Jonathan Ramirez

Indie Folk

Abstract

New

Bon Iver

Eau Claire

DeYarmon Edison

Break-ups
Thoreau-like setting

Cabin in the woods

Recording studio

For Emma, Forever Ago
Bon Iver
For Emma
Recorded in Cabin 2007

Vernons past

Trumpet & Trombone
For Emma listening guide
Time Instruments Guide
Intro
0:00
Acoustic Guitar Acoustic guitar playing three mute down strokes

0:02 Saxophone, drums,
trombone, acoustic
guitar
Triple meter, key of C, third beat emphasized by
drums, trumpet & trombone playing a different
melody, contour is arched
0:17 Trumpet, trombone,
electric guitar
Interlude played by trumpet & trombone, timber
creates full resonance, electric guitar introduced,
emulating contour
Verse 1
0:37
Drums, guitar, &
voice
Brass instruments fade, fundamental beat played by
drums and guitar & voice takes over theme
Time Instruments Guide
Chorus
0:50
Trombone, drums,
guitar, electric guitar
Trombone accompanies & emulates melody, as
vocals state phrase, dynamics are crescendo,
electric guitar plays variation to conclude chorus
Verse 2
1:22
Acoustic guitar,
drums, trombone,
voice
The melody is same as former verse, guitar plays
main beat, voice sings melody, contour is in arch
format, acts as a fill

Chorus
1:36
Trombone, trumpet,
electric and acoustic
guitar, voice
Crescendo dynamic, trumpet emulates voice, arch
contour, chorus concluded by For Emma, forever
ago.., followed by augmentation by trombone
Coda
2:04
Electric guitar,
acoustic guitar,
trombone
Electric guitar strumming fundamental beat, muting
third strum, electric guitar plays conjunct melody,
emulated by trombone

2:18
Electric guitar,
acoustic guitar,
trombone, drums,
trumpet

Running water sound acts as a fill for rest of
instruments, electric guitar and trombone play
conjunct melody, acoustic guitar and drums play
fundamental beat, trumpet performs solo

Time

Instruments

Guide

2:42
Trombone, a. guitar,
e. guitar, drums,
trumpet
The trombone accompanies fundamental beat,
trumpet plays same melody as in chorus, vocals
hum in harmony


3:04
Trombone, e. guitar,
a. guitar, drums,
trumpet
Electric guitar plays its final conjunct melody,
followed by polyphony of both trumpet and
trombone, remaining instruments play fundamental
beat

3:24

All instruments

The song begins to fade



3:35

All instruments

Song ends on a final note by trombone
Calgary
2011

Use of Instruments

Metaphor

Time

Instruments


Guide

0:00
Piano synthesizer Short range of whole notes, minor mode, notes
overlap each other, repeat


0:12
Vocals, piano
synthesizer
Falsetto vocals emulate synthesizer, narrow
arch contour, vocals fade and whole notes
remain

0:42
Piano synthesizer,
vocals
First word emphasized, two voices singing,
back up voice homophonous with lead voice

1:10
Piano synthesizer,
voice
Vocals continue to sing, higher note in
synthesizer acts as fill, multiple notes in
consonance, crescendo & duple meter
Calgary listening guide

Time

Instruments

Guide

1:18
Drums, distorted
synthesizer, vocals

Drums and synthesizer accompany
vocals, polyphonically, single note by
synthesizer faintly heard

1:46
Drums, distorted
synthesizer,
synthesizer, vocals

Voices fade out, distorted synthesizer
plays succession of short notes,
remaining synthesizer acts as fill

1:54
Drums, distorted
synthesizer, vocals
Synthesizer,
cymbals
All instruments enter, synthesizer
emulates notes of voice in augmentation,
distorted synth. Plays two notes,
polyphonically

2:21
Drums, distorted
electric guitar,
vocals, synthesizer
Voices fade, distorted brass instruments
plays notes, distorted guitar takes over
theme

2:37

Drums, distorted
electric guitars,
vocals, synthesizer

Bridge. Tempo slightly increased,
dynamics of voice crescendo, two electric
guitars play theme, form of other
instruments are in harmony

Time

Instruments

Guide

3:03
Voices, distorted
electric guitar,
synthesizer
Lead voice fades, back up sings ooo,
ascending contour, distorted electric guitar
plays main theme

3:18
Electric guitar, voices Voices fades once again, distorted electric
guitar holds whole, distorted note, cymbals
play as voices re-enter

3:26
Electric guitar, voices,
synthesizer, cymbals
Electric guitar takes over theme, synthesizer
plays faint notes, cymbals play fundamental
beat

3:55
Voices, electric guitar,
cymbals
Voices begin to fade, lead guitar strums final
strum, cymbals play beat, slowly fading

4:10

-

End
Team
Instrumental

Random Noises

Creature Fear


Time

Instruments

Guide
0:00
Guitar, snare drum Loud guitar and begins decrescendo. Repetitive snare drum in the
background in quadruple meter. Emphasis on the snare drum
every other beat, every two measures.
0:04
Snare drum, bass guitar Snare drums continues its repetition, bass guitar enters sliding on
certain notes in ascending contour.

0:24
Bass Guitar, Snare Drum,
electric guitar
Bass guitar and snare drums repeat their phrases accompanied
by modulated electric guitar.
0:34
Electric guitar, bass guitar,
snare drum
The lead electric guitar plays a three-note phrase and harmonizes
with electric guitar.
0:47
Emphasis on Electric Guitar Electric guitar faintly plays a melody of its own, comprised of
sliding note, over the theme, creating heterophony.

Time

Instruments

Guide
0:56
Vocals, guitar, bass guitar,
snare drum
Vocals that repeat the phrase fua accompany the collaboration
of melodies. The two guitars continue to play.
1:19
Vocals, electric guitar solo Following the first voice, a meek and gentle ooo is heard, in arch
contour. Electric guitar performs a brief solo, consisting of
hammer ons
1:29
Bass guitar, electric guitar,
synthesizer
Both guitars fade Whistling takes over as the theme along with
synthesizer.
1:44
Snare drum, synthesizer The snare drum and the repeated phrase fua abruptly cease and
the remaining sounds are whistling and the whole note of the
synthesizer.
1:54
End
Flume
Recorded in Cabin

Pensive, wistful ambiance

2008
Time Instruments Guide
Intro
0:00
Mute Guitar Mute Guitar strums the theme of the song. Duple meter, in minor
mode, and a drop step in the key of C. Moderate tempo.
0:05 Acoustic Guitar Acoustic lead guitar takes over the theme, strumming a C chord, an
Em chord, then an Am chord. On the Am chord, the guitar performs
a hammer-on on every down stroke on the D and G string.
Verse 1
0:19
Guitar, Vocals Strumming continues in a chord sequence of C, Em and G. Vocals,
in falsetto, accompany the theme, in a narrow ascending contour.

0:29 Steal Guitar, Guitar, vocals Contrast in the second part of the verse is in the chord sequence:
C, E and G.
Time Instruments Guide
Verse 1
0:49
Guitar, Vocals, Strumming pattern changes to F, Am and C/G. Voices harmonize. The
notes in the ooos at the end of each phrase are elongated as they fade.
1:11 Exit vocals,
synthesizer, guitar
Verse ends, strumming returns to C, Em, and Am, hammering the D and
G string on the Am chords. Synthesizer plays a conjunct three note
sequence.
Verse 2
1:24
Guitar, reenter
vocals, steal guitar
Instruments repeat. Entrance of drums and metallic buzzing. The guitar
continues to hammer-on the string in the Am chord. Voices harmonize.
Chorus
1:52
Drums, vocals,
guitar, synthesizer
The chorus repeats, forte drums. Ascending vocals. Chord sequence
follows F, Am, and G/C. Vocals and synthesizer fade simultaneously. The
chord sequence shifts to Em, Am and Em,

Time

Instruments

Guide
Bridge
2:12
Guitar, steal guitar, vocals,
synthesizer,
Strumming pattern continues, metallic buzzing takes over as the
theme. A crescendo resonant synthesizer accompanies the
noises, creating a sound akin to wind.
2:29 Exit guitar, synthesizer, steal
guitar, drum
The strumming rests and the synthesizer fades. The metallic
buzzing plays a succession of harmonious random noises. The
sound of creaking footsteps and movement is faintly heard. The
final sound heard is the wind rustling.
Chorus
2:49
Bass guitar, acoustic guitar,
steal guitar, vocals
Chorus repeats. Strumming repeats as F, Am and C/G.
3:10 Exit vocals, guitar, exit
synthesizer and steal guitar
Voices fade and the strumming continues, then ends on an F
chord. Synthesizer and metallic buzzing fade out. The final
sound is the sound of a firework after its explosion.

3:38 End.
Works Cited

Ruehl, Kim. "All About Indie Folk Music (Lo-Fi Indie)." About.com Folk Music.
N.p., n.d. Web. 15 June 2014.

Anderson, Derek. "A New Residency." . Indy Week , 22 Feb. 2006. Web. 15
June 2014.

Carew, Anthony . "Bon Iver, The Lonesome Hunter." About.com Alternative
Music. About.com, n.d. Web. 15 June 2014.

Google Images, Google

Iver, Bon. "Bon Iver." . Jagjaguwar, n.d. Web. 15 June 2014.
<http://boniver.org/>.