Killer Queen

Question 1

What is the structure of “Killer Queen”?

Answer 1

Verse-chorus form

Question 2

What is unusual about the start of the song?

Answer 2

Starts with finger clicks

Question 3

Describe how the accompaniment chords are played in verse 1.

Answer 3

Detached

Question 4

In what key does song begin?

Answer 4

C minor

Question 5

The melody starts on an upbeat. What is the musical term for this?

Answer 5

Anacrusis

Question 6

Which 2 instruments enter at the end of bar 6?

Answer 6

Bass and drums

Question 7

Which instrument plays the chords at the start of the song?

Answer 7

Piano

Question 8

The guitar starts playing in bar 7 - describe the melodic movement.

Answer 8

Descending sequence

Question 9

What singing technique does the lead singer use in bar 11 on the word “decline”?

Answer 9

Falsetto

Question 10

What do the backing singers sing when they start singing on the word “Kennedy” in verse 1?

Answer 10

Vocalisation (Oohs)

Question 11

What is the main time signature of the song?

Answer 11

12/8 (compound quadruple)

Question 12

In Chorus 1, the backing vocals sing in harmony with the lead vocalist. How many vocal parts are there in total?

Answer 12

4

Question 13

The song uses a lot of extended chords. What is an extended chord?

Answer 13

A chord with additional notes, eg. 7th, 9th, 11th

Question 14

What notes are in chord Bb7?

Answer 14

Bb D F Ab

Question 15

Some of the chords are slash (/) chords. What does this mean?

Answer 15

The chord is inverted.

Question 16

In chord Eb/Bb, what note is played in the bass?

Answer 16

Bb

Question 17

In chord Eb/Bb, what inversion is the chord?

Answer 17

2nd inversion

Question 18

What technique is used on the word “queen” at the start of the chorus? (She’s a killer queen…)

Answer 18

Portamento slide

Question 19

In what way does the guitar sound different on “laser beam” in the chorus (bar 17)?

Answer 19

A change of EQ

Question 20

Describe what the backing vocals sing in bar 18 (underneath the lead vocals “guaranteed to blow your mind”).

Answer 20

“Ba” (vocalisation) vocal ‘stabs’ (short chords)

Question 21

Describe how the majority of the text is set.

Answer 21

Mainly syllabic

Question 22

What harmonic device is heard near the end of the chorus (bars 20 - 21: “recommended at the price, insatiable an appetite)?

Answer 22

Circle of 5ths

Question 23

What harmonic device is heard at the start of verse 2 (bars 27 - 30)?

Answer 23

Pedal note

Question 24

Describe the tempo of the song.

Answer 24

Moderate

Question 25

What is the bpm of the song?

Answer 25

112 bpm

Question 26

Describe the drum part in the bar before verse 2.

Answer 26

Drum roll

Question 27

What interval is between guitar 1 & guitar 3 in the instrumental section (bars 23 - 26)?

Answer 27

Third

Question 28

Identify two playing techniques that the guitars use in the instrumental section (bars 23 - 26).

Answer 28

Vibrato & glissando (slides)

Question 29

Describe the inner harmony part (right hand chords of the piano) in bars 31-33.

Answer 29

The chords descend chromatically

Question 30

At the end of verse 2, how does Freddie Mercury (lead singer) perform the words "..tidious and precise..." (bar 38)?

Answer 30

He speaks the words

Question 31

In bar 34 the time signature changes for one bar to fit the phrase in. What is the time signature in bar 34?

Answer 31

6/8 (compound duple)

Question 32

Describe how the bass guitar part is developed in bars 37 & 38.

Answer 32

Uses pentatonic & chromatic scales

Question 33

Chorus 2 is shorter than chorus 1. Which part of chorus 1 does chorus 2 use?

Answer 33

The first 5 bars

Question 34

The opening of the guitar solo mimics the vocals from which section?

Answer 34

Bars 20 - 21 in the chorus

Question 35

How many guitar solo parts are playing in bars 48 - 50?

Answer 35

3

Question 36

Brian May is the guitarist. How does he play several guitar parts at the same time?

Answer 36

The guitar parts are overdubbed (recorded in separate tracks)

Question 37

Identify the texture between the solo guitar parts in bars 47 - 49.

Answer 37

Imitation (guitars 3 & 4 imitate guitar 1)

Question 38

Describe the guitar parts in bar 50.

Answer 38

They play together in harmony

Question 39

Identify the section(s) that the accompanying chords in the guitar solo at bar 51 have previously been played.

Answer 39

Verse 1 & 2

Question 40

In bar 51 the guitar solo plays the vocal melody from the verse. How does the guitarist slightly change the melody?

Answer 40

Extra notes/decoration

Question 41

Describe the entries of the guitar parts in bar 55.

Answer 41

They are staggered (enter at slightly different times)

Question 42

Identify the cadence that is repeated at the end of the guitar solo, leading into verse 3.

Answer 42

Imperfect cadence in Eb

Question 43

Identify the interval Freddie Mercury sings from the word "hat" to "she's" in bar 62 (verse 3).

Answer 43

An octave

Question 44

Describe how the words "drive you wild" are sung when they are repeated in bars 66 - 67.

Answer 44

4 part harmony & high in pitch - word painting

Question 45

What is played on the drum kit during the words "drive you wild" in bar 67?

Answer 45

Semiquavers on the snare drum

Question 46

What part has been added to chorus 3 that wasn't in chorus 1 or 2?

Answer 46

Guitar solo

Question 47

How does the song end?

Answer 47

Outro & repeats to fade

Question 48

What is the main texture of the song?

Answer 48

Homophonic

Question 49

Describe the melodic movement of the vocals at the start of the song.

Answer 49

Mostly stepwise/conjunct (notes next to each other)

Question 50

What is the name of the particular type of piano used in the song?

Answer 50

Honky-tonk (jangle) piano