Pop Music

Question 1

Joni Mitchell-
instrumentation:

Answer 1

often just acoustic instruments (piano, guitar-sometimes open tunings are used, percussion- congas, triangle), simplistic so as not to distract from her emotive vocals
backing vocals (overdubbed)
technological effects= reverb

Question 2

Daft Punk-
instrumentation:

Answer 2

synthesisers, drum machines, technological effects= distortion, vocoder, reverb, EQ/high-pass filter, heavy compression on vocals (robotic)

Question 3

Joni Mitchell-context:

Answer 3

Canadian, hippie/environmental activist, pregnant at 16, forced to give up her child, born 1943, folk artist (singer-songwriter), famous for vulnerable lyrics e.g. album ‘Blue’ & beautiful vocals (large range, head voice+vibrato)

Question 4

Daft Punk- context:

Answer 4

French duo, robotic, anonymous aesthetic, house music/EDM, disco + funk influences

Question 5

Stevie Wonder- context:

Answer 5

blind, signed to Motown record label, born 1950, grooves, blues + soul influences, other songs= ‘Sir Duke’, ‘Isn’t she lovely’, ‘Don’t you worry ‘bout a thing’, ‘Pastime Paradise’

Question 6

Stevie Wonder- instrumentation:

Answer 6

clavichord, vocals, electric bass, trumpet, conga drums

Question 7

Blues scale:

Answer 7

Flattened 3rd, 5th and 7th

Question 8

Muse- instrumentation:

Answer 8

vocals + backing vocals (overdubbed), electric bass + guitar-distorted, drums

Question 9

Muse- context:

Answer 9

disco& funk influences, English alternative rock band, formed in the ’90s, music featured in ‘Twilight saga’ film series, Matt Bellamy

Question 10

Which mode is used for Beyonce’s ‘crazy in love’?

Answer 10

B flat lydian mode (augmented 4th note has a bright feel)

Question 11

Which chords are used in Beyonce’s ‘crazy in love’?

Answer 11

I (B flat), iii (Dm), vi7 (Gm7)

Question 12

Rhythm in Beyonce’s ‘crazy in love’:

Answer 12

syncopation & emphasis on backbeat creates the illusion of a faster tempo

Question 13

Beyonce- context:

Answer 13

R & B + hip-hop influences; Destiny’s Child

Question 14

‘Superstition’ tonality/harmony:

Answer 14

E flat minor pentatonic scale is used, extended & altered chords such as Ebm(b7,#9), chromatic movements between chords

Question 15

‘Superstition’ melody:

Answer 15

There is a clavinet riff/ ostinato melody

Question 16

‘Supermassive black hole’ melody/vocals:

Answer 16

parallel 3rds, chromatic descending, high pitch/register/falsetto (“ooh, you set my soul alight”), guitar riff contains a blue note (B flat)

Question 17

‘Supermassive black hole’ tonality:

Answer 17

Key= Em, power primary chords (i, iv, V) + tonic pedal

Question 18

Which song did daft punk sample for ‘harder, better, faster, stronger’?

Answer 18

Edwin Birdsong- ‘cola bottle baby’

Question 19

‘Harder, better, faster, stronger’ rhythm:

Answer 19

4/4 (four-on-the-floor) ; syncopated during instrumental bridge