3rd movement from Electric Counterpoint

Question 1

Melody

Answer 1

• Made of repeated ostinato
• Loops repeated in ensemble parts, solo guitar made up of notes from ensemble parts
• Parts pre-recorded onto tap loop, overdubbed to build up layers
• Guitar 3 built up by additive melody - 2/3 notes added each riff until whole riff is heard

Question 2

Harmony

Answer 2

• Modulates between Em and Cm
• Fairly static (chords rarely change)
• Canon between solos and three ensemble guitars play repeated strummed chord sequence
• Parts fit together harmonically

Question 3

Tonality

Answer 3

• Tonal ambiguity - listener is always guessing the key - aeolian mode of Em on entry
• Modulates to Cm in B section. Modulates 13 times before end, happening more frequently as piece builds
• Ends on E5 chord - open and sparse sound

Question 4

Structure

Answer 4

• A, B, coda. Main sections sub-divided into four smaller sections defined by key and texture changes
• Four ensembles play same riff throughout in canon, solo and other three ensembles play in canon
• Solo with multitrack recording of other parts

Question 5

Instrumentation/Timbre

Answer 5

• Solo guitar (Pat Methany) and 7 electric and 2 electric bass guitars, played on a multitrack recording
• Timbre doesn’t change much - guitars all have a similar sound and parts all blend together

Question 6

Texture

Answer 6

• Multitracks with live solo over the top
• Short, repeated ostinati give hypnotic sound. Lots of repetition and canon. After parts are introduced, texture is fairly constant, but always seems to be shifting because of bass guitar panning and interviewing rhythms
• Polyphonic - two canons happening simultaneously make polyphony more complex

Question 7

Rhythm

Answer 7

• Makes the piece catchy
• Interviewing rhythms add to texture
• Rhythmic ostinati are layered, phase shifted and displaced
• Canons and layers emphasise and create new rhythm patterns from individual rhythmic riffs

Question 8

Tempo

Answer 8

• 3/2 (3 minim beats per bar)
• Some parts switch to 12/8, but still fit because each can be split into 12 quaver beats per bar
• Changes in time signature in solo and bass more ofte towards end of piece
• Constant

Question 9

Mood

Answer 9

• Hypnotic

* Upbeats rhythms and technology and layering make the minor sound happier

Question 10

Dynamics

Answer 10

• Not many changes except solo which fades in and out constantly
• Four ensembles play mf throughout, others have some diminuendos
• Finishes with crescendo to ff in solo part

Question 11

Technology

Answer 11

• Each part recorded to tape loop and multitracked. Looping of ensemble riffs
• Additive melody of guitar 3
• Panning of bass guitars
• Ostinati are phase shifted