Grace – Jeff Buckley

00:00 – 00:30 - Intro First 2 bars are played by synthesizer and guitar.

Notice the use of accidentals alongside the key signature of E minor.

Drums and bass guitar enter in the third bar.

Although it is in E minor the song opens with two chords not normally found in this key (F minor7 and G minor7). Both chords have an added minor seventh.

This gives an ambiguous feel to the tonality – it is hard to tell what key it is in.

Broken chords

00:30 – 00:48 – Verse 1 Chromatic harmony – notes outside the key

First half of the verse uses the chord sequence – Em, F, Em, E flat

Movement of the verse step wise Word-painting is where the meaning of

the words is reflected in the music. Instruments – vocals, strummed chords

00:48 – 01:10 = Pre-Chorus

moves to his higher register on the words ‘my fading voice’

emphasises the word ‘love’ by using melisma

uses cross-rhythms between the bass guitar and his voice on the words 'clicking of time’

Stings, strummed chordsMelisma is where there is more than one note per syllable. A cross-rhythm is the effect produced when two conflicting rhythms are heard together.

Grace – Jeff Buckley

01:10 – 01:30 = Chorus It is all built on the words ‘Wait in the fire’.

Notice the long melisma on the final word 'fire'.

Falsetto, synthesizer, strings Strings descending/tremolo in the

background

01:30 – 01:56 = Link Broken chords Repeat of ideas from intro with some

variation First 2 bars played by synthesizer &

guitar Drums and Bass enter at bar 3

01:56 – 02:15 = Verse 2 Synthesizer used to paint words Similar to verse 1 but with different

words Strings Descending portamento on sorrow

02:15 – 02:40= Pre-chorus Strings – pizzicato, bowed Same as pre-chorus 1 – words are

different & instrumentation has been extended

02:40 – 03:00 = Chorus Chorus same as before Except strings creep in during the last

bar in preparation for bridge

03:00 – 03:40 = Bridge In 2 halves due to 2 distinct ideas Part A – descending chromatic sequence

Grace – Jeff Buckley

of chords - harmonised vocals on word “Oh”

Part B – based on the same chord progression from the first 2 bars of the pre – chorus

Part B chords – Em, F#dim, G6, A6, Bm, A6/9

The fall band is used = & little filtering for effect on words “leave behind” – Part B

Backing vocals sing part of vowels rather than phrases of lyrics & sing harmony

First 4 bars uses chords which move in parallel motion.

Voice part is a vocalisation. Vocalisation opens in 2 parts producing a rich texture.

Vocals in harmony Improvisation in high register

03:40 – 04:07 = Link Has musical ideas presented as before But the second guitar strums with

different rhythm & technique in part A Part B same as the other times in song

but louder04:07 – 04:24 = Verse 3 Agitated, tense

Old tune sung an octave higher -Falsetto Same chord progressions as in previous

verse Leads straight into the Coda

04:24 – 05:22 - Coda Provides the climax of the song. It is based on repetitions of the chord

sequence F, E minor, E flat7 The highest notes are sung falsetto. Voices & instruments improvise - rich &

full texture. Flange effect on the guitar (an electronic

effect producing a sweeping sound).