10 Songs That I Have Briefly Analysed

Analysis Notes

Shubert – Trio in E♭

  • Instrumentation: Piano, violin and cello (introduced one by one)
  • Structure: Ternary form
  • Reminds me of a lullaby

Debussy – Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun

  • Dynamics: Sudden loud and sudden quiet
  • Instrumentation: Woodwind
  • Harmony: Extended chords
  • Reminds me of an adventure

Sigur Ròs – Hippipolla 

  • Instrumentation: Male vocals, piano and drums
  • Harmony: Vocal harmonies
  • Dynamics: Diminuendo
  • Metre: 4/4 time signature (common time)
  • Reminds me of hopeful documentaries

Bob Dylan – Don’t Think Twice

  • Instrumentation: Male vocals, acoustic guitar and harmonica
  • Genre: Country/Folk
  • Structure: Song structure (Verse,Chorus…Bridge…)
  • Melody: Simple
  • Reminds me of a poem or breakup song

Ólafur Arnalds – Near Light

  • Instrumentation: Piano, violin and hand claps
  • Tonality: Minor
  • Electronic
  • Dynamics: Crescendo
  • Reminds me of sad anime

Nirvana – Lithium

  • Genre: Rock
  • Structure: Song structure
  • Instrumentation: Electric guitar, male vocals, drum kit and bass guitar
  • Dynamics: Forte in the chorus

Nils Frahm – Spaces

  • Instrumentation: Keyboard, drum kit, synth
  • Length: Short
  • Reminds me of sci-fi

Carole King – I Feel the Earth Move

  • Instrumentation: Piano, electric guitar, drum kit and female vocals
  • Genre: Blues
  • Tonality: Major
  • Metre: 4/4
  • Structure: Song structure

Steve Reich – Electronic Counterpoint

  • Instrumentation: Synthesisers and keys
  • Genre: Minimalism
  • Repetitive
  • Reminds me of an alien based sci-fi movie

John Martyn – Small Hours

  • Instrumentation: Acoustic guitar, male vocals and synths
  • Metre: 4/4
  • Structure: Song structure
  • Was quite boring