L2 - Taking It Apart

Lesson Objectives:

To understand what is meant by a harmonic sequence and harmonic rhythm
To understand what a dominant 7th is and how to construct one
Know how to create a bass line that moves by step using inversions
Know what the Circle of 5ths is and how to construct it
To look at Extended chords including the 11th.

Harmony and Tonality

Killer Queen is in Eb Major - an unusual key for a pop song! It doesn't even begin in Eb but in the relative minor - C minor!

Chords in the verse

Verse 1 - 1st phrase: She keeps a Moet et Chandon.....

Verse 1 - 2nd phrase: A built in remedy

Verse 1 - Phrase 3: Caviar and cigarettes

Dominant 7th Chords

Many of the chords in 'Killer Queen' have an added 7th (Bb7, G7, D7, Eb7)

These are known as dominant 7ths. This is a triad with an added flattened 7th note.

Inversions

If you look at the chord symbols in 'Killer Queen' you will often seen ones like this Eb/G

This means that the guitar and piano are playing an Eb chord whilst the bass is playing a G.

If the boot of the chord (Eb) is not in the bass the chord is an inversion. In the case of the chord above it is a 1st inversion because the third note of the chord Eb (G) Bb is in the bass.

Most chords in 'Killer Queen' are in root position. When they are not, it is often so the bass can move melodically by step as in Guaranteed to blow your mind.

Circle of 5ths

A very common chord progression is the circle of 5ths. This is when the root note of each chord is a 5th lower or a 4th higher than the one before.

One of the most famous circle of 5ths can be heard in Gloria Gaynors I Will Survive - Have a listen

A circle of 5ths allows the music to modulate quickly. This can be heard in the chorus of 'Killer Queen' recommended at the price, insatiable an appetite

Extended Chords

You looked at the idea of adding notes to triads in Star Wars with the use of added 6ths and 7ths to triads.

In Killer Queen there are now chords with added 11ths (F11 at the end of the chorus) which create a different and more complex harmonic sound.

Working out these extended chords is quite tricky but not if you know your odd numbers! You start with the notes of a triad 1st, 3rd and 5th and then add the 7th, 9th and finally the 11th.

The F (root note) is in the bass plus the 9th (G) the 11th (Bb) and the 7th (Eb). Neither the 3rd or 5th are there. This is quite complicated and all to do with how it sounds. All you have to know that there are extended chords in the song with added 11ths

Review Questions:

1) What key is Killer Queen in?

2) What are the 2 chords that are alternated between in the opening four bars?

3) What is the harmonic rhythm in the opening four bars?

4) What are the notes of a G7 (dominant 7th of C major)

5) In which bars is there a circle of 5ths and what is this sequence of four chords?

6) What key does the song start in and what is it's relationship to the tonic?

7) Give an example of an extended chord used in Killer Queen?

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