Category: Aural Perception

Aural Perception, Tuesday the 5th of February 2019

Today’s lesson was all about comparing and contrasting, so Chris took the original version of a song and then somebody else’s cover, here are the results and it is fairly interesting…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PkowbutgRc
  • Time Signature – 4/4
  • Tempo – 130bpm (Allegro)
  • Timbre
  • Style – Folk Rock
  • Instrumentation – Acoustic Guitar, Harmonica, Bass, Drums and Male Vocals.
  • Structure – the texture differentiates during the choruses and verses.
  • Pitch 
  • Dynamics
  • Time Signature – 4/4
  • Tempo – 113 bpm (Allegro)
  • Timbre
  • Style – Classic Rock
  • Instrumentation – Acoustic Guitar, Drums, Electric Bass, Electric Guitar, Male Vocals, Tambourine.
  • Structure 
  • Pitch 
  • Dynamics

The electric guitar in this arrangement by Hendrix replaces the melody which was originally played by the harmonica in the composition by Bob Dylan. It has the same structure as the original but it has leg room for guitar improvisation, the bass part has became more active and dominant amongst the rest of the arrangement.

Hendrix’s version is more rocked up and has a kick, however Dylan’s version has more of an emotional drive to it with both tracks having a consistent texture throughout.

  • Time Signature – 4/4
  • Tempo – 91 bpm (Andante)
  • Timbre
  • Style – Blues
  • Instrumentation – Bass, Brass – Trumpets, Electric Guitar x2, Drums, Male Vocals.
  • Structure 
  • Pitch 
  • Dynamics

There is a call and response, the bass is following the guitars melody, whilst another improves over the top.

  • Time Signature – 4/4
  • Tempo – 154 bpm (Vivace)
  • Timbre
  • Style – Blues Rock
  • Instrumentation – Electric Bass, Electric Guitar, Drums, Male Vocals.
  • Structure 
  • Pitch 
  • Dynamics

This track is more of an instrumental when compared to its original, the rhythm section keep the structure and form of the song whole whilst the electric guitar improvises over the top.

  • Time Signature – 4/4
  • Tempo – 75 bpm (Andante)
  • Timbre
  • Style – Classic Soul
  • Instrumentation – Piano, Keys, Male Vocals, Bass, Drums, Strings – Violins, Hand Claps.
  • Structure 
  • Pitch 
  • Dynamics
  • Time Signature – 4/4
  • Tempo – 74 bpm (Andante)
  • Timbre
  • Style – Folk Arrangement
  • Instrumentation – Mixed Vocals – Male and Female, Keys, Acoustic Guitar, Bass, Drums, (Banjo).
  • Structure 
  • Pitch 
  • Dynamics

The cover is a lot more active instrumentally, especially when it comes to the rhythm section it is much more easier to find an active pulse. However, both tracks have the same structure with different arrangements.

  • Time Signature – 4/4
  • Tempo – 134 bpm (Vivace)
  • Timbre
  • Style – Rock
  • Instrumentation – Synth/Keys, Male Vocals, Drums, Sound effects, Distorted Electric Guitar, Electric Bass and Male Backing Vocals.
  • Structure 
  • Pitch 
  • Dynamics
  • Time Signature – 4/4
  • Tempo – 69 bpm (Andante)
  • Timbre
  • Style – Jazz
  • Instrumentation – Male Vocals, Bass, Clarinet, Guitar, Drums, Keys, Percussive Hand Clicks and Male Backing Vocals.
  • Structure 
  • Pitch 
  • Dynamics

Aural Perception, Monday the 28th of January 2019

Chris told us today that Texture describes how many instruments and or voices are playing and how they all fit together. Here is the first song we analysed today,

  • Time Signature – 4/4
  • Tempo – 170bpm (Allegro)
  • Timbre
  • Style – Classic Rock
  • Instrumentation – Distorted guitar, (Honky Tonk) Piano, Drums, Electric Bass, Synth/Keys, Male Vocals.
  • Structure 
  • Pitch 
  • Dynamics

It’s almost as if the guitar is ad-libing the vocals. Theres also gradual addition of instrumentation as the song progresses.

  • Time Signature – 4/4
  • Tempo -104bpm (Andante)
  • Timbre
  • Style –
  • Instrumentation – Bass, Tamborine, Drums – Toms, Snare, Kick and Hi-Hats, Male Vocals, Guitar, Second Guitar, Backing vocals.
  • Structure 
  • Pitch 
  • Dynamics
  • Time Signature – 4/4
  • Tempo – 190bpm (Allegro)
  • Timbre
  • Style – R&B/Soul/Jazz
  • Instrumentation – Bass, Drums, Guitar, Bongos, Male Vocalist, Keys/Synth and a Mixed Female Vocal Choir.
  • Structure 
  • Pitch 
  • Dynamic
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0Dwk1vi5Lw
  • Time Signature – 4/4
  • Tempo -131bpm (Vivace)
  • Timbre
  • Style – Alternative/Indie
  • Instrumentation – Bass, Tamborine, Drums – Toms, Snare, Kick and Hi-Hats, Male Vocals, Guitar, Second Guitar, Backing vocals.
  • Structure – it builds up from guitar on its own until it is accompanied by the rest of the rock line-up.
  • Pitch 
  • Dynamics
  • Time Signature – 4/4
  • Tempo -104bpm (Andante)
  • Timbre
  • Style – Alternative/Indie
  • Instrumentation – Drums-Hi-Hat, Kick, Snare, Crash and Ride, Distorted Electric Guitar, Male Vocals, Backing Vocals.
  • Structure 
  • Pitch 
  • Dynamics
  • Time Signature – 4/4
  • Tempo – 138bpm (Vivace)
  • Timbre
  • Style – Folk Rock 
  • Instrumentation – Acoustic Guitar, Bass, Male Vocals (four to five) , Electric Guitar, Snare Drum, (Bongos), Chruch Organ, Whole Drum Kit and a Cowbell.
  • Structure 
  • Pitch 
  • Dynamics
  • Time Signature – 4/4
  • Tempo – 120bpm (VIvace)
  • Timbre
  • Style – Pop/Disco
  • Instrumentation – Bass, Hi-Hats, Strings (Violins), Electric Guitar with Wah effect, Trumpet with delay and reverb, Hand Claps, Drums – kick drum, Male Vocals, Male Backing Vocals.
  • Structure 
  • Pitch 
  • Dynamics

Aural Perception, Tuesday the 11th of December 2018

Here are the songs we went over in today’s lesson!

‘Love Rears Its Ugly Head’ by Living Colour

  • Time Signature – 4/4
  • Tempo – 166bpm (Allegro)
  • Timbre
  • Style – Funk/Soul/Jazz
  • Instrumentation – Strings, Drums, Bass, Distorted Electric Guitar, Male Soul Vocals, Synthetic Trumpet (Keys/Synth) and Male Backing Vocals.
  • Structure 
  • Pitch 
  • Dynamics

God knows why Chris put us through this but here is ‘Beautiful’ by Christina Aguilera. 

  • Time Signature – 4/4
  • Tempo – 76bpm (Andante)
  • Timbre
  • Style – Pop
  • Instrumentation – Piano, (Synth), Female Vocals, Bass, Violin (Strings) and Drums (Processed, Drum Machine).
  • Structure 
  • Pitch 
  • Dynamics

One of my favourites from today’s lesson is ‘Cut the Cake’ by Average White Band.

  • Time Signature – 4/4
  • Tempo – 111bpm (Allegro)
  • Timbre
  • Style – Funk 
  • Instrumentation – Electric Guitars, Male Vocals, Brass (Trumpet/Saxophone), Bass, Drums, Male Backing Vocals, Tambourine and Hand Claps.
  • Structure 
  • Pitch 
  • Dynamics

The final song is called ‘Carry On / Questions’ by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.

  • Time Signature – 4/4
  • Tempo – 138bpm (Vivace)
  • Timbre
  • Style – Folk Rock 
  • Instrumentation – Acoustic Guitar, Bass, Male Vocals (four to five) , Electric Guitar, Snare Drum, (Bongos), Chruch Organ, Whole Drum Kit and a Cowbell.
  • Structure 
  • Pitch 
  • Dynamics

Aural Perception, Monday the 3rd of December 2018

Within music they are two types of listeners, ones Active and the others Passive. 

Active listening is a technique that is used in many things not just music. It is used in counselling, training, and solving disputes or conflicts . It requires that the listener fully concentrate, understand, respond to what has been played said and or done. 

Passive Listening is listening without reacting, for example it is like allowing someone to speak, without interrupting and not doing anything else at the same time or reacting to what is the matter at hand.

The first song of our lesson today is called ‘Higher and Higher’ by Jackie Wilson. 

  • Time Signature – 4/4
  • Tempo – 190bpm (Allegro)
  • Timbre
  • Style – R&B/Soul/Jazz
  • Instrumentation – Bass, Drums, Guitar, Bongos, Male Vocalist, Keys/Synth and a Mixed Female Vocal Choir.
  • Structure 
  • Pitch 
  • Dynamics

Next up would have to be the man himself, Paul Simon’s – ‘You Can Call Me AL’.

  • Time Signature – 4/4
  • Tempo – 126bpm (Allegro)
  • Timbre
  • Style – Pop
  • Instrumentation – Bass, Drums, Male Vocals, Male Backing Vocals, Synthetically created Horns (Keys/Synth) and a Penny whistle.
  • Structure 
  • Pitch 
  • Dynamics

Here is another one by Paul Simons called ‘Diamonds on the soles of Her Shoes’.

  • Time Signature – 4/4
  • Tempo – 104bpm (Andante)
  • Timbre
  • Style – Pop / South African Jazz
  • Instrumentation – Male Vocals (Call and Response), Mixed Male African Vocal Choir, Bass (Fretless), Drums, Conga/Bongos, Trumpets and Saxophones.
  • Structure 
  • Pitch 
  • Dynamics

Next up is the iconic song by Dave Brubeck called ‘Take Five’. 

  • Time Signature – 5/4
  • Tempo – 174bpm (Presto)
  • Timbre
  • Style – Jazz
  • Instrumentation – Drums, Grand Piano, Double Bass and Saxophones in E flat.
  • Structure 
  • Pitch 
  • Dynamics

My favourite track from today’s lesson is called ‘Money’ by Pink Floyd.

  • Time Signature – Although Roger Waters and David Gilmour have made recent comments stating that the song had been composed primarily in 7/8 time, it was composed in 7/4, as stated by Gilmour in an interview with Guitar World magazine in 1993. The song changes to 4/4 time for an extended guitar solo.
  • Tempo – 126bpm (Allegro)
  • Timbre
  • Style – Jazz
  • Instrumentation – Cash Register, Coins, Bass, Guitar, Drums, Male Vocals, Saxophone and Pre-Recorded Vocal Tracks. 
  • Structure 
  • Pitch 
  • Dynamics

Finally the last song for today is by Peter Gabriel and it is called ‘Solsbury Hill’.

  • Time Signature – The song itself is unusual given its 7/4 time signature, which settles into 4/4 only for the last two measures of each chorus.
  • Tempo – 102bpm (Andante)
  • Timbre
  • Style –Rock
  • Instrumentation 
  • Structure 
  • Pitch 
  • Dynamics

Aural Perception, Wednesday the 17th of October 2018

The first song of the lesson today is called ‘She’ by Harry Connick Jr.

  • Time Signature – 4/4
  • Tempo – 104bpm (Andante)
  • Timbre
  • Style – Funk/Soul/Jazz
  • Instrumentation – Upright Fingered Double Bass, Grand Piano, Electric Guitar with Wah-wah effect, Male Vocals (with a potential harmony), Drums, Bongos/Congos, Electric Bass (fingered with wah-wah effect) and a Hammond Organ (could potentially be electric keys).
  • Structure 
  • Pitch 
  • Dynamics –  Forte which Crescendos to Mezzoforte. 

Next up is ‘Caroline in my mind’ by Dixie Chicks.

  • Time Signature – 4/4
  • Tempo – 75bpm (Andante)
  • Timbre
  • Style – Country/Rock
  • Instrumentation – [Audience], Acoustic Guitar, Male Vocalist and Three Female Backing Vocals.
  • Structure 
  • Pitch 
  • Dynamics – Forte which Decrescendos to Piano. 

The final song today is called ‘Daughter’ and it is by Pearl Jam.

  • Time Signature – 4/4
  • Tempo – 97bpm (Andante
  • Timbre
  • Style – Alternative/Indie/Rock/Grunge
  • Instrumentation – 
  • Structure 
  • Pitch 
  • Dynamics – Piano gradually crescendos to Mezzoforte, Pause to Forte which Decresendos to Mezzopiano/Piano gradual Crescendo to mezzoforte to forte again.

Aural Perception, Wednesday the 19th of September 2018

Chris taught us was about Timbre, it describes the instruments being played and the sounds that they make.

The first song of the session is called ‘Lucky Man’ by The Verve.

  • Time Signature – 4/4
  • Tempo – 76bpm (Andante)
  • Timbre
  • Style – Brit Pop/Rock
  • Instrumentation – Electric and Acoustic Guitars, Bass, Male Vocalist (panned with delay/reverb), Synth/Keys, Drums, Strings (Violin/Cellos), Sound effecs and an E-Bow with Reverb.
  • Structure 
  • Pitch 
  • Dynamics

Next up is Neil Young with a song called ‘Old Man’.

  • Time Signature – 4/4
  • Tempo – 141bpm (Vivace)
  • Timbre
  • Style – Classic Rock
  • Instrumentation – Acoustic Guitar (Percussive playing style) , Male Vocals, Audience Clapping.
  • Structure 
  • Pitch 
  • Dynamics

And finally it would have to be The Beach boys with ‘Wouldn’t It Be Nice’.

  • Time Signature – 4/4
  • Tempo – 118bpm (Allegro)
  • Timbre
  • Style – Rock/Pop
  • Instrumentation – Detuned Acoustic Guitar, Brass, Drums, Bass, Male Vocal Line and Harmonies.
  • Structure 
  • Pitch 
  • Dynamics
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