Africa toto Flashcards
(40 cards)
When was Africa recorded?
18th October 1981
Who are the composers of Africa?
David Paich, Jeff Porcaro
Tempo and Metre
Tempo: 92
Metre: 2/2
Texture
Homophonic, melody and accompaniment
Dynamics
Limited dynamic range, mf to f
Harmony and Tonality
Mostly major
Almost entirely diatonic
Uses a mixture of root position chords, inversions and extended harmony.
Rhythm
As in all Rock and Pop music, there is a mix of syncopation and on-beat rhythms.
Structure
Intro, Verse 1, Chorus 1, Link 1, Verse 2, Chorus 2, Link 2, Solo(instrumental), Chorus 3, Chorus 4, Outro
RIFF A chords
A major - G sharp minor - C sharp minor 7
All in root position
RIFF A
Played on the CS-80 synthesizer, first bar syncopated then next two bars on beat, using root position chords that move in parallel motion. Doubled by the bass guitar and by a marimba.
RIFF B
Uses a kalimba voice on the GS-I synthesizer, Riff B uses a pentatonic scale C sharp minor, repeated 5 quaver pattern in descending parallel 4ths, cross-rhythms
Verse chords
B, D sharp minor 7, G sharp minor 7, B/F sharp major, A/E major, F sharp major 11, E major 9/G sharp major
B/Fsharp WHAT DOES THIS MEAN
Play B chord with F sharp in the bass
Melody
Vocals are tripled, relatively low tessistura: octave B to B, almost entirely conjunct, word setting is syllabic apart from the melismas found on the last word of all but the last phrase, diatonic, syncopation
Backing vocals verse
Third phrase one octave higher
End of the last phrase third below
Guitars verse
Lead guitarist plays a short repeated figure with a clean sound whilst palm muting for the first 4 bar phrase. 12 string acoustic guitar then plays syncopated pattern.
Synth and piano verse
Synth uses sustained chords with the right hand (dotted rhythms) and doubles bass guitar in left hand. Also plays RIFF A. Piano plays RIFF A each time.
Bass guitar verse
Mixture of roots and different partials of each chord using the same rhythm in each bar.
Drums and percussion verse
Looped 2 bar pattern:
- 2 bar conga pattern repeat the first bar of their 2 bar pattern
- high cowbell drops out at the start of verse 1 not reappearing until bar 207
- marimba joins at every appearance of RIFF A
- bell tree sounds just before chorus 1
- drum fill in bar 58 + 59
Chorus 1 chords
Phrase 1:
F sharp minor, D major, A major, E major
Phrase 2+3:
F sharp minor 7, D major, A major, E major
Phrase 4:
F sharp minor 7, D major add 2, A major, C sharp minor 7, E major, F sharp minor + E/G sharp major (same bar)
Lead vocal chorus
Second crotchet of each phrase with an extremely narrow range (minor 2nd A-G sharp) except at the end (extends to a 4th A-E), syncopation, syllabic until the long melisma on ‘had’
Backing vocals chorus
Homorhythmic with the lead vocal, generally two BVs but in bar 69 briefly splits into three BVs, the final two notes of the chorus has just one BV
Guitars chorus
12 string guitar plays ascending and descending arpeggios in quavers, lead guitar uses distortion plays simple idea on the fourth bar of every phrase leading into a long sustained note, last three bars of chorus lead guitar plays three chords loudly, finishes chorus by doubling the bass guitar plays
Synth and Piano chorus
Synth 1 is joined by synth 2 and uses strings sound, plays sustained chords, piano plays throughout the choruses
