killer queen

Question 1

describe the melody in the piece

Answer 1

1. starts on an anacrusis
2. mostly syllabic melody
3. verse and chorus combine conjunct movement with wide angular leaps
4. there is an altered descending sequence (in bar 7-8)
5. the melody start mostly with small leaps of thirds or fourths

Question 2

describe the piano accompaniment at the opening

Answer 2

quaver, detached, chords played at the start of each beat

Question 3

list vocal techniques that are used

Answer 3

1. Falsetto
2. Portamento slide on ‘queen’
3. backing vocals use vocables

Question 4

list the music technology used

Answer 4

1. Flanger - a guitar pedal that creates a swooshing sound (on ‘laser-beam’ as word-painting)
2. Reverb - gives the impressions of being in a physical space (on the whole piece)
3. wah-wah - changing the frequency with a pedal (start of verse 3)
4. distortion - makes timbre more gritty (on the whole piece)
5. panning - frequent especially in backing vocals
6. multi-track recording and dubbing for the basic sounds of the band

Question 5

describe the texture

Answer 5

1. mostly melody-dominated homophony
2. antiphony (bar 67-8)
3. imitation
4. 3 part guitar solo
5. layering

Question 6

describe the harmony and tonality

Answer 6

1. in Eb major - an unusual key for rock
2. harmonic rhythm varies between 1 and 4 chords per bar
3. V-I harmonic sequences are used (including circle of fifths on ‘recommended at the price’)
4. seventh, extended and altered chords used
5. pedal notes used
6. many passing modulations
7. opens in Cm which creates tonal ambiguity
8. most chords are in root position but first and second inversions are also used

Question 7

describe the tempo, rhythm and metre

Answer 7

1. in 12/8 (compound quadruple time) but there is the occasional 6/8 bar to extend the phrase length
2. moderato tempo
3. all verse and chorus start with an anacrusis
4. frequent syncopation
5. swung feel

Question 8

describe the structure

Answer 8

1. verse-chorus structure with guitar solo