Electric Counterpoint

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  • Created by: Viv Leong
  • Created on: 23-04-14 19:39

Melody

  • many resultant melodies created by
    • rhythmic displacement
    • note addition
    • note subtraction
    • looping of cells
  • use of layering
  • melody played plucked in some parts, strummed in others
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Harmony/tonality

  • tonally ambiguoous for much of the piece
  • bass defines key as Em after some time
  • completely diatonic
  • in Section B, modulates to Cm
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Rhythm/metre

  • begins 3/2, changes to 12/8, returns to 3/2 again
  • frequent syncopation
  • rhythmic counterpoints
  • rhythmic development very important
  • rhythmic displacement used
  • use of rhythmic ostinati
  • quaver-based rhythms
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Texture

  • begins monophonic
  • evolves to contrapuntal/polyphonic texture
  • built up through layering as different parts enter
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Tempo

  • constant tempo throughout
  • quite fast
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Dynamics

  • very little movement in dynamics, especially in recorded parts
  • only live guitar uses crescendos/diminuendos
  • bass guitars quite loud
  • range between p and f
  • "fade out" provides main dynamic instruction for recorded parts
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Structure

  • two main sections (A and B)
  • coda
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Other information

  • written for Pat Metheny
  • two recorded bass guitars, seven recorded guitars, one live guitar
  • recorded in a multi-track tape studio
  • use of technology:
    • panning - moving stereo field from one speaker
    • looping - playing a sample over and over again
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