Music Pop & Rock Revision

Hooks

Catchy and easy to remember, shorter phrases (5 to 8 bars in length)

Hook example

Dancing Queen (ABBA)

Repetition

Repeated phrases, Support the chance of success , well balanced phrases

Repetition example

All you need is love (The Beatles)

Movement and shape of melody

Famous Melodie's tend to be straight forward, use of wider intervals is uncommon

Conjunct movement example

Karma chameleon (Culture club)

Disjunct movement example

My Sharona (The Knack)

Disjunct movement within a chord example

Here, There and Everywhere (The Beatles)

Riff

Repeated device

Riff example

Smoke on the water (Deep purple) repeated power chords

Syllabic

One note per syllable

Syllabic example

Don't you want me (Human league) Vocal part

Melisma

Runs and vocal acrobatics

Melisma example

Vocal Acrobatics Mariah Carey

Long extended solo example

Light my fire (the doors)

Acoustic band example

Bob Dylan

What is an example of a song that features percussion layers to add power and weight?

Nowhere to Run by Martha and the Vandellas

What genre is 'Nowhere to Run' by Martha and the Vandellas?

Soul

In 'Nowhere to Run', what type of musical section provides a syncopated countermelody?

Horn section

What element thickens the texture in 'Nowhere to Run'?

Strings

Production to influence texture

Panning, wall of sound (echo chamber)

Production influencing texture example 1

River Deep, Mountain High (Ike and Tina Turner) Heavy reverb makes song dense

Production influencing texture example 2

Supper's ready (Genesis) 12 string guitar, thicker richer chorus effect

What is an example of production influencing texture in music?

Heroes by David Bowie

What technique is used in the intro of 'Heroes' by David Bowie to create texture?

Soaring guitar notes moving towards and away from the amp

What additional element is added to 'Heroes' by David Bowie to increase texture?

White noise

Song with a famous instrumental break?

Hotel California (Eagles)

Strophic form

Verses but no clear chorus section

Strophic form example

Purple Haze (Jimi Hendrix)

What is the structure of a 32 bar song form?

AABA

How many bars are in section A of a 32 bar song form?

8 bars

How can section A be divided in a 32 bar song form?

Into 2 4 bar phrases

What characterizes the second A section in a 32 bar song form?

A repeat of section A with slight variation

What is the key characteristic of section B in a 32 bar song form?

It is in a related key and probably ends on chord V

What happens in the final A section of a 32 bar song form?

It is a repeat of section A with further variation

Verse/Chorus form example

Candle in the wind (Elton John)

12 Bar Blues Example

I feel good (James Brown)

Guitar use

Supports rhythm by strumming chords

Guitar example

Jimi Hendrix

Keyboard used when?

1960s when electric pianos and hammond organs were commonly used

Synthesiser

Became main instrument, drove 'synth pop' - pet shop boys

Electric piano

hammers hit small metal reeds or wires instead of strings

Drum machine

stores are replays drum patterns, Roland TR-808 used for electronic dance.

Drum machine example

I feel the love (Donna Summer)

Theremin example

good vibrations (Beach boys)

What is a Mellotron?

An early sampling keyboard.

How does a Mellotron create sound?

It uses tape sound to create the sound of recorders, orchestral strings, and choral voices.

Which famous song features the Mellotron?

Strawberry Fields Forever.

Hammon organ

designed to save space and money rather than pipe organ

Hohner clavinet

electronically amplified clavichord

Hohner clavinet example

Superstition (Stevie Wonder) - wah wah effect

Vocal phrases using shouting technique example

My Generation (The who)

Limited pitch in vocals mimicking elaborate speech patterns

Anarchy in the UK (Sex pistols)

Vocal range of 2+ octaves

Prince

Tanpura

Plucked lute that sounds a constant drone in South Indian music.

Tanpura example

Lucy in the sky with diamonds (The beatles)

Syncopation (off beat) example

My Generation (the who) - melody is syncopated

Straight rhythms

Rhythm firmly on beat

Melody in rock and pop rhythms

natural rhythm of lyrics so often syncopated

simple quadruple 4/4 example

London Calling (The Clash) - drums and guitar emphasise 4/4

compound quadruple 12/8 example

She's leaving home (The beatles)

Perfect cadence

V - I

Imperfect Cadence

I - V

II - V

IV - V

Plagal Cadence

IV - I

Interrupted Cadence

V - VI

Polyphonic

Two or more simultaneous melody lines

Homophonic

Melody and Accompaniment

Monophonic

Unaccompanied melody

Pizzicato

Plucked strings

Glissando

Slide

Con sord

With mute

Double stopping

Two notes played at the same time on neighbouring strings

Relative minor example

C major - A minor

Dominant modulation example

C major - G Major

Subdominant modulation example

C major - F major

Relative minor of dominant example

G major - E minor

Relative minor of subdominant example

F major - D minor

Tierce de picardie

Minor piece suddenly ends major

Hemiola

Two groups of three beats are replaced by three groups of two beats

Diminution

Halving note value

Augmentation

Note values lengthened or doubled

Appogiatura

Takes part of the value of the note shown (usually half)

Acciaccatura

Played as quickly as possible before the note that follows it

Porta Mento

Smooth continuous slide between pitches