Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
In November 1966, on the flight back to England after a holiday, McCartney conceived an idea in which an entire album would be role-played, with each of The Beatles assuming an alter-ego in the "Lonely Hearts Club Band", which would then perform a concert in front of an audience. The song was recorded in Abbey Road's number 2 studio, with Martin producing, and Geoff Emerick engineering. Work on the song started on 1 February 1967, and after three further sessions the recording was complete on 6 March 1967
Style - Rock
Features of Rock
1. Instruments - Guitars, Bass, Drums.
2. Backbeat
3. Syncopation
4. 4/4 time (metre is 4) Almost all popular music is in 4.
5. Rock style of singing
Unusual features in a rock song
1. Use of French Horns
2. Symmetrical form
3. Audience sounds
Features of Rock
1. Instruments - Guitars, Bass, Drums.
2. Backbeat
3. Syncopation
4. 4/4 time (metre is 4) Almost all popular music is in 4.
5. Rock style of singing
Unusual features in a rock song
1. Use of French Horns
2. Symmetrical form
3. Audience sounds
Form
Symmetrical (palindrome)
Intro 4 bars
Verse 8 Bars
French Horns bridge 5 bars
Chorus 12 bars
Bridge 5 bars (vocal)
Verse 8 bars
Coda (outro) 4 bars
Symmetrical (palindrome)
Intro 4 bars
Verse 8 Bars
French Horns bridge 5 bars
Chorus 12 bars
Bridge 5 bars (vocal)
Verse 8 bars
Coda (outro) 4 bars
Texture
Homophonic (melody and accompaniment) the whole way through)
Homophonic (melody and accompaniment) the whole way through)
Rhythm
Metre is 4, i.e.4/4 time or 4 beats in each bar.
Backbeat – snare drum on 2nd and 4th beats of each bar (see below). A guitar also plays on 2 and 4 in the verses.
Drum fills on tom toms
Ride cymbal on chorus
N.B. Syncopation a huge feature of popular music.
Syncopated words include the following;
Today, play, style, smile, you, hearts, club, band, show, go, Sergeant x2, here,
Metre is 4, i.e.4/4 time or 4 beats in each bar.
Backbeat – snare drum on 2nd and 4th beats of each bar (see below). A guitar also plays on 2 and 4 in the verses.
Drum fills on tom toms
Ride cymbal on chorus
N.B. Syncopation a huge feature of popular music.
Syncopated words include the following;
Today, play, style, smile, you, hearts, club, band, show, go, Sergeant x2, here,
Tonality
Key of G major with several little subtle shifts away from the tonal centre, G. e.g. Chords A7 (opening chord!) C7 Bb and the 2 bridges are in the key of F.
Key of G major with several little subtle shifts away from the tonal centre, G. e.g. Chords A7 (opening chord!) C7 Bb and the 2 bridges are in the key of F.
Vocals
Very simple melody, monotone (like Mr. Brightside)
Only 4 notes in the chorus, a jump of a 4th followed by step movement descending.
Block chords (backing vocals) in the chorus and 2nd bridge.
"throaty" rock style of singing.
Very simple melody, monotone (like Mr. Brightside)
Only 4 notes in the chorus, a jump of a 4th followed by step movement descending.
Block chords (backing vocals) in the chorus and 2nd bridge.
"throaty" rock style of singing.
Guitars
2 rhythm guitars, lead guitar and bass guitar. Multi-tracking.
Instrumental techniques, strumming, string bends, vibrato.
Mostly quavers (ice cream) on bass.
1 rhythm guitar doubles snare drum on verse.
The other one plays more rhythmically.
2 rhythm guitars, lead guitar and bass guitar. Multi-tracking.
Instrumental techniques, strumming, string bends, vibrato.
Mostly quavers (ice cream) on bass.
1 rhythm guitar doubles snare drum on verse.
The other one plays more rhythmically.
Recording Techniques
1. Overdubbing and mixing (recording tracks separately and mixing them together.)
2. Atmosphere and audience noise and high pitch inaudible sound.
3. Panning - Spreading the sound across the stereo spectrum.
4. Reverberation.
1. Overdubbing and mixing (recording tracks separately and mixing them together.)
2. Atmosphere and audience noise and high pitch inaudible sound.
3. Panning - Spreading the sound across the stereo spectrum.
4. Reverberation.
Audio section at a time
Intro 4 Bars |A7|A7|C7|G7|
Verse 8 Bars |G7 A7|C7 G7| x 2 |A7| C7|G7 C7|G7|
Listening
How many guitars can you hear?
Write down the rhythm of the bass, and/or bass drum and snare.
What beat does the snare and 2nd guitar play on?
Which words are syncopated (verse)?
How many guitars can you hear?
Write down the rhythm of the bass, and/or bass drum and snare.
What beat does the snare and 2nd guitar play on?
Which words are syncopated (verse)?
Horns Bridge 5 bars |C7 |F7|C7|D7|D7|
The horns play a 2 part melody so this short section could be considered to be polyphonic. The lower melody could also be described as a counter melody to the main (higher) one. The key here and in the 2nd 5 bar bridge later in the song is F. Listen to the broken chord on the 2nd horn in the last bar.
The horns play a 2 part melody so this short section could be considered to be polyphonic. The lower melody could also be described as a counter melody to the main (higher) one. The key here and in the 2nd 5 bar bridge later in the song is F. Listen to the broken chord on the 2nd horn in the last bar.
Chorus 12 Bars |G Bb|C7 G | C7 |G7| x2 |C7| G7|A7|C7 G|
Don't ignore the rests!
Don't ignore the rests!
2nd Bridge (vocals) 5 bars |C7|F7|C7|D7|D7|
Verse 8 bars |G7 A7|C7 G7| x 2 |A7| C7|G7 C7|G7|
Coda 4 bars link to next song. |C7|D7|E|E|