Killer Queen Flashcards
What era is it from?
1970s
Who are the band members and what do they do?
Freddie Mercury- lead vocals, piano and backing vocals
Brian May- lead guitar and backing vocals
Roger Taylor- drums and backing vocals
John Deacon- bass guitar
What is the structure?
Verse-chorus with some variations
What bars are the instrumental?
23-26
What bars are the guitar solo?
44-61
What bars are the outro?
79-end
What is the overall tonality?
Eb major
What do verses 1 and 2 start on?
A c minor chord
What are the tonalities throughout the piece?
A mix of major and minor due to modulations
What does the tonality use?
Extended chords and inversions
What is the time signature?
12/8
When and how does the time signature change?
Changes to 6/8 for one bar in each verse
What feel is created and how?
A swung feel created by compound time
What is set up at the start and how?
A steady rhythmic pulse is set up at the start by opening clicks and continued by rhythmic piano chords
What is the articulation of the verse?
Staccato articulation
What is the articulation of the chorus?
Legato
What is there lots of in the rhythm?
Syncopation
What are the features of the lyrics (3)?
- lots of syllables and short notes
- references to historical figures
- explosive imagery
What is the texture?
Frequently changing
What is the texture of the opening?
Homophonic
How are instruments added?
Gradually
When do polyphonic moments appear?
From verse 2 with increased interweaving parts
What is used to create an antiphonal feel?
Panning
What happens to the texture in the guitar solo?
Dramatically thins out during the second half
What are the 6 main features?
- multitrack layering/ overdubbing
- flange
- portamento/glissando
- string bending
- music technology effects
- drumming
Where is the flange?
On “laser beam”
Where is the glissando?
“Killer queen”
Where is the string bending used?
In the guitar solo
What are the 5 music technology effects?
- flange
- panning
- distortion
- wah-wah
- reverb
How does the drum keep time?
Alternating between bass and snare drum
How does the drum add colour?
With cymbal and snare rolls beginning of verse 2
How does drumming emphasise important motifs?
With the high hat cymbal
What happens in the intro?
6 finger clicks
What chords are swung between in the verses?
Between C minor and Bb7
What happens in the chorus?
5 bars + echo/answer
What happens in the guitar solo?
- borrows ideas from the second half of the chorus
- acts like a middle 8
What happens in the outro?
- repeats the syncopated rhythmic motif until it fades out
