Afro Celt

Question 1

Harmony and tonality

Answer 1

• Modal tonality (AO3)
• Anchored to C by drones and by repeating patterns based on a chord of C minor (AO3)
• The music has a slow harmonic pace (static harmony) and is mainly diatonic (AO3)

Question 2

Texture

Answer 2

• Mainly homophonic
• With an accompaniment featuring a layered texture created from the 28 loops (AO3) Use of loops is an electronic technique (AO4)

Question 3

Rhythm, metre and tempo

Answer 3

• Opening section is in free time (AO3)
• Moderately fast tempo in 4/4 time from 0:48 (start of loops) (AO3) EDM requires a regular pulse (AO4)
• Rhythm is slightly swung (AO3)
• Vocal melodies contain syncopation (AO3)
• Instrumental solos, and some of the instrumental loops, feature strings of rapid short notes (AO3) echoing the fast decorative style of much Irish folk music (AO4)
• Triplets feature in the low whistle solo and fiddle loops (AO3) low whistle and fiddle are Irish (AO4)
• Repeating loops create the effect of ostinatos or riffs (AO3) loops are electronic techniques (AO4)
• Figure 4 above the finals rest in loops 13,17,24,26 and 28 indicates that the rest lasts for 4 bars (AO3)

Question 4

Melody

Answer 4

• Opening section is in free time (AO3)
• Mainly modal (Aeolian mode on C) (AO3)
• Verse 1: just the 5 pitches of the pentatonic minor scale (C-Eb-F-G-Bb) (AO3)
• Repetitive: many similar two bar phrases that fall from G to C (AO3)
• Introductory vocal solo (fig.1) closely based on the falling melody of verse 1 (AO3)
• Male voice in verse 2 rises to a top C and has a wider range (a 10th, later extending to a 13th in loop 19) (AO3)
• Vocal line has mainly conjunct movement (+ occasional small skips of a 3rd) (AO3)
• Mostly syllabic, some parts spoken (whispered) (AO3)
• Female vocal has a narrow range (6th) and low tessitura (AO3)
• Some parts are sampled (AO3) electronic technique (AO4)
• Use of reverberation (AO3) electronic technique (AO4)
• Instrumental solos are more wide ranging in pitch and include some disjunct movement, but they too emphasise G and C as the main notes of the mode (AO3)

Question 5

Instrumentation

Answer 5

• Kora – a type of harp (AO3) Afro (A04)
• Djembe – goblet shaped drum (AO3) Afro (A04)
• Talking drum (AO3) Afro (A04)
• Uilleann pipes (AO3) Celt (A04)
• Fiddle (AO3) Celt (A04)
• Accordion (AO3) Celt (A04)
• Low whistle (AO3) Celt (A04)
• Bodhran (AO3) Celt (A04)
• Hurdy Gurdy (AO3) Celt (A04)
• Male and female vocals (AO3) Electronic Dance Music (A04)
• Synthesiser and samples (AO3) EDM (A04)
• Electric piano and drum machine (AO3) EDM (A04)
• Shaker and tambourine (AO3) EDM (A04)
• Various digital effects (AO3) EDM (A04)

Question 6

Structure

Answer 6

• Intro – 3 verses – Outro (AO3)
• No choruses (AO3)
• Instrumental sections described as ‘solos’ and ‘drum break and build’ (AO3)
• Accompaniment is constructed from loops, built up in layers (AO3)

Question 7

Other points

Answer 7

• A Pad (in loops 4, 11, and 21) is a sustained synthesizer sound, often resembling strings, organ or voices
• ‘Vox’ in loop 19 is Latin for voice
• ‘Pickup’ in some loops shows where the loop starts – it indicates that the loops begins with an anacrusis

Question 8

Context

Answer 8

• Fusion of West African, Celtic and Electronic dance music
• First voice recites softly the introduction in Maninka
• Verses 1 and 3 sung in English
• Verse 2 sung in Irish
• 3 languages symbolise the triple roots of the Afro Celt Sound System