Other Features

Test yourself

Rhythm, Structure and Melody

Queen had a very unique sound, cultivated through the use of modern music technology.

Rhythm

12/8 compound time, with a swung feel (music that has a triplet feel even if it is not notated in triplet patterns).
The tempo is moderato and there is use of syncopation (off beat).

Structure

The structure of this set work is based on the typical verse/chorus structure used within popular music.
The introduction is made up of 6 finger clicks.
Throughout the piece there are 2 guitar solo sections and an instrumental section.

Melody

The vocal line is mainly syllabic with conjunct (moving in steps) and disjunct (moving in leaps) movement.
The melodic motif is repeated in several sections.

Backing vocals

The use of backing vocals would have been recorded and overdubbed in the studio.
The backing vocals create additional timbres (tone or colour of a sound or instrument) and vocal textures as well as providing additional gospel like harmonies that were central to Queen’s sound.

Instrumentation, Texture & Harmony

Written in the key of Eb major, the piece begins with repeated C minor chords.

Instrumentation

Vocals, piano, electric guitar, bass guitar, drum kit.
The sleeve notes for Sheer Heart Attack (the album that Killer Queen is taken from) show that there was also a ‘jangle piano’ recorded which was combined with the piano sound to create a hybrid piano timbre (tone colour).

Texture

Panning (moving left and right across 2 speakers) has been used to spread the different sounds across the stereo field.
There are mixtures of homophonic (melody and accompaniment), polyphonic (many layers of sound) and antiphonal (call and response) textures within Killer Queen and each section has a clear contrasting texture.

Harmony

Written in the key of Eb major, the piece begins with repeated C minor chords.
There are many modulations based on the circle of fifths (where a chord pattern is based on moving in 5ths).
The harmonic rhythm up until the chorus is 2 chords per bar.

Harmony cont.

In the outro (ending) the piece remains in the key of Bb major but finishes with a repeated Eb major chord.
This creates an unusual ending and is unlike many other pop songs of the time.

Guitar effects

String bends.
Hammer ons.
Pull offs.
Vibrato.
Slides.
Distortion.

1Musical Elements

1.1Organisation of Pitch

1.1.1Melodic Pitch

1.1.2Melodic Devices

1.1.3Harmonic Pitch

1.1.4Harmonic Devices

1.1.5Harmonic Progressions

1.2Tonality

1.2.1Major & Minor Tonality

1.2.2End of Topic Test - Musical Elements

2Instrumental Music 1700–1820

2.1Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D Major

2.1.1Concerto No. 5 in D Major

2.1.2Structure & Melody

2.1.3Instrumentation & Texture

2.1.4Harmony

2.1.5Wider Listening

2.2Beethoven: Sonata ‘Pathétique’

2.2.1Piano Sonata No. 8

2.2.2Structure & Melody

2.2.3Other Features

2.2.4Wider Listening

2.2.5End of Topic Test - Instrumental Music 1700–1820

3Vocal Music

3.1Purcell: Music for a While

3.1.1Music for a While

3.1.2Other Features

3.1.3Wider Listening

3.2Queen: Killer Queen

3.2.1Killer Queen

3.2.2Other Features

3.2.3Wider Listening

3.2.4End of Topic Test - Vocal Music

4Music for Stage & Screen

4.1Schwartz: Defying Gravity

4.1.1Defying Gravity

4.1.2Other Features

4.1.3Wider Listening

4.2Williams: Star Wars Episode IV

4.2.1A New Hope

4.2.2Structure & Melody

4.2.3Other Features

4.2.4Wider Listening

4.2.5End of Topic Test - Music for Stage & Screen

5Fusions

5.1Afro Celt Sound System: Release

5.1.1Release

5.1.2Other Features

5.1.3Wider Listening

5.2Spalding: Samba Em Preludio

5.2.1Samba Em Preludio

5.2.2Structure & Melody

5.2.3Other Features

5.2.4Wider Listening

5.2.5End of Topic Test - Fusions

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