I was expecting you to mention the "Regard du Père" from the Vingt Regards by Messiaen... especially in connection to Stevens's "John my Beloved." Messiaen uses a pedal in an extremely slow tempo to evoke the eternity of God...
Okay, so, first of all, everyone please know that James Bunch is a *brilliant* composer, and I will redirect you here so you can listen to his music: soundcloud.com/jimmy-bunch-1/popular-tracks Also: fuck, how did I not mention Messiaen? Thanks for the input, Jimmy. Shit, that would've been the perfect example!
@@BrianKrock Now I get two discoveries right after one another: your channel, and James on soundcloud. Happy to find people who know Messiaen. I live in France, and I have yet to meet someone here who know who he was...
I think "Carrie & Lowell" is one of the great albums of the last 25 years or more, and will be remembered as a masterpiece of the era. As for other pedal point songs, let's not forget perhaps the most hypnotic use of the technique I can think of: "O Superman" by Laurie Anderson
All of Sufjens music affects me deeply, but the second part of “should have known better” moves me in such a heart wrenching way, the combination of the words and the simple, nostalgic little synth loop..I literally broke down into tears the first time I heard it.
The interplay in the lyrics, “when I was three… three, maybe four” then later “and when I was three, and free to explore”, it's all so incredibly good.
My parents are still alive yet I already know what songs will make me me cry when they pass away. It feels like I’m already mourning in a way. This does not depress me but still Makes my heart leak.
Carrie & Lowell was the first SS album that I really listened to. That was back in 2016. I now have a 1yr old son whose name is Sufjan. So yes, I guess you could say Carrie & Lowell had a big impact on me 😄
There's so much in this video that resonates deeply for me. I too, was dramatically changed upon hearing Illinoise. I can place myself where I first heard Carrie & Lowell and Sufjan just devastated me. And speaking of devastating, I love the pedal point quarter notes in the chorus of NIN's Hurt. Also, lovely arrangements of Sufjan's tunes, that was a treat!
I grieved the death of a loved one in 2015 to Carrie and Lowell, it’s almost an instant cry fest whenever any of its songs come on. The other day I fell asleep to a playlist then spotify did its thing where it started playing recommended songs, well I woke up crying to Death with Dignity playing lol
I listened to it while hanging out with my best friend after his father died, the year the album came out. I initially played it because it was a new album and I was trying to pass the time, but it really hit when I realised how it matched the moment. It just gets you in a certain way.
I ALWAYS listen to this album when I’m on tour in America. Something about ‘Should have known better’ or ‘fourth of july’, any of them really, when I’m on a bus on a midwest highway, or flying from California up to Portland, just feels perfect.
The piano from "Wash", by Bon Iver, has an astonishing pedal point in the treble register, during the whole song!!! By the way, I would LOVE a Bon Iver video from this channel!!!
Dude your content is always on point. Your love for music is apparent in your research and presentation. Love me some Sufjan, love me some Brian Krock.
I've watched two of your videos now and I am just blown away. Meeting me right where I am and then taking me to new places both in terms of my depth of understanding of the music I already love and my own understanding of music in general. Thank you so much.
Dang that was a journey... I didn't expect so much life, sadness, philosophy, and beauty from my music theory youtube. I will remember pedal points forever as the constant self while the world changes around one... awesome.
This video is so good! I remember listening to Carrie and Lowell for the first time. At that point of my life, I am suppressing and running away from aches and some darkness. And when he opened up with Death with Dignity and him forgiving his mother and yearning for her, ugh the well broke me. Then cried some more on Should Have Known Better, Fourth of July, The Only Thing and John My Beloved. Since then I became a Sufjan fan! Such an exquisite piece of art! And analysis and reviews on that album is very little for me, so having this video essay is truly welcomed!
After watching this video and hearing so many details explaining all the thought and intent that must've gone into Sufjan's songwriting...my lingering impression is incredulous awe--that I get to listen to the heart-aching brilliance that is Sufjan Stevens' music, anytime I want. What a gift. ❤️
Sufjan Stevens is my favorite musician of all time. I'm not familiar with music theory, but I deeply appreciate this video. I audibly went 'yes!' when you mentioned the positive tones to 'should've known better' it's one of my favorites by him, and at times i just sit and listen to that section and get all kinds of emotional. Having that bit explained and why I find such enjoyment in it was really delightful. Thank you for this video
After listening to your video I used pedal points in a song I wrote and put on RUclips. I think it made a big difference and made an already sad song even more emotionally charged -- I never would have thought to do that if I hadn't watched your video - so thank you again for the video/information
Loved this! I found you through the video about Phoebe and Elliot Smith and I'm constantly impressed by how much work and care you put into your videos! Sufjan has been one of my biggest inspirations, specially Carrie and Lowell. His songwriting and voice were what originally drew me to his music but his composition is also such an important part of the emotion of his work and this video pointed out an aspect of that I had barely noticed before!
Man, these videos are always so good! Keep at it, even if you aren't reaching the widest audience the audience you do reach are tremendously affected by what you do.
Great vid! I've been a fan of using pedal point for a while now, finding out Sufjan uses it so much just explains why I love his music so much. Just so you know, iTunes still does allow you to see your play count, try right-clicking on the header where time/artist/genre are it should bring up a big list and you just need to tick "Plays"
I never considered a sustaining note on top as pedal point. Fantastic point. I wrote a song years ago in the near infinite wait times between private students. I think it uses this type of pedal point? ruclips.net/video/xGQigSSPMM8/видео.html Edit: wrote this comment having not heard Carrie & Lowell, right before you mention the repeating D. Looks like I just poorly ripped off Sufjan accidentally. Great.
One of my favorite uses of pedal point is the bridge of Hum’s “Diffuse”. Distorted guitars chugging along while the bass slowly moves through the chord progression.
Off the top of my head: Allan Holdsworth's "Looking Glass" sounds like it has spots of pedal point in the chorus (verse?), where the guitar has bunches of shifting chords with the consistent top note.
I was really excited about the first 2 examples because i have played the jupiter symphony in my orchestra aswell as footprints in a band (and i even played the bass)
Great video!! One of my favourite pedal points is in Shostakovich's 10th symphony. The sustained E in the bass that accompanies the clarinet solo near the beginning.
Hey, i love, love, love this loving analysis. I don't know who Brian even is yet but yet I know I won't forego going to more content. My own theory and knowledge is gained slowly through osmosis as opposed to rigorous study which I find tough so this kind of emotional analysis with beautiful examples and recreations is up my alley. As my playing improves on guitar and grows into 'my style' I notice pedal points do crop up somewhat and I do like to make use of open strings....Subscribed.
the predatory wasp is my favorite song ever. I often use superlatives to describe things for dramatic effect, but this is no exaggeration. It’s the best song I’ll ever know so personally and I often try to avoid it because of the way it makes me feel
I didn’t know what pedal points were until I saw this video but I’ve always noticed them as my favorite parts of music. I would also compare it to looking at the horizon while driving and it doesn’t appear to move. But the closer things are, they move very fast.
Hi Brian! So glad you brought Sufjan's Carrie&Lowell up again. I keep 'Death With Dignity' as my first (and so far only ever) ringtone and it still works perfectly, putting me in a solemn mood each time someone calls me. Speaking of Seattle-based Bands, I love how the entire 'Transatlanticism' album by Death Cab for Cutie both starts and ends on the exact same humming note, but I'm not sure if this qualifies as a pedal point (or would that be a drone?). Anyway, love your Sadboy Series and I'm looking forward to part 3. Keep up the excellent work!
This has 400 views. I cannot believe my eyes. Continue brian, youre bound to explode soon (assuming thats your goal) lovely video. Iv always loved pedals and drones as well. Jordan Rakei uses them often in a very whistful and emotional way. Great video, subbed!
I'm surprised that you didn't include Wallowa Lake Monster! It's an outtake from Carrie and Lowell that has a lot of the same elements (including pedal points).
Really great video, I realize how much I love pedal points and play them in everything without even knowing it. Adrienne Lenker is another songwriter who uses them so much as well, especially in songs like Wolf and Half Return
This was such a cool video to stumble upon. Sufjan Stevens is probably my favorite living artist. I’m also a classical musician (cellist), and met Wick many years ago at a summer festival, so it was really neat to randomly see him in this. AND I grew up in the Bay Area, and lived for a while in Marin. I don’t know. This was just a really cool personal find, and a great video. Glad I found you.
I’ve had tinnitus for as long as I can remember, so it’s like having a pedal point under every sound that I hear in my day-to-day life. Unless I drown it out with music, which also very often has pedal points. So yeah, they really are everywhere.
I've always thought of a lot of guitar parts in open D (or in the case of Phoebe Bridgers, open Db) as having a kind of pedal point in them. I've noticed this specifically in Phoebe's music, but in general when it's in an open tuning and there are chords being played under a constant of the top two strings that feels like another version of pedal point to me!
yes I definitely hear this in Moon Song, and Graceland Too as well as many tracks on Stranger in the Alps have a firm hold on the top two strings while the bass moves the songs. She’s brilliant!
This is the first video I've watched of yours, and I must say your love of woodwinds is really admirable! I too love them, and always think that they would be really good for acoustic arrangements of pop songs (in particular the electric guitar). I really only have experience in classical music, but some of my favorites are Tchaikovsky's world-ending F# timpani pedal point in the climax of the 1st movement of his 6th symphony ruclips.net/video/8VswsTffasc/видео.html; Rachmaninoff's D pedal point (and more generally all his base lines) in the "big tune" of the 4th movement of his 2nd symphony; Rachmaninoff's C# pedal point at the beginning of the 2nd movement of his 3rd symphony; Rachmaninoff's G pedal point at the finale (last minute) of his cello sonata (and the really long cello notes in the slow part of the 2nd movement over beautiful piano rolls) Richard Atkinson also did a video on a huge pedal point in Bruckner 7 (and many more recommendations in that comment thread)
I just got that mic for my voice (a shure SM7B- it’s like the podcast standard)… but I wanted to try it out on instruments in this video and it did a great job.
I love this video, Its super well written and edited. I just think that angle of you with your forehead awkwardly cut by the top of the frame is a small gripe in an otherwise GREAT VIDEO. KEEP IT UP!
Yea… somehow I didn’t notice that I wasn’t in frame when I filmed and then obviously I was DEVASTATED. I considered reshooting. It’s amazing how one can continue to make such egregious mistakes. Like, all I had to do was flip the viewfinder so that I could see myself while I was shooting… but I was in such an excited mood that I was rushing. Anyways, thank you!
About counting how many times you listened to an album at 1:08, LastFm does exactly that, you just need to create an account and connect to whatever music player you're using
Wild how much Should Have Known Better at 17:03 onward sounds so identical to the beginning of "Over the Hill", the overworld map music from the video game Final Fantasy 9. Does anyone know if that song has a pedal point in its opening? (I'm no music theory expert).
I have a lot of trouble isolating and humming the pedal point in (some of) your examples :( I can feel that there is something there, but I'd miss it if I were transcribing I think and then wonder why it sounds thin when I play it back. I'm like a t-rex i can only hear it if it moves.
Brian you need to check out Christian Camarao's Appalachian Fiction! I think there are great examples of pedal point (or pedal point adjacent?) practices and the album overall has some crazy instrumentation and ideas going on. If you do check it out let me know what you think!
Speaking of Itunes -- I miss seeing my entire catalogue of music laid out in one large list. The cyclical trap of Spotify suggestions and 'Previously Listened To' stuff allows to me forget quite a few artists and albums.
@@BrianKrock Well it was well made because I legit had a dream this morning that I sent my partner a letter telling them about the contents of this video 😆
You sound like a Sufjan amateur when you refer to “Illinois” as “Come On, Feel the Illinoise”… joking aside this is a really cool video with tons of great insight.
Not slander! It’s true that he is a great guitarist, and also true that he has gotten tons of mileage out of a few open chords. That’s not an insult, it’s just true!
@@BrianKrockYou are right, his open chords do get a lot of use. I appreciate now that what you said in the video wasn’t necessarily a knock on his ability, just a note about his playing style. Thanks again for the incredible video!
This is a super nitpicky correction, but all brass instruments have pedal notes, not just trombone (horn has them, like, theoretically, but they are impossible to produce by humans as far as I know). Just wanted to let you know :) I really enjoyed the video!
There's nothing wrong with being emotional as a man, and whoever thinks otherwise is severely misguided. I have noticed a strange impulse in people to think of "great" individuals as being above emotions, despite how that is never really the case. I had the chance to visit Germany once, and they had a statue of Bach. To me, he looked imposing and powerful, but there was a pensive expression on his face, which was angled downward and his brow furrowed in contemplation. Apparently when it was built people were upset that it caused Bach to appear emotional rather than heroic. I thought it looked very heroic anyway, but I guess there was a time when people were very averse to any sign of emotional sensitivity... Kind of like how they are now.
Also a nice example of a pedal point is Roland Dyen's Lettre Latine. He was modern classical composer for guitar and in this piece a high E is repeated through out almost the shole song. Here's a link ruclips.net/video/oY7U5pBhAr8/видео.html :)
![Rich Dunk (Ft. DaBaby) - BIG DAWG [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Pz2ewsSKAEM/mqdefault.jpg)
I was expecting you to mention the "Regard du Père" from the Vingt Regards by Messiaen... especially in connection to Stevens's "John my Beloved."
Messiaen uses a pedal in an extremely slow tempo to evoke the eternity of God...
Okay, so, first of all, everyone please know that James Bunch is a *brilliant* composer, and I will redirect you here so you can listen to his music: soundcloud.com/jimmy-bunch-1/popular-tracks
Also: fuck, how did I not mention Messiaen? Thanks for the input, Jimmy. Shit, that would've been the perfect example!
@@BrianKrock Now I get two discoveries right after one another: your channel, and James on soundcloud. Happy to find people who know Messiaen. I live in France, and I have yet to meet someone here who know who he was...
@@BrianKrock the first 1000 lines of the human genome warmed my heart
I think "Carrie & Lowell" is one of the great albums of the last 25 years or more, and will be remembered as a masterpiece of the era. As for other pedal point songs, let's not forget perhaps the most hypnotic use of the technique I can think of: "O Superman" by Laurie Anderson
Agreed. I remember thinking “I think I’ve found an album as good as Kid A”.
Same
All of Sufjens music affects me deeply, but the second part of “should have known better” moves me in such a heart wrenching way, the combination of the words and the simple, nostalgic little synth loop..I literally broke down into tears the first time I heard it.
I totally understand you! That song destroys me too.
The interplay in the lyrics, “when I was three… three, maybe four” then later “and when I was three, and free to explore”, it's all so incredibly good.
My parents are still alive yet I already know what songs will make me me cry when they pass away. It feels like I’m already mourning in a way. This does not depress me but still Makes my heart leak.
Carrie & Lowell was the first SS album that I really listened to.
That was back in 2016.
I now have a 1yr old son whose name is Sufjan.
So yes, I guess you could say Carrie & Lowell had a big impact on me 😄
i hope your kid has a lot of fun stuff to talk about when he gets older, and teachers ask about his name 😆
Ever call him Subaru?
There's so much in this video that resonates deeply for me. I too, was dramatically changed upon hearing Illinoise. I can place myself where I first heard Carrie & Lowell and Sufjan just devastated me. And speaking of devastating, I love the pedal point quarter notes in the chorus of NIN's Hurt. Also, lovely arrangements of Sufjan's tunes, that was a treat!
I grieved the death of a loved one in 2015 to Carrie and Lowell, it’s almost an instant cry fest whenever any of its songs come on. The other day I fell asleep to a playlist then spotify did its thing where it started playing recommended songs, well I woke up crying to Death with Dignity playing lol
Oh, thanks for sharing this story. It’s nice to have some music that reliably helps you cry, don’t you think? Hope you’re doing well!
I listened to it while hanging out with my best friend after his father died, the year the album came out. I initially played it because it was a new album and I was trying to pass the time, but it really hit when I realised how it matched the moment. It just gets you in a certain way.
I ALWAYS listen to this album when I’m on tour in America. Something about ‘Should have known better’ or ‘fourth of july’, any of them really, when I’m on a bus on a midwest highway, or flying from California up to Portland, just feels perfect.
The piano from "Wash", by Bon Iver, has an astonishing pedal point in the treble register, during the whole song!!!
By the way, I would LOVE a Bon Iver video from this channel!!!
There aren’t enough music theory vids breaking down Sufjan’s music on RUclips! Thanks, if you make more I will watch them
Your horns arrangement of Drawn to the blood is one of the best things I've ever listened. Thanks so much from a devoted Sufjan fan.
Wow, thanks. I really love that section of the song!
also i love how you put so much effort into these, especially into the song recreations.. mindblowing
Dude your content is always on point. Your love for music is apparent in your research and presentation. Love me some Sufjan, love me some Brian Krock.
Wow, this video was so great! Thank you so much for sharing it with us
Killer video as always Brian :))
This was fantastic! I really enjoyed it, Brain. Thank you!
I've watched two of your videos now and I am just blown away. Meeting me right where I am and then taking me to new places both in terms of my depth of understanding of the music I already love and my own understanding of music in general. Thank you so much.
Carrie & Lowell and your video are both masterpieces.
Dang that was a journey... I didn't expect so much life, sadness, philosophy, and beauty from my music theory youtube. I will remember pedal points forever as the constant self while the world changes around one... awesome.
I've been in love with Sufjan's music since middle school and Carrie & Lowell is one of my absolute favorite albums, so this was an absolute treat!!!
i love you brian!
This video is so good! I remember listening to Carrie and Lowell for the first time. At that point of my life, I am suppressing and running away from aches and some darkness. And when he opened up with Death with Dignity and him forgiving his mother and yearning for her, ugh the well broke me. Then cried some more on Should Have Known Better, Fourth of July, The Only Thing and John My Beloved. Since then I became a Sufjan fan! Such an exquisite piece of art! And analysis and reviews on that album is very little for me, so having this video essay is truly welcomed!
After watching this video and hearing so many details explaining all the thought and intent that must've gone into Sufjan's songwriting...my lingering impression is incredulous awe--that I get to listen to the heart-aching brilliance that is Sufjan Stevens' music, anytime I want. What a gift. ❤️
starting off with my favorite; i see what you're doing. that's an instant sub
Sufjan Stevens is my favorite musician of all time. I'm not familiar with music theory, but I deeply appreciate this video. I audibly went 'yes!' when you mentioned the positive tones to 'should've known better' it's one of my favorites by him, and at times i just sit and listen to that section and get all kinds of emotional. Having that bit explained and why I find such enjoyment in it was really delightful. Thank you for this video
loved this video, Brian!
Wow, thank you, Chris! That means a lot.
Great vid about a great album - good job man, keep it up!
Thank you for introducing me to this album
Really loving these music theory videos and how they relate to writing, man. Can’t wait for the next video :)
Thanks, Alex :)
What a fascinating video -- you explain (and illustrate) everything so clearly. Thanks for putting all of this together.
After listening to your video I used pedal points in a song I wrote and put on RUclips. I think it made a big difference and made an already sad song even more emotionally charged -- I never would have thought to do that if I hadn't watched your video - so thank you again for the video/information
literally nothing in all of youtube i’d rather be watching. thank you!!
Loved this! I found you through the video about Phoebe and Elliot Smith and I'm constantly impressed by how much work and care you put into your videos! Sufjan has been one of my biggest inspirations, specially Carrie and Lowell. His songwriting and voice were what originally drew me to his music but his composition is also such an important part of the emotion of his work and this video pointed out an aspect of that I had barely noticed before!
Thank you, I’m really glad you get something out of these videos :)
Stellar work as always. So impressed that you transcribed, arranged and recorded gorgeous performance of all these tunes while on tour.
Thanks, Josh! It was hectic, but fun.
Man, these videos are always so good! Keep at it, even if you aren't reaching the widest audience the audience you do reach are tremendously affected by what you do.
Thank you, Andrew! That means a lot.
so great!
Love your work! The instrumental recreations you do are so beautiful
Aw thank you :)
so appreciate for your hard work! love from korea
Great vid! I've been a fan of using pedal point for a while now, finding out Sufjan uses it so much just explains why I love his music so much. Just so you know, iTunes still does allow you to see your play count, try right-clicking on the header where time/artist/genre are it should bring up a big list and you just need to tick "Plays"
Hi everyone! Let me know your favorite examples of pedal point-y stuff, from any era or genre of music, in this comment thread.
Brian -- Have you heard Smells Like Content by The Books? Great song
I never considered a sustaining note on top as pedal point. Fantastic point. I wrote a song years ago in the near infinite wait times between private students. I think it uses this type of pedal point?
ruclips.net/video/xGQigSSPMM8/видео.html
Edit: wrote this comment having not heard Carrie & Lowell, right before you mention the repeating D. Looks like I just poorly ripped off Sufjan accidentally. Great.
One of my favorite uses of pedal point is the bridge of Hum’s “Diffuse”. Distorted guitars chugging along while the bass slowly moves through the chord progression.
Nice video! You'd appreciate this one by another music theorist that focuses on video game music - ruclips.net/video/ceem1ZNsFY8/видео.html
Off the top of my head: Allan Holdsworth's "Looking Glass" sounds like it has spots of pedal point in the chorus (verse?), where the guitar has bunches of shifting chords with the consistent top note.
Awesome video!
I was really excited about the first 2 examples because i have played the jupiter symphony in my orchestra aswell as footprints in a band (and i even played the bass)
Great video!!
One of my favourite pedal points is in Shostakovich's 10th symphony. The sustained E in the bass that accompanies the clarinet solo near the beginning.
Nice video Brian
Nice video, thanks for this explanation!
Thanks!
Hey, i love, love, love this loving analysis. I don't know who Brian even is yet but yet I know I won't forego going to more content. My own theory and knowledge is gained slowly through osmosis as opposed to rigorous study which I find tough so this kind of emotional analysis with beautiful examples and recreations is up my alley. As my playing improves on guitar and grows into 'my style' I notice pedal points do crop up somewhat and I do like to make use of open strings....Subscribed.
That final remark knocked the wind out of me. Pedal point is the music of the human condition.
the predatory wasp is my favorite song ever. I often use superlatives to describe things for dramatic effect, but this is no exaggeration. It’s the best song I’ll ever know so personally and I often try to avoid it because of the way it makes me feel
I know there are only two videos in Brian’s Sadboy Series, but it is my favorite series on all of RUclips.
indeed
We need more
Great video. On Green Dolphin Street is always first to come to mind when thinking about pedal point for me.
Oh yea, same for me. What a great tune.
I love listening to music RUclipsrs geek out about music theory or their instruments
Good video!! :)
I didn’t know what pedal points were until I saw this video but I’ve always noticed them as my favorite parts of music.
I would also compare it to looking at the horizon while driving and it doesn’t appear to move. But the closer things are, they move very fast.
Hi Brian! So glad you brought Sufjan's Carrie&Lowell up again. I keep 'Death With Dignity' as my first (and so far only ever) ringtone and it still works perfectly, putting me in a solemn mood each time someone calls me.
Speaking of Seattle-based Bands, I love how the entire 'Transatlanticism' album by Death Cab for Cutie both starts and ends on the exact same humming note, but I'm not sure if this qualifies as a pedal point (or would that be a drone?).
Anyway, love your Sadboy Series and I'm looking forward to part 3. Keep up the excellent work!
oh my god I really don't understand a lot about music theory but this is so interesting and really makes me want to get into music theory more!!
My favorite album of all time
never heard of sufjan, gonna listen to the whole carrie & lowell album first, then save this for later :)
This has 400 views. I cannot believe my eyes. Continue brian, youre bound to explode soon (assuming thats your goal)
lovely video. Iv always loved pedals and drones as well. Jordan Rakei uses them often in a very whistful and emotional way. Great video, subbed!
Thanks for the encouragement! I will keep making these :)
I'm surprised that you didn't include Wallowa Lake Monster! It's an outtake from Carrie and Lowell that has a lot of the same elements (including pedal points).
Ah now I must go find this!
Really great video, I realize how much I love pedal points and play them in everything without even knowing it. Adrienne Lenker is another songwriter who uses them so much as well, especially in songs like Wolf and Half Return
I almost included Big Thief in the final section, but I thought the video was getting too long!!
This was such a cool video to stumble upon. Sufjan Stevens is probably my favorite living artist. I’m also a classical musician (cellist), and met Wick many years ago at a summer festival, so it was really neat to randomly see him in this. AND I grew up in the Bay Area, and lived for a while in Marin. I don’t know. This was just a really cool personal find, and a great video. Glad I found you.
Oh wow, what a strange group of coincidences. Happy to meet you, Jessamyn!
@@BrianKrock Right? And likewise! ♥️♥️
Love love love C&L. Right now my favourite pedal point is in Jeff Rosenstock's State Line, even if it isn't carried throughout the whole song.
I’ve had tinnitus for as long as I can remember, so it’s like having a pedal point under every sound that I hear in my day-to-day life. Unless I drown it out with music, which also very often has pedal points. So yeah, they really are everywhere.
I've always thought of a lot of guitar parts in open D (or in the case of Phoebe Bridgers, open Db) as having a kind of pedal point in them. I've noticed this specifically in Phoebe's music, but in general when it's in an open tuning and there are chords being played under a constant of the top two strings that feels like another version of pedal point to me!
yes I definitely hear this in Moon Song, and Graceland Too as well as many tracks on Stranger in the Alps have a firm hold on the top two strings while the bass moves the songs. She’s brilliant!
Interesting Pedal Point song .... time of your life.
Love this video! I have to add, as a brass player, that pedal tones are as you described them for the trombone, but apply to any brass instrument.
Yes, sorry about that mistake!
Criminally low viewcount on this. Thanks Brian, you deserve to be blessed by the algorithm for this one.
You're my favourite:)
This is the first video I've watched of yours, and I must say your love of woodwinds is really admirable! I too love them, and always think that they would be really good for acoustic arrangements of pop songs (in particular the electric guitar). I really only have experience in classical music, but some of my favorites are
Tchaikovsky's world-ending F# timpani pedal point in the climax of the 1st movement of his 6th symphony ruclips.net/video/8VswsTffasc/видео.html;
Rachmaninoff's D pedal point (and more generally all his base lines) in the "big tune" of the 4th movement of his 2nd symphony;
Rachmaninoff's C# pedal point at the beginning of the 2nd movement of his 3rd symphony;
Rachmaninoff's G pedal point at the finale (last minute) of his cello sonata (and the really long cello notes in the slow part of the 2nd movement over beautiful piano rolls)
Richard Atkinson also did a video on a huge pedal point in Bruckner 7 (and many more recommendations in that comment thread)
more mORE MORE sadboy
As a classical musician who is obsessed with sufjan, it’s as if this video was made for me
Great video! My favorite user/abuser of pedal point is Thom Yorke-will use it for both chords and melody.
Ohhh yea
It's suspected John Cage was hearing his low level tinnitus...also very inescapable.
Great video, thank you!
Laura's Theme from Twin Peaks is a good example - and in the PNW too 😁
Oooh good call!
huge lover of pedal points, sufjan, and music theory analysis!! great work :D what mic do you use??? I love the sound of it
I just got that mic for my voice (a shure SM7B- it’s like the podcast standard)… but I wanted to try it out on instruments in this video and it did a great job.
I love this video, Its super well written and edited. I just think that angle of you with your forehead awkwardly cut by the top of the frame is a small gripe in an otherwise GREAT VIDEO. KEEP IT UP!
Yea… somehow I didn’t notice that I wasn’t in frame when I filmed and then obviously I was DEVASTATED. I considered reshooting. It’s amazing how one can continue to make such egregious mistakes. Like, all I had to do was flip the viewfinder so that I could see myself while I was shooting… but I was in such an excited mood that I was rushing. Anyways, thank you!
1:48 positively pleasant
Gimme a P! Gimme a P! Gimme a P!
About counting how many times you listened to an album at 1:08, LastFm does exactly that, you just need to create an account and connect to whatever music player you're using
When I think of pedal points the first composer that comes to mind is Bach. I know it's not his invention, but he's the first I heard them from.
4:43 shots fired, whew >.>
Wild how much Should Have Known Better at 17:03 onward sounds so identical to the beginning of "Over the Hill", the overworld map music from the video game Final Fantasy 9. Does anyone know if that song has a pedal point in its opening? (I'm no music theory expert).
I have a lot of trouble isolating and humming the pedal point in (some of) your examples :( I can feel that there is something there, but I'd miss it if I were transcribing I think and then wonder why it sounds thin when I play it back. I'm like a t-rex i can only hear it if it moves.
Brian you need to check out Christian Camarao's Appalachian Fiction! I think there are great examples of pedal point (or pedal point adjacent?) practices and the album overall has some crazy instrumentation and ideas going on. If you do check it out let me know what you think!
itunes still shows play count of songs
♥️
The crowd is waiting for an episode about Kishi Bashi!!!
Tell me what to listen to! I don’t know their music!
@@BrianKrock You can start with the album Omoiyari, my favorite... And the album 151a. For me, these albums are musically the most interesting
Favorite pedal tone is “Happiness” by Elliott Smith
Oh man, that’s such a good one. In the intro, you mean? How could I have left that out? Gorgeous and weird.
Speaking of Itunes -- I miss seeing my entire catalogue of music laid out in one large list. The cyclical trap of Spotify suggestions and 'Previously Listened To' stuff allows to me forget quite a few artists and albums.
Man. Yea, agreed. I mean, iTunes is the worst… but I don’t want to go on and on about it bc I don’t wanna sound like an old fart 💨
I really liked this video! But not gonna lie, the last second hurt my ears 😵💫But everything else was super insightful and an awesome exploration
Sorry, your ears are precious! It hurt mine to edit that part, too! Was just trying to make a point.
@@BrianKrock Well it was well made because I legit had a dream this morning that I sent my partner a letter telling them about the contents of this video 😆
You sound like a Sufjan amateur when you refer to “Illinois” as “Come On, Feel the Illinoise”… joking aside this is a really cool video with tons of great insight.
Haha fair enough! Thanks, Ben.
Truly enjoyed this video, I learnt so much. It was great. But the John Mayer slander is unacceptable, his abilities on the guitar are crazy!
Not slander! It’s true that he is a great guitarist, and also true that he has gotten tons of mileage out of a few open chords. That’s not an insult, it’s just true!
(And thanks!)
@@BrianKrockYou are right, his open chords do get a lot of use. I appreciate now that what you said in the video wasn’t necessarily a knock on his ability, just a note about his playing style. Thanks again for the incredible video!
Do you think that maybe Sufjan learned about pedal tones from the Beato book?
Definitely yes lol
Can't believe you dissed Beato
You better believe it
This is a super nitpicky correction, but all brass instruments have pedal notes, not just trombone (horn has them, like, theoretically, but they are impossible to produce by humans as far as I know). Just wanted to let you know :) I really enjoyed the video!
Thanks Nathan! Yea, I was just kinda speaking off the top of my head.
There's nothing wrong with being emotional as a man, and whoever thinks otherwise is severely misguided. I have noticed a strange impulse in people to think of "great" individuals as being above emotions, despite how that is never really the case.
I had the chance to visit Germany once, and they had a statue of Bach. To me, he looked imposing and powerful, but there was a pensive expression on his face, which was angled downward and his brow furrowed in contemplation. Apparently when it was built people were upset that it caused Bach to appear emotional rather than heroic. I thought it looked very heroic anyway, but I guess there was a time when people were very averse to any sign of emotional sensitivity... Kind of like how they are now.
Songs end. A pedal point can't go on forever.
"This is the second installment of my Sadboy Series." what video is the first? i see no indication anywhere; i'm curious
It’s my video about Elliott Smith and Phoebe Bridgers!
Bitter complexities sounds like a José González song title
5:30 you said SHE which is cool. Points for that!!
and then you said now listen to me bullshit
cant wait for your next video
Please insert the automatic English subtitle, without that it will be hard to understand for me as a non-English speaker. T~T
I will try to figure that out!
@@BrianKrock Now there is, thank you!!!
litttle guitar lesson 10:21
Also a nice example of a pedal point is Roland Dyen's Lettre Latine. He was modern classical composer for guitar and in this piece a high E is repeated through out almost the shole song. Here's a link ruclips.net/video/oY7U5pBhAr8/видео.html :)