Killer Queen - Queen

Question 1

(Excluding voice) list the 4 instruments used in the track

Answer 1

honky tonk piano, electric guitar, bass guitar, drumkit and percussion

Question 2

How many band members were there?

Answer 2

4

Question 3

List 3 vocal techniques used in the track

Answer 3

portamento, vibrato, falsetto

Question 4

What is the word setting of the track?

Answer 4

syllabic

Question 5

What is the structure based on?

Answer 5

verse-chorus structure

Question 6

What aspect of the structure was unusual for a pop song

Answer 6

uneven verse lengths

Question 7

What key is the piece in?

Answer 7

Eb major

Question 8

What aspect of the tonality was unusual for a pop song?

Answer 8

frequent modulations

Question 9

What was the harmony of the track mainly inspired by?

Answer 9

musicals rather than blues

Question 10

Were any synths used in the track?

Answer 10

NOOOOO

Question 11

What is the time signature of the piece?

Answer 11

12/8 with swung feel

Question 12

Describe the tempo

Answer 12

fast

Question 13

What rhythmic feature can be heard throughout?

Answer 13

syncopation

Question 14

Describe the texture at the very start of the piece

Answer 14

monophonic (finger clicks)

Question 15

What is the texture after the intro?

Answer 15

homophonic

Question 16

When is the texture polyphonic?

Answer 16

verse 2

Question 17

What do the frequent texture changes show?

Answer 17

contrast between sections

Question 18

What is the term for the call and response texture heard?

Answer 18

antiphony

Question 19

List the 4 guitar techniques heard in the piece

Answer 19

string bends, slides, pull-offs, vibrato

no strumming-very carefully articulated

Question 20

What studio effects can be heard on the vocals?

Answer 20

flanger, reverb, EQ

Question 21

When can flanger be heard?

Answer 21

‘laser beam’

Question 22

What 2 studio effects can be heard on the guitars?

Answer 22

distortion , wah wah

Question 23

What other studio effects can be heard?

Answer 23

reverb, panning

Question 24

What style is the piece?

Answer 24

Glam rock

Question 25

What features of the articulation used give it a light texture?

Answer 25

staccato

Question 26

What studio technique is heard in the vocals in the chorus?

Answer 26

multi-tracking

Question 27

What studio technique is heard in the guitar solo?

Answer 27

over dubbing

Question 28

Give 2 musical features of the guitar solo

Answer 28

uses small tessitura (range of notes), melody based on previous melody

Question 29

How do parts come in at the start of the song?

Answer 29

one after the other

Question 30

Sometimes the vocal line has an ‘x’ printed as the note-head , what does this mean?

Answer 30

said/spoken percussive

Question 31

Name the musical device used on the words “recommended at the price” (in)satiable an appetite”

Answer 31

descending sequence

Question 32

How has the 4-part choir of backing vocals been created?

Answer 32

over-dubbing

Question 33

Describe the sound of the honky-tonk piano

Answer 33

harpsichord/out of tune

Question 34

Why might it be difficult to play the song live?

Answer 34

all the studio techniques/ not enough people for all layers

Question 35

What is the role of the bass guitar part?

Answer 35

harmonic grounding

Question 36

State 3 roles of the drum-kit

Answer 36

keep everyone in time, signify section changes, adds colour

Question 37

What is panning?

Answer 37

changing the position of the sound in the stereo field

Question 38

Describe distortion

Answer 38

changing the quality of the sound

Question 39

Describe flanger

Answer 39

multiple sounds delaying to create a pulsating , jet-like sound

Question 40

What is meant by reverb?

Answer 40

environment sound is in

Question 41

Who wrote the song?

Answer 41

Freddie Mercury