Killer Queen

Question 1

Music tech

Answer 1

• Use of flanger on ‘laser beam’ to create electronic sound
• Panning (Left and Right) at various points to make the sound move
• Multi-tracking used to record Guitar parts as there was only one guitarist
• Piano overdubbed with jangle/honkytonk piano
• Wah wah in Guitar part.

Question 2

Structure

Answer 2

• Verse-chorus structure
• Verse 1 – starts with finger clicks
• Chorus 1
• Instrumental (23-26)
• Verse 2
• Chorus 2
• Guitar Solo
• Verse 3 – shortened
• Chorus 3
• Outro

Question 3

Tonality

Answer 3

• Overall key is Eb major
• Opening C minor chord makes it more ambiguous.
• Chorus is Bb major

Question 4

Texture

Answer 4

• Overall texture is Melody-Dominated Homophony
• Starts with single clicks
• Instrumental layering – parts are overdubbed (recorded on top of each other)
• Three-part (polyphonic) texture during the guitar solo
• Use of imitation in guitar solo
• Four-part vocals in the chorus
• Backing vocals sometimes imitate the lead vocal

Question 5

Rhythm

Answer 5

• Swing
• Syncopation used lots – creates a jovial off-beat feel.
• Triplets in b18

Question 6

Instrumentation

Answer 6

• Lead vocal
• Backing vocal
• Piano
• Overdubbed with honky-tonk piano
• Four electric guitars (multitracked)
• Bass Guitar
• Drum kit
• Guitar techniques:
• Slide – from one note to another
• Bends – pitch bend
• Pull-offs – one strum, two notes
• Vibrato – pitch varies quickly

Question 7

Metre/tempo/dynamics

Answer 7

Tempo
* 112 bpm
* Moderato tempo which makes it fast but not too fast! (Fun but not frantic)

Metre
· 12/8 – 12 quavers a bar but with a feeling of 4/4
· Compound time – gives swing feel (fun)
· Some bars 6/8 to change phrase lengths

Question 8

Melody

Answer 8

• falsetto (high male voice)
  Verse:
• Mostly conjunct – some small leaps of 3rd and 4th
• Syllabic
• First two phrases rise
• Third phrase is a falling sequence
• Fourth phrase falls with a disjunct leap at the end.
• Backing vocals use oohs

Chorus
* Melody less clear as the vocals are four-part.
* Portamento (slide) on word Queen as it is melismatic.
* Almost entirely syllabic
* ‘Recommended at the price’ similar to ‘Built in a remedy’ from verse.

Question 9

Harmony

Answer 9

• Mostly tonal and diatonic
• Most chords in root position
• Some chords in inversion, particularly when falling bass line.
• Some first and second inversions
• Some use of dissonance
• Some chord extensions such as 7ths and 11ths
• Circle of fifths used bars 20-21
• Pedal note b27-30