Pop ballads Flashcards

1
Q

What instruments usually play the melody in a pop ballad?

A

Lead singer, rhythm guitar

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2
Q

What instruments usually play chords in a pop ballad?

A

Rhythm guitar, piano, synthesizer, backing singers

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3
Q

What instruments usually play the bass line in a pop ballad?

A

Bass guitar

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4
Q

What instruments usually play the beat in a pop ballad?

A

Drum kit

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5
Q

What instruments usually play counter melodies in a pop ballad?

A

Lead guitar, backing singers, synth, strings

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6
Q

Vibrato

A

Where the note wobbles in pitch slightly making the sound warmer and more expressive

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7
Q

Portamento

A

A slide between notes

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8
Q

Flasetto

A

When a man sings very high

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9
Q

Rubato

A

Expressive speeding up and slowing down

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10
Q

A cappella

A

Singing with no instrumental accompaniment

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11
Q

Scat

A

When singers sing nonsense syllables like ‘doo’

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12
Q

Riffing

A

When a singer ornaments the melody with a lot of extra notes, usually at the end of a phrase

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13
Q

Lead guitar

A

Plays melodies- these might be solos, riffs or counter Melodies over the singer’s tune. Some effects such as distortion, chorus or flanger are used

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14
Q

Rhythm guitar

A

Can be acoustic of electric, plays chords. These might be strummed or picked (to make broken chords)

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15
Q

Bass guitar

A

Plays the bass line- does not play chords. Sometimes adds glissandos

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16
Q

Backbeat

A

Heavy emphasis on 2nd and 4th beats of the bar

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17
Q

Bridge

A

A section that links the verse and chorus. Sometimes called a pre-chorus

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18
Q

Call and response

A

Often used between the lead vocalist and the backing singers, who repeat or answer what the lead singer has sung

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19
Q

Coda

A

End section of a song

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20
Q

Distortion

A

An effect used on guitars which makes a dirty, fuzzy sound

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21
Q

Fill

A

At the end of a phrase, the drummer plays a more complex part to fill in

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22
Q

Flanger

A

A guitar effect that makes a whooshing sound

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23
Q

Glissando

A

A slide between two notes where separate, quick, individual notes can be heard

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24
Q

Harmonic pace

A

How often chords change ie. One chord per bar, two chords per bar etc.

25
Q

Hook

A

The catchy part of the song, often in the chorus

26
Q

Instrumental break

A

A section where the singing stops and there is a solo on an instrument

27
Q

Looping

A

Technology-based method of repeating a short musical idea

28
Q

Melisma

A

Lots of notes sung to a single syllable

29
Q

Middle eight

A

The section of a song where there is a new, different tune

30
Q

Modulation

A

Key change

31
Q

Multitracking

A

Where each part is separately recording and then put together

32
Q

Panning

A

Putting more or less sound through each speaker, so that the sound comes from the left or right

33
Q

What parts is a drum kit made out of

A

Snare, hi-hat, bass (or kick), drum, tom-toms, ride and crash cymbals

34
Q

What does the snare often do?

A

Emphasise the backbeat

35
Q

What might the kit do at the end of a phrase

A

Play fills

36
Q

What are drum pads or drum machines

A

Digital alternatives to an acoustic kit

37
Q

What are th main kinds of keyboards found in pop

A

Pianos, synthesizers (electric organ)

38
Q

What are synthesizers?

A

Electronic keyboards capable of playing any kind of sound

39
Q

Reverb

A

Adds a sense of space to a sound

40
Q

Riff

A

Repeating melodic or rhythmic idea

41
Q

Sampling

A

When a short extract of another recording is used in a song

42
Q

Strumming

A

Playing all the strings of a guitar at once to play chords

43
Q

Syllabic

A

When each syllable is sung with one note

44
Q

Unison

A

Everyone singing/playing the same notes

45
Q

What are the lyrics like in pop ballads?

A

Sentimental, romantic theme, telling a love story, usually with a romantic twist at the end

46
Q

What is the tempo like in pop ballads?

A

Slow, moderate: modrato, andante, adagio, lento, to emphasise the meaning of the words, 70-100bpm, 4/4 time signature, ritardandos and tempo rubato used

47
Q

What is the harmony and tonality like in pop ballads?

A

I, V, VI, IV chord progressions, slow harmonic rhythm, chord inversions, repeating block chords, broken chords or arpeggios, modulation in final chorus, chords II, III and IV used more

48
Q

What are the characteristics of the melody in a pop ballad?

A

Diatonic, sung by lead singer

49
Q

What are the characteristics of the dynamics in a pop ballads?

A

Start off quite soft (mp), usually increasing towards the chorus with a crescendo often ending in a louder, fully-scored final chorus

50
Q

What are characterisitics of the rhythm in pop ballads?

A

Snare drum features syncopated rhythms, accenting the backbeat

51
Q

What are characteristics if the texture in pop ballads?

A

Homophonic, texture often builds towards the end becoming thicker for a big final ‘climax’ in the last chorus

52
Q

What are the characteristics of articulation in pop ballad?

A

Legato throughout

53
Q

What are characterisitcs of the accompaniment in a pop ballad?

A

Alway supports the lead singer

54
Q

What are characterisitcs of the form and structure of a pop ballad?

A

Verse-chorus form, verses in strophic form, bridge/middle 8 often features new material before a modulation in the final chorus, parts of the verse and chorus can be repeated for emphasis and for effect

55
Q

Characteristics of vocal performance and technique in pop ballads?

A

Expressive, emotional, a cappella, vibrato, falsetto, melisma, portamento, riffing, ritardandos, tempo rubato, large vocal ranges, long held notes

56
Q

Features of technology in pop ballads

A

Heavy reverb on vocals often used to create a warm sound

57
Q

Venues for pop ballads to be performed

A

Pop concert, radio, TV, CD, MP3, download internet sites, youtube

58
Q
A