Killer Queen

Question 1

What era is it from?

Answer 1

1970s

Question 2

Who are the band members and what do they do?

Answer 2

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

Question 3

What is the structure?

Answer 3

Verse-chorus with some variations

Question 4

What bars are the instrumental?

Answer 4

23-26

Question 5

What bars are the guitar solo?

Answer 5

44-61

Question 6

What bars are the outro?

Answer 6

79-end

Question 7

What is the overall tonality?

Answer 7

Eb major

Question 8

What do verses 1 and 2 start on?

Answer 8

A c minor chord

Question 9

What are the tonalities throughout the piece?

Answer 9

A mix of major and minor due to modulations

Question 10

What does the tonality use?

Answer 10

Extended chords and inversions

Question 11

What is the time signature?

Answer 11

12/8

Question 12

When and how does the time signature change?

Answer 12

Changes to 6/8 for one bar in each verse

Question 13

What feel is created and how?

Answer 13

A swung feel created by compound time

Question 14

What is set up at the start and how?

Answer 14

A steady rhythmic pulse is set up at the start by opening clicks and continued by rhythmic piano chords

Question 15

What is the articulation of the verse?

Answer 15

Staccato articulation

Question 16

What is the articulation of the chorus?

Answer 16

Legato

Question 17

What is there lots of in the rhythm?

Answer 17

Syncopation

Question 18

What are the features of the lyrics (3)?

Answer 18

• lots of syllables and short notes
• references to historical figures
• explosive imagery

Question 19

What is the texture?

Answer 19

Frequently changing

Question 20

What is the texture of the opening?

Answer 20

Homophonic

Question 21

How are instruments added?

Answer 21

Gradually

Question 22

When do polyphonic moments appear?

Answer 22

From verse 2 with increased interweaving parts

Question 23

What is used to create an antiphonal feel?

Answer 23

Panning

Question 24

What happens to the texture in the guitar solo?

Answer 24

Dramatically thins out during the second half

Question 25

What are the 6 main features?

Answer 25

• multitrack layering/ overdubbing
• flange
• portamento/glissando
• string bending
• music technology effects
• drumming

Question 26

Where is the flange?

Answer 26

On “laser beam”

Question 27

Where is the glissando?

Answer 27

“Killer queen”

Question 28

Where is the string bending used?

Answer 28

In the guitar solo

Question 29

What are the 5 music technology effects?

Answer 29

• flange
• panning
• distortion
• wah-wah
• reverb

Question 30

How does the drum keep time?

Answer 30

Alternating between bass and snare drum

Question 31

How does the drum add colour?

Answer 31

With cymbal and snare rolls beginning of verse 2

Question 32

How does drumming emphasise important motifs?

Answer 32

With the high hat cymbal

Question 33

What happens in the intro?

Answer 33

6 finger clicks

Question 34

What chords are swung between in the verses?

Answer 34

Between C minor and Bb7

Question 35

What happens in the chorus?

Answer 35

5 bars + echo/answer

Question 36

What happens in the guitar solo?

Answer 36

• borrows ideas from the second half of the chorus

- acts like a middle 8

Question 37

What happens in the outro?

Answer 37

• repeats the syncopated rhythmic motif until it fades out