What stands out is the performing of every part of the song. The harmonies are impossible tight, every part is spot on performance. The training you got from Motown was without a doubt at the top.
well, the musicians were top-notch and already "trained" for the most part, because singing/playing was all they did. So you are certainly right that the performances are what stands out, but I don't think that was due to motown as much as it was to the artists. However the Motown engineers were smart with arrangements and the Motto "KISS" - keep it simple silly; works twice as good if the "simple" stuff you have is delivered and treated perfectly.
Schmidthorst69 - absolutely agreed. As an audio engineer, I’m always dissecting all kinds of styles of music and recording techniques throughout history, trying to find the “magic” elements to “the sound” of classic recordings. I once asked Bob Ohlsson, who was an engineer at Motown from the mid 60’s into the 70’s, what he thought best defined the “sound” of Motown, in terms of recording methods, equipment, reverbs, echo, tape machines, etc.; his answer was simple: “The sound of Motown, first and foremost, was The Funk Brothers, the songs that were written, and the artists who performed them; everything else, in terms of recording gear and various techniques, did play some part, but that stuff wouldn’t have meant anything without the musicians, the writers, and the talent of the various artists. The other stuff, like equipment and reverbs, was all incidental and secondary in the order of importance to what made up the Motown “Sound” ...” And of course, that makes perfect sense; when you have such great talent playing on all those records, collected in the same room: guys like James Jamerson, Eddie Willis, Earl Van Dyke, Jack Ashford, Benny Benjamin, Eddie Brown, Joe Messina, Richard Allen, Bob Babbit, and ALL the other incredible musicians of TFB’s playing in the same room, at the same time...and, doing it ALL the time, you’re going to get fantastic tracks. FWIW. 😊
Great insight, and it always came through in the music. I think the video missed the dynamics in the snake pit, they weren't isolated, as the guy said, but they would talk and bounce things off of each other with the producers. The sum is more than the parts. Thank you. @@donnythompson408
Thank you man for this. I had the pleasure of working for Smokey Robinson and the Miracles ,when they would come to Cleveland .Ohio and do 4nights at the Famed Leos, Casino. Thanks Smokey
they punched a clock but played together at night in strip clubs and were really close. you don't get this from strangers punching a clock. this is neighbourhood shit that can't be replicated
What questlove misses imo is the funk brothers were 60.s jazz musicians. It is and was a different mindset. They punched a clock- but played jazz whereby the musician made- is mostly played for the band itself. The money is just an afterthought, unlike the wrecking crew. To understand he should watch the documentary on the funk brothers. It was a different generation, a different mindset.
Wasn't this clocking in structure taken from the Auto assembly line culture at the time . Barry Gordy worked in the Auto assembly line, and too some of techniques into the Motown studio environment .
Huh, i always considered that to be a signature thing for this song. The band going to the accent cord, but the bass cutting back to the root before the rest of the band changed back. Very dynamic, a little tension before resolving. The guy that played for Phil Collins didn't do it on purpose, he wanted to leave the original stand alone by itself.
What stands out is the performing of every part of the song. The harmonies are impossible tight, every part is spot on performance. The training you got from Motown was without a doubt at the top.
well, the musicians were top-notch and already "trained" for the most part, because singing/playing was all they did. So you are certainly right that the performances are what stands out, but I don't think that was due to motown as much as it was to the artists. However the Motown engineers were smart with arrangements and the Motto "KISS" - keep it simple silly; works twice as good if the "simple" stuff you have is delivered and treated perfectly.
Long live the heritage of THE FUNK BROTHERS! Without them there would have been no magic Motown sound!
Schmidthorst69 - absolutely agreed. As an audio engineer, I’m always dissecting all kinds of styles of music and recording techniques throughout history, trying to find the “magic” elements to “the sound” of classic recordings. I once asked Bob Ohlsson, who was an engineer at Motown from the mid 60’s into the 70’s, what he thought best defined the “sound” of Motown, in terms of recording methods, equipment, reverbs, echo, tape machines, etc.; his answer was simple: “The sound of Motown, first and foremost, was The Funk Brothers, the songs that were written, and the artists who performed them; everything else, in terms of recording gear and various techniques, did play some part, but that stuff wouldn’t have meant anything without the musicians, the writers, and the talent of the various artists. The other stuff, like equipment and reverbs, was all incidental and secondary in the order of importance to what made up the Motown “Sound” ...”
And of course, that makes perfect sense; when you have such great talent playing on all those records, collected in the same room: guys like James Jamerson, Eddie Willis, Earl Van Dyke, Jack Ashford, Benny Benjamin, Eddie Brown, Joe Messina, Richard Allen, Bob Babbit, and ALL the other incredible musicians of TFB’s playing in the same room, at the same time...and, doing it ALL the time, you’re going to get fantastic tracks.
FWIW.
😊
I believe that.
@@donnythompson408 The true magic of the Snakepit in Studio A!
Great insight, and it always came through in the music. I think the video missed the dynamics in the snake pit, they weren't isolated, as the guy said, but they would talk and bounce things off of each other with the producers. The sum is more than the parts. Thank you. @@donnythompson408
Timeless and legendary
Thank you man for this. I had the pleasure of working for Smokey Robinson and the Miracles ,when they would come to Cleveland .Ohio and do 4nights at the Famed Leos, Casino. Thanks Smokey
It's easy classics for a lifetime always going to make people dance and feel the energy from the artists and musicians who created it from they soul.
they punched a clock but played together at night in strip clubs and were really close. you don't get this from strangers punching a clock. this is neighbourhood shit that can't be replicated
No doubt!
What questlove misses imo is the funk brothers were 60.s jazz musicians. It is and was a different mindset. They punched a clock- but played jazz whereby the musician made- is mostly played for the band itself. The money is just an afterthought, unlike the wrecking crew. To understand he should watch the documentary on the funk brothers. It was a different generation, a different mindset.
Wasn't this clocking in structure taken from the Auto assembly line culture at the time . Barry Gordy worked in the Auto assembly line, and too some of techniques into the Motown studio environment .
rip speakers
this is beautiful..... actually beautiful!
Cool stuff. The left and right channels are reversed when you guys talk. Or maybe the picture is reversed?
Sonic Presence that is interesting observation thank you for pointing that out, wow!
Super dope post
I am kind of surprised that Questlove doesn't already know about the Funk Bros.
Quest flyin
More! More!
:)
Amazing song. It works harmonically, although the bass is often two beats too early on the new harmony.
Huh, i always considered that to be a signature thing for this song. The band going to the accent cord, but the bass cutting back to the root before the rest of the band changed back. Very dynamic, a little tension before resolving. The guy that played for Phil Collins didn't do it on purpose, he wanted to leave the original stand alone by itself.
The Snake Pit.
I hear Mary Wilson.
do these guys not like each other?
While an incredible musician Questlove is, he literally contributed nothing here, even came across a little arrogant for some reason
Wesley willis
Questlove added nothing to this