Killer Queen Flashcards
What is OVERDUBBING?
Layering technique used in songs where multiple tracks are recorded and put over previously recorded music
What is the key of this song? Why is it unusual for a rock song?
E flat major but changes frequently + Uses harmonic sequences to create harmonic interest
Unusual because rock music is not often written in flat keys (Queen usually uses unusual keys for rock music)
Name the studio technique that is used to record the layered guitar parts
Overdubbing
Explain the 12/8 time signature
Refers to dotted crotches rather than singular crotchets
The music is swung, as it has a triplet feel to it
What is PANNING?
Giving sounds different levels in the left and right speakers, which makes it sound like they are coming from a separate direction
What is FLANGING?
Effect which creates a swirling or swooshing sound
What is WAH WAH?
Filter effect where the player’s foot movement on a rocker pedal causes the filter’s peak to shift up and down the frequency spectrum
What is REVERB?
Effect which creates the impression of being in a physical space by giving it an echo.
What guitar playing techniques can you hear. Give examples from the score
Use of panning for guitar parts in bars 55-61
Write of the structure of KILLER QUEEN using less than 30 words
Verse-chorus song structure
Has unusual phrase lengths
Wise reuse of phrases in different sections
List different features of Heavy Rock and Songs from Musicals that fall under the elements of ‘Killer Queen’
Heavy Rock:
Stays rooted in the tonic key
Guitar effects (like Wah Wah)
Multi-tracking/Overdubbing
Songs from musicals:
Harmonically adventurous
Motifs
Sung live
Where is a circle of fifths used in Killer Queen?
Bar 19, Beat 4. It goes from A to Dm in Bar 20 then G7 to C in Bar 21 and back to B♭ in Bar 22
Describe how music technology is used in this song
The use of multi-tracking/overdubbing to create a complex and interesting sound
The use of reverb creates an echo-like effect
Guitar panning (Bar 55-61, Guitar line)
Sound of a flanger on the whole mix (bars 77-78)
Word-painting (“Laserbeam” Bar 17)
What elements of KILLER QUEEN reflect Freddie Mercury’s love of the theatrical?
The lyrics provide vibrant imagery. With lines like “She’s a killer queen, gunpowder, gelatine, dynamite with a laser beam” and “Drop of a hat she’s as willing as, playful as a pussy kitten,” These theatrical lyrics create a sense of drama and whimsicalness.
The wide range of Mercury’s vocals is a memorable feature of the piece. Vibrato and other operatic styles add a dramatic and theatrical feeling to the piece. The harmony also plays a vital role in creating lots of drama and energy, which furthermore emphasise Mercury’s love of the theatricals
