AoS4: Popular Music

Question 1

Describe the structure of Pop music

Pop

Answer 1

Most Pop music uses the ‘verse-chorus’ structure

Pop

Question 2

Describe the instrumentation of Pop music

Pop

Answer 2

Pre-1980s music used live instrumentation: guitar (electric, bass, acoustic), keyboards, synthesizers, vocals, backing vocals, drumkit.
More modern pop music utilises the technology available and it is common practice to use loops, samples and special effects are added.

Pop

Question 3

Describe the typical rhythm of pop music

Pop

Answer 3

Syncopation is very common in pop music, although onbeat rhythms are also used.

Pop

Question 4

Describe the typical texture of pop music

Pop

Answer 4

Almost all Pop Music is homophonic (melody-dominated homophony); ie melody and accompaniment.
Polyphony is rare.
Texture can be thinner or thicker between sections, for contrast. This can be achieved by adding or removing instruments / vocals.

Pop

Question 5

Describe the typical harmony / tonality of pop music

Pop

Answer 5

Much pop music uses simple, diatonic harmony, and is based on just two, three or four chords.
These chords are often taken from the minor pentatonic scale (eg chords I, ♭III, IV, V and ♭VII).
Much pop music uses Blues tonality (minor pentatonic melodies over major chords).
Extended harmony can be used, eg in Soul and Hip Hop (within the samples).
Atonality is very rare in Pop.

Pop

Question 6

Summarise Pop music

Pop

Answer 6

The terms ‘Popular Music’, or ‘Pop Music’ cover a very wide range of music, mainly from the 1950s onwards
Pop Music is usually in Verse-Chorus form
Pop Music is almost always tonal, and diatonic
Pop Music is almost always amplified
Pop Music uses some/all of:
Melody – vocals: solo lead vocals, and often one or more backing vocals; solo instrument in Solo section(s)
Chords – instruments: electric (or acoustic) guitars, synths/keyboards/organ
Bass line: either bass guitar, synth/keyboard, or computer-generated
Drums/percussion: drum kit, drum machine, or computer-generated
Additional instruments: strings (violins, etc.), brass (trumpets, etc.), percussion (congas, tambourines, cow bells, bell trees, hand claps, etc.)

Question 7

Key characteristics of Rock music

Rock

Answer 7

The use of distorted guitar
The use of riffs (short repeated patterns)
The use of power chords (a chord using only the root
and the 5th of a chord)
A more aggressive style of singing, and playing
(particularly drums) [“driving rhythms”
Significant use of the minor pentatonic scale in the
riffs, chord choices, and vocal melodies

Rock

Question 8

What is looping?

Hip Hop

Answer 8

Repeating a section of music

Hip Hop

Question 9

What is sampling?

Hip Hop

Answer 9

Reusing parts of other music / other sounds and putting them in your own track

Hip Hop

Question 10

What is Panning

Hip Hop

Answer 10

Moving music / instruments from one speaker or headphone to the other

Hip Hop

Question 11

What is Phasing

Hip Hop

Answer 11

2 instruments playing the same music at slightly different time intervals

Hip Hop

Question 12

Define balance in music

Hip Hop

Answer 12

Relative sound level of two or more instruments

Hip Hop

Question 13

What are some key characteristics of Hip Hop?

Hip Hop

Answer 13

Rapping
A backing track, often made up of samples
DJ-ing, including scratching records, mixing, and other effects
Often, some sung vocals in the Chorus
Song structures usually Verse-Chorus form

Hip Hop

Question 14

Who wrote ‘Africa’?

Africa by Toto

Answer 14

Paich and Porcaro

Africa by Toto

Question 15

What is the structure of ‘Africa’?

Africa by Toto

Answer 15

Intro, Verse 1, Chorus 1, Link 1, Verse 2, Chorus 2, Link 2, Instrumental Solo, Chorus 3, Outro

Africa by Toto

Question 16

What years was ‘Africa’ (a) written, (b) released?

Africa by Toto

Answer 16

(a) 1981
(b) 1982

Africa by Toto

Question 17

What keys are there at different points in the song?

Africa by Toto

Answer 17

Intro, Link 1, Link 2, Outro: C# minor
Verse 1, Verse 2, Instrumental solo: B major
Chorus 1, Chorus 2, Chorus 3: A major

Africa by Toto

Question 18

Compare the melodies of the verses and choruses of the song

Africa by Toto

Answer 18

Verse: Ascends at beginning, jumps down, then both
ascends and descends, Low-pitched, Wide range: an octave, extending to a 12th at the end, Syncopated, The phrase is heard four times, changing at the
end of the fourth time, Mainly conjunct, Starts with a rest / just after the beat
Chorus: Stays on one note, then descends at the end of the phrase, High-pitched, Narrow range: mostly a semitone/minor 2nd (extends to a 6th at the end), Syncopated, The phrase is heard four times, changing at the end of the fourth time, Mainly conjunct, Starts with a rest / just after the beat

Africa by Toto

Question 19

What instrument plays riff A?

Africa by Toto

Answer 19

Synthesiser

Africa by Toto

Question 20

Describe riff A

Africa by Toto

Answer 20

Riff A uses a mixture of syncopated and on-beat rhythms
All chords in Riff A are in root position
Can be heard in all sections aside from the choruses

Africa by Toto

Question 21

Describe the rhythms in Africa

Africa by Toto

Answer 21

• Polyrhythmic ostinato heard throughout, created by looping a small section of an instrument for the entire song
• This ostinato is played by percussion instruments: cowbells, a drumkit, congas, shakers, and caxixi with a jingle stick

Africa by Toto

Question 22

Describe the instrumentation of Africa

Africa by Toto

Answer 22

• Drumkit
• Electric Guitar
• Acoustic Guitar
• 12-String Guitar
• Marimba
• Gong
• Synths
• Percussion (see rhythms)
• Bass Guitar
• Recorder
• Vocals + BV
• Xylophone

Africa by Toto