1)
The melody on the trumpet at the start begins with Bb - F - Eb. This Is quite a slow melody that matches the slow rate of harmonic change within the chords.
2) I would say that the first song is Reggae because it holds a lot of the features that a classic reggae song would normally have. It has a lot of the characteristics such as a slow rhythm accompanied by a steady bass line that doesn't really vary. This track also contains the snare beat hitting on beat 3 of the bar which is very common too. I think that this track contains more stereotypical reggae components than the second track.
This track does include a few elements that are not classic reggae such as echoed vocals. I didn't think this was completely in the reggae style because reggae was more about the groove and relaxed chilled vibe that the slow rhythms and bass line created for the vocalist to tell a story while because thought about what they were saying.
The Second track I feel is a more electronic type of track. I still feel the reggae vibe but I don't think it includes as much reggae flavour, if you will, like the other one does. The bass-line variates a lot more. This one does also include the echoed vocals which is what makes me feel that the track is a little more electronic. This track also doesn't have the main vocal part like the other one did and I feel that reggae is highly down to the main vocals and the story the the vocalist is trying to say. I would also say that this track is highly lead by the bass line which a good reggae track needs but because of the lack in vox which I feel reggae is all about this track doesn't have the reggae heart behind it like track one.
FUNK
1)
This track has been mixed to fit the genre of funk and help to create the funk style by positioning the instruments in a different part of the stereo spectrum. The most obvious and prominent instrument is the bass. The bass guitar in this track has been mixed louder than the other instruments and its placed at the front of the mix. I think that they have chosen to mix the bass at the front is because the groove of funk is based around the bass and the rhythm and percussion. The mix engineer would have wanted to capture this in the mix making the bass is the main underlying structure of the song accompanied by the drums.
Funk is all about the groove and how all the simple harmonies mix together to make something that make you want to just get up and dance. Primarily the bass and its funky scales and passing notes and little licks just give the track and foundation to the entire genre. The mix does this complete justice. As the bass has its steady position down the center of the mix it allows the horns vocals and guitars to sit around it and create the wonderful harmonies. The drums are at the front of the mix, or just behind the bass. This is because the snare and kick drum are accompanying the bass-line in keeping the groove bopping along.
I feel that the vocals have purposely be placed slightly behind the bass and lower frequencies because unlike reggae funk is about the groove and how the song bounces along with the bass line and how the horns and guitars incorporate this simple yet catchy harmony. This is why the vocals have been made quite unclear.
The guitars have been panned left and right to widen the sound and bring out the mids and make the shape of the track much wider and fulfilling. In contrast the horns and the clav (electric piano) have been panned to the right. This gives a live production concert feel and vibe to it as funk is mainly for live shows where people can dance. Having the horns and the mid freq instruments panned to the sides widens the track and gives it a sense of depth. The Keys are panned to the left towards the back as this is another instrument that is there to fill the mix up and add more dynamics.
The synths have been placed at the front as they are playing the main melody lines and need to sit with the bass to accompany the low frequencies.
2)
The way I think of funk personally is 'Play that funky music' by Wild Cherry. I would say that is just has every element of a funk song in it and I think it's a good one to compare to.
The main thing that I would say this track doesn't have that could suggest that it's not a funk track it that it doesn't have a prominent guitar riff that the drums and bass accompany. This track does have a bass line but I think that the guitar was a very important feature in a classic funk track.
Another thing I think of is that it doesn't have a section for a guitar solo which i think at this time was quite the thing. Funk tracks were known for having a large gap in the middle for the guitarist to improvise a solo or to improvise a jam with the other band members. funk is a very live based genre and it was very important to put on a great live show and this would include guitar solos and lot of room in the rhythm and root chords to allow a guitar solo or maybe even some call and response.
LATIN
1)
The vocals in this track are very clear and pronounced, because of Amy Winehouse's higher pitch voice than the original. You could say that her voice may of had some effects added as compared to her other tracks this track seems like maybe her voice has been pitched up a little as it sound thinner. This has allowed the drum kit, the snare more specifically a space to fit so far forward in the mix. I think Amy has added some of her jazz type style of singing into the recording and improvised some of the vocal melodies and mixed them up a little. This is quite common in jazz singing. I think it works very will in the Latin track. I like the higher pitched vocals for this track I think it fits the genre nicely and the slight influence of jazz works well with the style of singing that Amy is known for.
2)
This track defiantly has a different feel. The most obvious change is that the Amy Winehouse track is faster and more percussive. This really changes the vibe and groove of the track. As the snare is much more prominent in Amy's version I feel that it gives the more Latin feel although she does add the element of Jazz. Personally the first track is more laid back and more about the music. It's an easier listen and more likely to be played in a cafe. Amy Winehouse has made her version more about the vocals and the groove of the track is quite similar all the way through where as the first one has the sax line to create some interest away from the vocals.
BLUES
1)
The chords are constantly changing. This song has a fast rate of harmonic change. This song does follow the I - IV - V pattern. The chords are kept very simple to allow in the interest to be in vocals and the story in the lyrics.
2)
I would say that this song is a blues song. The term 'blues' in blues music doesn't always refer to the type of music. The dictionary definition says 'feelings of melancholy, sadness, or depression. "she's got the blues" This often what blues singers sing about. It's an emotion usually rather than the genre. This song does contain many characteristics that make up a blues track. Such as the chord progression.The '12 bar blues' structure can be heard in this song. The Acoustic guitar with the slide on the guitar is very common in blues as it evolved from the country music.
I would probably say that the style of vocal melody isn't quite your stereotypical blues vocal melody but it is does work really well with this song and the speed that the chords change.
ELECTRO
Q1: Give as clear as possible an account of all the different sounds and instruments in the first 3 minutes and 35 seconds. You probably won't know exactly how each sound is made but you should be able to make an educated guess whether something is sampled, synthesized or actually recorded in.
The very prominent kick drum sound would have been created on a drum machine.
Q2: What is this song about? How do the electronic instruments / sounds help to create the mood?
This song has quite a negative mood to it. Clearly about someone who has been let down by their lover or what not and he is writing about how sad he is.
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