‘And the Glory of the Lord’ Handel (1742)
An optimistic and celebratory piece of music in the key of A MAJOR.
Written in the Baroque Period 1600 – 1750
Key characteristics of the Baroque era
A small, mainly string orchestra.
Use of decorations/ornaments in the music.
Terraced Dynamics (no crescendo’s or diminuendo’s).
Use of Basso Continuo – continuous bass line (organ and cello).
Diatonic Harmony – uses only notes in the scale.
One mood in a piece.
Taken from an Oratorio. Oratorio – A musical work that uses stories from the bible.
TEXTURES – used in the vocal parts:
MONOPHONIC (one melody)
HOMOPHONIC (one melody with accompaniment)
POLYPHONIC (more than one independent melody)
MELODY - 4 extracts of melody set to the words:
And the Glory of the Lord
Shall be revealed
And all flesh shall see it together
For the mouth of the lord hath spoken it.
The melody also contains SEQUENCE (the same idea repeated a note lower or a note higher).
WORD SETTING – Uses syllabic (one note per syllable) and melisma (several notes over one syllable – particularly on the word revealed).
MUSICAL DEVICES
Uses a PEDAL – a sustained note or the same note played over and over again.
CADENCES
Mainly uses PERFECT and IMPERFECT but the piece finishes on a PLAGAL cadence
And the Glory of the Lord
Background Info & Style
And the glory is a piece from the Messiah. The Messiah is an Oratorio.
Oratorio – A musical work thqt uses text and stories from the bible.
Written in the Baroque Period 1600-1750
Small mainly string orchestra.
Use of ornaments in music.
Terrassed Dynamics
Basso Continuo – Continuous bassline.
One mood in a piece.
Texture
The VOICES use three different types of texture in the piece.
MONOPHONIC – one sound/voice.
HOMOPHONIC – a melody with accompaniment. Sopranos sing the melody whilst the other voices form the chords underneath.
POLYPHONIC – different voices singing 2 or more of the 4 melody lines at the same time.
Dynamics
Use of terrassed dynamics – It does not use crescendo’s or diminuendo’s. It is either loud or quiet.
Instrumentation
Small mainly string orchestra.
No percussion instruments.
ORGAN is used not Harpsichord.
Woodwind – Oboes and Bassoon.
Harmony
Uses mainly DIATONIC harmony. Only notes from the key signature. (no chromatic notes)
Uses Mainly PERFECT (musical full stop) and IMPERFECT (musical comma) cadences.
However the piece ends with a PLAGAL cadence.
Uses PEDAL notes – either a long sustained note or the same note repeated over and over again.
A BASSO CONTINUO – plays the bass line supporting the harmony throughout the piece.
Melody
The whole piece is based around 4 sections of melody.
And the glory of the Lord
Shall be revealed
And all flesh shall see it together
For the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.
Use of SEQUENCE (same idea repeated a note lower or higher).
WORD SETTING – uses SYLLABIC (one note per syllable) and MELISMA (several notes over on syllable) particularly on the word revealed.
1st Movement from symphony no.40 – Mozart (1788)
Written in the CLASSICAL period 1750 – 1830. The piece is in G MINOR.
Features of CLASSICAL music.
Regular 4 or 8 bar phrases.
Homophonic Texture.
Uses regular Cadences.
Diatonic Harmony (no chromatic chords).
Harpsichord became redundant.
Woodwind – Clarinet had been invented.
INSTRUMENTATION OF SYMPHONY NO. 40
Woodwind – 1 flute Brass – 2 horns
2 clarinets NO TRUMPETS
2 oboes
2 bassoons NO DRUMS!
STRUCTURE – Sonata Form
Exposition
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Development
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Recapitulation
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1st subject (melody)
Bridge
2nd subject (melody)
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Development of both subjects by MODULTING (changing the key signatures).
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Recaps the 1st subject in G minor again.
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1st SUBJECT
Repeated 3 note idea that uses a DESCENDING pattern. In a MINOR key (G minor).
2nd SUBJECT
Much more relaxed idea. 3 note DESCENDING figure is meant to sound like a musical sigh. It is in a MAJOR key.
Symphony No. 40
Melody
Whole piece built around two extracts of melody. SUBJECT 1 and SUBJECT 2.
SUBJECT 1 uses a SEQUENCE and uses a repeated 3 note idea.
SUBJECT 2 is a much more relaxed idea and a 3 note DESCENDING pattern is meant to sound like a musical sigh.
Background Info & Style
Written in the Classical Period 1750-1810
Regular 4 and 8 bar phrases (sentences).
Mainly HOMOPHONIC texture.
Uses regular CADENCES (musical full stops and commas).
Diatonic Harmony (no Chromatic chords).
Clarinet was invented.
Texture
Mainly uses a HOMOPHONIC texture throughout. This is MELODY with an ACCOMPANIMENT.
Dynamics
Use of CRESCENDO’S and DIMINUENDO’S.
Harmony
Use of DIATONIC harmony, very few Chromatic chords used.
Lots of cadences used PERFECT and IMPERFECT.
PERFECT = chords 5 – 1.
IMPERFECT = chords 1 – 5.
This piece uses lots of chord 1 and 5!
Instrumentation
STRINGS – Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass.
WOODWIND – Flute, Clarinet, Oboes, Bassoons.
BRASS – Horns
NO TRUMPETS and NO PERCUSSION
STRUCTURE
EXPOSITION
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DEVELOPMENT
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RECAPITULATION
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Introduces :
SUBJECT 1 & SUBJECT 2
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Develops both subjects by changing key (MODULATES).
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Brings back SUBJECT 1 again and finishes with a different ending (CODA).
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Piano Prelude No. 15 ‘Raindrop’ – Chopin (1838)
Written in the Romantic era 1810 – 1900
Features of Romantic music
Uses a wide range of feelings and emotions.
Longer melody lines.
Chromatic harmony (lots of sharps and flats). Used to create the emotions needed in the music.
Strong and varied dynamic contrasts (very quiet to very loud). Used to give maximum emotion.
Much more difficult to play (virtuoso performers).
Much larger orchestra.
Development of the piano.
THE PIANO
Made bigger
More notes were added.
Pedals were added (soft pedal – played quieter. Sustain pedal – sustains the notes).
CHOPIN’S PIANISTIC STYLE
CANTABILE – Singing style, to be played smoothly or legato.
TEMPO RUBATO – can slow down and speed up.
STRUCTURE
What is a prelude?
A prelude is always followed by something else. It is a short piece used to create the mood. Each one is meant to show or portray a particular emotion.
The ‘raindrop’ is in TERNARY FORM
Section A
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Section B
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Section A
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Raindrop Prelude
Melody
Melody lines are much longer so they be more expressive.
SECTION A – melody is mainly at a high pitch and is played in the right hand on the piano.
SECTION B – melody is mainly at a lower pitch and a lot of it is played with the left hand.
Use of DECORATIONS/ORNAMENTS in the melody.
Harmony & Tonality
Use of CHROMATIC harmony to create extra emotion in the piece.
Use of DISSONANCE – chords that clash.
Start in a MAJOR key then goes to MINOR but back to MAJOR for the ending.
Use of PEDAL NOTE to represent the Raindrops falling.
Instrumentation
The PIANO – Made bigger, a much bigger pitch range was no available. Pedals were added to the piano:
Background Info & Style
Written in the ROMATIC period 1810 – 1900
Longer sustained MELODY lines.
CHROMATIC harmony.
Lots of changes in DYNAMICS.
VIRTUOSO performers.
Raindrops are represented in the music by the use of a PEDAL note which plays continuously throughout the whole piece.
Chopins piano style
CANTABLIE – to be played smoothly or legato.
TEMPO RUBATO – lots of slowing down and speeding up.
Dynamics
Huge range in DYNAMICS to help create the emotion in the piece. Lot of use of CRESCENDO’S and DIMINUENDO’S.
STRUCTURE – TERNARY FORM
SECTION A
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SECTION B
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SECTION A1
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Major key. Original Idea
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Minor Key – Section is there to create a contrast. Melody goes lower in pitch.
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Brings back Original idea again but finishes with a different ending (CODA).
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Texture
Mainly uses a HOMOPHONIC texture throughout. This is MELODY with an ACCOMPANIMENT.
Peripetie – Schoenberg (1909)
Peripetie is a piece of Expressionism
Features of Expressionism
Atonality – No key signature (not major or minor).
Expression of one intense emotion.
Short pieces.
Full pitch range used (really, really high to really, really low).
Extreme use of expressive dynamics (very, very loud – very very quiet).
MELODY
Jumpy
Spikey
Angular
Disjointed
DYNAMICS
Massive range used from one note to the next
RHYTHM
Very complex rhythms (rests as important as notes that are written).
TONALITY
Atonal (no key signature).
HARMONY
TIMBRE
The sounds of the instruments as important as the pitch.
FEATURES OF PERIPETIE
Use of HEXACHORDS – 6 notes from the chromatic scale used as a chord.
COMPLIMENT – 6 notes not used in the first Hexachord.
PRINCIPAL VOICE – The main melody.
SECONDARY VOICE – the 2nd most important melody line.
Peripetie
Melody
Very jumpy and disjointed. It can also be described as being Angular.
Uses KLANGFARBENMELODIE – the melody is passed quickly from one instrument to another to create different effects.
Harmony & Tonality
Tonality – Atonal, it has no key.
Use of HEXCAHORDS – 6 note chord.
COMPLIMENT – another chord used in the piece.
Use of CHROMATIC HARMONY.
Use of DISSONANCE.
Instrumentation
Use of a full orchestra. Very large but at times individual instruments like the Clarinet are given solo passages.
Use of mutes in brass instruments.
Rhythm and Metre
The rhythm is very complex throughout the piece. As a result it can often sound chaotic.
Background Info & Style
Style – EXPRESSIONISM
Features of the style:
Atonal – no key signature.
Each piece has one intense emotion.
Full use of the pitch range very high to very low on all instruments.
Extremes of dynamics.
Sound of the instruments is important – mutes, pizzicato, different combinations.
Pieces are usually short.
Texture
Lots of LAYERS in the texture.
At times the texture is very DENSE and at others it is very SPARSE.
There are parts in the music where a HOMOPHONIC texture can be clearly heard.
Texture changes rapidly and often
Dynamics
Extreme use of dynamics. Long Crescendo’s and diminuendo’s.
At other times the volume can change very quickly.
Overall the piece uses a massive range of dynamics
Something’s Coming – Bernstein (1958)
This is a song from a musical. The mood is one of optimism and excitement ‘Somethings coming I don’t know what it is but it is gonna be great’.
Features of Musicals
Contains Music, Dance and drama.
Musicals come in all different styles, rock, jazz, orchestral based.
Contains Solo’s – song for solo voice.
Contains duets – song for two voices.
Contains chorus – everyone on stage sings together.
About Something’s Coming
RHYTHM
Use of syncopated rhythms (push rhythm – anticipates the beat).
Use of cross rhythms.
HARMONY
Jazz based harmony.
Uses Blue notes.
MELODY
Made up of lots of short riffs.
Combination of snappy short phrases and long sustained notes.
TONALITY
Bitonality (uses two keys at the same time).
Major
TEXTURE
Layered Texture
Homophonic Texture – Melody (voice) and accompaniment.
Something’s Coming
Background Info & Style
The song is taken from the musical West Side Story.
West Side story is a modern day version of Romeo and Juliet.
Based around 2 gangs the Sharks and Jets.
Strong influence from jazz music in harmony and instruments used.
Texture
Lots of LAYERS in the texture, lots of independent parts in the orchestra.
Most of the song uses a Homophonic Texture – melody (voice) with accompaniment. But it does use other textures it depends which section of the music you hear.
Dynamics
Changes in volume using crescendo’s and diminuendo’s. Volume reflects the mood of the lyrics
Melody
Part of the melody is built up around extensive use of short riffs. RIFF – short repeated pattern.
Combination of short snappy phrases and long sustained notes.
Harmony & Tonality
Use of Jazz harmony and blue notes.
D major tonality makes the music sound bright and optimistic.
Use of extended chords such as 7th chords which create chromatic harmony.
Instrumentation
Vocals – tenor
Over 30 players in the orachestra – use of traditional and jazz instruments.
Rhythm and Metre
Extensive use of SYNCOPATION throughout the piece.
Use of ‘Push’ rhythms which anticipate the beat.
Uses cross rhythms in places.
Electirc Counterpoint (3rd Movement) – Reich (1987)
This is a piece of MINIMALISM
Features of Minimalism
Repetition
Use of Ostinato (repeated pattern)
Use of Drones
Use of Cells (short musical ideas)
Metamorphosis (gradual change of rhythm and melody).
Layering (parts dropping in and out).
Note Addition (notes gradually added).
Note Subtraction (notes gradually taken away).
Static diatonic harmony (use of one long chord which changes gradually if at all).
INSTRUMENTATION
Electric Counterpoint is to be performed by 1 live performer. The other 8 guitars are pre- recorded on the soloist plays over the top.
STUDIO EFFECTS
PANNING – certain guitars are made to come out of the left or right speaker on the backing track.
PLAYING TECHNIQUES
TONALITY
MELODY
Built from cells
Forms a resultant melody (a melody that is produced when separate parts all play at the same time).
RHYTHM & METRE (time signature – beats in a bar)
Lots of Syncopation
3/2 - 3 minims in a bar
12/8 – 12 quavers in a bar
Both time signatures are used at the same time.
TEXTURE
Use of Layering
POLYPHONIC texture
Thick texture once built up – lots to listen to.
Electric Counterpoint
Background Info & Style
STYLE – Minimalism
Features
Ostinato - Repetition
Cells
Layering
Note Addition
Note Subtraction
Metamorphosis – slow rate of change
Hypnotic
Texture
The texture is built up in LAYERS, part gradually come in and sometimes drop out.
MONOPHONIC TEXTURE – used at the start.
Use of POLYPHONIC texture – independent parts playing at the same time.
Texture remains quite constant throughout most of the piece.
Melody
Made up of lots of layers from each of the electric guitar parts.
Layers combine to produce a RESULTANT melody.
Resultant melody is when a new melody is produced when a variety of parts each play their melodies at the same time.
Resultant melody is played by the live guitar player.
Dynamics
Remains farily constant throughout the entire piece.
There is a crescendo at the end of the piece.
Harmony & Tonality
The piece is basically in E minor. However, it is unclear for quite a long time – this is called TONAL AMBIGUITY.
The tonality of the piece is actually MODAL.
Uses DIATONIC harmony – very few chromatic notes used.
Changes key from E minor to C minor.
Instrumentation
The piece is played by one live performer on the electric guitar. Everything else is on a backing track and is pre-recorded.
Live Guitar – Electric
4 pre-recorded electric guitars
2 bass guitars
3 acoustic guitars
Rhythm and Metre
Extensive use of SYNCOPATION throughout the piece.
Use of CROSS RHYTHMS.
Metre starts 3/2 but changes to 12/8 and switches between the two.
All Blues - Miles Davis
All blues is a piece of ‘Cool’ Jazz which is Modal.
Features of All Blues
The musicians improvise all of the solos they play.
The soloists use modes to improvise – an early type of scale before major and minor scales were invented.
It uses a swing rhythm.
The ‘Head’ uses riffs in the accompaniment – a short repeated extract of music.
Instrumentation
Rhythm Section (accompaniment)
Piano – Bill Evans
Double Bass – Paul Chambers
Drums – Jimmy Cobb
Frontline (melody Instruments)
Trumpet – Miles Davis
Alto Sax – Cannonball Adderley
Tenor Sax – John Coltrane
Rhythm & Metre
Uses uneven swing rhythm.
Contains lots of syncopation.
The Time signature is 6/4 (six crotchets in a bar).
Melody
Apart from the head it is all Improvised.
Uses Blue Notes (flattened 3rd and 7th).
Harmony
Uses the 12 bar blues.
Changes – The word used to describe the chord sequence in a jazz song.
Uses 7th chords.
Uses Blue notes in the melody and the chords – flattened 3rd and 7th.
Use of turnarounds – A chord pattern used at the end of a section to take it back to the beginning.
Structure
Uses a Head arrangement – The head is simply the tune.
After the head is played the twelve bar blues changes (chord pattern) repeats over and over again.
Linking section – this can be heard in between each solo that’s played. The linking section uses a Riff (short repeated section of melody).
All Blues – Miles Davis 1959
Background Info & Style
STYLE: Modal Jazz
A style of jazz that allowed longer and freer improvisations.
Modal jazz pieces lasted for longer than others at the time.
Melody
Mainly improvised throughout the entire piece. The only section that isn’t is the ‘HEAD’ which is pre-written (fixed).
Melody uses modes (a type of early scale) to improvise their parts.
Very complex virtuoso playing during the solo sections.
Complex syncopated and cross rhythms are used by the soloists.
Soloists use chromatic notes in their improvisations
Texture
Mainly HOMOPHONIC throughout. Melody and accompaniment.
Harmony & Tonality
Use of the 12 bar blues chord pattern.
Use of EXTENDED chords particularly 7th chords.
Use of Chromatic harmony which creates clashed in some parts of the solo sections.
Soloists use different modes/scales when improvising. They choose modes/scales that fit in with the chord pattern.
CHANGES – the chord pattern in a piece of jazz, they refer to the chords as changes.
Instrumentation
Split into two parts: Frontline (melody) and Rhythm Section (accompaniment).
FRONTLINE:
Trumpet – plays the head then takes first solo(muted in the Head section).
Alto Sax – accompanies in head then solo’s.
Tenor Sax – accompanies in head then solo’s.
RHYTHM SECTION:
Piano – comps (improvised chords)
Double Bass – plays same riff all the way through, PIZZICATO throughout.
Drum Kit – improvised
Rhythm and Metre
Very complex rhythms used in the improvised solo’s.
Extensive use of SYNCOPATION throughout the piece. Particularly in the solo’s and drum kit parts.
Uses cross rhythms in places in the solos.
TEMPO is quiet fast and the time signature is 6/4 (6 crotchets in a bar).
Uses a SWING rhythm throughout the entire piece
Structure
The structure is a HEAD arrangement.
Intro
Head – tune, with accompaniment.
Solo’s – all improvised.
Head – tune to finish,
Linking section – this can be heard in between each solo that’s played. The linking section uses a Riff (short repeated section of melody).
Chorus – refers to a repetition of the 12 bar pattern. The whole piece is made up of lots of repetitions of the 12 bar blues chord pattern.
Grace – Jeff Buckley
Grace is a piece of rock/alternative/indie music. It is hard to put it in one catergory.
Jeff Buckley used SOUNDSCAPES which is when the timbre (the quality of sound) and the texture of a piece of music is changed. This is done to create a certain atmosphere in the music rather than have continuous musical development.
Instrumentation
Vocals – Very wide range. Buckley uses falsetto a lot when he sings.
Acoustic guitar
Guitar
Bass
Drums
Harmony
Uses Drones – a sustained or repeated note.
Powerchords – A chord which uses two notes 1st and 5th.
A real mixture of Major sections, Minor Sections and Modal sections.
These different tonalities and chords are used to help create different SOUNDSCAPES (moods/atmospheres) in the music.
Instrumental Techniques
Falsetto – Very high pitched singing from men.
Strumming – Playing several strings together. Strum a chord.
Picking/pizzicato – Playing individual strings. Used when doing a solo or playing a melody.
Slide – slide your finger from one note to another.
Structure
Quite complex for a Rock song.
Intro – Verse 1 – Pre-chorus 1 – Chorus – Link – Verse 2 – Pre-chorus 2 – Chorus – Middle Eight – Link – Verse 3 – Outro.
Lots more than a simple structure. Each section has new music which adds to the atmosphere of the overall piece.
Studio Effects
Overdub - use a multitrack recorder to layer recorded parts and add to it.
Delay – Repetitions of a sound after a set period of time.
EQ – Equalisation – electronically cutting or boosting high or low pitches.
Flanger – A studio effect ranging from swirling sounds to jet plane effects.
Electric Guitar whispers – adds an eerie effect emphasising the lyrics.
Grace – Jeff Buckley 1994
Background Info & Style
STYLE - Indie Rock.
Melody
In the voice throughout. Large pitch range because he uses falsetto.
Mainly syllabic but there are sections of melissma used.
Very passionate delivery of the vocals in places.
Use of improvisation in the outro on vocals.
Texture
Mainly HOMOPHONIC throughout. Melody and accompaniment.
Use of SOUNDSCAPES which change the texture (layers) and the sounds of instruments to create a certain atmosphere.
Polyphonic textures can be heard at certain times.
Harmony & Tonality
Use of powerchords on guitar which use the root of the chord and the 5th note.
The guitar has been tuned down into drop D meaning that the lowest pitched string has gone from an E to a D.
Uses drones – repeated or long sustained notes often created clashes/dissonance.
A real mixture of Major sections, Minor Sections and Modal sections.
These different tonalities and chords are used to help create different SOUNDSCAPES (moods/atmospheres) in the music.
The chords used create dissonance at times in the music.
Instrumentation & Playing Techniques
Male vocals - Tenor
Electric Guitar
Acoustic guitar
Bass Guitar
Drum kit
Synthesisor – string sounds
Falsetto – high pitched singing, vocal slides
Plucking, strumming, guitar slides
Rhythm and Metre
Time signature – 12/8. 12 quaver beats in a bar.
Lots of syncopation particularly in the voice and the acoustic guitar parts.
Structure
More complex than most rock songs:
Intro, verse, pre-chorus, chorus, links, middle 8 and outro. Middle 8 is an 8 bar instrumental section.
Effects used
Delay – the vocal is given an echo but it is delayed.
EQ – You can increase the bass and treble after it has been recorded.
Flanger – studio effect that can completely change the sound of an instrument.
Electric Guitar whispers – used to add an eerie effect.
Why does my heart feel so bad? Moby
This is a dance piece of music released in 1999.
Influences on Dance Music
Dub – in the 60’s songs started to be remixed. Musicians would use overdubbing to remove and add extra parts, often including effects into them.
Scratching – A record is spun by hand to create a scratching sound. It got to the point were the record deck was considered a musical instrument!
Chicago House – Take existing tracks and remix them. Extra things like the use of a drum machine to emphasise the ‘4 on the floor’ were also used.
Garage – More melodic than House – it used soul and R ‘n’ B music
Samples in ‘Why does my heart feel so Bad?’
Built around 2 vocal samples taken from a gospel choir recording done in 1953.
Both of the samples are in A minor.
Moby has chosen to harmonise one with minor chords and the other with major chords.
Structure
Based around 2 chord sequences which are in 8 bar blocks.
Intro – Verse – Chorus – Verse2 – Break – Chorus – Outro.
Texture
Moby develops the texture by changing the amount of instruments playing, the rhythms used as well as a number of different effects.
Tonality
Starts in A minor. The second half of the chorus goes into C major.
Tempo/Metre
98 bpm. The time signature is 4/4.
Harmony
Very simple – only 6 chords used in the whole song.
Uses chords to trigger an emotional response. They are used to create a certain atmosphere.
Chord sequence 1
‘Why does my heart feel so bad?’ – Verse – a repeated 8 bar pattern
Chord sequence 2
‘These open doors – ‘Chorus’ – spilt into 2 halves. Each is 8 bars long.
Effects used
Reverb – gives the impression of space eg. Singing in a cathedral or a small box room.
Delay – the vocal is given an echo but it is delayed.
EQ – You can increase the bass and treble after it has been recorded.
Panning – music put on 1 side and then switching to another. L-R.
Why does my Heart Feel so Bad – Moby 1999
Background Info & Style
STYLE – Dance music (remix)
Melody
The melodies come from samples taken from an old gospel record.
Melody 1 – why does my heart feel so bad.
Melody 2 – these open doors.
Texture
Mainly HOMOPHONIC throughout. Melody and accompaniment.
Lots of layering occurs throughout the song particularly in the intro and break section.
The texture goes from monophonic (sparse) in places to adding layers to create a more dense texture.
Harmony & Tonality
Harmony is very simple in this song and only uses 6 chords.
The tonality of the song is minor (Aminor)which is reflected in the choice of the vocals.
However the second part of the chorus does change to a major tonality.
Pattern 1 – why does my heart
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Am
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Em
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Pattern 2a – these open doors
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Pattern 2b – these open doors
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C
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C
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