Interesting videos about sounds and music

@mahgister (and all others interested), what makes the above video by Ben Shelton so interesting and valuable is this:

When discussing Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys, it is always their vocal harmonies that is focused on. That is understandable, but it is imo a mistake. Vocal harmonies can make a mediocre chord progression sound more interesting, but as this video will make obvious, the chord structure of "God Only Knows" is anything but mediocre. That structure and composition (along with the vocal harmonies) are why Paul McCartney cites "GOK" as his favorite song ever written. Mine too).

The dense orchestration and vocal harmonies---along with the somewhat poor recorded sound quality---of The Beach Boy’s recording of the song prevent one from fully hearing and appreciating the very sophisticated composition of the song (which is contained in the piano chords). This video will make that composition more apparent. It is to the songs on The Beatles Rubber Soul album (which Brian took as a challenge to top) what chess is to checkers. The construction of the song---with the choice of very sophisticated chord progressions, modulations, and inversions---reveals Brian’s knowledge and understanding of music theory, which John, Paul, and George lacked. Still, they did pretty well without it. 😉

For another example of a Pop song with this level of songwriting quality, give a listen to "What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted", a glorious song written by the Motown team of William Weatherspoon, Paul Riser, and James Dean. The original recording was sung by Jimmy Ruffin, but Joan Osborne also does a killer version. The bass playing on the original is by the great James Jamerson, whom McCartney credits with opening his eyes to the employment of inversion in the playing of electric bass (which Jamerson does in this song). Ever wonder why McCartney suddenly got a LOT better as a bassist? It was the result of hearing Jamerson.

I suspect there are members now thinking "That’s nothing, listen to Steely Dan." Yep, the SD songwriters knew their music theory and wrote sophisticated compositions. But to my ears they use that knowledge not to move the listener emotionally, but rather intellectually. Brian’s songs aim at the heart, not the head.

Not a documentary, but an interesting interview by Terry Gross of a musician who lost his hearing (& nearly his life) in a terrorist train bombing. Over the course of his recovery, as he listened to recordings at volumes high enough that he could feel the words, he began writing songs, better than ever before. He once said, in an interview with Stu Nunnery (another musician who suffered catastrophic hearing loss), “That was when I became a songwriter. Really that is when I became an artist. Like I found words and texture. Sound is a texture.”

Sam Baker NPR Fresh Air Interview

Thank you very much it seems fascinating!

For any poet words are mucic in itself, rythm , melody and harmony...

It is the reason why i admire and love Gesualdo and Monteverdi the geniuses who created opera by revealing the words potential rythms inflexions...Two unique composers because the music comes more from the "born again" words with their own music then putting music on ready made words...

Welcome here by the way...😊

Not a documentary, but an interesting interview by Terry Gross of a musician who lost his hearing (& nearly his life) in a terrorist train bombing. Over the course of his recovery, as he listened to recordings at volumes high enough that he could feel the words, he began writing songs, better than ever before. He once said, in an interview with Stu Nunnery (another musician who suffered catastrophic hearing loss), “That was when I became a songwriter. Really that is when I became an artist. Like I found words and texture. Sound is a texture.” Sam Baker NPR Fresh Air Interview

 

@bdp24

The dense orchestration and vocal harmonies---along with the somewhat poor recorded sound quality---of The Beach Boy’s recording of the song prevent one from fully hearing and appreciating the very sophisticated composition of the song

Now when you hear it in Dolby Atmos, its stunning. Not just that track ether, the entire Beach Boy catalog in Dolby Atmos is like being in the studio.

See:

https://www.udiscovermusic.com/news/beach-boys-pet-sounds-dolby-atmos/

and:

https://www.mixonline.com/business/the-beach-boys-begin-60th-anniversary-in-atmos

Playing for Change - Peace Through Music (Awesome, inspiring)

John Monteleone - The Chisels are Calling (Legendary guitar Luthier)

Chuck Leavell: The Tree Man (Master Keyboardist)