Louis Armstrong

Question 1

Melody

Answer 1

simple melodies
diatonic scales
some arpeggios with chromatic pitches (trumpet solo) in “Hotter than that”
frequent ornamentation

Question 2

Melody - ornamentation examples

Answer 2

rips - trumpet in “Muskrat Ramble”
spills/fall-offs - trumpet in “West End blues”
pitch bends - guitar in “Hotter than That”
glissandos - trombone in “Muskrat Ramble”
smears - trombone in “Bessie Couldn’t Help it”

Question 3

Harmony

Answer 3

simple chord changes - I, IV and V as triads and 7ths
some chromatic alterations - 7#5 in “West End Blues”
Diminished 7th and 2ndary dominance - “Hotter Than That”

Question 4

Tonality

Answer 4

simple major/minor with blues influence
extensive blues notes - e.g. “St Louis Blues”
Pentatonic scales - “West End Blues”
Blues scales - “St. James Infirmary”
Some modulation - “St. Louis Blues” modulates to tonic minor

Question 5

structure

Answer 5

repeated chord changes - type of strophic form
2 statements of head melody - instrumental solos in between
verses used for contrast - intro at start/outro at end
Typical New Orleans structure eg - “Heebie Jeebies”
Breaks at start and between chorus - “H.T.T”
12 bar blues common - “West End Blues” - not always if blues in the title though
Sometimes standard song form - “Ain’t Misbehaving”

Question 6

sonority

Answer 6

Switched Cornet to trumpet for brighter timbre 1920s
clear open trumpet sound with some straight mutes “Ain’t Misbehaving” or rare Wah Wah mute “Yes! I’m in the Barrel!”
vocals - both with lyrics and scat singing eg “Heebie Jeebies”

Question 7

sonority - band line up

Answer 7

1st Hot Five - clarinet, trumpet, trombone, banjo/guitar, piano - eg “Gut Bucket Blues”
2nd Hot Five - added drums “West End Blues
Hot Seven line up - clarinet, trumpet, trombone, banjo, piano, tuba, drums - “Willie the Weeper”

Question 8

texture

Answer 8

polyphony between horns “Heebie Jeebies”
rhythms bass line provides basic repeated chordal accompaniment
focus on Melody and accompaniment textures because great soloist
call and response
some monophonic unaccompanied solos
Different textures - “West End Blues”

Question 9

tempo, metre and rhythm

Answer 9

heavy swing feel
syncopation and push/drag rhythms -“H.T.T”
Stop time
Ametrical passages in unaccompanied solos

Question 10

Hotter Than That

Answer 10

Mel - trumpet solo - simple mel, diatonic scales, arpeggios, chromatic pitches, ornamentation (pitch bends on guitar)
Hmy - Diminished 7th and 2ndary dominance
Str - breaks at start and in between solo choruses
TMR - use of syncopation and push/drag rhythms

Question 11

West End Blues

Answer 11

mel - ornamentation spills/fall offs
Har - chromatic alterations - 7#5 chord
ton - use of pentatonic scale
str - 12 bar blues 
son - Second Hot Five with added drums
tex - variety of different textures

Question 12

Heebie Jeebies

Answer 12

str - typical new orleans jazz
son - vocals with lyrics and scat singing
tex - polyphony between 3 horns