Duration/Rhythm
Metre
>Time signature-simple, compound, changing
>Duple/triple/quad
>Anacrusis (upbeat)?
>Regular/irregular (isometric/mutlimetric)
Patterns & Features
>Riffs
>Polyrhythms, their effect-simple/complex
>Swing, straight, jazz?
>Syncopation
>Unusual figures- couplets, duplets etc.
>Main melody and note values vs. Accompaniment
Note Values
>Unity, contrast, repetition?
>Long/short lengths- crotchets, semi-quavers etc.
>Dotted notes, swung notes, sustain, irregular patterns/consistency
>Pauses, rest values
Tempo
>Fast vs. slow- allegro, lento, moderato etc.
>Altering- accelerando, ritenuto, rubato
Articulation
>Staccato
>Accents (on main or off-beat?)
>Slurs
>Fade out
>Attack/decay
>Tenuto
>Vibrato
Performance Media
>Each layer
>Relationship between/interaction
Beat/Pulse
>Regular, syncopated
>Constant/changing
>Strong and definite/weak and relaxed
>Back beat
Phrasing
>Balanced/Imbalanced
>4 bar?
>Extended
Dynamics/Expressive Techniques
How is the instrument played?
>Stylistic indications- swing, electronic etc.
>Ornamentation?
>Description: dolce (sweetly), cantabile, tranquillo (calmly) etc.
>Instrumental techniques [mentioned below]
Techniques/Effects
>Glissando
>Tremolo
>Vibrato
>Trill
>Mute
>Pizzicato
>Leggiero (played lightly) vs. Pessante (played heavily)
>Harmonics
>Double stop (two notes played at once by a stringed instrument)
Dynamics
>Volume- terraced (each section gradually getting louder/softer), forte, piano, mezzo piano etc.
>Crescendo, diminuendo, decrescendo
>Movement with pitch/texture
Articulation
>Legato
>Staccato
>Tenuto
>Accents (on main or off-beat?)
Electronic Manipulation
>Distortion
>Guitar pedal effects
>Wah wah
Note Values
>Use of silence- pause, rests, highlighting, tension/resolution
>Rubato
Texture
Level of activity
>Sparse/dense, bare/cluttered
>Confused/well...