killer queen

Question 1

Killer queen

Answer 1

• about an upper class prostitue

- written for tenor voice

Question 2

instruments and handling

Answer 2

• Guitars use slides, bends, pull offs and vibrato

- Song uses: multi-tracking, EQ, flanger, reverb, distortion, reverb, wah-wah, panning, and overdubbing

Question 3

Melody

Answer 3

• The text setting is mainly syllabic.
• The backing vocals use a mixture of words and vocalisation (e.g. bars 8–9) to the sound
  ‘ooh’ and bar 18 to the sound ‘ba’.
• The melody starts mostly conjunct with small leaps of a third or fourth.
• Bars 7 and 8 show an altered descending sequence.
• The verse and chorus combine conjunct and wide angular leaps in the melodic line.
• Leaps often feature a rising major sixth (e.g. bars 6–7). There are some exceptionally large
  leaps such as an octave in bar 62.

Question 4

Harmony

Question 4

Harmony

Answer 4

• Chords are in root position.
• Chord progressions are often unrelated and in the opening we can see shifts downwards in
  parallel semitones. For example, a D chord to a C♯ minor chord to a C major chord.
• There is some use of dissonance (e.g. bar 30).
• At the end there is a pedal at bar 168.

Question 5

Tempo, metre and rhythm (tempo bar changes)

Answer 5

Bar 1 Free tempo
Bar 20 Andante
Bar 49 Allegro
Bar 88 Moderato
Bar 103 Allegro
Bar 111 Andante
Bar 129 Allegro
Bar 162 Andante
Bar 168 Maestoso

Question 6

Tempo, metre and rhythm (tempo details)

Answer 6

• rallentandos used particularly at the end of sections to go from Allegro to
• Andante. Sometimes there are ralls followed by an “a tempo.”
• There is also a rall used at the
  end of the piece.
• The time signature changes from 3/2 triple time to 2/2 duple time in the opening section
  and remains there until bar 88 where it changes to 4/4 quadruple time.
• At bar 115 it returns to 2/2 duple time.

Question 7

Rhythm

Answer 7

• Syncopation is frequent throughout (e.g. bars 67–70).
• Dotted rhythms are used throughout. For example, in bar 82 on the word ‘gra-vi-ty’.
• Triplets are used. These are both quaver triplets (e.g. bar 96) and crotchet triplets (e.g. bar
  60).
• Rhythms are predominantly crotchet and quaver based, although there are some notes of
  longer duration particularly at the ends of phrases.
• Rests are often used to break up phrases.
• Each phrase starts with an off-beat entry after a crotchet rest (e.g. bar 15).
• Pause marks or fermatas are used to lengthen and give freedom to longer rhythms, for
  example at the end (e.g. bars 174 and 176).

Question 8

Texture

Answer 8

• The main texture is homophonic.
• Use of imitation.
• Use of layering
• Three-part texture during guitar solo.
• Use of panning (e.g. bars 42-43 backing vocals)
• Antiphonal (e.g. bars 67-68)

Question 9

Harmony and tonality

Answer 9

• The song is in Eb major.
• Opening in C minor and closing on an E♭ major chord, the tonality is ambiguous at times.
• There are many passing modulations, strengthened by perfect cadences but often followed
  by parallel shifts, moving to a new key.
• Most chords are in root position.
• Some chords are in first or second inversion.
• There is some use of dissonance (e.g. bar 30).
• Seventh chords (e.g. bar 4).
• Circle of fifths (e.g. bars 20–21).
• Use of altered and extended chords (e.g. F11 bar 47).
• Pedal used bars 27–30.

Question 10

Tempo, metre and rhythm

Answer 10

• Moderato tempo with a dotted crotchet pulse of 112 beats per minute.
• The time signature is mainly in 12/8 compound quadruple time.
• Swung feel
• It does occasionally insert a bar of 6/8, which has the effect of extending the phrase length.
• Every verse and chorus start with an anacrusis (upbeat).
• Syncopation is frequent throughout (e.g. bars 44–46).
• Triplets in bar 18.