Maggie Hansen

Music 1010
Semester Project
Listening Guide

HALO
0:00-0:12 INTRODUCTION by chorus and strings in a Major Form
0:12-0:25 percussive beat and claps and piano come in to support the
chorus and strings
Relatively short introduction before the first verse begins but does a
good job of building to the verse.
0:26 Vocals start by Beyonc
0:30 word painting with the word Down
0:35 word painting with the phrase They did even make a sound, all
accompaniments stop
VERSE ONE
0:48 bridge to chorus
1:00 example of the Verse Chorus technique starts. Chorus begins after the
build up from the bridge with powerful lead vocals and backup vocals
1:23 call and echo begins on the word Halo
1:44 example of a riff or vocal run, though exemplified throughout the
whole song this is a power run because the music cuts out leaving only the talents
of Beyonc to keep the listeners attention
1:38 - Second verse begins
1:47 synthesizer comes in to maintain beat after the percussion section had
dropped
Throughout the song, there are different harmonies, mostly understated as
Beyonc sings the melody.
2:00 bridge to chorus is repeated
2:13 chorus is repeated with symphonic crescendos
2:45 - call and echo of halo
3:24 80s style drum breakdown illeviates the built up tension and the
chorus is repeated again for the third and final time

DIVA
0:00-0:11 Introduction consisting of a chipmunked Beyonc repeating the
line Imma Imma a diva backed by a synthesizer keeping the beat in a violin
sounding form
0:11 - Drum breakdown stops the chipmunked Beyonc
0:13 - Chorus One begins the song
0:25 word painting
Beyonc screeches as if a car slamming on its breaks
0:26 Stop the track reveals the intentions of the screech
0:26 First Verse
Accompanied by the resumption of the chipmunked Imma Imma a
diva
0:27 percussion section begins again with a snare drum keeping the beat
0:39 base comes in to support the beat and add the gangster sound
0:53 Chorus Two
Music cuts out to introduce a new section of the song
1:19 Verse Two begins
1:32 Call and Echo begins with Tell me somethin
1:37 Well my ladies up in here they like to talk back
This is one example of the female empowerment shown throughout the
song
1:57 Bridge
Breaks up the monotony of the the repeated Imma Imma a diva
a Diva is a female version of a hustla
2:55 Outro begins
The only lyrics being sung are Imma Imma a diva just like the
introduction to the song.
3:11 Beyonce no longer sings the Imma Imma a diva
Leaves only the chipmunks to finish the outro of the song

XO
0:00-0:07 Voice over of a pilot
Flight controlers here looking very carefully at the situation, obviously
a major malfunction this is to foreshadow the problems that can come
because of relationships
0:08 Word painting
Synthesizer begins the underlying beat which sounds like helicopter
wings, a reference
to the pilots introduction
0:12 Verse one
Leaves an echo behind the last word of every phrase building the
dramatic flare
0:31 What sounds to be a rubber band being pulled is a synthesizer again
0:34 percussion section comes in
0:58 Chorus one begins
1:08 call and echo is introduces
Starts with In the darkest night, Oh, I search through the crowd
1:20 Verse two begins
Same echo on the end of every phrase
Phrases are ended with a dash from percussion
2:05 Chorus two begins
2:28 Bridge
Builds to a repetition of the main phase Baby love me lights out
3:04 Chorus Three begins
3:24 Outro
A mans vocals Ooo-ing as in the beginning of the song