AoS4: Popular Music Flashcards
Describe the structure of Pop music
Pop
Most Pop music uses the ‘verse-chorus’ structure
Pop
Describe the instrumentation of Pop music
Pop
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
Describe the typical rhythm of pop music
Pop
Syncopation is very common in pop music, although onbeat rhythms are also used.
Pop
Describe the typical texture of pop music
Pop
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
Describe the typical harmony / tonality of pop music
Pop
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
Summarise Pop music
Pop
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.)
Key characteristics of Rock music
Rock
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
What is looping?
Hip Hop
Repeating a section of music
Hip Hop
What is sampling?
Hip Hop
Reusing parts of other music / other sounds and putting them in your own track
Hip Hop
What is Panning
Hip Hop
Moving music / instruments from one speaker or headphone to the other
Hip Hop
What is Phasing
Hip Hop
2 instruments playing the same music at slightly different time intervals
Hip Hop
Define balance in music
Hip Hop
Relative sound level of two or more instruments
Hip Hop
What are some key characteristics of Hip Hop?
Hip Hop
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
Who wrote ‘Africa’?
Africa by Toto
Paich and Porcaro
Africa by Toto
What is the structure of ‘Africa’?
Africa by Toto
Intro, Verse 1, Chorus 1, Link 1, Verse 2, Chorus 2, Link 2, Instrumental Solo, Chorus 3, Outro
Africa by Toto
What years was ‘Africa’ (a) written, (b) released?
Africa by Toto
(a) 1981
(b) 1982
Africa by Toto
What keys are there at different points in the song?
Africa by Toto
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
Compare the melodies of the verses and choruses of the song
Africa by Toto
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
What instrument plays riff A?
Africa by Toto
Synthesiser
Africa by Toto
Describe riff A
Africa by Toto
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
Describe the rhythms in Africa
Africa by Toto
- 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
Describe the instrumentation of Africa
Africa by Toto
- Drumkit
- Electric Guitar
- Acoustic Guitar
- 12-String Guitar
- Marimba
- Gong
- Synths
- Percussion (see rhythms)
- Bass Guitar
- Recorder
- Vocals + BV
- Xylophone
Africa by Toto
