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Ear Training with the Music of Radiohead
Author(s): Victoria Malawey

Source: Indiana Theory Review , Fall 2012, Vol. 30, No. 2 (Fall 2012), pp. 27-64
Published by: Indiana University Press on behalf of the Department of Music Theory,
Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University
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Ear Training with the Music of
Radiohead
Victoria Malawey
Macalaster College
However you try to describe it, Radiohead makes sense almost im

mediately—musically, despite complex time signatures, and emo
tionally, even though the words are often obscure and drenched in
sound.
—George A. Reisch, "Is Radiohead the Pink Floyd of
the Twenty-First Century?"
is sensible and advantageous. It allows us to supplement tradition

Incorporating
al examples from the popular
canon, resultingmusic in ear-training
in greater musical diversity, and music theory classes
which keeps classes from becoming predictable and curricula from be
coming static. In addition, it brings out similarities in musical structure
among seemingly diverse styles. Finally, bringing "real music" into aural
skills training gets away from (or at least can supplement) the atomistic,
non-contextual drilling lamented by some ear-training experts.1
English band Radiohead has been recording high-quality music
for decades, offering eight full-length albums from which to choose
examples appropriate for class. Guy Capuzzo points out that several
Radiohead songs incorporate a number of desirable musical features,
worthy of our study—including, but not limited to, modal mixture and
harmonic structures guided by voice-leading connections by common
tone.2 Many of Radiohead's songs conform to these and other prin
1 Gary Karpinski argues for using aural skills training with "real music" as
opposed to instructor-created materials, and furthermore advocates for greater
contextual skills (dictation and sight singing) as opposed to "atomistic skills
such as identifying and singing intervals and chord qualities and inversions"
("Lessons from the Past: Music Theory Pedagogy and the Future," Music Theory
Online 6, no. 3 (2000), 1 5.4-5.5).
2 Guy Capuzzo, "Neo-Riemannian Theory and the Analysis of Pop-Rock
Music,"Music Theory Spectrum 26, no. 2 (Fall 2004): 186.

132.208.246.237 on Tue, 16 Mar 2021 13:32:04 UTC
28 Indiana Theory Review Vol. 30 No. 2
ciples of common practice Western tonal music. In addition, much
of Radiohead's music is at once widely accessible yet also surprising
ly complex in terms of its harmonic content, metric structure, lyrical
content, and voice leading, making their songs ideal for classroom use.
Furthermore, scholars are already analyzing some of Radiohead's songs
compellingly in scholarly monographs and journal articles (many rel
evant sources are cited along with the appropriate songs in the course of
this article), which work well as follow-up reading assignments to com
plement ear-training exercises done in class. In addition, Radiohead's
songs are readily available for free streaming online via services such
as Rdio (www.rdio.com), Grooveshark (grooveshark.com), and Spotify
(www.spotify.com).This essay seeks to summarize Radiohead examples
appropriate for ear-training activities and to argue for the inclusion of
Radiohead's music in teaching aural skills and music theory.
This study is a contribution to a small, but useful body of work
by others who have sought out pedagogical examples from popular
music. In an article published in 1990, Justin London offers an analysis
that relates harmonic content with the meaning of the lyrics in Bruce
Springsteen's "One Step Up" from his 1987 album Tunnel ofLove, which
can be used in theory and ear-training classes.3 He argues that examples
from popular music are advantageous because "they provide a means
of connecting what is taught in class with students' 'real world' musical
experiences."4 E. Michael Harrington presents numerous songs popular
in the late 1980s and early '90s that use common chord progressions,
extended tertian chords, modulation schemes unique to rock music, and
composite meters, showing the variety of applications such music has
in teaching theory.5 More recently, Stuart Folse analyzes Shania Twain's
"You're Still the One" and The Eagles'"New Kid in Town," and argues
that incorporating pop music in musicianship classes not only reflects
the changing focuses of academic institutions (growing numbers of pro
grams in jazz and commercial music) but also takes advantage of stu
dents' familiarity with pop songs.6 Similarly, Pandel Collaros identifies
3Justin London, "'One Step Up': A Lesson from Pop Music," Journal of
Music Theory Pedagogy 4, no. 1 (Spring 1990): 111-14.
"Ibid., 111.
5E. Michael Harrington, "Rock Music as a Resource in Harmonic,
Melodic and Metric Dictation," College Music Symposium 31 (1991): 27-35.
6 Stuart Folse, "Popular Music as a Pedagogical Resource for Musicianship:
Contextual Listening, Prolongations, Mediant Relationships, and Musical
Form," Journal of Music Theory Pedagogy 18 (2004): 65-79.

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Malawey, Ear Training with the Music of Radiohead 29
pedagogical examples from the Beatles' repertoire.7 My study differs

somewhat from the work done by all of these authors because I am
focused primarily on generating aural skills activities (as opposed to
"written" analysis activities), although a few examples for the aural anal
ysis of form and voice leading are included.
The examples offered in this essay are designed for a variety of
undergraduate levels. Activities such as identification of intervals, scale
type, and meter (simple vs. compound) are appropriate for beginners in
fundamentals classes. As students learn about diatonic harmony, they
can take advantage of continued interval identification, chord quality
identification, and melodic dictation. As students advance into chro
matic harmony, ample chord function identification and longer aural
analysis activities will challenge them. And finally, there are several ac
tivities that can enhance the study of post-tonal theory, such as scale
identification (octatonic scales) and meter identification (composite
meters).
In what follows, I will describe different types of ear-training ac
tivities appropriate for this repertory, highlight several representative
examples, and suggest ways the activities cultivate essential aural skills. I
will demonstrate the benefits of using large-scale aural analysis exercis
es with Radiohead's "Exit Music (for a Film),""You and Whose Army?"
"A Wolf at the Door," "Stop Whispering," "High and Dry,""I Might Be
Wrong," and "A Punch Up at a Wedding." Finally, I will suggest pos
sibilities for sequencing these activities within a multi-semester music
theory curriculum.
Interval Identification
Intervals are easy to extrapolate from Radiohead's vocal contexts.

An instructor can ask students to listen for a particular word or set of
syllables to identify a prominent melodic interval. Figure 1 organizes
the excerpts appropriate for this activity by interval size. One repre
sentative example appears near the beginning of "Fake Plastic Trees,"
which appeared on Radiohead's second album, The Bends.8 One music
critic, Sasha Frere-Jones, likens this song's melody to
7 Pandel Collaros, "The Music of the Beatles in Undergraduate Music

Theory Instruction,"Indiana Theory Review 21 (Fall-Spring 2000): 53-78.
8 This and all of the songs presented in this essay may be streamed online
for free through Rdio (www.rdio.com), Grooveshark (grooveshark.com), or
Spotify (www.spotify.com).

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Figure 1. Examples for Interval Identification.
Song /Album Time Intervals

In Limbo introduction
introduction M2
KidA
The National
National Anthem
Anthem introduction
introduction M3
M3 vs.
vs. m3,
m3,
KidA
Kid A M2
How to Disappear Completely 4:38-4:53 m3

KidA
You and Whose Army? 2:01 m3

Amnesiac
Morning Bell/Amnesiac 0:00 and 0:11 m3, PI

Amnesiac
Prove Yourself
Prove Yourself 0:15,0:21 m3,P5
(and 0:26)
Dollars 8c Cents 4:15-4:40 M3 vs. m3
Amnesiac
Like Spinning Plates 2:33-2:39 P4

Amnesiac
2+2=5 0:42-0:49 P4, P5

Hail to the Thief
Fake
Fake Plastic
PlasticTrees
Trees 0:16 P4.P8
The Bends
Just 0:44-0:55 Tritone

The Bends
The Bends
Lurgee - ' ' -

Lurgee 0:55 P5
Pablo
Pablo Honey
Honey
Ripcord 0:42-0:50 P5, PI

Pablo Honey
Feral 0:00-0:27 P5.P1
The King of Limbs
Sit Down, Stand Up throughout; "sit down" at 0:34,m6, m2,

Hail to the Thief c.f. "the raindrops" at 3:03 P4/P5
Nice Dream 0:22-0:40 m6

The Bends
Vegetable 0:19 M6
Pablo Honey
High and Dry 1:09-1:25 M6

The Bends
My Iron Lung 0:54-1:00 M6

The Bends
Karma Police 2:37-3:36 M6

OK
OK Computer
Computer
A\. rrtyi*bvi
Let Down 2:28-2:48 M7
OK Computer
Bulletproof 1:44-2:06 P8
The Bends

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Questions
What melodic interval is prominent in this passage?
What melodic intervals are used predominantly in the bass guitar?
What descending melodic interval is played in this passage?
What melodic interval do we hear on the text, "we ride tonight"?
What melodic interval occurs on "(re)lease me"? What melodic interval occurs on the first
statement of "morning bell"?
What are the various melodic intervals sung on the lyrics "off dead"?
What two harmonic intervals are used in the guitar?
What melodic interval do we hear on the text, "spinning plates"?
What melodic intervals occur on "2 + 2" and "always makes"?
What are the melodic intervals that occur on "plastic"?
What is the descending melodic interval sung on "self (you) do" and "self (just) you"?
What ascending melodic interval is sung on "got strong"?
What melodic intervals are sung on "ripcord"?
What melodic intervals are used in this passage?
What two melodic

melodic intervals
intervals occur
occur in
in the
the song s recurring
song's recurring three-note
three-note motive?
motive?At
At0:34,
0:34,what
what
melodic interval is sung on "sit down"? How does this contrast with harmonic intervals at 3:03?
What is the ascending melodic interval that occurs on "brother" and "protect me"?
What descending melodic interval occurs on "tried hard"?
What ascending melodic interval is sung on "me high" and "me dry"?
What descending melodic interval is sung on "iron"?
What descending melodic interval is sung between "lost" and "myself"?
What is the largest descending melodic interval played in the guitar?
What ascending melodic interval is sung on "bulletproof"?

132.208.246.237 on Tue, 16 Mar 2021 13:32:04 UTC
the second theme of a Schubert string quartet: Yorke's voice
mimic[s] the timbre and varied dynamics of a violinist bowing. [...]
Yorke [...] plays his voice the way his bandmates play their instru
ments, and he has impressively consistent pitch. Radiohead sounds
like an instrumental band that happens to have a singer.9
In this example, the instructor asks students to identify the melodic

intervals sung on the word "plastic" near the end of the excerpt. The
correct answer is an ascending P4 (in this case, E4 to A4) followed by
descending P8 (A4 to A3).
Other examples using vocal cues shown in Figure 1 include
"Sit Down, Stand Up," "You and Whose Army?," "Morning Bell/
Amnesiac," "Prove Yourself," "Like Spinning Plates," "2+2=5," "Just,"
"Lurgee," "Ripcord," "Nice Dream," "Vegetable," "High and Dry," "My
Iron Lung," "Karma Police," and "Bulletproof." Some of these songs
demonstrate clever connections between musical content and lyrics in
engaging ways. For example, in "2+2=5," Yorke sings an ascending P4 on
"2+2" and an ascending P5 on "always makes," which creatively relates
the intervallic content directly to the lyrics and title of the song.10 In
"Lurgee," the apex of the song (G4) occurs when Yorke sings the word
"strong," marking the ascending P5 that prepares its arrival in a power
ful way. Similarly, "High and Dry" relies on a large ascending leap of a
M6 in obvious word painting of "high,"which is marked also by Yorke's
expressive delivery of the word on the melodic apex of the song (G#4).
Frank Samarotto identifies a trope in some popular songs whereby
an "expectancy section" uses ascending gestures and is marked by formal
and tonal incompletion, which is followed by an "infinity section" that
relies on repetition and melodic stasis as a means of completing the
song.11 Samarotto finds such a trope in "Sit Down, Stand Up,"which is
made possible by changes in its intervallic content, among other musical
aspects. Its opening ascending m6 plays a crucial part of hearing expec
tancy in the song's opening section (0:00-3:03), which contrasts mark
edly with the static harmonic perfect intervals Yorke sings on "the rain
9 Sasha Frere-Jones,"Fine Tuning," New Yorker 82, no. 19 (26 June 2006):
86-7.
10Brad Osborn, "Understanding Through-Composition in Post-Rock,

Math-Metal, and other Post-Millennial Rock Genres,"Music Theory Online 17,
no. 3 (October 2011)
http://www.mtosmt.0rg/issues/mto.ll.17.3/mto.ll.17.3.osborn.html, f 33.
"Frank Samarotto, "The Trope of Expectancy/Infinity in the Music of
the Beatles and Others," presented at the 35th Annual Meeting for the Society
for Music Theory (New Orleans, La., 2 November 2012).

132.208.246.237 on Tue, 16 Mar 2021 13:32:04 UTC
drops" to create a sense of "infinity" in the closing section (3:03-4:20)

of the song. As students identify intervals in this song, they can relate
them to this particular trope, or perhaps devise their own tropes based
on how they experience changing states in the song.
Instrumental riffs are also useful for identifying prominent inter
vals. Dai Griffiths identifies "The National Anthem" as one of three "os
tinato songs" appearing on Kid A and Amnesiac.12 As students listen to
this song, they can be asked to identify three distinct melodic intervals
used in the bass guitar riff, which are M3 (F(t to D), m3 (Ft) to D), and
M2 (E to D). Marianne Tatom Letts describes the riff as a "collaps
ing of intervals" that "underscores the claustrophobic feel of the lyrics,"
which deal with themes of alienation and despair.13 Because the riff is
repeated many times, students will have multiple chances to internalize
the series of intervals. Furthermore, since the intervals (m3, M2, m2) all
share the same bottom note (D), which acts as a common tone among
them, students may more easily compare the sound of these smaller
intervals, which beginning students sometimes mistake for each other.
Other examples using instrumental cues shown in Figure 1 include
"Dollars 8c Cents," "How to Disappear Completely," "In Limbo,"
"Feral," "Sit Down, Stand Up," and "Let Down," all of which rely on
repetition to allow students to more easily extrapolate and identify the
given intervals contextually.
Scale Type Identification
Scale type identification can be useful from the novice level (in
which students identify differences among major and the three minor
scales) to more advanced levels (in which students identify modal and
octatonic scales). Examples for scale type identification appear in Figure
2. All of the examples are largely unembellished or pure, which make
them especially useful for ear training. In Figure 2,1 have classified each
example into one of three primary types, which may affect the level
of difficulty of the activity: songs that use (1) a general key collection
12 Dai Griffiths, "Public Schoolboy Music: Debating Radiohead," in

The Music and Art of Radiohead, ed. Joseph Tate (Burlington, Vermont and
Aldershot, England: Ashgate, 2005), 164.
13 Marianne Tatom Letts, Radiohead and the Resistant Concept Album:
How to Disappear Completely (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2010),
66.

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without explicit presentation of a sequential scale or scale fragment; (2)
prominent stepwise scale fragment(s), as well as a general unordered
diatonic collection; and (3) prominent stepwise scale fragments or a
complete scale exclusively.
Just as repetition can make for easier contextual identification of
intervals, it can also be an asset for aural scale identification. "I Might
Be Wrong" (0:17-3:49) uses a repeating riff that emphasizes 1 and 3,
which define the mode as minor. "Stop Whispering" features a de
scending fragment of the major scale (Î-7-6-5), which is stated twice
at the beginning of the verses. Similarly, the vocal line of the verses
of "I Can't" states major scale fragments 6-7-Î and 6-5-4-3-2 twice.
"Thinking About You" emphasizes the stepwise gesture Î-2-3, which
recurs throughout the song's melody and defines the mode as major.
"There There" gradually introduces the general minor collection with
repeated emphasis on tonic anchors 1, 3, and 5. "I Will" provides an
interesting example of melodic minor. Once students are able to infer
tonic as C$ and the overall mode as minor in "I Will," they may listen
to the vocal part beginning at 1:26, which repeats an ascending step
wise gesture that uses the raised forms of 6 and 7, the defining features
of melodic minor. All of these are effective examples, particularly for
beginning students, because they emphasize tonal anchors (1,3, and/or
5) that define the mode as major or minor through repetition.
Repetition of scalar fragments also makes for effective identifica
tion of modes other than major and minor. For example, "Morning Mr.
Magpie" (0:00-2:04) repeats the mixolydian scalar fragment 5-6—7—5
in the guitar while the lead vocal emphasizes Î and 5. In "A Punch Up at
a Wedding," E is established as tonic through repetition and emphasis
in the bass part, and in the passage beginning at 1:16, Yorke sings an as
cending stepwise fragment of E dorian (4-5—6—7-1) on "nothing's ever
good enough for you" and "you've come here just to start a fight." Other
songs reveal modal properties more gradually. "Hunting Bears," a short
instrumental track from Amnesiac, demonstrates a gradual presentation
of D dorian—at first, emphasizing 4,5,7, and 1 of the scale, at 0:35 in
troducing 3, and finally at 1:33 articulating the characteristic raised 6 to
confirm the mode as dorian. Similarly, the modal content of "Separator"
appears gradually: at the beginning of the song, repeating Bt>s establish
tonic, Yorke's melody reaches D (3) at 0:27, and soon after at 0:32 Yorke
sings Ab (b7), which defines the mode as mixolydian.
Other examples reveal their modal properties primarily through
harmonic content. "Lucky," "15 Step," and "Lotus Flower," all examples
in the dorian mode, feature the major subdominant (IV) and minor

132.208.246.237 on Tue, 16 Mar 2021 13:32:04 UTC
Figure 2 . Examples for Scale Type Identification

Song/Album Time Scale Type Classification
Stop
Stop Whispering
Whispering0:15,1:19 major (1
0:15,1:19 7 (1
major 6 756 repeated
5 repeated at at Type
Type 22
Pablo
Pablo Honey Honey
beginning of eachof verse)
beginning each verse)
Thinking
Thinking About You About You throughout
throughout major
major (emphasizes 12 3) (emphasizes
Type 2 12 3) Type 2
Pablo Honey
I ICan't
Can't 0:17-0:36 major
0:17-0:36 (6 71,6 5 74Î, 3
major (6 6 524 3
at2 at
Type
Type22
Pablo
Pablo Honey Honey beginning of verses)
beginning of verses)
II Might
Might Be Wrong
Be Wrong 0:17-3:49 minorminor
0:17-3:49 (emphasizes minor
(emphasizes minorType 1
Typei
Amnesiac
Amnesiac tonic triad)
tonic triad)
There
There There There 0:00-1:15
0:00-1:15 natural minor Type
natural minor 1
Typei
Hail
Ha toil the
to Thief
the Thief
II
WillWill 1:26 melodic
1:26 minor
melodic(1
minor5 (16 5 6 71
71 Type
Type22
Hail
Hail to theto the
Thief Thief sung on "eyes,
sung oneyes, eyes")
"eyes, eyes, eyes")
1515
Step Step 0:41-1:38
0:41-1:38 dorian TypeTypei
dorian 1
In Rainbows
Lucky 1:10
Lucky 1:10 dorian
dorian Type Typei
1
OK
OKComputer
Computer
Hunting
Hunting Bears Bears throughout
throughout dorian dorian Type 1
Typei
Amnesiac
APunch
A Punch Up
Up at at a Wedding1:16-1:51
a Wedding 1:16-1:51 dorian (fragment:
dorian (fragment: 4 546571)
6 71)
TypeType
2 2
Hail
Hailtotothe
the
Thief
Thief
Lotus
Lotus Flower Flower 0:58-2:00,
0:58-2:00, doriandorian Type 1
Typei
TheKing
The King of
of Limbs Limbs 2:32-3:20
2:32-3:20
Morning
Morning Mr.
Mr. Magpie Magpie 0:00-2:04
0:00-2:04 mixolydian Type
mixolydian Type22
The
The King
King
of Limbs
of Limbs
Give
Give Up
Up the the
Ghost Ghost throughout
throughout mixolydian Type
mixolydian 1
Typei
The
TheKing
King
of Limbs
of Limbs
Separator
Separator 0:00-2:57
0:00-2:57 mixolydian
mixolydian Typei
Type 1
The
TheKing King
of Limbs of Limbs
The
The National
National Anthem Anthem
1:57-2:18 1:57-2:18
octatonic octatonic
(fragment: A-G Type 2 (fragment: A
Kid A Bt>-G-A-F#-Bl>-A)
These
These Are
Are My
My Twisted
TwistedWords
Words 0:08-1:04
0:08-1:04octatonic
octatonic
(f
(single) E-El>-D 1>-C)
Just 0:06-0:16, octatonic (OCT02) Type 3
The Bends 0:55-1:05,
1:44-1:55,
2:47-3:09
Morning Mr. Magpie 2:04-2:14 octatonic (fragment: G-F- Type 2

The King
King ofofLimbs
Limbs Ab-F-E-G)
Ab-F-E-G)
tonic (i) chords prominently, which are hallmarks of their m

tity. Likewise, "Give Up the Ghost" alternates D major (I) and
(t»VII), a typical mixolydian chord structure in rock music.

132.208.246.237 on Tue, 16 Mar 2021 13:32:04 UTC
Very few rock bands use the octatonic scale, and consequently
Radiohead's use of the scale within the genre of rock is exceptional. The
most explicit and unambiguous use of the octatonic scale can be found
in "Just," which scholar Paul Lansky describes as "complex, pushing tra
ditional tonal functional relations to the edge of a cliff."14 Because of
its straightforward presentation, "Just" functions well alongside more
standard examples from the twentieth-century canon for the introduc
tion of the octatonic scale in post-tonal theory classes. "These Are My
Twisted Words" (0:08-1:04) repeats a descending stepwise octatonic
fragment (G-F|{-E-Eb—Db-C) over a static C major harmony. The
song as a whole is tonal because it has a clear pitch center (C), but
its tertian-based harmonies reflect some aspects of the octatonic scale,
such as extensive mode mixture (play with E and Eb, both pitches in
the OCTOl collection), use of Db (b2) in the repeating bass guitar riff,
and occasional appearances of the D major triad at 2:05,2:50,3:10, and
4:26, which subtly hearkens back to the Fj} from the OCTOl collection.
In addition, octatonic subsets in "The National Anthem" and
"Morning Mr. Magpie" result from the use of mode mixture within an
otherwise tonal context. Osborn identifies such an octatonic passage
in the ondes Martenot melody in "The National Anthem" at 1:57.15
Hearing a tonic of D, the melody eerily hovers around S (A), embel
lished by b6 (Bb),4 (G), and j}3 (F$) to create a subset of the octatonic
collection. A vocal melody using a similar octatonic subset occurs in
"Morning Mr. Magpie" (2:04-2:14) with a tonic of C.
Meter Identification
The examples that appear in Figure 3 work toward developing the

skill of meter perception. "Paranoid Android" and "I Might Be Wrong"
are two representative examples among many that illustrate simple
quadruple meter, which can be contrasted with "Nice Dream," "Sulk,"
"Subterranean Homesick Alien," and "How to Disappear Completely,"
which provide examples of compound meter.16
14 Paul Lansky, "My Radiohead Adventure," in The Musk and Art of

Radiohead, ed. Joseph Tate, 168-76 (Burlington, Vermont and Aldershot,
England: Ashgate, 2005), 171.
15 Brad Osborn, uKid Algebra: Radiohead's Euclidean and Maximally
Even Grooves," presented at the 35th Annual Meeting for the Society for
Music Theory (New Orleans, La., 2 November 2012).
16 Letts characterizes the meter in "How to Disappear Completely" as
somewhat ambiguous. She writes, "The bass line presents a 'two against three'

132.208.246.237 on Tue, 16 Mar 2021 13:32:04 UTC
Figure 3. Examples for Meter Identification

Song
Song /
/ Album Album Time
Time Meter Meter
Type Type
Paranoid Android
Paranoid Android 0:00-2:09,
0:00-2:09, simple quadruple
simple quadruple
OK
OK Computer
Computer 3:36-5:40
3:36-5:40
II Might
Might Be Wrong
Be Wrong throughout
throughout simple quadruple
simple quadruple
Amnesiac
Nice Dream
Nice Dream throughout compoundcompound
throughout quadruple
quadruple
The Bends
Sulk
Sulk throughout throughout
compound quadruple
compound quadruple
The Bends
Subterranean
Subterranean Homesick Alien
Homesick Alien throughout
throughout compound compound
quadruple
quadruple
OK Computer
HowtotoDisappear
How Disappear Completely
Completely throughout
throughout compound compound
quadruplequadruple
Kid A
Morning
Morning Bell Bell throughout
throughout composite (in(in5)
composite 5)
KidA
Kid A
Everything
Everything In
In Its Right Place Its Right Place throughout
throughout composite (in 5) composite (in 5)
KidA
Kid A
1515
Step Step throughout composite
throughout (in (in5)
composite 5)
In Rainbows
These
These Are
Are My MyWords
Twisted Twisted Words
1:42 1:42 composite (in
composite (in 5)
5)
(single)
Paranoid
ParanoidAndroid Android 2:09,3:16
2:09,3:16 composite (in(in7)
composite 7)
OK
OKComputer
Computer
2+2=5
2 + 2 = 5 0:00-1:22 compositecomposite
0:00-1:22 (in 7) (in 7)
Hail
Hail to the
to Theif
the Theif
In addition, Radiohead's music uniquely offers more than a few

songs in easily perceivable composite meters. For example, a special op
portunity occurs with "Morning Bell," which appeared in two differ
ent versions—one on Kid A and another on its sister album Amnesiac.
feel (dotted quarter notes that can be heard in 6/8 rather than
the vocal line) against the 'fast three'feel (3/4) of the guitar's rhy
which also contribute to the feeling of being out of time" {Re
Album, 75). I do not hear this song as being "out of time"; on the
it as a fairly clear example of compound meter. This type of t
cross rhythms within an overarching compound meter, seems
in popular music spanning various genres. Examples of th
include Duncan Sheik's "Hymn" (2006), Audrye Sessions' "A
Adas Sound's "Criminals" (2009), Kelly Clarkson's "Breakawa
Matthews' "Stay or Leave" (2003), John Mayer's "Daughters"
Brennet's "Boy in a Dress" (2002), and Sinead Lohan's "No M
to name a few.

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Biographer James Doheny comments on the metric differences between
the two versions of "Morning Bell":
There's a real rhythmic difference between the two tracks. In the

version on Kid A, each changing chord "toll" is expressed as a bar
of five skipping beats, the irregular number of beats, quick tempo
and shuffling groove helping to float things along and mask the
"tolling" quality. In [the version on Amnesiac], each harmonic toll is
transformed into a two clanging Lennon-esque crotchets ... or half
of a much slower 4/4 bar. [ ...] The chords last for about the same
time, even though the effect is utterly different.17
Not only does the Kid A version of "Morning Bell" feature a local com
posite meter of 3+2, but what is even more compelling about this song
is how larger levels of meter are similarly asymmetrical. Nested, hierar
chical levels of composite meter, which mirror each other, are unique to
Radiohead. The hypermeter, as articulated through repeating harmonic
patterns, is also 3+2 in this song. There are three repetitions of a two-bar
oscillation of A minor and CÜ minor followed by two repetitions of
another 2-bar oscillation of G major and D major. Figure 4 illustrates
the song's asymmetrical hypermeter as articulated by harmony as it
occurs in its first iteration (0:08-0:29); this harmonic structure is re
peated throughout the song.
Figure 4. Harmonic Design and Hypermeter of "Morning Bell" on

Kid A
0:08 0:10 0:12 0:14 0:170:19 0:21 0:23

0:21 0:23 0:25
0:25 0:27
0:27 •
Am Ctfm Am Ctim
Cttm Am C#m GM
AmCtfm GM DM
DM GM
GM DM
DM
After students successfully identify the metric properties of the

Kid A version of "Morning Bell," the instructor may play the version
that appeared on Amnesiac, which in Letts' words "exorcises the song's
driving rhythm."18 After comparing the two versions, students may be
instructed to describe the differences between the two versions, not
only in terms of metric difference, but also differences in orchestration,
17James Doheny, Radiohead Back to Save the Universe: The Stories Beh
Every Song (New York: Thunder's Mouth Press, 2002), 124.
18 Letts, Resistant Concept Album, 147.

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timbre, and dynamics. The version that appeared on Amnesiac is best

characterized as a slow simple quadruple.
Chord Identification
Two types of chord identification are possible with Radiohead's

music. One type focuses on individual chord types and is appropriate
for fundamentals and musicianship classes. Examples for identifying
chord quality appear in Figure 5. While listening to these examples,
students identify the quality of triads, seventh chords, and some extend
ed tertian sonorities, focusing more on the individual sonority and less
with chord function within a harmonic progression. To illustrate, for
a basic musicianship class, one can use "Faust Arp" from In Rainbows
to compare the qualities of minor and major. In this example, we hear
B minor repeated several times followed by its parallel major triad, B
major. The effect of the changing mode is immediate and helps stu
dents make the critical connection between what they hear and what
we teach (in this case, spelling and recognition of major and minor
triads). A similar example is found in "Dollars 8c Cents," the chords of
which music critic Jon Pareles describes as "waver[ing] between major
and minor, perpetually unsettled."19 Because both examples linger upon
parallel major and minor sonorities and compare them in direct succes
sion, "Faust Arp" and "Dollars 8c Cents" are uniquely effective examples
for beginning ear-training students. Likewise, the other examples listed
in Figure 5 emphasize chord quality by lingering upon the sonority in
question, which is an advantage this specific repertory offers.
The effectiveness of Radiohead's music goes beyond simple dem
onstrations of individual sonorities, however. In fact one hallmark
of Radiohead's style is its remarkable richness in terms of harmonic
content. As students progress to more advanced levels of musicianship,
they can begin to identify chromatic chords with strong functional roles
within harmonic progressions. This activity develops several essential
listening skills, including identification of scale-degree function in bass
lines and inference of tonic. Several examples are given in Figure 6.
19Jon Pareles, "Recordings," review of Radiohead Amnesiac, Rolling Stone

no. 871 (21 June 2001): 74-77.

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Figure 5. Examples for Chord Quality Identification
bong/Album
bong /Album lime
lime Chord Quality
Chord equality
Faust Arp 0:02 and 0:11 minor and parallel major
In Rainbows (Bm, BM)
Dollars 6c
&. Cents 4:15-4:40 major and parallel minor
Amnesiac (BM, Bm)
You 0:00 Mm7 (E7)

Pablo
Pablo Honey
Honey
Bullet Proof... I Wish I Was 0:14 mm7 (Am7),

The Bends MM7 (CM7)
Sail to the Moon 0:00 MM7 (AM7)

Hail to the Thief
Weird Fishes/Arpeggi
Fishes/Arpeggi 0:07-0:33
0:07-0:33 mm7,
mm7,M,MM7
M,MM7
In Rainbows (Em7, F#m7, AM, GM7)
Blow Out 0:00 mmM9 (Em9)
Pablo
Pablo Honey
Honey
House of Cards 0:00 add9 (Fadd9)

In Rainbows
Figure 6. Examples for Chord Function Identification

Song/Album Time Chromatic Chord
bong/Album
Planet Telex 0:12-0:38 V7/IV and borrowed iv
The Bends (progression: I-IV-V7/IV-iv)
My Iron Lung 0:22 and throughout borrowed iv
The Bends
Subterranean Homesick Alien 0:14 and throughout, borrowed iv

OK Computer also at 4:07
No Surprises introduction borrowed iv
OK Computer
Morning Mr. Magpie 2:34-2:36, borrowed iv

The King of Limbs 2:48-2:50
You 1:12-1:24 borrowed
borrowed II (cf.
(c£ I and i)
Pablo Honey
Lucky 1:34 augmented sixth chord

OK Computer
Subterranean Homesick Alien 4:10 N (progression: I-v-N-V)

OK Computer
A Wolf at the Door 0:05 N6

Hail to the Thief
Creep throughout chromatic mediant (III) or

Pablo Honey V/vi and borrowed iv
Backdrifts 1:28-1:40
1:28-1:40 chromatic
chromatic mediant
mediant (!>III)
(bill)
Hail to the Thief
Thief

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Predominant borrowed chords are featured prominently in

"Planet Telex," "My Iron Lung," "Subterranean Homesick Alien," "No
Surprises," and "Morning Mr. Magpie.'"Ihe minor borrowed subdomi
nant is especially effective in the introduction of "No Surprises," a song
that Nadine Hubbs has characterized as a "major-mode song of almost
naïve simplicity."20 Here, however, the expressive use of borrowed iv pre
vents the song's harmony from becoming too pedestrian. One might
even draw upon this in the aural skills exercise: the instructor asks
students to identify the type of chromatic chord featured in the song
and then offer their own commentary on its expressive significance in
the song as a whole, after also providing them with the song lyrics. To
enhance class discussion, one might draw upon philosopher and histo
rian George A. Reisch's interpretation of "No Surprises":
At first, Yorke seems to offer a parody or satire, strung together out

of political and cultural clichés about home security, and routine:
bring down the government, [...] they don't speak for us
a job that slowly kills you, bmises that won't heal.
No alarms and no surprises; such a pretty house and such a
pretty garden
Yet wrapped in the plinkety-plink-plink music of a nursery rhyme
or music box, the lyrics become less sarcastic .. . and more a study
in the political infantilization—by cliché, chit-chat, conventional
wisdom, and routine—of adults either unable or unwilling to live
freely and creatively.21
In this song we witness the ironic juxtaposition of several seem

ingly incongruent elements—a music box texture and instrumentation
juxtaposed with traditional rock instruments, the slightly out-of-tune
key of F major juxtaposed with inflections of F minor through the use
of borrowed iv—which could be seen to parallel the juxtaposition of
contrasting themes in the song lyrics, such as pretty houses and gardens
with negative aspects of routine, loss of freedom and creativity, and un
happiness that may result from participation in a capitalist society. Of
course, no song will necessarily appeal to all students, but the lyrics of
20 Nadine Hubbs,"The Imagination of Pop-Rock Criticism," in Expression

in Pop-Rock Music: Critical and Analytical Essays, 2nd ed., ed. Walter Everett,
(New York and London: Routledge, 2008), 226.
21 George A. Reisch, "Is Radiohead the Pink Floyd of the Twenty-First
Century?" in Radiohead and Philosophy: Fitter Happier More Deductive, ed.
Brandon W. Forbes and George A. Reisch (Chicago and LaSalle, 111.: Open
Court, 2009), 7.

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"No Surprises" and other songs by Radiohead—with themes ranging
from a critique of political and economic societal structures, self-re
flection and self-awareness, to themes of isolation, alienation, love, and
loss—may resonate with some traditional college-age students (18-22
years old), just as they are coming of age, experiencing a period of self
discovery, and developing social awareness.
Music by other rock bands sometimes uses borrowed predominant
chords, but very few rock songs feature linear chromatic chords most
often associated with late nineteenth-century Romantic art music, such
as the augmented sixth and Neapolitan, which are present in several of
Radiohead's songs. Thus Radiohead's music provides instructors with
a unique opportunity to explore such chromatic chords in the genre of
mainstream rock music. "A Wolf at the Door" features the Neapolitan
sixth chord in D minor. This example is effective because the N6 is
situated in between tonic and dominant harmony, and the chords are
arpeggiated so students can latch onto individual scale degrees, such as
\>2, which marks the N6. The Neapolitan is also featured at the end of
"Subterranean Homesick Alien."The harmonic syntax in this excerpt is
unusual (I-v-N-V), but the last three chords of the progression provide
harmonic support for a loosely constructed sequence in the lead guitar
melody, transcribed in Example 1. This chromatic sequence preserves
rhythm and general melodic contour. Although the minor dominant
triad is atypical, the motion from the Neapolitan to the major dominant
triad is normative. The inflection of Neapolitan harmony in this song
might be seen as a nod to the otherworldly, which relates loosely to the
"aliens [that] hover" in the song's lyrics.
Example 1. Transcription of'Subterranean Homesick Alien," 4:12

4:27, lead guitar
Dm Al>
AI» D
y-Q
4=n -b. t ^3r=
GM: v N V
Songs that feat

matic chords are e
gives students mu
"Creep," which a
and the song tha
such a progressio

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interpreted as either I—III (chromatic mediant)-IV-iv (borrowed iv)

or as I—V/vi-VI/vi (deceptive resolution)-iv in G major. Both inter
pretations are equally feasible, and this example can illustrate that
there are multiple ways to hear a passage. The interpretation as I-V/vi
VI/vi-iv highlights the connection between the second and third
chords, emphasizing chord function as a deceptive resolution of a sec
ondary dominant. The interpretation as I-III-IV-iv brings attention
to the common tone (B) connection between the first two chords and
the borrowing in the last two chords (IV becomes iv).22 This interpreta
tion makes sense especially in the chorus sections of the song, where
Yorke's lead vocal hovers around B over the first three chords, moving
through Bb and G only with the last chord. Smooth voice leading that
emphasizes same note and stepwise chord connections is a hallmark of
Radiohead's style and offers a unique opportunity to explore standard
voice-leading procedures in the genre of rock, which is unavailable with
many other rock songs.
Many scholars and critics have commented upon this progression.
Alex Ross remarks upon "the regal turn from G major to B major,"
stating that "no matter how many times you hear the song, the second
chord still sails beautifully out of the blue."23 Doheny describes the word
painting that occurs on the last two chords of the repeating progres
sion—the change from C major to C minor, claiming that it makes "a
deliberate mockery of the word 'special' in the process."24 Capuzzo ana
lyzes the progression in terms of its Neo-Riemannian transformations,
highlighting voice-leading connections by common tone.25 Advanced
students might be enriched by reading Capuzzo's article on transforma
tions in "Creep" as a follow-up assignment after doing the aural chord
identification exercise in class to better understand the relationships of
22 In either interpretation, the second chord (B major) provides consonant

support for a passing F-sharp (from G to E) in Yorke's lead vocal melody in
the verses.
23 Alex Ross, "The Searchers: Radiohead's Unquiet Revolution," New
Yorker (20 and 27 August 2001): 112-23.
24Doheny, Back to Save the Universe,18. He argues also that the repeat
ing progression "provides a steady platform on which the drama of the song is
played out by its other constituent elements: lyrics, melody, intonation, perfor
mance, dynamics and orchestration, etc." (15). Doheny describes this progres
sion further as a "passacaglia—the chord pattern itself with those major/minor
chord shifts, overlapping of lyrical and musical phrases to dramatic effect, etc."
(18).
25 Capuzzo, "Neo-Riemannian Theory," 186-7.

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the chords and their relationship to meanings of the lyrics. Capuzzo
argues that the repeating chord progression "creat[es] a musical analog
to the song's obsessive lyrics" and further identifies an ascending chro
matic line (5-#5-6 or D-D#-E) "that 'creeps' up" and then retreats back
down by step to \>6 (Ei>) to invoke "self-pity" implied by the lyrics.26
Melodic Dictation
Although other examples are possible, I have selected six excerpts

suitable for melodic dictation, which appear in Examples 2-7. These
excerpts range in difficulty level from diatonic (Examples 2-5) to chro
matic (Examples 6-7). Most use repetition or sequence, which add co
herence to the excerpts, but they also feature syncopation, which can be
especially challenging for novices. In a study on melodic dictation, Gary
Potter concludes, "Rhythmic understanding is absolutely imperative in
dictation."27 Therefore, students should be encouraged to transcribe the
rhythm first before attending to or notating pitch content. For begin
ning students, it may be helpful to discuss the rhythmic structure after
the first hearing so that they can correct their rhythmic errors and use
the remaining time to focus on pitch content exclusively.
In spite of the tricky syncopation in some of the excerpts, students
may be aided by providing the lyrics prior to the dictation. This is an
advantage of dictating texted melodies. These can be given beneath the
staff as in Example 2, which gives students a rough idea of the metric
placement of the syllables. Or an incipit of the text may be given, as
in Examples 3 and 4, which may provide some assistance to students.
Or, the lyrics may be provided separately, as in Example 5, or not at all,
which would provide maximal challenge.
The skill of inferring tonic will be developed if the starting notes
are not given prior to the dictation, especially in examples that do
not start or end on tonic, as in "Nude" (Example 3), "Electioneering"
(Example 5, which starts on 7 and ends on 1 , but 1 is not harmonized
with the tonic triad), "Optimistic" (Example 6), and "Subterranean
Homesick Alien" (Example 7). Example 7 is particularly challenging
because the tonic triad is never articulated. Inference of scale-degree
function results when students identify the half cadence at the end of
the example, which allows them to relate the implied harmony of the
second bar as a Neapolitan, a chromatic predominant function before
the half cadence implied in the final bar.
26 Ibid., 186.
27Potter, "Successful Dictation Strategies," 66.

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Example 2. Melodic Dictation, "Nice Dream," 0:22-0:40
They
Theylove melove
like I was
mea brother
likeTheyIpro-tect
They was me
aListen
Listen to
brother
pro-tect me
to me
me
Answer Kev:
^sTf Key: Cadence: Cadence:
HC HC
it ¥ ff } J J - } J": 1 -i-*'
They
Theylove me
love
like I me
was a brother
like They
I was
pro-tect
a brother
me Listen to me
They pro-
Example 3. Melodic Dictation, "Nude,"2:45-3:11

Cadence:
i*»y i ' ' You'll
Answer Key: Cadence:Cadence:

HC HC
fl ax , i , , , , i , i i mi -
ÏP
You'll
You'llgo to hell for
go what to
your dir-ty
hell mind isfor
think - ing
what your dir-ty mind is th
Example 4. Melodic Dictation, "Street Spirit,"
Rows
KEY:
Answer Key:
Rows of houses all bear-ing down_on me I can feel their blue hands touch-ing me_
KEY: Am
Example 5. Melodic Dictation, "Electioneering," 1:03-1:15
Lyrics:
Lyrics:I go
I go
forwards,
forwards,
you go
you
backwards
go backwards
And
Andsomewhere
somewherewe will
we will
meet meet
Answer Key:
Ju j JirirJJuuj J».Nr
Ji-i 'JifJ1 uu jJ„Lu.ij.'il
'ii
I go for-wards, you go back-wards and some-where we will meet

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Example 6. Melodic Dictation, "Optimistic," 0:00-0:26
~Hr> 3-H
.-H
—• l
KS "4
Answer Kev:
I k 4 1 - =fi= —1—I -|—-—H

-J——
p »-< a
Example 7. Melodic Dictation, "Subterranean Hom

4:12-4:27
Cadence: _
AaSW"
Answer Key: Key; Cadence: HC
Cadence: HC
1=
As with any dictation activity, the instructor can adjust the amount
of given information from class to class, or even individual to individual
within a single class, depending on ability level. Karpinski encourages
the practice of giving students only the tonic and the beat unit before
beginning a dictation so that they have to determine the meter, mode,
starting pitch, and other essential musical information.28 All of the tem
plates above may be modified to give as much or little musical informa
tion as desired.
Karpinski offers a formula for generating the number of hearings
appropriate for melodic dictation based on the number of memorable
chunks the melody contains: "To calculate an appropriate number of
playings for a dictation, divide the number of chunks it contains by the
limit of the listener's short term memory (in chunks) and add one extra
playing."29 Following this model, Figure 7 suggests the number of hear
ings appropriate for each example.
28Karpsinki,v4«ra/ Skills Acquisition, 99.

29 Ibid.

132.208.246.237 on Tue, 16 Mar 2021 13:32:04 UTC
Figure 7. Suggested Number of Hearings for Melodic Dictations

Number
Number of of Number of
Chunks
Chunks/2 / 2 Hearings
Example
Example 2 23/2
3/2 +1=
+ 1 =2 or
2 or33
Example
Example 3 4/2
3 4/2+ 1+1=
= 33
Example
Example 4 4/2
4 4/2+ 1+1=
= 33
Example
Example 5 53/2
3/2 +1= 2 or3
+ 1 =2 or 3
Example
Example 6 2/2
6 2/2+ 1+1=
= 22
Example
Example 7 73/2
3/2 +1=
+ 1 =2 or
2 or33
Aural Analysis
Similar to what London dubs "applied ear-training," aural analysis

synthesizes a number of listening and notation skills on a large scale,
including dictation (or transcription); recognition of musical processes,
such as sequence, ostinato, syncopation, and repetition; and identifi
cation of structural features, including phrases, form, and cadences.30
These exercises also develop perception of meter and pacing, scale-de
gree function, harmonic function, and voice-leading connections. Aural
analysis brings together interval, scale, meter, and chord identification
and shows how these phenomena function within the songs' broader
musical contexts.
Radiohead's songs and the excerpts that follow are particularly
suitable for aural analysis because they are immediately engaging, short
enough to allow for multiple complete playings within a portion of a
single class period, and they synthesize sophisticated harmonic and
melodic processes relevant to most ear-training classes. Yet in spite of
their relative brevity and immediate accessibility, the songs possess the
capacity to sustain listeners' attention over the course of multiple listen
ings due to their complexity with regard to harmony, melody, timbre,
meter, and lyrics. In addition, some theorists have begun to analyze
some of these songs in scholarly articles and monographs, which can
enhance discussion in class or function as follow-up reading assign
ments.31
30 London describes "applied ear-training" as a pedagogical activity w

students notate recorded music by ear and identify prominent harmon
gressions ("One Step Up," 114n3).
31 See, for example, Hubbs, 215-37; Letts; and Osborn, "Understan
Through-Composition," f 33-35.

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Aural analysis allows students at various skill levels to be challenged
through multiple, layered tasks involving different musical parameters.
In this type of exercise, all students need not complete all tasks, but
those looking for additional challenges will not be disappointed. This
type of exercise is also flexible; instructors can cater questions to suit
the topic at hand or whatever problem areas students need to practice
most. The ultimate goal of any ear-training program is to have students
successfully convert sound into notation and notation into sound, to
draw explicit connections between what we teach in music theory and
how we train their ears, or between what Michael Rogers calls "Mind
Training" and "Ear Training."32 Aural analysis makes explicit these con
nections.
For this activity, students are given a worksheet, such as the one
shown in Example 8, which asks questions about an excerpt of "Exit
Music (for a Film)." Students may be given a number of different things
to complete as they listen to the example. First, they may transcribe
the pitches and rhythm of the vocal line (lyrics are provided so that
students can follow along). Second, they may notate the bass line and
determine the key and harmonic function of the chords in the passage.
Third, students may answer additional questions about the passage
regarding melodic sequence, chromatic chord function, and different
harmonizations of scale-degree 5. When I have used this example in
classes previously, sometimes I give students a choice as to what they
should focus on first, and other times I instruct them specifically as to
what to focus on (melodic dictation in some cases, harmonic function
in others). Because this activity is more involved than a simple melodic
or harmonic dictation, it may require more than four hearings or addi
tional time between hearings to complete a set of given tasks. Adapting
Karpinski's model for determining the number of hearings based on
the number of chunks, it would be reasonable to play this example S or
6 times.33
32 Michael R. Rogers, Teaching Approaches to Music Theory: An Overview

of Pedagogical Philosophies (Carbondale and Edwardsville: Southern Illinois
University Press, 1984), 8.
33Ibid., 99. This excerpt can be divided into 9 discernable chunks.
Following Karpinskis formula: (9 / 2) + 1 = 5.5, five or six hearings would be
appropriate.

132.208.246.237 on Tue, 16 Mar 2021 13:32:04 UTC
Example 8. Aural Analysis, "Exit Music (for a Film),"2:50-3:50
Worksheet:
Worksheet:
Chord
Chord
Symbols:
Symbols:Bm
Bm
Voice
Voice
Given
Giventhe
thepre-formatted
pre-formatted
staff,
staff,
provide
provide
the following
the following
upon listening
upontolistening
the to the
excerpt
excerptseveral
several
times:
times:
•• Pitches,
Pitches,with
withcorrect
correct
rhythm,
rhythm,
of theof
vocal
theline
vocal
(lyrics
lineare
(lyrics
given below
are given
to below to
help
helpyou
youfollow
follow
along)
along)
•The
• Thebass notes,
bass written
notes, in whole
written notes,notes,
in whole on the on
bottom staff
the bottom staff
•The
•Theimplied
impliedkey
key
of the
of the
passage
passage
•• Roman
Romannumerals
numeralsbeneath
beneath
the staff,
the staff,
summarizing
summarizing
the harmonic
the harmonic
functions functions
you hear
• Corresponding lead-sheet symbols above the staff
Lyrics:
"You can laugh a spineless laugh
we hope your rules and wisdom will choke you
Now we are one in everlasting peace
we hope that you choke/ that you choke"
Then consider the following questions.

1. There is a melodic sequence in this melody. Where does this occur?
mm. 1-5
On the staff, bracket and label the primary melodic material of this se
quence in its first statement, as well as the leg(s) (partial or complete)
that follow the initial statement.
What is
2. What is the
the effect
effect of
of the
thechord
chordin
inm.
m.4?
4?
Deceptive Resolution
(worksheet continues on next page)

132.208.246.237 on Tue, 16 Mar 2021 13:32:04 UTC
Example
Example
8. (continued) 8. (continued)
3. 3.
There are
There
chromatic chords in
are
mm. 2 andchromatic
6 of this excerpt. In each case, chords
what are their functions?
m. 2: Secondary Dominant
m. 6: Predominant (Neapolitan)
4. How does the chord in m. 5 relate to the chord in m. 6?
Dominant (V) of Neapolitan

5. How many different ways is scale-degree 5 harmonized in mm. 9-12?
In four different wavs (i. V. Ill, and IVadd9)
6. What type of chromatic chord concludes this excerpt?

Borrowed I (Picardv third)
Dictation Answer:
Chord
Symbols: Bm_ C#7 F#7 G G C Fit F#7
Jw
You c. in laugh a spine less laugh we hope your rules and wis - dom choke you
Implied Bass
Key: Bm
Roman i V7V V
V7VI
VIVI(orWN)
VI(orV/N)
WI(orN)
bll (or V
N) V V
Numerals:
Eadd9
Eadd9 EmEm
Bm Bm
Fit F# Bm B
Now we are one in e - ver-last-ing peace we hope that you choke that you choke.
" ~ TT
V III IV -IV "iv«
iv8 i
Hubbs summarizes the for

Music" compellingly and d
portrayed in the song and
pound melody and polyph
three-page analysis could en
completing the aural analy
this very excerpt, the bridg
and situating its formal fun
The aural landscape is charg

the drum set, and a new mie
soaring over a higher plane
4Hubbs, "Imagination of Pop-Rock Criticism," 226-9.

132.208.246.237 on Tue, 16 Mar 2021 13:32:04 UTC
A and B both) the vocal melody had traced a stepwise descent, that
of section C is characterized at the surface by large leaps downward
and upward. But just beyond the surface, this vocal line too can be
seen as a stepwise ascent, only now proceeding on two distinct levels
that descend in parallel sixths. It is, in other words, a polyphonic
(or compound) melody: a single line implying two distinct voices.35
The song lyrics are particularly dark and invoke ideas of lovers
secretly escaping ("today we escape"), codependence ("I can't do this
alone" and "now we are one"), and murder ("we hope that you choke").
The lyrics of the first half of the bridge section address the lovers'
unnamed antagonist ("You can laugh a spineless laugh; we hope your
wisdom and rules choke you"), which corresponds with the melodic se
quence that implies compound melody. Hubbs argues that as the lyrics
shift ("now we are one in everlasting peace"), the coming together of
the voices implied by compound melody musically depicts the theme of
coming together in the lyrics.36
As shown in mm. 8-12 in the Example 8 Answer Key, Yorke's
vocal melody lingers on F#4, which functions as the climatic apex of the
song, and this pitch is re-harmonized in five different ways (over F#7 in
m. 8, B minor in m. 9, F# major in m. 10, D major in m. 11, and Eadd9
as a suspension in m. 12). Instructors could also emphasize the un
derlying voice-leading structure, a descending 5-line that occurs in the
last half of this excerpt (a possible voice-leading reduction is given in
Example 9). In fact, the entire song can be read as a descending 5-line
as Yorke emphasizes 5 (F#3) at the beginning of the song.
Example 9. Voice-leading reduction of "Exit Music (for a Film),"

3:20-3:50
ÙL L
=1
=1 _À
J. ~^
—^Jè ^ J= fc= 4=
*):it r
*):lt • n f£ ?
°- L--f 1 f
9? ?
35 Ibid., 228.
36 Ibid.

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The worksheet and answer key for aural analysis of "You and Whose
Army?" appears in Example 10. Music critic David Fricke describes
this song as "begin[ning] as a bleak piano prayer, like John Lennon's
'Imagine'via Nina Simone, then erupt[ing] with eccentric radiance—all
in a little more than three minutes."37 The worksheet for this song offers
several questions regarding meter, sequence, interval identification, and
chromatic harmony. This song is particularly engaging because texture,
instrumentation, form, and harmony interact in interesting ways. If we
attend primarily to instrumentation and texture, the song can be parsed
into two large sections: 0:00-1:48 marked by Yorke's intimate vocals,
closely miked, and accompanied by gentle, sustained backing vocals and
a sparse guitar accompaniment. This first section features a circle-of
fifths sequence and as Letts points out, an unusually ambiguous to
nality (in her words, "although the progression here sounds stable, it
has no one tonic upon which to rest").38 At 1:48 through the end of
the song, the drums and piano are added for a fuller texture as Yorke's
vocals become more robust. This section features striking contrast in
terms of harmony: Cfj emerges as a clear tonic, which is reinforced by
its emphasis in Yorke's vocals and the repeating four-chord progression
(open fifth chord on C# [I] - E [bill] - F# [IV] - C# [I]). Yorke's vocal
melody emphasizes the m3 between C# and Ei) (l>3) particularly on "we
ride tonight," and interacts with the harmony articulated in the piano
and guitar for a hybrid modal pitch collection (combining C# dorian
and mixolydian).
As a follow-up activity to the worksheet for "You and Whose
Army?" the instructor might assign Letts' brief, but detailed analysis
of how this song fits in the overall scheme of Amnesiac and how voice,
instrumentation, harmony, and form relate to the song's political im
plications.39 Letts argues that Yorke's singing mimics the vocal style of
WWII ballads and suggests that it "evokes the rise of global brands at
the end of WWII,"which in turn gave way to "consumer capitalism as
the way of the world." She further identifies a contradiction between
the anti-consumerism sentiments evoked in this song and Radiohead's
participation within the music business; in her words, "the band simul
taneously decries the capitalist culture and thrives within it."40
37David Fricke, "Radiohead Warm Up; With a New Disc, the Band
Shows Its Intimate Side '{Amnesiac),' Rolling Stone no. 869 (24 May 2001): 21.
38 Letts, Resistant Concept Album, 137.
39Ibid., 137-40.
«Ibid., 138.

132.208.246.237 on Tue, 16 Mar 2021 13:32:04 UTC
Example 10. Aural Analysis, "You and Whose Army?"
Worksheet:
Worksheet:
While
Whilelistening
listening
to to
thisthis
song,
song,
answer
answer
the following
the following
questions.questions.
1.
1. What
Whattype
typeof of
meter
meter
bestbest
characterizes
characterizes
the song?
theSimple
song?quadruple
Simple quadruple
2.
2. What
Whattype
typeof of
harmonic
harmonic
sequence
sequence
do we do
hear
weat hear
the beginning
at the beginning
of the of the
song?
song?Circle-of-Fifths
Circle-of-Fifths
3.
3. What
Whattype
typeof of
process
process
do we
dohear
we in
hear
the in
melody
the melody
with thewith
words,
the
"come
words, "come
on"at 0:37? Melodic Sequence
4. What melodic interval do we hear on the text, "we ride tonight"? m3

5. How are the scale degrees 1 -t>7-6-5 (sung on "ghost horses") harmo
nized near the end? Represent the progression with a Roman numeral
progression: l-l>lll-IV-l
6. Is this a typical harmonization of this pitch pattern? Yes
7. Assuming that this passage is in a major key, which of these chords is
chromatic? bill
8. What type of chromatic chord is it? Chromatic Mediant

9. What type of harmonic function does it serve? Extends tonic function
The worksheet and answer key for "A Wolf at the Door" appears
in Example 11. The excerpt conforms to conventions found in common
practice classical music, and as such it uses the N6 as a chromatic pre
dominant and emphasizes linear connections, such as V2 resolving to I6.
It is somewhat unusual to encounter the N6 in the genre of rock, and
perhaps even more unusual to encounter it with voice-leading proce
dures associated with common-practice harmony, which makes this a
compelling example. In addition, the arpeggiated texture of this passage
and its slow harmonic rhythm make it ideal for classroom use. After the
instrumental introduction which comprises this aural analysis activity,
Yorke delivers the lyrics of this song at a frenetic pace, which creates
textural tension as his delivery is juxtaposed with the slower moving
compound meter and harmonic rhythm articulated by the accompany
ing rock instruments.

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Example 11. Aural Analysis, "A Wolf at the Door," 0:00—0:16
Worksheet:
Key:
Transcribe as much as possible of the first sixteen seconds of this song (0:00
0:16). Provide the key, time signature, and measure lines. Be sure to notate
both the arpeggiated chordal parts as well as the bass, which begins in m. 3.
After completing the transcription, provide a Roman numeral analysis of the
implied harmonies beneath the staff and answers the questions that follow.
1. What type of meter best characterizes this song?

Compound duple or quadruple: or simple triple
2. There is a chromatic chord in this excerpt. Where does it occur? m. 3
3. What is the harmonic function of this chord? Predominant
4. Describe the voice leading of the bass line. The bass line moves solely
bv step.
5. Is this a standard technique in common practice tonal music? Yes
6. What are the implications for this type of bass line in terms of chord
voicing?
The use of a stepwise bass line allows for inverted chords and greater
contrapuntal interest than a series of root position chords.
Dictation Answer:
Dm: i

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Example 12. Aural Analysis, "High and Dry"
Worksheet:
Worksheet:
While
While listening
listeningtotothis
thissong,
song,
answer
answer
thethe
following
following
questions.
questions.
1. On
On what
whatwords
wordsdoesThom
doesThomYorke
Yorke
sing
sing
thethe
highest
highest
note(s)
note(s)
of the
of song?
the song?
"High"
"High" and
and"Dry"
"Dry"
2. What
What scale
scaledegree
degreeoccurs
occurs
onon
thethe
melodic
melodic
apex?
apex?
ScaleScale
degree
degree
3 3
3. What
What mode
modebest
bestcharacterizes
characterizesthis
this
song?
song?
Major
Major
4. What
What type
typeof
ofmeter
meterbest
best
characterizes
characterizes
thisthis
song?
song?
Simple
Simple
quadruple
quadruple
5. What
What are
arethe
thescale
scaledegrees
degreesofof
thethe
repeating
repeating
bassbass
line line
in the
in verses?
the verses?
2-4-Î
2-4-1
6.
6. What
What kind
kind
of cadential
of cadential
motion motion
is implied is
byimplied
the last two
byscale
the degrees
last two scale degrees
of
ofthis
thisrepeating
repeating
bass line?
bassPlaaal
line? Plaaal
Example 13. Aural Analysis, "Stop Whispering," 0:00-1:04
Worksheet:
Worksheet:
Given
Given thethe
pre-formatted
pre-formatted
staff, provide
staff,
a timeprovide
signature and
a time
notatesignature
the and notate the
pitches,
pitches, withwith
correctcorrect
rhythm, rhythm,
of the vocal line
of upon
the listening
vocal line
to theupon
excerptlistening to the excerpt
several
several times.
times.
The vocal
The part
vocal
beginspart
after begins
a fifteen-second
after introduction.
a fifteen-second introduction.
Lyrics
Lyrics are are
givengiven
below tobelow
help you
tofollow
helpalong.
you follow along.
Lyrics:
"And the wise man say I don't want to hear your voice
And the thin man say I don't want to hear your voice
And they're cursing me, and they won't let me be
There's nothing to say, and there's nothing to do
Stop whispering, start shouting / Stop whispering, start shouting"

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Example
Example 13.13.
(continued)
(continued)
Then
Thenconsider
considerthethe
following
following
questions.
questions.
1.
1. What
Whattype
type
of meter
of meter
best characterizes
best characterizes
this song?
this
Simple
song?
quadruple
Simple quadruple
2.
2. This
Thisexcerpt
excerpt
usesuses
just just
two alternating
two alternating
chords. Assuming
chords. Assuming
the key of Dthe key of D
major,
major,what
whatareare
these
these
two chords?
two chords?
D majorD& major
G maior& G maior
3.
3. Assign
Assign these
these
twotwo
alternating
alternating
chords chords
Roman numerals:
Roman numerals:
D: I & IV D: I & IV
4.
4. What
Whatis is
thethe
common
common
tone or
tone
scale
ordegree
scale that
degree
thesethat
two chords
these two
share?chords share?
D or 1 (do)
5. What scale degree occurs on the melodic apex of Thorn Yorke's vocal
part? 5 (sol)
6. What is the apex note in the key of D major? A
Dictation Answer:
And the wise man say I don't want to hear_ your_ voice
thin man say I don't_want to hear_ your_ voice_ And they're curs - ing me, and they
won't let me_ be There's, noth - ing to say and there's noth - ing to do Stop
whis - per - ing, start shout-ing Stop whis - per - ing, Start shout
The worksheet for "High and Dry" (Example 12) is appropriate for
students still learning the basics. It emphasizes identification of scale
degree function, mode, and meter within a diatonic context and does
not require any transcription. Its melodic apex on 3 occurs aptly when
Yorke sings the words from the song's title, "high" and "dry."The apex is
an appropriate word painting of "high,"whose higher frequency (G#4)
is further emphasized by its approach of an ascending M6, as well as
Yorke's beautiful tenor falsetto. Repetition in this song also gives begin
ning students ample opportunity to process and identify its repeating
bass line (2—4—1) and the plagal harmonic motion associated with it.
"Stop Whispering" is entirely diatonic, and its worksheet
(Example 13) focuses on aspects of melodic dictation, meter identi
fication, and harmony. The extended length of the dictation on this

132.208.246.237 on Tue, 16 Mar 2021 13:32:04 UTC
Example 14. Aural Analysis, "I Might Be Wrong"
Worksheet:
Worksheet:
While
While listening
listening
to thisto
song,
this
answer
song,
the following
answer questions.
the following questions.
1.
1.What
Whatis the
is opening
the opening
interval of
interval
this song?of
Ascending
this song?
P5 Ascending P5
2.
2.Which
Whichof the
offollowing
the following
processes are
processes
at play in this
aresong?
at play
(Circlein
all this
that song? (Circle al
apply.)
a)
a) melodic
melodicsequence
sequence
b) harmonic
b) harmonic
sequence
sequence
c) ostinato
c)ostinato
d) imitation e) syncopation f) planing
3. What mode best characterizes this song overall? Minor
4. A different mode is implied in the introduction; what mode best ch
terizes just the introduction (0:00-0:16)? Dorian
5. What type of meter best characterizes this song? Simple quadrupl
worksheet resembles more of a transcription activity (requiring m

than 3 or 4 close hearings), though instructors may extract sh
segments for melodic dictation of more modest lengths. Throu
most of this song, two chords (D and G major) alternate, provi
a somewhat static harmonic backdrop for a melodic line that e
sizes stepwise motion and arpeggiation of the tonic triad on the son
hook (on the lyrics, "stop whispering"). Similar to "High and Dry,"
apex note of this song (A4) occurs as part of a word-painting techn
when Yorke sings the text, "shout," which is also emphasized by a
dynamic and longer duration at the end of the refrains.
The worksheets for "I Might Be Wrong" (Example 14) and
Punch Up at a Wedding" (Example 15) focus on identification
tinati, mode, and meter. Letts offers a brief analysis of lyrics, for
groove, and harmony of "I Might Be Wrong," which could serv
possible follow-up reading assignment for the exercise in Example
In her analysis, Letts relates the meaning of the song to Radioh
ironic relationship to its audience, whereby the band is at once reli
upon capitalism and the consumption of their musical art as a
modity, yet also ostensibly vehemently opposed to this capitalist c
of consumerism upon which their participation in the music bu
is based. After the introduction (0:00-0:16) in D dorian, repetiti
this song clearly establishes a sense of minor—the repeating riff in
bass articulates D (î), G (4), and F (3) as Yorke's vocals emphasize
1 Letts, Resistant Concept Album, 140-43.

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Example 15. Aural Analysis, "A Punch Up at a Wedding"
Worksheet:
Worksheet:
While listening
While listeningto
tothis
thissong,
song,answer
answer the
the following
following questions.
questions.
1. What
What mode
modebest
bestcharacterizes
characterizesthis
this song
song overall?
overall? Dorian
Dorian
2. What
What type
typeof
ofmeter
meterbest
bestcharacterizes
characterizesthis song?
this Simple
song? quadruple
Simple quadruple
3. What
What process
processisisused
usedthroughout
throughout
most
most
of of
thethe
song
song
in the
in the
bassbass
partpart
and and
piano (LH)?
piano (LH)?Ostinato
Ostinatofor(orriff)
riff)
4. Which
Which of ofthe
thefollowing
followingprocesses in in
processes thethe
vocal part(s)
vocal are are
part(s) usedused
at 4:16
at 4:16
4:36?
4:36? (Circle
(Circle all
allthat
thatapply.)
apply.)
a) melodic sequence b)
b) harmonic
harmonic sequence
sequence c)
c) ostinato
ostiinato
d) imitation e) syncopation f) planing
Bonus Question: Considering the overall mode of this song (named in ques
tion #1), what chromatic scale degree do we hear in the vocals in 0:39
03
0:45? g3
0:45-0:50? k2
And in 0:45-0:50? kl
Assuming E is tonic, name the pitches of these chromatic
chromatic notes:
notes:
GH and
Gtt and Flj.
Ft)
Like Examples 12 and 13, "I Might Be Wrong" (Example 14) is ideal
for beginning ear-training students because its use of repetition pro
vides multiple opportunities for identifying the musical processes at
play in the song.
Throughout "A Punch Up at a Wedding" (Example 15), E is es
tablished as tonic through repetition in the piano and bass, and its
primary melodic material is derived from the dorian collection. The
song's lengthy introduction presents an opportunity for hearing several
pitches that are outside of the diatonic dorian collection, including
modal mixture (G# instead of Gl]) in 0:39-0:45 and a delightfully dark
t»2 inflection in 0:45-0:50 as Yorke sings "no, no, no .. ."A clear stepwise
melodic ascent articulates the dorian mode explicitly when Yorke sings
"nothing's ever good enough for you" at 1:16.
The templates for "You and Whose Army" (Example 10), "High
and Dry" (Example 12), "I Might Be Wrong" (Example 14), and "A
Punch Up at a Wedding" (Example 15) do not involve notation unlike
the ones given for "Exit Music" (Example 8), "A Wolf at the Door"
(Example 11), and "Stop Whispering" (Example 13), but much can be
gained from developing non-notational aural skills. Michael Rogers
writes:

132.208.246.237 on Tue, 16 Mar 2021 13:32:04 UTC
Some programs restrict all training to notation and music reading:
traditional dictation and sight singing. When notation is not used,
activities are often of the conventional recognition type: verbal
naming of intervals, scales, chords, meters, and cadences. There is,
however, a much wider range of non-notational exercises and lis
tening experiences [...] Aural analysis of whole and real composi
tions or movements is the most obvious place to start.42
Although transcription and dictation skills are essential goals for

any ear-training program, the non-notational examples (Examples 10,
12,14, and 15) are useful for several reasons: (1) they require students to
synthesize and apply specific theoretic concepts quickly as a supplement
to notational examples, (2) they can function as challenging ear-train
ing activities for students who have not yet mastered pitch and rhyth
mic notation, such as those in fundamentals classes, (3) the non-nota
tional examples encourage students to conceptualize aural phenomena
without using the aid of dictation, (4) and finally, the non-notational
examples require less class time than the examples involving notation
and can work in a pinch for a brief in-class example.
Suggestions for Sequencing
There is great diversity in undergraduate music theory curricula

in the U.S., which vary widely in terms of sequence, length, and overall
design. With this caveat in mind, I offer Figure 8, which summarizes
the activities described in this essay (by Figure or Example number) ap
propriate for five different levels of ear training: (1) rudiments, (2) dia
tonic harmony, (3) chromatic harmony through secondary dominants,
(4) advanced chromatic harmony, and (5) post-tonal ear training.
Another way of thinking about sequencing in more general terms
is to organize activities in terms of two broad stages for ear training, as
Rogers describes:
This first stage of ear training is concerned with the accurate per
ception and labeling of individual events: the quality of an interval,
inversions of a chord, etc. The other stage involves the comprehen
sion of musical relationships and for teaching purposes implies—
almost demands—a holistic approach.43
42 Rogers, Teaching Approaches, 146.

43 Ibid., 101.

132.208.246.237 on Tue, 16 Mar 2021 13:32:04 UTC
Figure 8. Model for Sequencing
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132.208.246.237 on Tue, 16 Mar 2021 13:32:04 UTC
In these terms, "first-stage" activities include identification of

intervals, scale type/mode, and chord quality, as given in Figures 1, 2
and 4. These activities are generally more appropriate for beginners
in rudiments and diatonic harmony classes. "Second-stage" activi
ties include meter identification, chromatic chord function identifi
cation, melodic dictation, and aural analysis, found in Figures 3 and
5 and Examples 2-15. These activities generally work best at higher
levels (chromatic harmony and beyond). Even with this broad classi
fication in mind, however, the "first-stage" activities I have listed blur
this bipartite distinction because all of the activities are contextual.
Conclusion
I offer the Radiohead examples in this study as a means to supple

ment (but certainly not replace) other time-tested contextual examples
available in several creative and useful ear-training texts on the market,
some of which include popular genres as part of contextual listening, but
not the music of Radiohead.44 When used in conjunction with other ex
amples from the preexisting literature, Radiohead's music can enhance
and broaden students' ear-training experience because of its wealth of
correspondences between lyrics and music, its elegant voice leading, its
aural immediacy, and its accessibility despite its harmonic complexity,
which is perhaps unmatched in the output of any other contemporary
mainstream rock band.
Furthermore, there is yet an ineffable power in the music of
Radiohead that makes it all the more effective for classroom use.
Musician Dave Matthews speaks on the power of Radiohead's music:
Their music talks to you, in a real way. It can take you down a quiet
street before it drops a beautiful musical bomb on you. It can build
to where you think the whole thing will crumble beneath its own
weight—and then Thorn Yorke will sing some melody that just
cuts your heart out of your chest. There's a point on the album
Kid A where I start feeling claustrophobic, stuck in a barbed-wire
44Two recently published texts with a wealth of interesting examples

include Gary Karpinski, Manual for Ear Training and Sight Singing (New York
and London: W. W. Norton & Co., 2007); and Joel Phillips et al., The Musician's
Guide to Aural Skills: Ear Training and Composition, 2nd ed., vol. 2 (New York
and London: W. W. Norton & Co., 2011).

132.208.246.237 on Tue, 16 Mar 2021 13:32:04 UTC
jungle—and then I suddenly fall out and I'm sitting by a pool with
birds singing. Radiohead can do all of these things in a moment,
and it drives me fucking crazy.45
If we can teach our students how specific musical elements and

aural phenomena bring about emotive effects and drop such "beau
tiful musical bombs," then we truly succeed at teaching aural skills.
Radiohead's music is certainly not the only rock music that can be ef
fectively incorporated into ear-training classes, but it is an excellent
place to start for instructors who seek additional ear-training examples
of high-quality rock music, or for those who are curious as to how to
incorporate such music into the classroom.
Bibliography
Capuzzo, Guy. "Neo-Riemannian Theory and the Analysis of Pop-Rock

Music."Mark Theory Spectrum 26, no. 2 (Fall 2004): 177-99.
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Instruction."Indiana Theory Review 21 (Fall-Spring 2000): 53-78.
Doheny, James. Radiohead Back to Save the Universe: The Stories Behind Every
Song. New York: Thunder's Mouth Press, 2002.
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Contextual Listening, Prolongations, Mediant Relationships, and
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Frere-Jones, Sasha. "Fine Tuning."New Yorker 82, no. 19 (26 June 2006): 86-7.
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(21 April 2005): 80.

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Discography
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Ear Training with the Music of Radiohead

Author(s): Victoria Malawey

Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/24045402

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However you try to describe it, Radiohead makes sense almost im

is sensible and advantageous. It allows us to supplement tradition

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pedagogical examples from the Beatles' repertoire.7 My study differs

Intervals are easy to extrapolate from Radiohead's vocal contexts.

7 Pandel Collaros, "The Music of the Beatles in Undergraduate Music

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Song /Album Time Intervals

How to Disappear Completely 4:38-4:53 m3

You and Whose Army? 2:01 m3

Morning Bell/Amnesiac 0:00 and 0:11 m3, PI

Like Spinning Plates 2:33-2:39 P4

2+2=5 0:42-0:49 P4, P5

Just 0:44-0:55 Tritone

Lurgee - ' ' -

Ripcord 0:42-0:50 P5, PI

Sit Down, Stand Up throughout; "sit down" at 0:34,m6, m2,

Nice Dream 0:22-0:40 m6

High and Dry 1:09-1:25 M6

My Iron Lung 0:54-1:00 M6

Karma Police 2:37-3:36 M6

Let Down 2:28-2:48 M7

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What melodic intervals are used predominantly in the bass guitar?

What descending melodic interval is played in this passage?

What melodic interval do we hear on the text, "we ride tonight"?

What two harmonic intervals are used in the guitar?

What melodic interval do we hear on the text, "spinning plates"?

What melodic intervals occur on "2 + 2" and "always makes"?

What are the melodic intervals that occur on "plastic"?

What ascending melodic interval is sung on "got strong"?

What melodic intervals are sung on "ripcord"?

What melodic intervals are used in this passage?

What two melodic

What descending melodic interval occurs on "tried hard"?

What descending melodic interval is sung on "iron"?

What descending melodic interval is sung between "lost" and "myself"?

What is the largest descending melodic interval played in the guitar?

What ascending melodic interval is sung on "bulletproof"?

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In this example, the instructor asks students to identify the melodic

10Brad Osborn, "Understanding Through-Composition in Post-Rock,

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drops" to create a sense of "infinity" in the closing section (3:03-4:20)

Scale Type Identification

12 Dai Griffiths, "Public Schoolboy Music: Debating Radiohead," in

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Figure 2 . Examples for Scale Type Identification

Morning Mr. Magpie 2:04-2:14 octatonic (fragment: G-F- Type 2

tonic (i) chords prominently, which are hallmarks of their m

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The examples that appear in Figure 3 work toward developing the

14 Paul Lansky, "My Radiohead Adventure," in The Musk and Art of