Grace- Jeff Buckley (1994)

1. Intro, Verse 1, Pre-Chorus, Chorus

2. Link, Verse 2, Pre-Chorus II, Chorus II

3. Middle 8

4. Link, Verse 3, Outro

MIDDLE 8: Uses multitracked vocal harmonies in the 1st half and uses Telephone EQ in the 2nd  half on 'my fading voice sings..'

VERSE 3: Not the same melody as verse 1 and 2. 

OUTRO: Vocalisations, falsetto (high G) and vocal slides.

LINK: Repeated intro.

PRE-CHORUS II: Now with added plucked strings.

Song is in E MINOR

-There is tonal ambiguity because the introduction seems like it is in D, so the E minor key only becomes clear halfway through the first verse.

MODAL FEEL

Power chords are used (only the 1st and 5th notes are used)

Harmonies are often DISSONANT

The guitar is tuned to 'Drop D' - means the bottom E string has been re-tuned to a D. 

Jeff Buckley has a very wide vocal range.

Use of:

• Drum kit
• ALL guitars (bass, electric, acoustic)
• Synthesiser
• Backing vocals

Distortion and flanger on guitars (the goat effect)

Modulation on the synth (wibbly-wobbly effect)

EQ in the final verse, removes lower frequencies of Buckleys voice.

Telephone EQ in the Middle 8 part 2

Drone on guitar.

The metre is 12/8- compound quadruple time.

Frequent cross rhythms and syncopation.

steady tempo- 64bpm.

There are no written dynamics- dynamics are affected by texture.

TEXTURE

melody and accompaniment.

In the Middle 8 there are muli-tracked voices which make it POLYPHONIC.

-Also determined on how many instruments are playing.

TIMBRE

-BUCKLEY SCREAMS AND HUMS TO ALTER THE TIMBRE OF HIS VOICE.

-GLISSANDO ON THE GUITAR.

Vocalisations.

Word painting:   'cries' - use of a falling 5th, sounds like crying

'pain' and 'leave'- sung at a very high register, sounds painful 

'slow'- set to a long note.

Vocal phrases are falling, representing the melancholy mood of the song.

Sung part has an improvised quality and a wide range. 

Melisma used to emphasise certain words eg. 'love' and 'fire'