Afro Celt Sound System Release Flashcards
Date of release
1999
What instruments are apart of the African side?
.A kora
.A djembe
.A talking drum
What is a kora?
A type of harp
What is a djembe?
A goblet-shaped drum
What is a talking drum?
A drum that changes pitch and mimics the tone patterns of human speech
What instruments are apart of the Celtic side?
.Uilleann pipes .Fiddle .Accordian .Low whistle .Bodhran .Hurdy Gurdy
What is an uilleann pipe?
Irish bagpipes that have a softer tone than the Scottish variety
What is a fiddle?
Folk musicians names for a violin
What is an accordion?
This one has hand operated bellows and blow metal reeds
What is a low whistle?
An instrument like a metal recorder
What is a bodhran?
A handheld drum played with a double-headed beater
What is a hurdy-gurdy?
A mechanical violin, strings are made to vibrate by a cranked handle
What features are apart of the sound system side?
.Male and female vocals .synthesisier and samples .electric piano, drum machine .shaker and tambourine .various digital effects
Who is the first voice heard?
N’Faly Kouyate recites an introduction in Mankinka which is one of the languages of Guinea
Who sings verses 1 and 3?
Sinead O’Connor in English, she also wrote the lyrics
Who sings verse 2?
Larla O Lionaird in Irish
What is the meter at the opening section?
Free time
What is the tempo and meter of the piece?
4/4 and moderately fast
Describe the overall rhythm
.Slightly swung
.Syncopation in the vocal melody
What do the strings of rapid short notes in the instrumental solos and loops echo?
The fast decorative style of Irish folk music
Where do triplets feature?
In the low whistle solo and fiddle loops
What effect do the repeating loops create?
Ostinatos or riffs
What does a 4 above a rest mean
The rest lasts for 4 bars
Describe the overall melody and why?
Modal, tries to be in the C minor key but the piece does not include the note Bb, which is the leading note of the key
How is the piece anchored to C minor
Drones and repeating patterns based on a chord of C minor
What is the texture mainly?
Homophonic
How is a layered texture achieved in the accompaniment?
Through the layering of loops
State the texture
Intro Verse 1 Verse 2 Solos Verse 3 Build Outro
What plays a solo in the solo section?
Uillean pipes
Low whistle
Hurdy-gurdy
What is the build?
A period of long crescendo and thickening texture
How does the outro end?
Fades out on electric piano loops
Where is the general melody from?
Modal (aeolian mode on C)
Describe the melody in verse 1?
5 pitches of the pentatonic minor scale (C-Eb-F-G-Bb)
How is the melody quite repetitive?
Many similar 2 bar phrases that fall from G to C
What is the introductory vocal solo closely based on?
The falling melody of verse 1
Describe the ranges of the singers
Male - .Wide range (13th) Female - .Narrow range (6th) .Low tessitura
Describe the vocal line
Conjunct, syllabic, some parts whispered
Describe the melody of the instrumental parts
.Wide range
.disjunct movement
.emphasise G and C as the main notes of the mode
What is a pad?
A sustained synthesizer sound, often resembling strings, organ or voices
What does vox mean?
It is Latin for voice
What does the word pickup show and indicate?
Shows where the loop starts and indicates that it begins on an anacrusis
