Download Tin Pan Alley Notes

Tin Pan Alley Songs/Great American Songbook
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Tin Pan Alley: 28th Street between 5th and 6th Av, location of publishers of
popular music during the first half of the 20th century
i. Origins/Elements of American Popular Music
1. Simplicity, written for a popular audience
2. Elements of Jazz, Blues, and Folk Music
3. Improvisation
4. Simple Lyrics
5. Catchy or gimmicky elements used
6. Memorable
What makes something sound operatic versus popular?
a. Scooping
b. Phrasing against music or text (most likely to accommodate a
breath)
c. Unrecognizable diction
d. Excessive Portamento Use
e. Excessive Rubato
f. Displays of vocal virtuosity
g. Tone
Items to notice in each Song:
a. What is the genre
i. Ballad
1. Love song (How deep is the Ocean, Berlin)
2. Passionate Song (But Not for Me, Gershwin)
3. Rhythmic Tune (They Can’t Take that Away from Me,
Gershwin)
4. Torch ballads (The Man I Love, Gershwin)
ii. Torch Song (Blues in the Night, Arlen)
iii. Novelty Song (Johnny One Note, Rogers and Hart)
iv. Latin feel (Just another Rhumba, Gershwin)
v. Depressing (What’ll I do? Berlin)
vi. Folk Based (The Folks who live on the Hill, Hammerstein and
Kern)
b. Is there a verse and chorus or simply a chorus?
c. What makes this song memorable? Is it a catchy lyric, a recognizable
melody, a rhythmic hook?
Introduction
a. Many times the introduction written into the music may be altered.
The introduction serves several purposes:
i. Establishes key and meter
ii. Establishes mood
iii. As long as meter, key and mood are established the
introduction may take on any form
iv. Introductions can take on an ironic feel by building up an
expectation for a specific mood, style or key; and then suddenly
shifting with the entrance of the singer
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Verse
a. In general the words get the most attention in a verse as one sets up
the more recognizable chorus
b. Try to play with phrase length here to bring more attention to the
text
c. Experiment with rhythmic freedom here, always maintaining clarity
of text
Chorus
a. It is useful to identify any “gimmicks” that the composer might have
used to make this song recognizable. It might be a melodic idea, or it
might be a rhythmic one. It will be important to highlight these
features of the chorus.
b. What is the form
i. Form of Chorus: Typical Forms include: AABA, ABAA, ABAC
ii. If the form is atypical try to notice what would make the
composer strive for a different form
c. Some other things to notice:
1. Phrase Length
a. Is this regular 4 bar phrasing? Does the text
match the musical phrases? Are there any
unexpected extensions or truncated phrases?
2. Rhythmic Variables
a. Is it important to stay completely in time? Is
there any room for rhythmic flexibility?
3. Motives? Ostinato?
a. Does any rhythmic or melodic material repeat
throughout the chorus?
4. Bounce? Swing?
a. Does the piece require swung eighths?
5. Apex? Contour? Lowest note?
a. What words are set on the highest and lowest
pitches in the melody? What is the contour? Does
this somehow paint the text?
6. Blue notes
a. Are there any notes that sound like they do not
belong in the key? Can you slide into any notes?
ii. Special features of Lyrics
1. Does the lyricist use rhyming or silly words? Are there any
lyrics that are can be made more relevant to a modern
audience?
iii. Verse relationship to Chorus
1. How does the composer bridge between the verse and the
chorus?
VII.
2. Is there any musical or rhythmic material related between
the verse and chorus?
iv. Dance based?
1. Does the song have a base in a dance form? How will this
effect your interpretation?
d. Depending on the length of time desired, one would probably go
through the entire chorus once, and then repeat the entire chorus or
a segment of it. In order to keep things interesting, here are some
musical factors that can be “ornamented” or changed to avoid
repetition.
i. Play with phrase length
ii. Sing across the bar line to extend phrase length or cause
phrases to collide
iii. Change the direction of melody
iv. Find blue notes (notes at a slightly lower pitch, then sliding up)
1. These notes usually effect the 3rd, 4, 5th, and 7th scale
degrees
v. Sliding pitches (Rip or drop off a pitch)
vi. Place consonants on different pitches and slide to correct pitch
vii. Bending the pitch after you sing it
viii. Sing a different note within the chord
ix. Play with the way words sound, sing diphthongs slowly, linger
on consonants
x. You may sing slightly behind the beat, then catch up to the beat
at the beginning of the next measure or phrase
1. You may similarly do this in anticipation of the beat
xi. Back beating
1. Feeling the stress on even numbered beats versus the
typical 1 and 3
xii. Change octaves for effect
xiii. Have the rhythmic element of the music cut out
xiv. Take out the text and:
1. Hum
2. Sing only certain words or snatches of words
3. Imitate an instrumental solo
xv. Play with the tone of your voice
1. Add various degrees of vibrato to a note
2. Color your voice for effect
Ending
a. Many times the chorus ends abruptly and it is often necessary to
write a different ending.
i. First you must choose the attitude you want the piece to end in,
should it end with a high note and sound final, or do you prefer
to end it simply?
ii. Sometimes a repetition of the last phrase can help make the
ending sound more complete.
iii. Notes can be rewritten to incorporate a high note, or a blue
note.
iv. Final notes may be rewritten to end on a different note in the
scale.