards for the set works, sorted by element (Articulation, Dynamics, Harmony, Instrumentation and technology / sonority, Melody, Metre and tempo, Rhythm, Structure and tonality, Texture)

Articulation in Seven Seas of Rhye

Legato scalic runs in guitar solo

Accented electric guitar power chords

Staccato snare drum backbeat

Dynamics in Seven Seas of Rhye

Piano intro played mf

Bass and lead guitar played ff

Lead guitar uses diminuendo at end of solo.

Harmony in Seven Seas of Rhye

Harmony is mostly diatonic but there are some extended chords such as Gm6 on the word “smile”

Power chords are used in the introduction such as D, Em9 and A7

In the instrumental solo section, the chords Bb major and Eb major alternate throughout.

Instrumentation and technology / sonority in Seven Seas of Rhye

Instruments: Lead and backing vocals, electric guitars, bass guitar, drumkit, tambourine, piano, stylophone at end.

Techniques: Electric guitars use slides and pitch bends in the solo and palm muting in Bridge 1.

Technology: Overdubbing used for four-part vocals, Reverb added to vocal lines, Distortion on electric guitars.

Melody in Seven Seas of Rhye

There is an arpeggiated piano riff in the intro

There is a melodic hook on the words “Seven Seas of Rhye” which descends by step a perfect fourth, just like the first phrase of each verse.

Disjunct leaps used such as an ascending perfect fifth on “is mine”

Metre and tempo in Seven Seas of Rhye

The song has a fast tempo and is lively

4/4 time signature but occasionally changes to 2/4 such as at the end of the first verse before the hook

Rhythm in Seven Seas of Rhye

Semiquavers in piano introduction

Syncopation such as on the line “mister”

Triplets used at end of introduction

Structure and tonality in Seven Seas of Rhye

Intro - D major

Verse 1&2 - D major. No chorus. Instead, a short vocal hook is sung at the end of each verse.

Bridge 1 - D major

Instrumental solo - Modulates to Bb major, which is unusual as the tonic is D major.

Bridge 2 - Modulates to G major, the subdominant.

Verse 3 - D major

Final instrumental - D major

Outro - D major

Texture in Seven Seas of Rhye

Mostly melody with accompaniment

Opening piano riff played in octaves

At the end of the verses the band stops to allow the solo line “Seven Seas of Rhye” to be heard

Articulation in Love of My Life

Legato throughout

Dynamics in Love of My Life

Starts piano, crescendo at end of intro

Verses 1&2 use diminuendo towards ends of phrases

Interlude has some moments using forte

Harmony in Love of My Life

Dominant pedal in piano right hand in intro

Slow harmonic rhythm in verse 1&2, with extended chords

Complex and chromatic chords used in interlude

Instrumentation and technology / sonority in Love of My Life

Instruments: Tenor voice, Backing vocals, Piano, Harp, Electric guitar, Bass guitar

Techniques: Falsetto in voice, close harmonies in backing vocals, electric guitar uses slides and pitch bends

Technology: Reverb on vocal parts and lead guitar

Melody in Love of My Life

Introduction has ornamentation such as trills.

Verses 1&2 phrases rise and fall, disjunct leaps such as octave on “now you”

Guitar solo has repetition down an octave

Coda uses descending sequence.

Metre and Tempo in Love of My Life

Moderately slow tempo. All sections have 4/4

Verses 1&2 have 3/4 and 6/4

Instrumental bridge has 2/4 and accelerando

Guitar solo has accelerando and rubato

Coda has rallentando

Rhythm in Love of My Life

Regular, repeated rhythms throughout

Syncopation in verses

Dotted rhythms in guitar solo

Triplets used at end of instrumental bridge

Structure and Tonality in Love of My Life

Intro - F major (tonic), temporary modulation to Bb major in second phrase

Verse 1&2 - C major (dominant), modulation to F major on “can’t you see”. Has no chorus.

Instrumental bridge - Bb major

Interlude - D minor (relative minor), passing modulation to G minor

Guitar solo - F major, modulates to C major then Bb major (subdominant)

Coda - D minor, finishes in F major

Texture in Love of My Life

Melody with accompaniment throughout

Homophonic backing vocals in verse 2

Interlude and guitar solo are homophonic

Articulation in Bohemian Rhapsody

Dynamics in Bohemian Rhapsody

Harmony in Bohemian Rhapsody

Instrumentation and technology / sonority in Bohemian Rhapsody

Melody in Bohemian Rhapsody

Some disjunct leaps in Intro and Ballad to reflect the lyrics such as a descending octave on “doesn’t really matter”

Repeated notes on “is this the real

Metre and tempo in Bohemian Rhapsody

Rhythm in Bohemian Rhapsody

Structure and tonality in Bohemian Rhapsody

Texture in Bohemian Rhapsody