Jeff Buckley Grace Revision Sheet Elements of Music
DYNAMICS
The first two notes are mp
The first verse if mf
The pre-chorus/transition is f, as is the chorus
The dynamics repeat similarly throughout
The ending is a decrescendo
EFFECTS
Distortion, delay and flanging on the guitar
Voice distortion near the end of the song
Synth Strings playing the background chords (also towards the end)
Ghosting to create odd sounds in the background
FORCES
Bass guitar
Drums (repetitive, syncopated patterns, drum rolls on the snare, regular use of the toms)
Synth strings
Lead guitar
Rhythm guitar
Vocals (male tenor, strained at times for effect)
HARMONY
The chords come from ideas played on a guitar so they look complicated written down but are simple to play
Many chords are chromatic and move in parallel motion (The first 4 bars move in parallel motion)
Some of the harmonies are dissonant e.g in the chorus an E and an E flat are played together
Guitar uses power chords, which is when the tonic (1) and the dominant (5) are played together.
The Guitar uses drop D tuning
There is a drone in the verses in the lead guitar; where the chord moves but some open strings are played across different chords
MELODY
Vocal improvisations (through two octaves from a low D up to a high E (? I can’t read my own handwriting!)
Descending sequences (gives a melancholy feel and works well with the word painting
Glissando and ornamentation
Melisma on “love” – emphasis
Mostly scalic with jumps for emphasis at the beginning of some phrases
PERF. TECHNIQUES
VOCALS:
Falsetto
Vibrato
Strained sound
LEAD GUITAR:
Pizzicato (also used by synth strings and bass guitar)
Strumming
Hammer ons/pull offs
Slides
Scoops on the tremolo arm (whammy)
Vibrato
RHYTHM
The piece in 12/8
Syncopation is frequent in vocal melody and bass line
Cross rhythms through two against three rhythms (quavers against dotted quavers)
Dotted rhythms (Bass guitar in bar 4)
Bass drum beats on 1+3
Snare accents on beats 2+4
Cross rhythms
The first two notes are mp
The first verse if mf
The pre-chorus/transition is f, as is the chorus
The dynamics repeat similarly throughout
The ending is a decrescendo
EFFECTS
Distortion, delay and flanging on the guitar
Voice distortion near the end of the song
Synth Strings playing the background chords (also towards the end)
Ghosting to create odd sounds in the background
FORCES
Bass guitar
Drums (repetitive, syncopated patterns, drum rolls on the snare, regular use of the toms)
Synth strings
Lead guitar
Rhythm guitar
Vocals (male tenor, strained at times for effect)
HARMONY
The chords come from ideas played on a guitar so they look complicated written down but are simple to play
Many chords are chromatic and move in parallel motion (The first 4 bars move in parallel motion)
Some of the harmonies are dissonant e.g in the chorus an E and an E flat are played together
Guitar uses power chords, which is when the tonic (1) and the dominant (5) are played together.
The Guitar uses drop D tuning
There is a drone in the verses in the lead guitar; where the chord moves but some open strings are played across different chords
MELODY
Vocal improvisations (through two octaves from a low D up to a high E (? I can’t read my own handwriting!)
Descending sequences (gives a melancholy feel and works well with the word painting
Glissando and ornamentation
Melisma on “love” – emphasis
Mostly scalic with jumps for emphasis at the beginning of some phrases
PERF. TECHNIQUES
VOCALS:
Falsetto
Vibrato
Strained sound
LEAD GUITAR:
Pizzicato (also used by synth strings and bass guitar)
Strumming
Hammer ons/pull offs
Slides
Scoops on the tremolo arm (whammy)
Vibrato
RHYTHM
The piece in 12/8
Syncopation is frequent in vocal melody and bass line
Cross rhythms through two against three rhythms (quavers against dotted quavers)
Dotted rhythms (Bass guitar in bar 4)
Bass drum beats on 1+3
Snare accents on beats 2+4
Cross rhythms