Queen - killer queen Flashcards
Who is the drummer in queen
Roger Taylor
Who is the guitarist in queen
Brian May
What type of music does Queen create
Glam rock
What are the common themes that run through killer queen
- adventurous structures
- use of unusual keys for rock music
- complex multi-tracked guitar and vocal parts
- anthemic melodies
- a sense of theatre blended into a rock song format
- a studio sound
What is the structure of killer queen
- based on verse-chorus song structure
- unusual phrase length
- clever reuse of phrases in different sections
What is the tonality of killer queen
- key of E flat major, unusual for rock music
- many modulations
- inspired by musicals rather than blues
- use of harmonic sequence
What is the instrumentation and sonority of killer queen
- piano, vocals, electric guitars, drums
- use of multi-tracking to layer parts
- carefully crafted backing vocal-parts
- guitar part sometimes try to emulate other instruments
What is the rhythm, metre and tempo of killer queen
- 12.8 compound time
- swung feel
- use of syncopation
- important rhythmic motif that appears throughout the song
- fast tempo
What is the melody of killer queen
- Return of a similar melodic motif through several sections
- syllabic vocal line
- development of vocal melody in guitar solo
What is the texture of killer queen
- careful placement of parts so as not to crowd the texture
- clear contrasts between sections
- use of homophonic, polyphonic and antiphonal texture
How is music technology used in killer queen
- plays a fundamental role
- multitracking and overdubbing used frequently
- flanger, wah-wah and distortion are used
- panning helps to separate out sounds and creates antiphonal effects
How are guitar techniques used in killer queen
- use of string-bends, slides, vibrato, pull-offs
no strumming - careful articulation of each note
What is overdubbing
recording a instrumental or vocal part over previously recorded music
What is panning
giving sounds different levels, so it sounds like they are coming from different direction
What is flanger
Electronic manipulation, creates a swirling or swooshing sound
What is the wah-wah effect
the peak of the filter is swept up and down the frequency range
What is a reverb
Creates the impression of being in a physical space
What are pull-offs
When a note is sounded on the guitar by plucking the string with the fretting hand
What type of time signature is 12.8
quadruple compound
How does killer queen start (verse 1)
- 6 finger clicks,
- Then anacruses and syncopation, homophonic texture
- Tonal ambiguity as starts with c minor chord
- Shot detached chord in piano quavers
- Two chord changes, confirm E flat major
- Chromatic descending base line, trills
- back vocals (vocables) gospel inspired harmonies
- falsetto cline
What are anacruses
pick up note
Describe the chorus
- Overdubbing
- B flat major
- Pormento slide
- Syncopation and triplets
-flanger on laser to make it sound more futuristic - word painting
- EQ effect
- 4 chord progression on every beat provides emphasis
- Vocables create thicker texture
- ascending bass
- vibrato
Describe verse two
- texture is thicker than the first, left hand has no drums
- a bell is used
- drum roll
- vocables
- polyphonic texture
- speaking part
Describe guitar solo
- syncopation
- dialoguing
- B flat major chord
- antiphonal texture
- imitation
- syncopation
three part texture - slides
- hocketing between guitars
Describe verse three
- distortin
- wah-wah effect
- overdubbing,
- panning
- word painting - climax on wild
When was killer queen written
1974
