A musical pop quiz in two parts.

[theweaselking]

Part the first: Is there a proper music-theory term for when a song shifts up a key and repeats the chorus, as is so common in rock songs?

Part the second: What is the correct pronunciation of "Queensrÿche", both in terms of how you'd pronounce it if it wasn't a band name and how the band pronounces it?

Comments

[stormfeather.livejournal.com]

For part two, the band and everyone pronounce it "Queen's Reich" more or less, but smooshed together, with the Queen part being accented and the reich more of an afterthought. Dunno if that'd be the "correct" pronunciation or not, or even if a y should have the little umlaut thingies over it normally.

For part one, I think there is, but if there is I can't bring it to mind.

(And in honor of the musicalness of the questions I give you... the singing frog icon!)

the little umlaut thingies over it

[graethorne.livejournal.com]

Den Umlauten bring one so much potential metal cred, tho'....

[netdef.livejournal.com]

"Pivot modulation"

The chord that establishes the new key is called a "pivot chord."

It's considered something of a hack or trick, but it works and people like it.

[hoyvenmayven.livejournal.com]

Sort of. You don't really need a pivot chord to transition into the new key, although it helps. Sometimes they just go up a whole step without warning. I think the term weaselking is looking for is "modulation" or more colloquially, "key change."

[paradoxicmotion.livejournal.com]

One less serious suggestion (http://www.gearchange.org/FAQ.html) for a good term...

They can be cleverly done, but usually are not. Oliver's Army (http://youtube.com/watch?v=pSmNIecfqog) probably contains my favorite last-chorus-is-one-step-higher trick.

It's not quite a truck driver's gear change, at least I don't think it's the sort of audience-baiting blatant one that first link makes fun of. The key changes at the bridge, and then changes again for a third verse, and the last chorus is in the third verse's key (a step up from the one the song started in). It manages to achieve the same effect as the stereotypical key change without managing to feel like cheap pandering for emotion. IMO, anyway.

I have trouble thinking of other instances where such a thing doesn't set off alarms in my head. I think there's a Ramones song or two that get away with it...

I'm willing to accept that it's my hardcore-fan status for the aforementioned artists that blinds me to the lameness of said key changes.

[hoyvenmayven.livejournal.com]

In Stevie Wonder's "Summer Soft." off the album Songs in the Key of Life, he repeats the last chorus about 5 times, going up half a step each time. It's a rather glorious effect, when Stevie Wonder does it.

[kakkoi-hakujin.livejournal.com]

I'll tell you how to pronounce it next time I see you. The umlaut on the y is a sound that no longer occurs in English.

[mcfnord.livejournal.com]

I remember a web site enumerating pop songs that have relied on this.