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!
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 ears and to skim through the content of the score. Our main target is to help all types of listeners fix their attention on the musical content itself, rather than lyrics.
At the level of the rhythm, there is a variety of patterns, which are repeated several times. At first listen, during which the outer form may be perceived easily, the music composition sounds very original, alternating uniformity and diversity. Now what about the inner form of the music composition?
3. ELEMENTS OF THE ANSWER
To answer the question above, let us analyze the musicality of the song at a granular level. The present music composition, which is a ballad, weaves together quiet melodies and powerful rhythmic patterns, so the density of the rhythm is quite high.
0 second: during the introduction, we may hear at least three rhythmic patterns. Their pace is slow
18 seconds: several music notes make a bridge that leads to the first verse
25 seconds: there is place here for rhythmic newness, as two new rhythmic patterns constitute the main elements of the first verse, which is repeated. The pace stays slow, the verse being a little less dense than the introduction
50 seconds: restatement of the first series of rhythmic patterns
1 minute 12 seconds: restatement of the second series of rhythmic patterns, repeated
1 minute 38 seconds: several beats ensure a bridge
1 minute 42: the chorus brings new rhythmic patterns
1 minute 59 seconds: arrival of a new bridge made of several music notes
2 minutes: restatements and repetitions of the patterns contained in the verses and the chorus
3 minutes 16 seconds: again, a new rhythmic pattern, it is possible that it was added to draw attention to what will follow
3 minutes 34 seconds: a guitar soloist introduces new rhythmic patterns that contains many melodic riffs
4 minutes 6 seconds: last restatement of the rhythmic patterns present in the chorus
4 minutes 48 seconds: last restatement of the rhythmic patterns that may be heard in the verses
4. GOING FURTHER
Despite its uniformity, "Wind of Change" is very interesting at the level of the rhythm. In fact, the slow pace of the rhythmic patterns makes room for an attentive listening that leads to pattern appreciation. Additionnally, it directly leads to a brief conclusion: the rhythmic structure of the composition is mainly made of guitar riffs (little musical phrases repeated several times), vocals and melodies and their combinations partly explain why it was a success.
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-part intermediary!
2. GENERAL STATEMENT OR QUESTION
Regarding instrumentation, we just notice that the assortment of instruments found in the music composition is both traditional for the genre and efficient. Guitars, vocals and drums are what one may remark at first listening. How do they combine?
3. ELEMENT OF ANSWER
In "Wind of Change", less is more, especially at the level of instrumentation. The composition is mainly led by four instrumentalists: two rhythm guitarists (one playing the guitar introduction and the other the later guitar solo), a vocalist and a drummer.
0 second: during the introduction, we hear at least three instrumental patterns: vocals in the form of whistling, a rhythm guitar and a synth line. Their pace is slow
18 seconds: several guitar notes make a bridge that leads to the first verse
25 seconds: there is place here for newness at the level of instrumentation, as two new patterns, lead vocals and a guitar, constitute the main elements of the first verse. That verse is repeated. The pace stays slows, the verse being a little less dense than the introduction
50 seconds: restatement of the first series of instrumental patterns
1 minute 12 seconds: restatement of the second series of instrumental patterns, repeated
1 minute 38 seconds: several drum beats ensure a bridge
1 minute 42: the chorus is mainly filled with three instrumental patterns executed by the vocalist, the drummer and a guitarist
1 minute 59 seconds: arrival of a new bridge made of several drums notes
2 minutes: restatements and repetitions of the patterns contained in the verses and the chorus
3 minutes 16 seconds: again, we hear new instrumental patterns played by the guitars and the drums; it is possible that it was added to catch attention to what will follow
3 minutes 34 seconds: a guitar soloist introduces new instrumental patterns that contain many melodic riffs, along with other instruments in the background, including drums
4 minutes 6 seconds: last restatement of the instrumental patterns present in the chorus
4 minutes 48 seconds: last restatement of the instrumental patterns that may be heard in the verses
.
4. GOING FURTHER
The instrumentation of the composition is quite classical : for instance, the guitar of the guitar soloist is a well-known solid-body guitar made of two woods (mahogany and korina). Yet more than technology features, the drive, the attitude and the feeling are important at his eyes and he said that, actually, the hands make the sounds. More generally, such a guitarist is using many different guitars to produce specific sounds. And for the anecdote, he played the composition with a guitar that had no pickguard, i. e. without any security at the level of the wiring.
Several main points make it special:
The vocals of the introduction take the form of a whistle. In fact, the composer of the song is not a guitar player and, originally, he used a piano and a whistle to write what he called a little song. Later, the instrumentalists of the band tried to replace the whistle with a guitar, but they finally decided to keep the whistle, as it was a hook. Also, the voice of the singer songwriter was renowned at the time, even if he said that he had to figure his voice on stage because his audience is generally loud.
Do you want to discover songs that have points in common with "Wind of Change" 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
The composition is a slow tempo (76 BPM) song and it presents a usual time signature (4/4). What else?
3. ELEMENTS OF THE ANSWER
The form patterns, here, can be said to be representative of the genre, the power ballad. Actually, that form was chosen by the singer- songwriter for reasons related to marketing. In fact, during the early 1990s, hard rock and heavy metal bands like Scorpions were challenged by alternative hard rock genres like grunge. However, the band had a melodic side and that was appreciated by the general public in several compositions, including "Wind of Change".
4. GOING FURTHER
The song contains all the elements that constitute power ballads: it is a hard rock composition yet its tempo is slow, its vocals include dramatic accents and room is made for synth lines, besides classical rock instruments like electric guitars and drums. Also, the introduction and the conclusion of the composition are quiet, while vocals and other instruments’ intensity increase in other locations, including the chorus.
The composition presents the classic structure of a power ballad: the drums and guitars of hard rock are here, combined with several elements of orchestration that may be related to soft rock. Its main originality maybe lying in its whistling vocals.
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.