A. RHYTHM
1. PARAMETERS THAT CAN BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT
YMusic search engine parameters
Newness
Density
Uniformity
Diversity
Harmonics
Polyrhythmy
These parameters, like those related to instrumentation and form below, are not presented here in a formal way. To make a music analysis query with the YMusic search engine and check details of the musical content, we invite you to tell your new music search engine what to do, without a third-party intermediary!
Other parameters
Organization
2. GENERAL STATEMENT OR QUESTION
Let us begin our music search in order to get targeted musical information. Here the only method is to listen with both ear and to skim through the content of the score. Our main target, is to help all types of listeners to fix their attention on the musical content itself, rather than lyrics.
At first listening, during which the outer form may be perceived easily, the music composition does not sound very original, presenting a high level uniformity. Now what about the inner form of the music composition?
At the level of the rhythm, there are a few patterns, that are very regular and repeated several times.
3. ELEMENTS OF THE ANSWER
To answer the above question, let us analyze the musicality of the song at a granular level.
Concerning the rhythm, due to additions of new tracks, the rhythmic density is higher inside the chorus, yet uniformity definitely dominates the composition.
0 second: a series of 5 beats introduce the song in 4 second, quickly catching the attention of the listener
5 seconds: verse 1, introduction of the first rhythmic pattern in the music composition, it is a very regular melodic line
26 seconds: introduction of the rhythmic pattern that constitutes the chorus; this pattern is similar to the preceding one at the level of the rhythm as there is no rupture, yet its density is higher, due to the introduction of new instruments
52 seconds: verse 2, a complete repetition of verse 1 (except for lyrics)
1 minute 15 seconds: the chorus is repeated
1 minute 39 seconds: the introduction of verse 3 goes along with rhythmic newness, as clapping hands are introduced, along with a spare drum pattern
2 minutes 4 seconds: chorus, in repetition
3 minutes 51: 2 beats conclusion
4. GOING FURTHER
Despite its uniformity, "Happy" is very interesting at the level of rhythm. In fact, the song takes micro-rhythmic movements into account, exploiting different characteristics, from simultaneity to asymmetry.
"Happy" as we said, presents a high level of rhythmic uniformity. However, this does not mean that nothing happens, especially at the level of the inner form, and it requires a lot of work. The sound engineer who mixed "Happy" explained that he attaches great importance to the correctness of timing. In fact, most of the time, all songs today are made on that model: tracks are recorded separately. During the Beatles era, the general model was to record together in a studio, depending on analog hardware.
We made statements about the main rhythmic patterns contained in the song. What would you add about the rest? To clarify your ideas, you may find the song in the YMusic search engine.
B. INSTRUMENTATION
1. PARAMETERS THAT CAN BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT
YMusic search engine parameters
Number of instruments
Proportion of each instrument
Other parameters
Position in the score
Relationships to other instruments (pitch, length)
These parameters, like those related to form below, are not presented here in a formal way. To make a music analysis query with the YMusic search engine and check the whole music file content, we invite you to tell your new music search engine what to do, without a third-party intermediary!
2. GENERAL STATEMENT OR QUESTION
Regarding instrumentation, we notice that the assortment of instruments found in the music composition is minimalist. Vocals and clapping hands is what one may remark at first listening. Is there more?
3. ELEMENTS OF THE ANSWER
In ‘Happy’, less is more, especially at the level of instrumentation. The composition contains 5 programmed drum tracks : percussion, claps, kicks, hi-hat and snare.
0 second: introduction of the bass
5 seconds: other drums appear, along with main vocals sung by the main singer, these vocals are prominent
26 seconds: the clapping hands pattern can be heard and there are also backing vocals (the track contains 6 backing vocal tracks recorded by the main singer himself)
1 minute 39 seconds: a snare drum patterns is introduced, going along with the clappings
3 minute 51 seconds: conclusion of the song in 2 beats.
Nowadays, mixing engineers adjust the volume and the timing of tracks that are registered separately, in order to augment general audibility and produce relevant effects Here, as usual, the mixing engineer had to choose where he would place each instrument in the stereo spectrum, on the right or on the left. Like that, all instruments may be heard clearly.
4. GOING FURTHER
The instrumentation of "Happy" is said to be minimalist by everyone. However, it works. Why? The mixing engineer of the composition said that he always focuses on the wave forms rather than on the tracks’ names. This is a common and correct attitude and it surely leads to the success of a track.
Do you want to discover songs that have points in common with "Happy" at the musical level? In that case, find the song in the YMusic search engine database, select a point that you find in the results and search for titles with similar parameters. It may be the beginning of a search process that may even lead you to lay the basis for relevant research.
C. FORM
1. PARAMETERS THAT CAN BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT
YMusic search engine parameters
Time signature
Key signature
Tempo
Other parameters
Overall shape of the title
Repetition
Parallelism
Restatement of a
theme, section or
phrase
Contrast
New theme,
section or phrase,
connected or not
to what came first
Part of (un)expectedness
Outer and inner form (standard patterns outline and inside patterns)
2. GENERAL STATEMENT OR QUESTION
"Happy" is a midtempo song and it presents a usual time signature (4/4).
The form patterns can be said to be groovy, which implies cyclic musical motions that are concretely present in the score. Melodic lines have their place in the composition, though.
3. ELEMENTS OF THE ANSWER
The overall shape of the music composition is neither that of hip hop nor that of rhythm and blues. The song is labelled ‘neo soul’.
We have no interest in genres, yet the main characteristic of the so-called genre is based on groovy rhythms that constitute the foundation of the composition.
So, in "Happy", the form of the piece is strongly related to the rhythmic components. This implies that the emphasis is put on the relationships between each beat or phrase duration and the overall tempo of the song.
4. GOING FURTHER
Concluding is, in a sense, going further. For that reason, we may notice that, in the case of "Happy", the mixing engineer had no problem making decisions about the form of the song, as the composer sent him the completed track instead of mixing it himself with a producer. The mixing engineer said that he wanted a track sounding like a classic Motown song, and the final track is dominated both by a four-beat drums and pop vocals, along with gospel backing vocals, as it is the case in Motown songs.
If you want to find further materials for research related to musical form, notably in relationship with key signature, that we did not take into account here, use the YMusic search engine. Its database contains this title and tens of thousands of other titles full of musical data that may present an interest amongst analysts, composers or producers.