Jeff Buckley – ‘Grace’
Analysis
Full analysis
Intro- A
Section
Bar
Description
Intro – A
1-3
0:00 –
0:11
• The song is in 12/8 time.
• Tempo = 64 dotted crotchet bpm (beats per minute).
• The key is not clear at the beginning- it is just a series
of chords. The combined notes of the first two chords
make an ascending F melodic minor scale.
• Ripple of notes played on a clean electric guitar sound.
• Background guitar ‘whisper’ made by picking the note
with the volume turned down then turning the volume
up quickly- reverb and delay.
• Ends with loud unison chord of Em with scoops on the
tremelo arm of the guitar and a roll on crash cymbal.
Full analysis
Intro - B
Section
Bar
Description
Intro – B
4–7
0:11 –
0:26
• Full band play, but no vocals yet.
• D major
• Drum-kit, bass, two electric guitars and acoustic guitar.
3rd electric guitar punctuates the texture with a low C#
note (with wide vibrato) clashing against the pedal D
(just added for effect, not for harmonic reasons).
• Acoustic guitar and hi-hat work closely together to
drive the rhythm.
• Bass guitar plays the pedal D, occasionally wandering
off for a little ascending riff.
• Main feature is the rhythmic, semi-strummed chord
pattern played high up on the clean (or very slightly
distorted) electric guitar.
Full analysis
Verse 1
Section
Bar
Description
Verse 1
8 – 13
0:26 – 0:48
• Vocals enter.
• High electric guitar riff drops out.
• Guitar ‘whispers’ return, plus occasional additional
noises to add interest.
• Drum pattern focuses on the toms.
• Acoustic guitar seems more prominent, with the
sound of the plectrum hitting the strings heard clearly,
making it as much a percussion instrument as if it was
part of the drum-kit.
•Electric guitar plays broken chords.
• Bass mainly follows the root note of the power chord.
• The harmonies depend on the chord pattern, but
overall it is modal, with E as the tonic note.
Full analysis
Pre-Chorus 1
Section
Bar
Description
PreChorus 1
14 – 19
0:49 –
1:11
• Guitar ‘whispers’ drop out.
• Electric guitar plays similar rhythm to acoustic guitar
with chord shapes moving up the neck.
• Other instruments remain as they were for the verse.
• The vocal range starts to get higher.
• This section is mostly in E minor (with hints of the Edorian mode).
Full analysis
Chorus
Section
Bar
Description
Chorus
20 -24
1:11 –
1:29
• Backing vocals enter- very subtle, sometimes just
doubling the main vocal (double tracking). A whispered
voice part can be heard behind the main vocals.
• Strings can be heard subtly in the background, more
for sound effects than for harmonic reasons.
• The harmony is based on the chord pattern, but it is
again modal, centred on E.
• Drum part stops using the toms so extensively- more of
a straight rhythm, if a little sparse.
Full analysis
Link A and Link B
Section
Bar
Description
Link - A
25 – 27
1:30 –
1:41
• As for section A of the intro, but with a mandolin effect
28 – 31
1:41 –
1:55
• As for part B of intro.
Link – B
added on the acoustic guitar.
• Vocal ‘oh’ to lead to part B.
Full analysis
Verse 2
Section
Bar
Description
Verse 2
32-37
1:56 –
2:19
• As for verse 1.
• Additional sound effects eg. Descending slide at 2:05
(using slide on guitar with lots of delay), followed by a slide
and trill on the strings imitating the guitar.
Full analysis
Pre-Chorus 2
Section
Bar
Description
PreChorus 2
38-43
2:19 –
2:41
• As for Pre-chorus 1, but strings more prominent adding
considerably to the texture.
• Pizzicato strings added.
Full analysis
Chorus
Section
Bar
Description
Chorus
44-48
• As for previous chorus.
2:41 – 2:59 • Drum roll leading into middle 8.
Full analysis
Mid 8- A
Section
Bar
Description
Mid 8
A
49-52
• Rather intense section with the strings playing long,
3:00 – 3:14 sustained notes to fill out the chords.
• Multi-tracked vocal harmonies in counterpoint with
each other (polyphonic texture).
• Drum-kit plays a similar rhythm on the snare as to
what was played on the toms previously, lending it more
intensity- much more cymbal throughout.
Full analysis
Mid 8 - B
Section
Bar
Description
Mid 8
B
53-59
• This section is based on the chord sequence for the
3:15 – 3:41 pre-chorus, but has been produced very differently.
• The instrumental backing is similar to pre-chorus 2.
• The main vocal line improvises a wordless melody
above the backing, then a ‘telephone’ EQ effect is
applied to the vocal when the lyrics come back in, giving
it a harsh, distant effect.
• Beautiful, hummed harmonies follow the chord
pattern with the sound opening out to vocal ‘aahs’
toward the end of the section- an almost angelic quality.
This contrasts sharply with the harshness of the vocal
part.
Full analysis
Link A and Link B
Section
Bar
Description
Link A
60-62
• As for the previous link, part A, but with a rhythmic,
3:41 – 3:52 percussive sound of hitting the deadened acoustic guitar
strings added.
• A percussive hit of the acoustic guitar body at the end
of the section leads into part B.
Link B
• As for previous link part B.
63-66
3:52 – 4:07
Full analysis
Verse 3
Section
Bar
Description
Verse 3
67-71
4:07 – 4:26
• The backing is similar as for previous verses, but there
is much more use of cymbal in the drum-kit.
• The vocal part has a much more intense, forceful
quality to it, using the higher part of the vocal range.
• More and more special effects are added as the
section progresses.
Full analysis
Outro
Section
Bar
Description
Outro
72 – end
4:26 – 5:19
• The strings come to the fore.
• Vocal improvisations very high in the vocal range (as
high as the top G of a soprano’s range!) showing off
Buckley’s vocal virtuosity.
• An electric guitar is added with flanger effect
(bringing out the open droning, discordant notes),
adding even more to the intensity.
• The song ends with a short, unaccompanied, modal
phrase in the vocal clearly highlighting the influence of
qawwali music.