AoS5 Rock Anthems Flashcards
Rock Anthem
A Rock Song or piece of music that stirs the listeners emotions and inspires them to join in.
Popular in the 1970s and 80s. They are longer and have more complex harmonies than Rock and Roll.
They have a heavy Backbeat and usually include an extended guitar solo.
Listen to Bryan Adams Singing ‘Summer of 69’.
Power chord
A powerful sounding chord played on the Electric Guitar formed by a root note and its fifth (No third).
Listen to the intro to Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple.
This is a great example of power chords.
It is also an iconic Guitar Riff. (Memorable, repeating phrase)
Listen to the Heavy Rock Backbeat after 12 bars!
Chromatic Harmony
A harmony that uses notes from outside the key to colour the chords
Melisma
When, in singing, there is more than one note per syllable
Falsetto
When a singer sings notes that are normally above their vocal range.
Listen to this example of high pitch falsetto male lead vocals.
There is also a heavy vibrato on the long, sustained notes.
Time signature
most rock music is in 4/4 with a heavy back beat
Structure
Verse-chorus structure with an extended Instrumental solo in the middle 8.
Middle 8
Contrasting section in the middle of the song that was traditionally 8 bars long. In Rock Anthems this is often a longer Guitar Solo.
Count the bars in the guitar solo to Don’t Stop Believing by Journey.
Bands who have written Rock Anthems
Queen, Bon Jovi, Foreigner, Guns n Roses
1 / This musical extract is taken from a Rock Anthem. From your knowledge of this style of music, identify three features which are typical of this style.
2/ Identify three vocal techniques that are typical of this style?
3/ Name a possible artist for this piece of music?
Typical Musical features include:
1/ i/ Heavy Backbeat with the snare on beats 2 and 4.
ii/ Electric guitar solo.
iii/ 4/4 time signature.
2/ i/ High pitched, ii/ vibrato, iii/ slides and fall offs.
3/ Guns ‘n’ Roses
