Listening Framework
“Smells Like Teen
Spirit” by Nirvana
Listening Phase 1 (Rhythm)
Source [where is the rhythm coming from?]
The rhythm is mostly coming from the drums and recurring
guitar riff heard during each verse. The guitar is integral to the entirety of
the song.
Time/Tempo [guess at the time signature]
The time signature is 5:4. The internet told me so. I
would’ve said 4:4.
Groove [describe how the personality of the rhythm]
The rhythm is somewhat abrasive and very heavy. The
distorted guitar riffs are really catchy and thrashy. During the verses, you’re
allowed moments of calm, and then things pick back up.
Listening Phase 2 (Arrangement)
Instrumentation [which instruments drive the song?]
The guitar definitely drives this song. Kurt’s vocals are
also fully on display during the choruses; they can’t be dismissed.
Structure/Organization
[how is the song built? Order,
patterns, etc.]
It rises and falls. Introduction, verse, bridge, chorus.
There’s strategic placement, in reference to the guitars heard in the song.
Emotional
Architecture [Draw how the song build and drop?]
The song rises and falls, like most songs do. Eventually
Nirvana just goes for broke and Cobain yells the same lyrics over and over.
After that it finishes.
Listening Phase 3 (Sound Quality)
Balance
-
Height [high and low of frequency]
High
frequency the whole time. The verses are obviously softer, but I wouldn’t say
they are soft.
-
Width [stereo panning left/right]
Stays central. The song doesn’t really span any
sonic landscape. It seems to stay mostly in place.
-
Depth
[layers of instruments]
Somewhat
layered. Not really complex. Guitar, bass, drum, vocals.
“Satisfaction” by The
Rolling Stones
Listening Phase 1 (Rhythm)
Source [where is the rhythm coming from?]
The introductory guitar riff certainly drives the song. The
drums as well, they add a sharpness.
Time/Tempo [guess at the time signature]
4:4
Groove [describe how the personality of the rhythm]
It has a thumping quality. Very catchy, but not an all out
dancing type of vibe, more of a head-bopping type deal.
Listening Phase 2 (Arrangement)
Instrumentation [which instruments drive the song?]
The guitar and the drums. The snare is just hit over and
over again.
Structure/Organization
[how is the song built? Order,
patterns, etc.]
It’s a pretty standard song, by today’s standards. It moves
forward, there aren’t any major digressions or changes of pace. The drums
remain the same for the entirety of the song.
Emotional
Architecture [Draw how the song build and drop?]
It goes straight through. At times it lowers slightly, but
there isn’t anything major.
Listening Phase 3 (Sound Quality)
Balance
-
Height [high and low of frequency]
Average
frequency. Not really low.
-
Width [stereo panning left/right]
The guitar in this song seems to have qualities of
movement. The main riff kind of swells and takes off. Most of the
instrumentation is static though. Not too much progression.
-
Depth
[layers of instruments]
Somewhat
layered. Pretty standard rock track. Guitar, percussion, bass, vocals. Not that
dense.
“Johnny B. Goode”
By Chuck Berry
Listening Phase 1 (Rhythm)
Source [where is the rhythm coming from?]
The rhythm come from both the drums and the guitar. The
track has a smooth, jazzy drum track, a lot of cymbals. Then there are big,
consistent riffs throughout the song that are really dance-y.
Time/Tempo [guess at the time signature]
4:4
Groove [describe how the personality of the rhythm]
This a very exciting song. It has a lot of loud
instrumentation, a lot of melody. The pianos really add to its barroom
aesthetic. That’s what I picture.
Listening Phase 2 (Arrangement)
Instrumentation [which instruments drive the song?]
A few instruments really drive the song. The guitar,
obviously. Berry’s vocals. The piano also really adds to the song, possibly
contributes the most to the song.
Structure/Organization
[how is the song built? Order,
patterns, etc.]
I hear the song as a straightforward progression. It has a
few digressions, but I feel we move from Point A to Point B throughout the
running length.
Emotional
Architecture [Draw how the song build and drop?]
The songs just starts and keeps going. It doesn’t really
drop, there isn’t much time to breathe.
Listening Phase 3 (Sound Quality)
Balance
-
Height [high and low of frequency]
Operates
on a high frequency the entire time.
-
Width [stereo panning left/right]
There is diversity in the instrumentation. The piano
keys are very distinct, as are the guitar riffs. The vocals drive straight
through.
-
Depth
[layers of instruments]
There’s a
decent amount of layering here. The instruments involved sort of clang off of
each other and reverberate. It’s a very loud and dance-y track.
“Losing My Religion” by R.E.M.
Listening Phase 1 (Rhythm)
Source [where is the rhythm coming from?]
There’s a very melodic and breezy guitar riff that runs
through the song. The rhythm mostly emanates from that.
Time/Tempo [guess at the time signature]
4:4
Groove [describe how the personality of the rhythm]
It’s a fast song, but it isn’t necessarily happy, more
agitated or frustrated, forlorn. The song sounds like a rebuttal to me, a
counter argument.
Listening Phase 2 (Arrangement)
Instrumentation [which instruments drive the song?]
The guitar is the driving force here, with the vocals lining
up really well. That combination takes the song through.
Structure/Organization
[how is the song built? Order,
patterns, etc.]
The song begins with its central riff. The vocals come in,
and the typical verse, bridge, chorus pattern commences. There are digressions,
particularly towards the end of the song. But the structure, for the most part,
is pretty standard.
Emotional
Architecture [Draw how the song build and drop?]
The song rises and falls between verse and chorus.
Listening Phase 3 (Sound Quality)
Balance
-
Height [high and low of frequency]
There
are moments of both low frequency and high frequency. The song becomes really
soft at points and surges with intensity at others.
-
Width [stereo panning left/right]
Some width. The different instruments create a
directional aesthetic at points, if that makes sense. Definitely a linearity to
the song.
-
Depth
[layers of instruments]
It’s a
layered track, not too complex. Guitars, bass, drums. There are some nuanced
strings as well, it seems to me. These elements blend together, giving the song
a really melancholy feel.
“The Wilhelm Scream”
by James Blake
Listening Phase 1 (Rhythm)
Source [where is the rhythm coming from?]
The initial rhythm mostly comes from the snares and 808
kicks. Keyboard riffs come in after a little while. Blake’s voice also acts as
a sort of rhythmic marker, there’s a consistency to his vocals.
Time/Tempo [guess at the time signature]
4:4 I would say. I don’t really know much about time
signatures and the YouTube videos I’ve watched didn’t help.
Groove [describe how the personality of the rhythm]
The song is very slow initially and subtle. It builds and
builds as Blake sings, incorporating various keyboard noises and rhythms, extra
drums and distorted vocals. The song climaxes around the 2:30 mark, when the
initial drum track is removed and Blake’s vocals are really emphasized.
Listening Phase 2 (Arrangement)
Instrumentation [which instruments drive the song?]
The various electric drum machines really characterize the
song. Put that with these deep, distorted waves of synthesizer.
Structure/Organization
[how is the song built? Order,
patterns, etc.]
The song builds gradually. At first we’re given a drum track
and repeated vocals, then another, more infrequent drum track shows up. The
synths pick up as well and the song climaxes sort of subtly, but you can
definitely feel a shift.
Emotional
Architecture [Draw how the song build and drop?]
I see this song rising for a while. It’s methodical and
lethargic, which results in a sort of entrancing effect. It reaches its boiling
point around 2:30 and eventually simmers. But from the first note I found the
song very emotionally engaging. Subjective blueprinting.
Listening Phase 3 (Sound Quality)
Balance
-
Height [high and low of frequency]
The
frequency rises as the song progresses. It is initially low but never really
backtracks until the end, that is to say it continually builds and rises.
-
Width [stereo panning left/right]
Sounds rather centered. There is instrumentation
that seems to occur from one direction more than another. But for the most
part, the song is like a collage or a piling.
-
Depth
[layers of instruments]
It’s hard
to count all the instruments being used here. There are multiple drum tracks,
multiple synths, layered vocals and a few melodies in the background. It’s a
densely layered track.
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