CHOOSE 2 PIECES BY 2 NAMED ARTISTS THAT YOU HAVE STUDIED,
EXPLAINING THEIR CONTRASTING APPROACHES TO HARMONY &
TONALITY, RHYTHM & TEXTURE
Beyonce's approach to Pop which has a RnB focus contrasts heavily
with the Pop of Muse which has a heavy rock focus.
Stockholm Syndrome’s use of harmony is very complex as seen from the
opening, distorted, electric guitar semiquaver riff played on the electric
guitar which is centered around the notes of the D phrygian dominant
mode, an unusual mode for pop. In addition to this, complexity is
further added by the parallel modulation to D harmonic minor in the
verse (followed by a modulation to the relative major of F major) and
the use of chromatic chords such as secondary dominants (D/F# in the
verse, A/C# in the chorus) and neapolitan 6ths (Em7b5). The rhythm of
the opening riff is constant semiquavers in the intro, the bass uses
constant semiquavers in the verse as the drum kit plays a
semiquaver-quaver pattern on the tom and in the chorus the rhythm is
constant quavers. The texture is monophonic with the opening riff and
becomes homophonic halfway through the introduction of the bass
guitar.
Plug In Baby takes a similar approach to these features to emphasise
the heavy electric rock genre of the song. The harmony in the intro
makes use of B harmonic minor which is complex as it has a 7th note
which is sharpened. Verse harmony becomes complex as it is
ambiguous (B minor or D major) due to a lack of chords (only the root
and 5th are played) in the first half, chords are then introduced in the
second half of the verse and played broken on the bass guitar. Chords
in B natural minor in the chorus. The rhythm in the intro riff is mostly
constant quavers but adopts an additive rhythm of (3+4+4+2+3). In the
verses there are dotted quavers on the 2nd beat in the bass, guitar and
EXPLAINING THEIR CONTRASTING APPROACHES TO HARMONY &
TONALITY, RHYTHM & TEXTURE
Beyonce's approach to Pop which has a RnB focus contrasts heavily
with the Pop of Muse which has a heavy rock focus.
Stockholm Syndrome’s use of harmony is very complex as seen from the
opening, distorted, electric guitar semiquaver riff played on the electric
guitar which is centered around the notes of the D phrygian dominant
mode, an unusual mode for pop. In addition to this, complexity is
further added by the parallel modulation to D harmonic minor in the
verse (followed by a modulation to the relative major of F major) and
the use of chromatic chords such as secondary dominants (D/F# in the
verse, A/C# in the chorus) and neapolitan 6ths (Em7b5). The rhythm of
the opening riff is constant semiquavers in the intro, the bass uses
constant semiquavers in the verse as the drum kit plays a
semiquaver-quaver pattern on the tom and in the chorus the rhythm is
constant quavers. The texture is monophonic with the opening riff and
becomes homophonic halfway through the introduction of the bass
guitar.
Plug In Baby takes a similar approach to these features to emphasise
the heavy electric rock genre of the song. The harmony in the intro
makes use of B harmonic minor which is complex as it has a 7th note
which is sharpened. Verse harmony becomes complex as it is
ambiguous (B minor or D major) due to a lack of chords (only the root
and 5th are played) in the first half, chords are then introduced in the
second half of the verse and played broken on the bass guitar. Chords
in B natural minor in the chorus. The rhythm in the intro riff is mostly
constant quavers but adopts an additive rhythm of (3+4+4+2+3). In the
verses there are dotted quavers on the 2nd beat in the bass, guitar and
