Unit 4, Song Analysis.
The first song I will be analysing is āDecember 63ā by āthe four seasonsā.
The songs intro consists of drums shortly followed by piano in a 4/4(common time) time signature, the time signature remains in 4/4 throughout the whole song. A 4/4 time signature consists of four quarter notes (crotchets) per bar. This is known as a simple time signature. The song is in the key of Db major. This means the songs is based on the Db major scale which contains five flats. After the drums have played for two bars the piano then joins the song. The piano starts by playing a Db major chord followed by a Gb major and an Ab major. This is the intro section but the same chord progression is also used in the verse. The melody of the song is set to a diatonic (major) scale. A diatonic scale is a scale which contains five whole steps and two half steps. In relation to the songs key the notes used in this diatonic scale are Db, Eb, F, Gb, Ab, Bb and C. The chords used in the verse are all diatonic triads of this scale. A diatonic triad is a combination of three notes within a key played simultaneity to create a harmony/chord. An example of this is when the notes Db, F and Ab are played together they create a harmony which is know as the Db major chord. Another harmony in the song occurs when the piano plays the Gb major chord and the singer sings a Bb. The reasons this harmony works in the song is because all the notes in the Gb major chord (Gb, Bb and Db) are all in the key of Db major along with the singers Bb. Another reason it works so well is because Bb is the major third of Gb. A major third is an interval that contains four half steps.
The next section of the song contains the chords Eb minor, Gb major, Bb minor and Ab major. These chords all work within the song because they are all in the key of Db major. This section consists of eight bars. In first six bars a chord change occurs once every four beats. In the last two bars a chord change occurs once every beat. The Gb major and Ab major chords form a cadence which is used to bring this section to an end and return to the verse. The verse then repeats for eight bars before entering the next section.
This section contains the chords Gb major, Ab major, F minor, Eb minor and Eb minor 7. A 7th chord is made up of a triad with along with the note that is ten half steps above the root note or two half steps below. Two half steps below the root note is the major second interval. In this section a note outside of the key signature is used in the Gb chord. A note outside of the songs key signature is called an accidental. The accidental changes the chord to a G natural but this still works within the song because G is the major third of Eb. It is also relative to the songs key because G is six half steps away from Db which makes it an augmented fourth.
The guitar and bass add texture to the song without diverting attention from the leading piano. The bass mainly follows the pianos melody line.
The second song I will be analysing is Hold My hand by Jess Glynne.
The songs intro consists of piano stabs along with vocals. The songs time signature is in 4/4. The piano plays a C major chord for the first six bars before moving to an A minor and then returning to a C major. This section then repeats but drums are added. The first time this section is played the C major chord is played for six bars. The second time this section is played the C major is only played for four bars before switching to a C/B and then to A minor. A C/B is a C major chord with a B played in the bass. Ā An F major, G major and C major is then played before moving onto the next section. The next section contains G# major, F major and C major chords. The high hat on the drums is introduced in the section to emphasise the build up to the chorus. The section lasts for eight bars before moving onto the chorus.
The chorus consists of the chords C Major 7, E minor 7, C major/B, F major, F major/E, D minor, C major, A minor and G major. A harmony is created at the beginning of the chorus when the piano plays a C major 7 the singer sings a C. the minor sixth interval occurs when the E minor 7 chord is played because the singer sings a C again. The pitch of the vocals increases during the chorus.
After the chorus the song returns back to the verse and is once again followed by the pre chorus. After the second chorus has occurred the song enters the breakdown. This section last for sixteen bars and consists of the chords A minor, E minor, D minor, F major, C major, G major and F/E major. In this section the drums are cut out and a brass melody line is introduced over the piano and vocals. The drums are reintroduced four bars before the start of the final chorus. After the last chorus is repeated the song comes to a relatively sudden stop allowing the vocals to ring out for a few seconds. Ā