Beatles (Tomorrow Never Knows)

Question 1

Structure

Answer 1

• Instrumental introduction / intro
• Strophic with 7 verses
• Instrumental after third verse
• Coda / Outro
• Fade in / out
• Unusually short verses

AO4: Explanation of the effect of the element. Discussion of approaches to structure by The Beatles and other bands/composers.

Question 2

Sonority

Answer 2

• Instruments used: sitar/tambura drone, bass, drums, voice, organ, piano, tambourine and guitar
• Use of slack–tuned tom–toms which are damped and compressed
• Tack/prepared piano
• Sitar pre-recorded fills
• Indian music influences
• Sounds produced using studio recording devices
• Automatic/artificial double tracking (ADT)
• “Leslie cabinet”
• Distorted electric guitar
• Tape loops
• Reverb
• ‘Seagull’ sound, speeded up tape of laughter
• Sampled orchestral chord
• Reversed
• Double speed

AO4: Explanation of the effect of the element. Discussion of approaches to sonority by The Beatles and other bands/composers.

Question 3

Texture

Answer 3

• Little textural variety
• Sitar/tambura drone
• Bass guitar riff unchanged throughout
• Drums play throughout
• Layers of music seemingly unrelated. Musically chaotic texture due to the aleatoric nature and almost polyphonic treatment of sampled sounds.
• Monophonic at start
• Organ chords/triads
• Octaves in tack piano

AO4: Explanation of the effect of the element. Discussion of approaches to texture by The Beatles and other bands/composers.