Comprehensive Musical Analysis of Toto's 'Africa'

What key is the introduction of 'Africa' by Toto in?

B major

What chords are used in the introduction of 'Africa'?

♮VII (A), vi (G#m), and ii (C#m)

How many bars does the introduction of 'Africa' last?

4 bars

What rhythmic pattern does Riff a in the introduction primarily use?

A distinctive syncopated rhythm pattern

What scale is Riff b based on in the introduction?

E major pentatonic scale (W anacrusis)

What musical elements suggest African influence in 'Africa'?

Use of syncopation, pentatonic scale, and irregular ostinato groupings

What instruments contribute to the African sounds in the recording of 'Africa'?

Xylophones and marimbas

How many phrases does Verse 1 of 'Africa' contain?

Four phrases

What is the unusual length of the first phrase in Verse 1?

9 bars (due To riff a interjecting)

What is the harmonic rhythm of the first three phrases in Verse 1?

Slow, with chords changing only once each bar

What chord is sustained for an extra bar in the final eight-bar phrase of Verse 1?

Chord vi (G#m)

What is the chord progression of Verse 1 9 bar phrase?

B(I), D#m(III), G#min(VI), B/F# (Ic), A/E, E/F#, G#minor, Riff a

What is the 8 bar phrase chord progression in verse 1?

B, D#m, G#m, G#m, RiffA, C#m, C#m

What is the key of the chorus in 'Africa'?

A major

How many phrases does the chorus of 'Africa' contain?

Four phrases (4446)

What type of rhythm does the melody of the first three phrases in the chorus use?

Syncopated rhythm

What chord pattern is used in the first three phrases of the chorus?

vi (F#m), IV (D), I (A), V (E)

Final 6 bar phrase on the chorus

F#m, D, A, C#m, E, F#m, E/G#

What happens in the fourth bar of the final six-bar phrase of the chorus?

Both the melody and chord pattern change to prepare the shift back to B major

What section repeats the music from the introduction in 'Africa'?

Link 1

How many bars does Verse 2 of 'Africa' last?

26 bars

What is the structure of the phrases in Verse 2 of 'Africa'?

It falls into three phrases

What is the opening line of Phrase 1 in Verse 1?

I hear the drums echoing tonight.

What is the significance of the nine-bar phrase in Verse 1?

It is unusual and coincides with the end of Riff a.

What is the melodic movement style in the first three phrases of Verse 1?

Conjunctly in a syncopated rhythm and mostly syllabic.

What is the effect of the backing vocalist in the final eight-bar phrase of Verse 1?

Harmonizes by moving in parallel motion at an interval of a 3rd below.

What is the role of the unpitched percussion instruments in the introduction?

They create layered rhythm parts and ostinatos with African influence.

What is the structure of the first verse in Toto's Africa?

The first verse consists of two nine-bar phrases followed by an eight-bar phrase.

What notable change occurs in bar 33 of the second verse?

The singer leaps up to pitches D# and C# on the words 'deep in'.

What instrument plays the countermelody during the second verse?

A flute-like instrument.

How do the backing vocals contribute to the second verse?

They harmonize on 'Ooo' and join the lead singer with the last word of each phrase.

What is the total number of bars in Chorus 2?

18 bars.

What key is Link 2 in?

B major.

What characterizes the instrumental section from bars 66 to 82?

It features an instrumental melody based on Riff b, replacing the vocal melody.

What type of scale is used in the descending melody of bars 66 to 69?

B major pentatonic scale.

What happens in the vocal part during bars 78 to 82?

The vocal part resumes with the second half of the original eight-bar phrase.

What are the three notable changes in Chorus 3?

1) A new electric guitar riff is introduced. 2) Phrase 3 is sung five times. 3) Solo vocal improvisation occurs at the end of some repeats.

What does the outro of the song repeat?

The music stated during the Introduction.

What are grace notes in music?

Additional notes added as decoration that are not essential to the melody or harmony.

What is harmonic rhythm?

The rate at which the chords change in a piece of music.

What is a pentatonic scale?

A musical scale with five notes per octave, typically notes 1, 2, 3, 5 & 6 of the major scale.

What is a riff in music?

A short-repeated phrase in popular music and jazz, often used as an introduction or refrain.

What is the ambiguity of the key in the analysis of Toto's Africa?

The key could be interpreted as B major, E major, or A lydian, while the Chorus is in A major.

What chords are used in the Verse section of the song?

B, D#m, G#m, and A/E.

What is the significance of the phrase 'I bless the rains down in Africa'?

It is a repeated phrase in Chorus 3, contributing to the section's length.

What musical element is introduced in the last bar of each phrase in Chorus 3?

A new electric guitar riff.

What is the structure of the second half of the eight-bar phrase in bars 75 to 77?

An ascending melody using the B major pentatonic scale with grace notes and syncopation.

What happens in the outro that is different to other Riffs?

- Instruments drop out

- Dynamics fade out

- Bass plays a fill

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