Welcome to the Voiceplay Rabbit Hole! Would you mind if I posted some unofficial rules for listening to them, that I've put together through the years, as a "Voiceplaya?" And a little info on the group?
Well, I'll post them, and you can delete them if you want. Just a few tips, really. Here are some unofficial (but important!) rules for listening to Geoff/Voiceplay! I just came up with them on my own, but after years of being a Voiceplaya, I've found they're necessary for optimal Voiceplay (and to a degree, Home Free as well) listening. If you've already got some of them down, know I'm just posting the list, not criticizing your reactor skills! The rules: #1) GLAD TO SEE YOU DO THIS, as it's VERY important! ALWAYS watch to the very end of the video (or check at least). Often times it may LOOK like the video has ended, but there's an outro. Also (thanks to Janetdw for mentioning some of these), watching to the end lets you see their awesome cover art, hear possible remixes, see BTS bits, or hear the karaoke versions. #2) Always leave the closed captions on. Geoff's wife Kathy (who helps with their videos, she also appears in some, such an amazing woman!) has hearing loss, so sometimes there will be little hidden gems in the CC. #3) If you pause a video to speak, rewind it ten seconds before you start it again, to make sure you don't miss anything. #4) Don't look away from the screen, or close your eyes for more than a second, because, again, you might miss a visual gag or clever moment. #5) Don't go into their videos with expectations on what the song will be like, i.e., that it will be the same as the original. These guys put their own spin on things. The only thing to expect, generally, is to be blown away by their sheer talent. #6) Unless you have a REALLY great speaker system with stereo sound, ALWAYS wear good headphones/earbuds with Voiceplay and Geoff. They do amazing little tricks you can only pick up with those hearing devices. Plus, some of Geoff's notes are so low you practically can't hear them without headphones.
Glad to see you were blown away by them! As we all were, even those of us who have been their fans for years! This is my favorite Voiceplay line-up too, with Cesar (next to Layne, the beatboxer) and J. None (directly to Geoff's left in this). There have been different line-ups through the years, so don't be surprised if the core members' faces change as you go back farther in time. With J. None on a reverse leave of sorts (the Naval Choir asked him to sing with them, and he sings lead, and is singing Bass), they have different guests for each song. But fear not, because they always find the PERFECT guest for each song! And they all have remarkable ranges! Oh, and FYI, from left to right facing the screen we have: Geoff Castellucci J. None. (mentioned above.) Eli Jacobsen (pronounced El-lee, NOT E-lie!) Tenor rock god Cesar De La Rosa, their newest member. He often flirts with the camera, and it flirts right back! Layne Stein, their beatboxer. Also known as VioLayne. Sometimes he sings, and it's always a treat to hear his voice. I could tell you all sorts of facts and opinions about each member, but I'll let you discover them on your own! Enjoy and have fun! I know we will watching you!
Thank you for a great reaction to Voice Play. Please do a reaction video to Voice Plays newest cover of Sleeping In The Cold Below. It is amazing. They are known as The Theater Kids of Acapella. A great example is their cover of a medley songs from Queen. It is titled Queen In 5 Minutes. Totally awesome. Some of their cover songs are playful as in The Lion Sleeps Tonight. They are a totally Independent group & do everything themselves with the exception of the vinal mix & make-up. Geoff's wife Kathy is their production manager as well as for Geoff. In Geoff's solo covers he usually clones himself 3 or 4 times to harmonize with himself & all the voices you hear are all Geoff's. One of his best is Folsom Prison Blues originally by Johnny Cash. Geoff rented out an entire decommissioned prison for this video & his wife was the only crew. She has so much creative input with Geoff s videos.
@@DravenGal I would just add that in the last few years they also will play the karaoke tract during the outro which is often an amazing piece of music on its own. And in their latest one they used the karaoke track that they accidentally released with just the percussion and we really get to hear Layne do his thing.
The more Voiceplay you react to, the fans will come in droves! No copyright issues with them because they are completely independent and arrange, record, video, costume, and promote everything themselves. Welcome to the club!!
They still hold the copyright to their covers and could (emphasis could) copyright his ass. In fact, claiming the recenue off of reactions really should be a no-brainer, as they are so indisputably not transformative free use, unless you make a 40m video essay out of a 3m clip.
From what I understand blocking a video and claiming the ad revenue are two different things. Voiceplay and Geoff have a service that does claim ad revenue for them but doesn't block the videos. Anytime a video is actually blocked it was because of the original artist, not Voiceplay or Geoff.
@@BeckyBug7 Yes, exactly. Why you see heavy filters on some of my videos is because they are blocked completely without them. You can dispute the copyright claim, and if it isn't responded to within 30 days the block will be lifted. But the block can be re-instated at any time, so better to be safe than sorry (I've had a few videos blocked weeks after being uploaded, so lesson learned). Most videos that don't have a filter are still copyright claimed, so the copyright owners claims the ad revenue. Also, I have no control over the ads in such videos.
Geoff is currently the master of the subharmonic singing when it comes to acapella groups. The way he describes it is as a mix between his low chest and vocal fry. If you sing a low note and then slowly slide towards vocal fry, there is usually a sweet spot where your vocal folds are resonating just right to produce that subharmonic, which the 1st sub sits 1 octave below the voiced note. He also has very low chest notes and chest fry, but he loves using the subs too because they just feel more impactful.
If I could sing and hold a tune I would be able to say that I can do it just like Geoff, but alas I cannot sing to save my life lmao. So while I can hit those subharmonics, I can't maintain a tune. :(
Not only voted by your followers but also by Chicago who heard this song by VoicePlay and invited them to join them in their Nov 17-18 Chicago and Friends concert.
Ah, welcome to VoicePlay! These guys are so great- they are also 100% independent artists, so everything you saw and heard there came from them. Geoff Castellucci, along with his amazing bass vocals, was also the one who arranged the piece and directed the video (which was shot at Layne' Stein's- he's the beatboxer- video production studio, Pattycake Productions). Eli (rhymes with 'jelly') Jacobson is the bald rock tenor in the center (and you've only begun to hear him); besides being their tenor and brilliant at character voices he also provides the lighting for most of their videos, and he can also hold down bass lines when Geoff solos. Cesar De La Rosa is the gentleman with the airy bari-tenor to the right of Eli; he is the newest member of the group, who joined shortly after J. None left to sing for the US Navy. J. still features with the group fairly regularly, and a lot of us hope he will return to the group fulltime after his stint is up. He's got a voice like butter, and soul for days. And Layne Stein- there is so much to say about Layne. He, along with Geoff, are the two remaining original members of the group (since 1997). He used to be the baritone, but took over the vocal percussion and has excelled with that role. As you saw here, he is also skilled with the violin (rarely employed in their music, but exciting enough when it shows to get it's own hashtag- #VioLayne). He also provides roughly the other half of the group's vocal arrangements. Eli occasionally contributes; I think we all wish he'd do so more often, since his contributions have been bangers. Depending on how far back you go in their channel, you will see former members Earl Elkins Jr. (a stocky fellow with a uniquely toned, laser-high tenor) and Tony Wakim (smooth, dramatic baritone with amazing eyebrows) and a whole host of feature artists. Many recurring faces in that group include Rachel Potter, Ashley Diane, Omar Cardona, Deejay Young, Anthony Garguila and Adrianna Arellano, all amazing vocalists in their own right, and all of whom you'll hear with VoicePlay and think, 'dang, they sound as though they could be part of the group!'.
Just wanted to let you know that anyone who appreciates Voiceplay AND talks about why the music works the way it does is an immediate subscribe from me. Welcome to the rabbit hole! Often my recommendations include Valhalla Calling (Viking themed blood and thunder, EPIC lows from Geoff, screaming rock highs from Eli, and a surprise from J None) and Hoist the Colors (ghostly pirate themed brilliance that IMO really shows off both Cesar's exceptional voice and his 200 percent commitment to the bit, whatever that bit may be), but as you have a classical background, you may also want to see what they do with Hall of the Mountain King, which comes straight from the demented imagination of Layne Stein, the beatboxer. Have fun!
LOL I love it when I see “stank face” on first-timers when hearing Geoff’s awesome bass. If you want to hear another fab example, check out Valhalla Calling, where he consistently hits (and holds) a B0. If you want an example of how far they will push themselves, check out “Hall of the Mountain King”. Welcome to the Voiceplay rabbithole! Geoff also has his own channel where he does solo work.
Also as a note, VoicePlay is also very welcoming to reactors, so you shouldn't have issues with anything being blocked. However I do know RUclips could still demonetize without the pauses so definitely do what you need to do!
Also, you always have such great information to share when you pause. If you went on too long we might not remember the part you’re commenting on. I love your explanations!
I have almost as many points for you about VoicePlay (principally Geoff Castellucci) as you had for us about your reaction and analysis of this amazing song! I don't doubt that many/most of these will be brought out by others as well, but for what it's worth.... One nice thing about reacting to VoicePlay videos (and Geoff Castellucci - see below) is that they always give credit in their description box, so you know who appeared in the video and what role they played. You can always see who arranged the song, lighting, makeup, etc. As far as singing roles go - since all of the VoicePlay members tend to have pretty big ranges, sliding someone into a "tenor" or "baritone" role is a little iffy; Eli (bald guy) is a rock tenor, but has been known to cover a bass line when Geoff is singing a solo in concert; J. None was a baritone in the group, and when he left to sing with the US Navy choir, stayed in that role, but recently was promoted and is now singing bass! You mentioned The Sing-Off; VoicePlay also competed on that show, in the same season as Home Free (season 4); they had to have a slightly different lineup due to the show's rules, and only made it about halfway through the season (boo! on the show for that massive oversight!). There is even a video with the two groups that was made in anticipation of the groups meeting in competition on the show, but VoicePlay was eliminated before that could happen (Survivor - Zombies vs. Hillbillies). Geoff Castellucci and Tim Foust of Home Free met during the show and became friends; they've traded tips and tricks for singing bass. You got "double-tapped" by Geoff Castellucci in this song: not only for his amazing deep bass notes, but he also arranged the song for VoicePlay. He and Layne Stein (beatboxer/vocal percussion/baritone/violinist/#violayne) generally split the arranging of songs between them; Eli Jacobsen (your clone in the group) has also done a few arrangements, and plans on doing more in the future. Geoff has developed his really deep notes through the technique known as subharmonics; not sure if you're familiar with it (although I expect you are), but he has a couple of videos on his individual channel where he explains how he manages to produce those amazing low notes. Geoff's lowest note in chest voice is an F1 or F#1 (I know the F#1; not 100% on the F1); his lowest subharmonic is supposed to be an A0 for a very short time in one video, but he has several confirmed B0 subs in a couple of videos. So he's working his way down the piano keyboard - who knows when he'll drop off the end? Geoff also has a solo channel - he started it when the lockdown hit, and VoicePlay was no longer able to tour or make appearances, so it's only about 4 years old now. The songs he covers are not a cappella; he says that he saves that for VoicePlay. Geoff arranges/edits/directs/mixes/does pretty much everything himself, with help from his wife Kathy (who is the production manager for both him and VoicePlay) and occasional help from others with specialties - Eli helps with the lighting, Layne has provided camera work, specialty makeup, etc. Geoff has an amazing range (5 octaves that he has done in videos), and when he arranges a song for himself, he sings all of the parts from bass to tenor, usually 4 or 5 parts. He will "clone" himself on-screen for each musical part, so seeing 4 or 5 Geoffs on-screen at a time is not unusual. His most recent cover is Wicked Game, the Chris Isaak song, and he spends a majority of the song singing very low chest, without using subharmonics (I think there might be one note that he uses a sub for, but I'm not sure). It really changes the emotional impact of the song! I save the best for last - Geoff DOESN'T consider himself to be a bass singer - he describes himself in one of his videos on his solo channel as a "baritone with a good bass extension"!?! In an interview with reactor Peter Barber (himself a professional opera singer (bass, naturally!)), he still wouldn't call himself a bass singer, although Peter may have made him rethink that a little bit. Whew! As for recommendations, I'll leave that to others - I'll just say that whatever song you pick from VoicePlay or Geoff, I don't think you'll be disappointed!
@@SirHairless Your very welcome. I hope at least a little of it is helpful/useful/fun! PS - I've watched your analysis 3 or 4 times already - you caught things on first listen that I've never noticed after hearing it a couple of dozen times!
Voiceplay is so good!! I'm so glad you've started reacting to them. They're known as the theater kids of the Acapella world, which totally suits me. Check out their version of "In the Hall of the Mountain King" you won't be disappointed! Your reaction was wonderful! Thanks!
It was a pleasure listening to your explanations of things to note. VoicePlay has a special way of creating a unique version of everything they cover while still being respectful of the original. Primarily, Geoff and Layne take turns and occasionally Eli arranges their music. Since there are only four full-time members at thisvstage they select a feature that fits each song and they work with some massively talented people; you'll be introduced to so many other great vpices through your journey with VoicePlay. Welcome to their fandom.
Love watching knowledgeable reactors being gobsmacked hearing VoicePlay. Your observations were spot on and delighted to welcome you to our VP fan base!
Yeah, It doesn’t matter what style the song was, once VoicePlay tackles it, it becomes VoicePlay’s style. Which never fails to amaze me, but it is somewhat annoying when they make me love a song I used to hate. 😝 It makes me wonder how many other songs I think I don’t like when it’s actually the interpretation I hate.
@@sarahkinsey5434 Well, they were working at Disney so I imagine that felt like what they should be doing. They knew the stuff, they were comfortable with it, and enough people like Disney to give them an instant audience. I think they took a gamble with Nothing Else Matters, and it paid off well. Got them a wider audience without losing the orig. And Tik Tok is helping to blow them up. There’s also a big 80’s nostalgia thing happening in American culture right now. They caught that wave with expert timing, regardless of if they’re actually aware of it. Things just seem to have came together for them. Even the pandemic lock down worked for them as it forced them to pivot to new videos and an endless stream of new material rather than relying on older material and concerts. And gave them more time to work on the new stuff. Compare the pre-pandemic arrangements to the current ones. The complexity doubled then tripled on top of that.
Yay, Geoff has finally entered the Sir Hairless’ scene! Thank you for bringing them in and for your amazing reaction/analyses! All members of VoicePlay are very talented and for me Geoff's participation always enhances their performances to another level... I loved the way you described his powerful super deep voice as more “natural and less technical” because I’ve always felt his voice as something coming from the inner core of a volcano that causes a gentle seismic vibration of my surroundings :) In fact, I fell in love with Geoff’s bass sounds since the first note I heard from him - it was really un coup de foudre!
Voiceplay is incredibly creative and vocally talented. They do it all, from pop to rock, ballads to bops, to Broadway to Disney. They even did a fantastic version of In the Hall of the Mountain King (they dressed as the demons and trolls said to be in the King's Court, with absolutely amazing makeup!).
It's awesome to see someone who can hear the layers in such detail!! Took me ages to catch some of what you noticed on a first listen ❤ My favorite Voiceplay songs are: -Hoist the Colors -I Can't Make You Love Me -their viking series (My Mother Told Me and Valhalla Calling) - their postapocalypic rock series (Warriors, Dream On, and Seven Nation Army) -The Dragonborn Comes They also have awesome Halloween songs that you should cover closer to that time of year!
Thank you for adding a little love for "I Can't Make You Love Me." That one seems to get fewer mentions than it deserves. That one and Geoff's cover of "Ain't No Sunshine" are heartrending. My ultimate favorite by Geoff is probably "Shenandoah" which is deeply moving.Tied with "misty Mountains Cold" only because I'm a huge LOTR fan.
Sir Hairless that was superb. Voiceplay is a force. Unlike other acapella groups they have had considerable change in members and guests and yet they have weathered it with aplomb. The consistent 3 have been Geoff, Ellie (the bald one) and Lane (the Beatboxer arranger extraordinaire). You really need to catch some of Geoff's solo work. It will blow your mind because is range is phenomenal.
Happy that you reacted to Voiceplay. Your facial expressions in the first minutes kind of said it all. Hope you enjoy going down this rabbit hole... and wait, there's more... a branch within that rabbit hole heads to Geoff Castellucci music videos for you to explore.
We all thought Geoff deserved a Grammy for this arrangement 😉. VP has the widest genre range, so literally choose your favourite genre and song in their catalogue and go for it! They were the first a capella group that made me want their songs on my playlist. They are absolutely spectacular in their interpretations - and because they are fully independent, they can follow their own creative ideas without restraint. I never usually subscribe on first listen, but I absolutely loved your breakdowns and analysis - so.. there is a first for everyone 🌹🕊. Hoping that there will be more Voiceplay soon! PS: Geoff can go much lower and has in some of their songs (Valhalla Calling and Halo (theme)). Eli use to sing for rock bands - absolutely loves his voice (and the grit he brings!). Layne is incredibly talented in all spheres too. The three of them split arrangements (the bulk between Geoff and Layne though) and Eli does a lot of work on lighting etc. in their videos. Cesar has a fantastic voice too and brings a lot of emotion to everything he does (see Creep / We don't talk about Bruno / We're Good). I love their rock covers - for 2023 "In the Air Tonight" (Phil Collins) is my personal second favourite after Nothing Else Matters, but there are a few to choose from! Enjoy this 🐇hole!! Its a highly addictive and satisfying one
Thrilled that you've added VoicePlay to your list! They do almost all of their own arrangements - this was one of Geoff's. Layne, the beatbox, has been doing the other 50%. (They drop a performance monthly, and usually 3 shorts as well.) Eli, the 'alternative Sir Hairless' (pronounced El-ee) has arranged a couple in the past, (most recently Creep) and will be taking on a third of the new productions soon. Whoever arranges makes all of the decisions: plans, directs and edits the video, etc. etc., unless they decide to invite someone to help. (Eli often does lighting and backdrops). Layne commented in an interview that he views each as an art piece, and I think that attention to detail shows from all of them. We rarely get to hear "VioLayne." He first played for us in Warriors, this was the second, and he pulled out his violin briefly in a more recent one. (I won't say which, don't want to spoil it.) Loved your reaction, thank you.
One of the reasons I really loved watching you analyze this is because you fully appreciate the level of complexity that they put into the arrangement itself, over and above the amazing vocal skills. And "Violayne" (Layne plus violin) is a rare beast and the fans adore it. He also plays it in "Warriors," (and so does J None - the only time that's happened so far). And I think I saw it in a recent short, but I'm not clear on that one. If you look at the credits under the video, you'll find a great deal more detail than most music videos, including who arranged the piece (90% of the time it's split between Geoff and Layne. Eli's done a couple and there's another person's name in their latest who I don't know). They are extremely hands-on in their stuff, including costuming, designing sets, working the camera, lighting, etc. Layne and Tony Wakim (a prior member or the group) co-own Pattycake Studios, where quite a lot of their stuff of produced. Early VoicePlay (when Geoff had short hair) has some really great stuff, and you can see Geoff develop his bass voice over time. He has videos on his personal YT channel talking about learning subharmonics and the like. He started out with fairly traditional bass "guitar" runs but his talent has metamorphized over time. Every member is capable of carrying a lead, and they are really good at passing the baton in that regard. It is strongly recommended that you not turn off the videos until at least the Patreon scroll, as they often have little "after-bits" that show up when the song is complete. Especially the funny ones.
The Lion Sleeps Tonight has VioLayne. Was supposed to be a mini but Layne got carried away having fun with the arrangement. Rob Dietz helped VP with the arrangement for In the Cold Below and a few others. He was one of the coaches on The Sing-Off. Along with Avi Kaplan and Ben Bram, Rob co-founded the A Cappella Academy. Very talented guy, well respected in the music industry.
Rob Dietz is the other composer who’s done several of their songs when they were too busy. Adriana Arellano has been in two of them that I’m aware of: We’re Good and Good 4 U. I see his name from time to time as a co-arranger as well. I am pretty sure he also arranges their minis. It’s either that or their ACA top 10 that he’s done in the past.
@@janetdwRob does a lot of their minis and from what I understand it’s just a time saver since they can obvi arrange the hell out of a song themselves 😅
@@thisismetoday7423Absolutely. I am always amazed that they can continue to create as much as they do and it seems like they are doing more minis than before. As a non creative person I am always in awe. It will be interesting now that Eli is also going to be arranging. Maybe I’ll finally be able to figure out who does which ones without looking it up every month!
Came for the VoicePlay, stayed for the incredibly in depth analysis and also just the lovely vibe. It's always fun to see a reactor's first encounter with VoicePlay, and I loved the way you broke down some of the rhythm and chord progression stuff. There's so much incredible VoicePlay content our there but if I may, I'd suggest their cover of Elenore Rigby. It's one of their older ones and while not as 'catchy' as some, it has some really complex arrangement details that could be fun to break down. It was also just after a previous member left, so it's arranged for just four voices.
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed And thanks for the recommendation - that's one of my favourite songs by The Beatles so it's on my list for a future reaction!
Good first reaction. They are in Florida near Disney and most of them have worked there for a time so "theater" as in costuming is a factor for them. Geoff Castelluci uses a technique called subharmonics for his low notes. If you go to his RUclips channel he discusses the technique. This is a song I have always liked.
Voiceplay is completely independent, no label, no manager, they make all of the decisions. Arrangements are usually done by Geoff or Layne. A few have been done by Eli, the rock tenor, he will be doing more going forward. They release a major cover each month taking turns with the arrangement. Whoever arranges is also responsible for the video. Set, costume, production, editing, first mix is all decided by one person. Final mix is done by Ed Boyer who I believe performs the same function for Home Free and Pentatonix. You wanted a contra tenor? Cesar is technically a baritone, he replaced J None when J joined the US Navy to sing with them. They recently did The Lion Sleeps Tonight. Cesar hits a D6. They do all genres, you can't go wrong. I would suggest Hoist the Colours and In The Air Tonight. Trust me. Subscribed in anticipation!!!
No artist should be boxed in a style or format. I love the arrangement, the surprise violin (and why not when you can play so well), the power of these voices, the nuances, the dark mood... I really love their cover of Oogie Boogie Man from Nightmare before Christmas. I’m glad that people enjoy sharing their music. Worth knowing. Oh I’m so looking forward to your R&A of Voctave, another (bigger) A Cappella group. I’m such a choir nerd and all those vocal arrangements are so breathtaking. Thank you. 🤗
A tiny background on the group, Ill try not to say too much because I know you like to keep it a surprise: The group was formed in the late 90s by friends in high school by the name 4:2:Five. Geoff and Layne, the beatboxer, are the only two original members remaining. VoiLayne is a rare occurance, but always a treat when it does appear. Most the time he beatboxes, he also has the occasional singing feature but he is usually a background vocal if he does sing. VoicePlay actually auditioned for the SingOff season 1 and did not make it. Eli, pronounced Ellie, joined in 2010, and after a couple viral RUclips videos, the SingOff invited them back for season 4, but wanted them to have 6 members for the show, so they added a female vocalist who did the show with them. The cool things about the other members of this video are that JNone joined the group in 2018 or so, and left in 2021 to join the US Military. He also sings with the US Navy. Cesar, the final member of this video, is the one who joined VoicePlay to fill the hole left by JNone!
I have to point out that the Sing-Off specifically wanted them to have a female as the sixth. They auditioned with Rachel Potter, who is a great fit and has sung with them in many videos. But by the time VP got word they'd been accepted, Rachel was unavailable. They turned to another longtime friend, Honey LaRochelle. She's a fine singer in her own right, but -- in my opinion -- the producers made them Honey LaRochelle & Five Guys. (Sorry, I'm not hiding my grudge very well. LOL!) They weren't the VP we know and love now. They were finally allowed to be a bit more like themselves on the Sing-Off tour, when Emoni Wilkins (who had competed with another group) joined them instead of Honey. Emoni has recorded several videos with them, most recently the Wicked Medley. And Geoff and Layne's arranging skills have grown by leaps and bounds since 2013. In contrast, the producers loved the concept of a country a cappella band and pushed Home Free to commit to country, where they'd previously only done a couple country tunes. (The guys talk about it on Chris Rupp's channel.) It was like the producers had decided who would win before the season even started. They fawned over Tim's bass and treated Geoff like yesterday's fish. Don't get me wrong -- Home Free is a great group. I've seen them in concert three times and look forward to going again. In 2013, they deserved to win.
This was really cool! A lot of us Voiceplay fans love watching analysis videos. It was really cool listening to the breakdown from a classical musician. I hope you continue to react to them. This was definitely one of their more "serious" pieces. Regarding Geoff percussive onset, he is actually quite good at vocal percussion and often uses those tricks in his performances to get the right sound for the piece. He actually arranged this one and does about 50% of Voiceplay's covers. When they lost their beatboxer when they were still a baby group Layne, then baritone, decided to try vocal percussion so Geoff actually taught him vocal percussion which then Layne went on to master. For theatrical covers I recommend Hoist the Colors or We Don't Talk About Bruno. Geoff just released a solo project of Wicked Game by Chris Isaak with minor instrumentation but doing all the vocal parts himself.
I believe he also technically is responsible for all the instrumentation since he generally does it on the keyboard with plug-ins. And then because he’s not talented enough he does some of his cover art and variations.
I love the way you break down the videos in such a creative way, and I quite enjoy watching you, watching Voiceplay, PTX, or Home Free. Their music has been saving my life with their talents and gifts since I was in too much pain to do anything else. I am happy to say I am doing quite well, considering, and you're quite interesting to watch eyes, and your hands move around as you're listening to their magic that these groups have. Have a blessed day!!
Wasn't about to skip and miss some awesomeness!!! Yeah, Geoff is ridiculous -- outrageously ridiculous... he's worked hard to get to where he's at (voice). VP has stepped up their game in the last so many yrs and my my, it's so damn good. Appreciate the breakdown and oh my my for you : ) ... you've got material you don't even know about .... and -- and ummmm, yer gonna love it!!! Be Safe
I've been an acapella fan for about 20 years. My first favorite was Cub For Five and then Pentatonix came on the scene and really raised the bar. Home Free, Voiceplay, and Voctave are all incredible. And I know there are many more. Thanks for reacting to these acapella gems, your analyses are such a pleasure to experience.
Oh yeah, Voctave! They're incredible all on their own, but the Disney Medley with Kirstin from PTX, and the INSANE high notes from Voctave is so incredible.
"These gentlemen, I don't know their names" _Scarlet Witch voice:_ *YOU WILL* With all seriousness though, welcome to the rabbit hole. I love your professional analysis and attention to detail. Can't wait to see the reactions to other songs, Geoff's solo channel, maybe even some other singers. I recommend Marwan Ayman, Bobby Bass, Peter Barber, and Tomi P. - they're all exceptional solo singers and have recently formed an acapella group called "The Bass Gang". If you want to check them out, you'd be amazed.
Please do a reaction to their cover of In the Hall of the Mountain King. It is a classical song that they have turned vocal and theater, but I think that you would be able to explain the way they arranged it.
So, VoicePlay do all the work on their videos. Arrangement, lighting, set design, production, vocals, and whatever else gets done. The stuff that runs at the end of their videos is the list of some of their Patreon Patrons because that's how they manage to have the funds to create their music so they pay respect to and recognize their patrons at the end of their videos. This list is not anywhere near all their patrons but just the most significant ones at the top tier of their list. I'm pretty sure they have over 1 million patrons at this time.
They have over a million RUclips subscribers but about 4,000 Patreons on Patreon. You are right, they only list their top their paying ones here on RUclips.
Welcome to the Voiceplay rabbit hole! I recommend to you the Voiceplay Cover of hoist the colour. You will find a lot of great stuff on your tour through their stuff
I always liked this Metallica song ❤ The way Voiceplay does it is mind blowing 🥰 I’m so glad this was chosen and that you reacted to it. I love hearing your insight on it. Thank you 😊
Finding Voiceplay through THIS song is like going to your first rock concert and hearing Trans Siberian Orchestra - not knowing rock. The BLINK when the violin gets tossed in was AMAZING! It's a subtle freak out moment that gets me every time... THAT was Layne ... Both VioLayne and the noise. He doesn't bring it out often, but it ROCKS. I suggest In the Air Tonight, Carry on my Wayward Son, and Seven Nation Army... And about 125 others that you will most ASSUREDLY hear about from other fans.
I'm glad you asked if the end of the videos showing the Patrons should be "part of" the reaction videos because that's been on my mind for a long time. Personally I think it shows respect for the group/artist to let those names come up on the screen because those are the people ( the patrons ) that are helping fund the musical creations, and creators, that we love and enjoy. That was a really good reaction. You picked up on every major thing that VoicePlay does so, so damned well. I won't ask you if you're going to fall down the VoicePlay rabbit hole because right now this video is 6 months old and I can already see at least two more thumbnails for other VoicePlay reactions from you. :) I just subscribed so that I miss any others.
Thank you! I’ve done over 20 VoicePlay reactions since this one - you can find them all in my VoicePlay playlist found in the description of any my VoicePlay videos 😊
The question that Peter Barber & Geoff Castellucci argue: Geoff (and I) maintain that he’s a natural low baritone who’s developed an extremely low register with an impressive higher reach). Peter Barber “will die on the hill” that Geoff is a true, deep bass. Listen to Geoff’s solo video of “Shenandoah”, and give an opinion.
So enjoyed your analysis/reaction, Sir. You've turned me into a listener of every song I hear. There are hidden gems in all genres of music. Of course, your musical training and expertise find the gems so effortlessly. So thankful that you share your knowledge with us.
Now that's a great detailed analysis! Thank you for that. Geoff is SUCH a great arranger, besides of his obviously unique and amazing voice. All the VoicePlay guys are super talented and humble people who do everything from the arrangement, lighting, to video conception and editing. And they are so versatile too!
another acapella - wow - group Metallica is not making my type of music, but I love this one very much. Also this arrangement of the song is absolutely great and Geoffs voice - well those low notes feel like someone playing them on the pedals of a church organ - just incredible
I just love this channel! Do Bass Gang next! Also, as an aside, Elizabeth over at the Charismatic Voice has indepth interviews with a lot of these folk. They talk of their history a lot, but they also talk technique you might find really interesting. Geoff told how he warms up his subharmonics.
Yesssss!!! I feel like I’ve been waiting a lifetime for you to analyze VoicePlay!! Some others beat me to giving you extra info but you really are in for a ride with these guys. Each cover they do is unique and they are so diverse. They will keep you surprised each time, even within the same cover. I hope you do another poll for your next cover or you can just pick one and you’ll love it. Their new one, Sleeping in the Cold Below is out of this world fantastic. Fan favorites seem to be Hoist the Colours, Oogie Boogie Man and Valhalla Calling. But as others mentioned In the Hall of the Mountain King is one you would really enjoy breaking down. Also Seven Nation Army. If you are analyzing any of their covers your videos might be longer than most because their arrangements are quite complicated.Thank you again and I hope you don’t wait long at all to react to them again!!
I'm a complete Pentaholic butI really enjoy almost everything about Voiceplay; their theattricality, interesting rhythmic choices quite apart from the beat-boxing which is also excellent, harmonies - everything that attracts me to modern a cappella. Their choices of song and how they interpret them can be adventurous and wild, in a good way. There is only one thing that sometimes makes it difficult for me to isten to them but I'm not going to say what it is because I know it would be seen as sacreligious and I don't particularly want to be ripped apart in the comments. Home Free are also excellent as are Voctave although their more traditional choral approach doesn't attract me as much despite the wonderful voices in the group (band? choir?). I'm basically a jazz fan and there is another, older a cappella group that is seldom mentioned which scratches that jazz itch and that's Take Six. I think they're well worth a listen. For a real a cappella harmony eargasm though, it is difficult to beat Jacob Collier's "Moon River", a visual and auditory feast.
The violin was unexpected. This was the first and only time I've seen them play an instrument in one of their songs. There may be others, but I haven't seen them.
Great reaction! I enjoy hearing your technical analysis. The amount of talent in Voiceplay is staggering. Please check out their covers of Valhalla Calling and Seven Nation Army. They’re next level 🔥🔥🔥
I'm always here for first time reactions to any group I like, but especially VoicePlay. They're never what anyone expects. And I think you've successfully pinpointed one reason why they're among my favorites: They're so willing to experiment with overlapping rhythms and chords in their arrangements -- it's like adding just a bit of spice for the ear. If you want to hear an arrangement with a different guest singer, and one arranged by Layne Stein, to contrast/compare arrangers, I'd suggest either their cover of "We don't talk about Bruno" or "in the Hall of the Mountain King" (Yes, that's the orchestral piece by Grieg). Both of which show why they're nicknamed "The theater kids of a capella."
Geoff uses a techniqe call sub-harmonics which uses vocal fry to add an octave below chest voice. You can hear lots of it when you listen to The Bass Gang. Tim Foust uses a technique called growling to extend his voice to more than two ledger lines below the bass clef. All in all a capella bass singing is a fascinating experience.
I can't believe what I just did, I left a Lara Fabian song in the middle as soon as I saw that you posted this Voiceplay video.... I hate that I like your analysis so much
Let's gooooo!! It's VoicePlay time! I'm SO excited to see your reactions to their music, it's an arrangers paradise. Look how much they made you smile! Ok, let me calm down, but I'm so anxious to see more VoicePlay! First off, copyright is not usually an issue, they are independent and all of them are great guys, they give interviews on other channels and collab all the time. They did a collab with Home Free, Survivors, it's hilarious! They were also on the Sing Off show, but its not the same members and there were several last minute changes and they have evolved a lot. The violin is rarity, but they have been known to say acapella is better with instruments, and they're not wrong LOL! Anything is possible with them. A few things about the guys: Geoff can sing in 5 octaves (at least) there is no classifying his voice he's very clearly a space wizard, he drops subharmonics all the time, like in the middle of a phrase which is insane and it's always a shock. He has his own "solo" work as well where he does 4 and 5 part harmony with himself, Blackbird and Ain't No Sunshine are special. The Oogie Boogie Song is the classic Geoff show with VoicePlay. Geoff and Lane (percussion) also largely share arranging duties. Eli (pronounced L-E) has the best rock god voice I've ever heard, he can sing in literally any style and if he has an upper limit I've never heard it, another space wizard. He crushes in 7 Nation Army and Dream On. J.None was a past member so you will see him in earlier vids as well, he's in the Navy, he went active duty for a bit (like a hero), but now he's back. YAY for J.None! And I hope you do Valhalla Calling soon, he's the star of that one. And my favorite diva and yours...Caesar! He has an angelic tone which has no top limit, literally, whistle tones and all, check out Creep and In the Jungle for some lovely Caesar moments. And Lane, I think Lane is actually a robot who just happens to play a human in real life. For a taste of Lane's arranging, Hall of the Mountain King is Lane at his most playful, but he sneaks in some wild drop or another in most songs and I love it when he sings, Little Mermaid medley has a moment of Lane singing and it's awesome.
I'm so excited that you chose to check out Voiceplay! Yes! the violin was a surprise for us as well. He did bring it out once before but I don't remember the song. They are masters of Halloween. My favorite is "In the hall of the mountain king" by Greig but most fans love "Hoist the Colors". Geoff Castelucci has his own solo channel as well. I love "Monster Mash" from his channel.
Warriors was the first time VioLayne graced us with his presence. J None also played violin a bit in that one. VioLayne also recently came out in The Lion Sleeps Tonight ❤
Absolutely the most intelligent reaction to #Voiceplay Nothing Else Matters I've seen to date!! I am immediately subscribed and can't wait for your next reaction!! Welcome to the Voiceplay family! Voiceplay just dropped Sleeping in the Cold Below yesterday. It is exceptional. React to that and then come back to Voiceplay's versions of Valhalla Calling, Hellfire, Creep, Hoist The Colours, Warriors, Seven Nation Army, Dream On, Dragonborn Comes, Hall of the Mountain King! So many others. They're all amazing and you can't go wrong with any of the recommendation. Voiceplay does everything themselves...no record label. So, everything from the arrangements, production, video, costumes, lighting, everything is all them. Eli (pronounced Ellie) Jacobson is the rock tenor and arranges some of the releases and usually does the lighting, Layne Stein is the vocal percussion, arranger 50% of the time and VioLayne of course, Geoff arranges 50% of the releases but wait until you experience his 5 octave range, Cesar (C-Zar) is their baritone who can deliver the Steven Tyler highest notes on Dream On, and J. None will be featured on many of their releases since he used to be full time with the group and now sings for the Navy and comes back as feature as often as he can. Omar Cardona is featured on Sleeping in the Cold Below, Dragonborn Comes, Dream On and others. Anthony Garguila is featured on Creep, Seven Nation Army, Golden Hour. Jose Rosario Jr. is featured on Hoist The Colours, Drunken Sailer, and My Mother Told Me. This doesn't even scratch the surface. All of their features are perfect for the songs. Enjoy the ride. You're just getting started. EDIT...Oh and get yourself a keyboard that goes down to B0....just saying!!
You can react to them freely, they won't copyright you. This is WAY better than I expected, I loved your reaction, oh I cannot wait for more VoicePlay, they are my favorite Acapella Group (And no, the violin is not a normal thing for them), and I love Pentatonix on a second place (I don't really like Home-Free). Anyways finally my fav acapella group on my favorite reaction channel. You goooo! Lupe.-
Just watched this again as I really appreciate your analysis's (if that's a word?) I've watch others try to analyze songs and they don't compare to your method. Most are boring but you have a way of keeping it interesting, even to newbs like myself. Thank you for your time as I know many of us appreciate it.
There is always a lot to talk about with VoicePlay, so don't worry, we're used to it. And yes, the group is very good about passing the lead around, unless a song calls for a specific character as lead, then the person playing that character will dominate. However, even in these instances, they still will pass parts around. Hellfire is a good example of that. Personally, I love that about them. If it is a group of singers, then they should all get moments to shine and not just have the one lead while the others are perpetual backups. Sure, Geoff covers the bass line 90% of the time cause dear gods his voice is amazing and Layne is practically a human soundboard with his vocal percussion at this point, but they get moments to shine with too! Also, just fair warning, Geoff has a ridiculous range. He wanted to be a rock tenor growing up, then he got that bass voice instead but never lost the desire for those higher notes. He has a beautiful higher range as well as earth shaking low notes. Eli (rhymes with jelly) is their resident "Rock God" and his belts are insane. Cesar can and will cut right to your emotions with both voice and performance. He's a true showman at heart. Layne's singing voice is also quite beautiful and I always love hearing it. I want to see him take lead on a song one of these days, though I don't know who would take over percussion. And many fans are hopeful J.None will return to the group after his tour with the Navy is over. I just hope that if he does, they don't stop bringing in collaborators on occasion. Omar, Rachel, Anthony, Jose, all of them bring something unique and are enjoyable to watch/listen to. Addition: VoicePlay was actually on the same season of the Sing Off as Home Free (Season 4)! And the two groups have maintained a friendship ever since. Actually, they had a song they wanted to do if they ever got paired up for the VS portion of the show, but they never did. They wanted to do it so much that they actually just went ahead and recorded it anyways. It's Zombies vs. Hillbillies - Survivor. Here's the link: ruclips.net/video/yYzwzbqUJXk/видео.html
So glad you’re doing VP! I love all the bass singers, IMO I believe Avi made bass singing popular. Tim and Geoff took the reins and ran with them. There are several others on YT doing their thing as well. Thanks for the analysis!
Just wanted to add that the reactor mentioned in the comments, Peter Barber, is a Bass opera singer and is part of a group called the Bass Gang (four basses). They are worth checking out. Welcome to the rabbit hole that is VoicePlay!
Of all my watching reaction vids, You are my favorite, bcuz of how you break it down and analyze it! 💯 Dude! At age 41, Ive played piano for 37 yrs! And have had a deep voice that shocks anyone, the first time you hear it, since I was 12...and can ALMOST sing as low as my idol, Geoff Castellucci!!!!
Your reaction was so fun - I've been listening to Geoff, and other groups using subharmonics, for so long that I rather expect them as the norm now and your reaction was mine initially, which is fun to see someone else experience. If you want more of that, I'd really recommend you check out The Bass Gang, who really take it to the next level of a bass-focused ensemble experience (and are very much worthy of a reaction/analysis). That said, you can learn to sing subharmonics; since I tried to learn prior to Geoff's instructional video came out, I went to videos by Bass2Yang, David Larson, and finally BillyTheBard11th, and during Billy's explanation and example I had my 'ah ha!' moment for me to do it for the first time and I've been enjoying the technique ever since. I think most info about the members were answered but as to the sound effect at 20:04 might be an inhaled vocal fry - at least that's how I was able to recreate it. Layne, and to a lesser extent Geoff, can create some wild beatboxing sounds and I'm not that great at it or extrapolating the techniques involved. This song doesn't really showcase Layne's insane beatboxing skills all that well, so I'll be looking to see if you check out more Voiceplay and experience his techniques further. Anyway, I'm definitely going to check out your other videos, as I really appreciate your analysis, as well as hair style that mirrors my own, and I'll be looking forward to future Voiceplay (and hopefully Bass Gang) videos. Cheers!
I love seeing someone praise Layne because he absolutely deserves it. I remember watching The Charismatic Voice interview him and how genuinely nice and humble he is. And about 55 minutes in she asks him on the spot to do a particular complex drum beat and he did. It really didn’t sound like a person should be able to do that. 😅
Un violín Stradivarius cuesta 20 millones aproximadamente, un chelo empieza en los 2000 dolares y más, pero estos instrumentos, las cuerdas vocales de cada uno de ellos, no tienen precio, imposible pagarlas y cuan bellas es disfrutarlas, ojala les duren para siempre y la magia que transmiten. Gracias por compartirlo con nosotros. un abrazo de madre como siempre
Love the depth of your analysis! And I can't wait to hear their "character" voices (main in Nightmare Before Christmas covers) and Eli, Cesar, and Omar Cardona basically embodying Stephen Tyler for a moment in Dream On!
I wanted to add another comment because I know you make note of these things. As mentioned, it’s mainly Geoff and Layne switching off arrangements. This was Geoff’s so it would be cool for you to check out a Layne arrangement next. They definitely have different arranging styles and interestingly, a lot of their more popular and also more theatrical pieces belong to Layne. Valhalla Calling, We Don’t Talk About Bruno, Hellfire, In the Hall of the Mountain King, Moana Medley, Little Mermaid Medley and many more. He’s pure genius.
That E1 you hear is using a technique called subharmonics (think reverse overtones) and is one of the many techniques used to sing super low. Tim uses chest fry or growl for super low notes, depending on the intended feel of the note. Geoff sometimes uses growls but rarely chest fry, instead opting for subharmonics. To create the subharmonic, you sing a note towards the lower end of your range that is still comfortable and strong, before constricting in a particular way to apply vocal fry over the top of the note. The fry note and sung note interfere to produce the subharmonic exactly 1 octave lower than the sung note. So in the intro Geoff sings an E2 but applies this technique to produce the sound of an E1. It’s really obvious to hear in his solo because he waits until partway through the sung note to apply the technique, dropping the octave. Geoff’s chest range has been known to go down to an F1 and his subharmonic range down to B0(!). It’s pretty awesome and you’ll hear it a lot if you keep listening to Voiceplay or dive into Geoff’s solo music (which isn’t acapella). A recommendation from Voiceplay is Seven Nation Army and a recommendation from Geoff is Man of Constant Sorrow (in which he writes and adds his own bridge). The electronic sound halfway through the violin section is using an inhaling technique from Layne, which is another way to sing super low if used in a particular way. Hope I cleared some things up for you there, I’m a big fan of Home Free, Voiceplay, and Avi Kaplan so I’m excited to see what you do next for them. Love your insights!
Voice Play is the third leg of the a capella triumvirate! All three (Pentatonix, Home Free, and Voice Play) are excellent! I am a fan of all three and have no desire to compare and contrast! I would love to see a "trio" with all three groups collabing and contributing! Between the three, almost every base is covered! In the mood for a pop sound? Pentatonix! Country? Home Free! A theatrical sound? Voice Play! Awesome groups!
They don't normally use the viollin, i think so far it only happened 2x. As for the arrangement, this one is Geoff's, as they do their own arrangement. Actually, apart form final mixing, dificult makeup and holding the camera, they do everything. Their behind the scenes are quite illuminating.
Geoff started out doing beatbox before he sang bass. He taught Lane how to do the beatboxing. So he still incorporates some beatboxing with his bass to join in with Lane.
Came here cos I wanted to watch the first one beforehand, and fvuking wow 😍 I love the original, and this is just such a brilliant version! I'd never heard of this group and if the rest of their stuff is anything like this, they've got a new fan. Wow.
I didn´t know, it could be so exiting to hear someone explain to me, what I really hear, when I listen to VP sing! You made me laugh! Of cause, it is all the hair! How could it be otherwise? And what do you mean no filter to stop Geoff.... you don´t want to stop him! Do you??
Enjoyed your reaction and analysis. When VoicePlay did this, I heard a lot of people say that an acapella group can't do Metallica. They don't anymore. Chicago saw this video and invited VoicePlay to join them in their Nov 17-18 Chicago and Friends. Geoff you know but his range: A0 very short growl in Enemy, B0 subharmonics, F1 full chest, B4 mix, Bb5 falsetto, J None is beside Geoff and currently is in the US Navy that recruited him for his vocals for 5 yrs (nearly 3 yrs in). He was promoted from the Pacific NW to Washington DC's premier US Navy c chorus. They've moved him from baritone to bass. If you listen to VPs Jan drop The Lion Sleeps Tonight you'll hear both J None's really high notes, and Cesar hits 2 new notes (C6 and D6). Cesar is the newest member and easily goes from baritone to high tenor. Eli (rhymes with jelly, rock tenor, character voices) joined VP in 2010. He handles the lighting as well as the computer backgrounds, green screens, CGI and recently threw his hat in the ring for doing projects - he's done 2 (Eleanor Rigby and Creep) and he will be put in the rotation for the projects. Geoff or Layne have been responsible that month's project: doing arrangements, video/camera work, pre-mix audio (goes to Ed Boyer for final), staging, costuming, makeup (sometimes by Rick Underwood for complicated makeup and prosthetics like VPs In the Hall of the Mountain King), Both Geoff and Layne are the original members (then 4:2:Five, changed name to VoicePlay). Layne (beatboxer extraordinaire, baritone, and classical violinist, aka VioLayne (only used the violin in 3 videos)) started as baritone and when Scott Porter (beatboxer at the time) wanted to become an actor, Layne took that position (Geoff taught him what he knew and Layne ran with it, now one of the , best). Tony Wakim was baritone for awhile before dropping the singing and going into productions with Layne. They bought a studio, Pattycake Productions and are co-owners. The studio is in a mall and their minis are usually done in the open section of the mall which is the where The Lion Sleeps Tonight is done.
Yeah, to date we're not sure whether Geoff's range has an _upper_ limit, either. 🤔VoicePlay's cover of Oogie Boogie and Geoff's solo cover in his own channel of I See Fire will help demonstrate what I mean. I really enjoyed your reaction to this masterpiece! Liked and subscribed, hoping to see more! (And I concur with the other commenters' recs of Hoist the Colours, Moana Medley, and We Don't Talk About Bruno. Queen in Five Minutes is older, but also a very interesting arrangement.)
That was super fun. I really enjoyed the musical analysis. I saw a couple other folks making educated guesses, but wanted to confirm that the deep "whoa" sound in the middle of the violin solo is indeed also Layne, using ingressive phonation. He employs that technique quite a bit and to great effect.
This is so exciting! What a reaction too! VoicePlay is a whole different animal in A Capella. But they're one of the 3 top tier groups. They only occasionally add in an instrument. The effect by bringing the violin in here was profound! I can't wait to see you get to react to more of them. Your face always speaks volumes, and you didn't disappoint here. Discovery is a wonderful thing. This song/performance I hope is on your VP reaction list. Geoff leads this one. I'll leave it at that.....ruclips.net/video/bVbetHB815E/видео.htmlsi=mCFuWnsAe7H8X9Wr As for your breakdown, I hadn't heard the notes you pointed out and now I can hear and appreciate how they mix in. Thanks for that and a very entertaining reaction!
Fall down the Voiceplay rabbit hole! They are absolutely and utterly phenomenal! A massively creative group of people that deserve every moment of fandom that we can give them.
Geoff's decision to have the violin thrown to Layne to honour the guitar solo is the correct one imho- kudos to him for making that decision knowing he'd catch a dollop of whine from the a cappella purists! There needs to be a stringed instrument there to properly honour the original. :)
Check out this reaction next! ruclips.net/video/DRCVnkZ_RBw/видео.html
..... and when you have done that, you can switch over to Geoffs version of the same song, witch is quite different.
Welcome to the Voiceplay Rabbit Hole! Would you mind if I posted some unofficial rules for listening to them, that I've put together through the years, as a "Voiceplaya?" And a little info on the group?
Well, I'll post them, and you can delete them if you want. Just a few tips, really.
Here are some unofficial (but important!) rules for listening to Geoff/Voiceplay! I just came up with them on my own, but after years of being a Voiceplaya, I've found they're necessary for optimal Voiceplay (and to a degree, Home Free as well) listening. If you've already got some of them down, know I'm just posting the list, not criticizing your reactor skills!
The rules:
#1) GLAD TO SEE YOU DO THIS, as it's VERY important! ALWAYS watch to the very end of the video (or check at least). Often times it may LOOK like the video has ended, but there's an outro. Also (thanks to Janetdw for mentioning some of these), watching to the end lets you see their awesome cover art, hear possible remixes, see BTS bits, or hear the karaoke versions.
#2) Always leave the closed captions on. Geoff's wife Kathy (who helps with their videos, she also appears in some, such an amazing woman!) has hearing loss, so sometimes there will be little hidden gems in the CC.
#3) If you pause a video to speak, rewind it ten seconds before you start it again, to make sure you don't miss anything.
#4) Don't look away from the screen, or close your eyes for more than a second, because, again, you might miss a visual gag or clever moment.
#5) Don't go into their videos with expectations on what the song will be like, i.e., that it will be the same as the original. These guys put their own spin on things. The only thing to expect, generally, is to be blown away by their sheer talent.
#6) Unless you have a REALLY great speaker system with stereo sound, ALWAYS wear good headphones/earbuds with Voiceplay and Geoff. They do amazing little tricks you can only pick up with those hearing devices. Plus, some of Geoff's notes are so low you practically can't hear them without headphones.
Glad to see you were blown away by them! As we all were, even those of us who have been their fans for years! This is my favorite Voiceplay line-up too, with Cesar (next to Layne, the beatboxer) and J. None (directly to Geoff's left in this). There have been different line-ups through the years, so don't be surprised if the core members' faces change as you go back farther in time. With J. None on a reverse leave of sorts (the Naval Choir asked him to sing with them, and he sings lead, and is singing Bass), they have different guests for each song. But fear not, because they always find the PERFECT guest for each song! And they all have remarkable ranges!
Oh, and FYI, from left to right facing the screen we have:
Geoff Castellucci
J. None. (mentioned above.)
Eli Jacobsen (pronounced El-lee, NOT E-lie!) Tenor rock god
Cesar De La Rosa, their newest member. He often flirts with the camera, and it flirts right back!
Layne Stein, their beatboxer. Also known as VioLayne. Sometimes he sings, and it's always a treat to hear his voice.
I could tell you all sorts of facts and opinions about each member, but I'll let you discover them on your own! Enjoy and have fun! I know we will watching you!
Thank you for a great reaction to Voice Play. Please do a reaction video to Voice Plays newest cover of Sleeping In The Cold Below. It is amazing. They are known as The Theater Kids of Acapella. A great example is their cover of a medley songs from Queen. It is titled Queen In 5 Minutes. Totally awesome. Some of their cover songs are playful as in The Lion Sleeps Tonight. They are a totally Independent group & do everything themselves with the exception of the vinal mix & make-up. Geoff's wife Kathy is their production manager as well as for Geoff. In Geoff's solo covers he usually clones himself 3 or 4 times to harmonize with himself & all the voices you hear are all Geoff's. One of his best is Folsom Prison Blues originally by Johnny Cash. Geoff rented out an entire decommissioned prison for this video & his wife was the only crew. She has so much creative input with Geoff s videos.
@@DravenGal I would just add that in the last few years they also will play the karaoke tract during the outro which is often an amazing piece of music on its own. And in their latest one they used the karaoke track that they accidentally released with just the percussion and we really get to hear Layne do his thing.
The more Voiceplay you react to, the fans will come in droves! No copyright issues with them because they are completely independent and arrange, record, video, costume, and promote everything themselves. Welcome to the club!!
😏 Not just the club. It's the Rabbit hole.
They still hold the copyright to their covers and could (emphasis could) copyright his ass.
In fact, claiming the recenue off of reactions really should be a no-brainer, as they are so indisputably not transformative free use, unless you make a 40m video essay out of a 3m clip.
Thanks Susan!
From what I understand blocking a video and claiming the ad revenue are two different things. Voiceplay and Geoff have a service that does claim ad revenue for them but doesn't block the videos. Anytime a video is actually blocked it was because of the original artist, not Voiceplay or Geoff.
@@BeckyBug7 Yes, exactly. Why you see heavy filters on some of my videos is because they are blocked completely without them. You can dispute the copyright claim, and if it isn't responded to within 30 days the block will be lifted. But the block can be re-instated at any time, so better to be safe than sorry (I've had a few videos blocked weeks after being uploaded, so lesson learned).
Most videos that don't have a filter are still copyright claimed, so the copyright owners claims the ad revenue. Also, I have no control over the ads in such videos.
Geoff is currently the master of the subharmonic singing when it comes to acapella groups. The way he describes it is as a mix between his low chest and vocal fry. If you sing a low note and then slowly slide towards vocal fry, there is usually a sweet spot where your vocal folds are resonating just right to produce that subharmonic, which the 1st sub sits 1 octave below the voiced note.
He also has very low chest notes and chest fry, but he loves using the subs too because they just feel more impactful.
Not to mention that he can rise up to tenor highs in his range! He's out of this world!
If I could sing and hold a tune I would be able to say that I can do it just like Geoff, but alas I cannot sing to save my life lmao. So while I can hit those subharmonics, I can't maintain a tune. :(
Not only voted by your followers but also by Chicago who heard this song by VoicePlay and invited them to join them in their Nov 17-18 Chicago and Friends concert.
Ah, welcome to VoicePlay! These guys are so great- they are also 100% independent artists, so everything you saw and heard there came from them. Geoff Castellucci, along with his amazing bass vocals, was also the one who arranged the piece and directed the video (which was shot at Layne' Stein's- he's the beatboxer- video production studio, Pattycake Productions). Eli (rhymes with 'jelly') Jacobson is the bald rock tenor in the center (and you've only begun to hear him); besides being their tenor and brilliant at character voices he also provides the lighting for most of their videos, and he can also hold down bass lines when Geoff solos. Cesar De La Rosa is the gentleman with the airy bari-tenor to the right of Eli; he is the newest member of the group, who joined shortly after J. None left to sing for the US Navy. J. still features with the group fairly regularly, and a lot of us hope he will return to the group fulltime after his stint is up. He's got a voice like butter, and soul for days. And Layne Stein- there is so much to say about Layne. He, along with Geoff, are the two remaining original members of the group (since 1997). He used to be the baritone, but took over the vocal percussion and has excelled with that role. As you saw here, he is also skilled with the violin (rarely employed in their music, but exciting enough when it shows to get it's own hashtag- #VioLayne). He also provides roughly the other half of the group's vocal arrangements. Eli occasionally contributes; I think we all wish he'd do so more often, since his contributions have been bangers. Depending on how far back you go in their channel, you will see former members Earl Elkins Jr. (a stocky fellow with a uniquely toned, laser-high tenor) and Tony Wakim (smooth, dramatic baritone with amazing eyebrows) and a whole host of feature artists. Many recurring faces in that group include Rachel Potter, Ashley Diane, Omar Cardona, Deejay Young, Anthony Garguila and Adrianna Arellano, all amazing vocalists in their own right, and all of whom you'll hear with VoicePlay and think, 'dang, they sound as though they could be part of the group!'.
You forgot to mention that Eli often does the lighting and/or CGI backgrounds.
@@GingerJohnson-uu9lw I forgot the CGI: I did mention the lighting, however.
Perfect encapsulation of so much great info!
Agreed! @@marybrown6128
Thanks for the intro!
Just wanted to let you know that anyone who appreciates Voiceplay AND talks about why the music works the way it does is an immediate subscribe from me. Welcome to the rabbit hole! Often my recommendations include Valhalla Calling (Viking themed blood and thunder, EPIC lows from Geoff, screaming rock highs from Eli, and a surprise from J None) and Hoist the Colors (ghostly pirate themed brilliance that IMO really shows off both Cesar's exceptional voice and his 200 percent commitment to the bit, whatever that bit may be), but as you have a classical background, you may also want to see what they do with Hall of the Mountain King, which comes straight from the demented imagination of Layne Stein, the beatboxer. Have fun!
Yes, this! Excellent recommendations to experience more fully, this group's range.
Yes. The Hall of the Mountain King. You will have a blast.
Cesar has so much fun acting the bits, it's so much fun to watch him!
LOL I love it when I see “stank face” on first-timers when hearing Geoff’s awesome bass. If you want to hear another fab example, check out Valhalla Calling, where he consistently hits (and holds) a B0. If you want an example of how far they will push themselves, check out “Hall of the Mountain King”. Welcome to the Voiceplay rabbithole! Geoff also has his own channel where he does solo work.
Yes "Hall of the Mountain King"
Hear hear! "Hall of the Mountain King" is wonderful!
I concur. One of my favorites and an amazing arrangement to analyze with Sir Hairless' talents. That brew may even grow him some hair.
Also as a note, VoicePlay is also very welcoming to reactors, so you shouldn't have issues with anything being blocked. However I do know RUclips could still demonetize without the pauses so definitely do what you need to do!
Also, you always have such great information to share when you pause. If you went on too long we might not remember the part you’re commenting on. I love your explanations!
Another style, especially for someone with as much knowlege as you have, is to go back afterwards and talk about different parts.
I have almost as many points for you about VoicePlay (principally Geoff Castellucci) as you had for us about your reaction and analysis of this amazing song! I don't doubt that many/most of these will be brought out by others as well, but for what it's worth....
One nice thing about reacting to VoicePlay videos (and Geoff Castellucci - see below) is that they always give credit in their description box, so you know who appeared in the video and what role they played. You can always see who arranged the song, lighting, makeup, etc.
As far as singing roles go - since all of the VoicePlay members tend to have pretty big ranges, sliding someone into a "tenor" or "baritone" role is a little iffy; Eli (bald guy) is a rock tenor, but has been known to cover a bass line when Geoff is singing a solo in concert; J. None was a baritone in the group, and when he left to sing with the US Navy choir, stayed in that role, but recently was promoted and is now singing bass!
You mentioned The Sing-Off; VoicePlay also competed on that show, in the same season as Home Free (season 4); they had to have a slightly different lineup due to the show's rules, and only made it about halfway through the season (boo! on the show for that massive oversight!). There is even a video with the two groups that was made in anticipation of the groups meeting in competition on the show, but VoicePlay was eliminated before that could happen (Survivor - Zombies vs. Hillbillies). Geoff Castellucci and Tim Foust of Home Free met during the show and became friends; they've traded tips and tricks for singing bass.
You got "double-tapped" by Geoff Castellucci in this song: not only for his amazing deep bass notes, but he also arranged the song for VoicePlay. He and Layne Stein (beatboxer/vocal percussion/baritone/violinist/#violayne) generally split the arranging of songs between them; Eli Jacobsen (your clone in the group) has also done a few arrangements, and plans on doing more in the future.
Geoff has developed his really deep notes through the technique known as subharmonics; not sure if you're familiar with it (although I expect you are), but he has a couple of videos on his individual channel where he explains how he manages to produce those amazing low notes. Geoff's lowest note in chest voice is an F1 or F#1 (I know the F#1; not 100% on the F1); his lowest subharmonic is supposed to be an A0 for a very short time in one video, but he has several confirmed B0 subs in a couple of videos. So he's working his way down the piano keyboard - who knows when he'll drop off the end?
Geoff also has a solo channel - he started it when the lockdown hit, and VoicePlay was no longer able to tour or make appearances, so it's only about 4 years old now. The songs he covers are not a cappella; he says that he saves that for VoicePlay. Geoff arranges/edits/directs/mixes/does pretty much everything himself, with help from his wife Kathy (who is the production manager for both him and VoicePlay) and occasional help from others with specialties - Eli helps with the lighting, Layne has provided camera work, specialty makeup, etc.
Geoff has an amazing range (5 octaves that he has done in videos), and when he arranges a song for himself, he sings all of the parts from bass to tenor, usually 4 or 5 parts. He will "clone" himself on-screen for each musical part, so seeing 4 or 5 Geoffs on-screen at a time is not unusual. His most recent cover is Wicked Game, the Chris Isaak song, and he spends a majority of the song singing very low chest, without using subharmonics (I think there might be one note that he uses a sub for, but I'm not sure). It really changes the emotional impact of the song!
I save the best for last - Geoff DOESN'T consider himself to be a bass singer - he describes himself in one of his videos on his solo channel as a "baritone with a good bass extension"!?! In an interview with reactor Peter Barber (himself a professional opera singer (bass, naturally!)), he still wouldn't call himself a bass singer, although Peter may have made him rethink that a little bit.
Whew! As for recommendations, I'll leave that to others - I'll just say that whatever song you pick from VoicePlay or Geoff, I don't think you'll be disappointed!
Wow - thanks for the info!
@@SirHairless Your very welcome. I hope at least a little of it is helpful/useful/fun!
PS - I've watched your analysis 3 or 4 times already - you caught things on first listen that I've never noticed after hearing it a couple of dozen times!
Geoff was once asked to explain Voiceplay's style. He said, "Think of Pentatonix, but sillier".
Voiceplay is so good!! I'm so glad you've started reacting to them. They're known as the theater kids of the Acapella world, which totally suits me. Check out their version of "In the Hall of the Mountain King" you won't be disappointed! Your reaction was wonderful! Thanks!
It was a pleasure listening to your explanations of things to note.
VoicePlay has a special way of creating a unique version of everything they cover while still being respectful of the original.
Primarily, Geoff and Layne take turns and occasionally Eli arranges their music. Since there are only four full-time members at thisvstage they select a feature that fits each song and they work with some massively talented people; you'll be introduced to so many other great vpices through your journey with VoicePlay. Welcome to their fandom.
Love watching knowledgeable reactors being gobsmacked hearing VoicePlay. Your observations were spot on and delighted to welcome you to our VP fan base!
Thank you!
Voiceplay doesn't have a specific "style", Voiceplay is the very definition of "style".
Yeah, It doesn’t matter what style the song was, once VoicePlay tackles it, it becomes VoicePlay’s style.
Which never fails to amaze me, but it is somewhat annoying when they make me love a song I used to hate. 😝
It makes me wonder how many other songs I think I don’t like when it’s actually the interpretation I hate.
Hear hear… 😊
I love that they do have their "eras" I guess, like they used to do more Disney, now they seem to be in their rock era
@@sarahkinsey5434 Well, they were working at Disney so I imagine that felt like what they should be doing. They knew the stuff, they were comfortable with it, and enough people like Disney to give them an instant audience.
I think they took a gamble with Nothing Else Matters, and it paid off well. Got them a wider audience without losing the orig.
And Tik Tok is helping to blow them up.
There’s also a big 80’s nostalgia thing happening in American culture right now. They caught that wave with expert timing, regardless of if they’re actually aware of it.
Things just seem to have came together for them. Even the pandemic lock down worked for them as it forced them to pivot to new videos and an endless stream of new material rather than relying on older material and concerts. And gave them more time to work on the new stuff.
Compare the pre-pandemic arrangements to the current ones. The complexity doubled then tripled on top of that.
@@Gael4ce they did this to me! I used to hate "Creep" -- I felt it was a whiney incel song -- not when VoicePlay transformed it.
Yay, Geoff has finally entered the Sir Hairless’ scene! Thank you for bringing them in and for your amazing reaction/analyses! All members of VoicePlay are very talented and for me Geoff's participation always enhances their performances to another level... I loved the way you described his powerful super deep voice as more “natural and less technical” because I’ve always felt his voice as something coming from the inner core of a volcano that causes a gentle seismic vibration of my surroundings :) In fact, I fell in love with Geoff’s bass sounds since the first note I heard from him - it was really un coup de foudre!
Haha great description! 🌋
Voiceplay is incredibly creative and vocally talented. They do it all, from pop to rock, ballads to bops, to Broadway to Disney. They even did a fantastic version of In the Hall of the Mountain King (they dressed as the demons and trolls said to be in the King's Court, with absolutely amazing makeup!).
It's awesome to see someone who can hear the layers in such detail!! Took me ages to catch some of what you noticed on a first listen ❤
My favorite Voiceplay songs are: -Hoist the Colors
-I Can't Make You Love Me
-their viking series (My Mother Told Me and Valhalla Calling)
- their postapocalypic rock series (Warriors, Dream On, and Seven Nation Army)
-The Dragonborn Comes
They also have awesome Halloween songs that you should cover closer to that time of year!
Thank you for adding a little love for "I Can't Make You Love Me." That one seems to get fewer mentions than it deserves. That one and Geoff's cover of "Ain't No Sunshine" are heartrending.
My ultimate favorite by Geoff is probably "Shenandoah" which is deeply moving.Tied with "misty Mountains Cold" only because I'm a huge LOTR fan.
Sir Hairless that was superb. Voiceplay is a force. Unlike other acapella groups they have had considerable change in members and guests and yet they have weathered it with aplomb. The consistent 3 have been Geoff, Ellie (the bald one) and Lane (the Beatboxer arranger extraordinaire). You really need to catch some of Geoff's solo work. It will blow your mind because is range is phenomenal.
Thanks Donald! I look forward to discovering more of them!
Happy that you reacted to Voiceplay. Your facial expressions in the first minutes kind of said it all. Hope you enjoy going down this rabbit hole... and wait, there's more... a branch within that rabbit hole heads to Geoff Castellucci music videos for you to explore.
Yay, yay, yay, Voice Play!!!! Let’s go!!! I’m 100% on board for this journey! You’re going to be so entertained by them!
We all thought Geoff deserved a Grammy for this arrangement 😉.
VP has the widest genre range, so literally choose your favourite genre and song in their catalogue and go for it!
They were the first a capella group that made me want their songs on my playlist.
They are absolutely spectacular in their interpretations - and because they are fully independent, they can follow their own creative ideas without restraint.
I never usually subscribe on first listen, but I absolutely loved your breakdowns and analysis - so.. there is a first for everyone 🌹🕊.
Hoping that there will be more Voiceplay soon!
PS: Geoff can go much lower and has in some of their songs (Valhalla Calling and Halo (theme)). Eli use to sing for rock bands - absolutely loves his voice (and the grit he brings!). Layne is incredibly talented in all spheres too. The three of them split arrangements (the bulk between Geoff and Layne though) and Eli does a lot of work on lighting etc. in their videos. Cesar has a fantastic voice too and brings a lot of emotion to everything he does (see Creep / We don't talk about Bruno / We're Good).
I love their rock covers - for 2023 "In the Air Tonight" (Phil Collins) is my personal second favourite after Nothing Else Matters, but there are a few to choose from!
Enjoy this 🐇hole!! Its a highly addictive and satisfying one
Thrilled that you've added VoicePlay to your list! They do almost all of their own arrangements - this was one of Geoff's. Layne, the beatbox, has been doing the other 50%. (They drop a performance monthly, and usually 3 shorts as well.) Eli, the 'alternative Sir Hairless' (pronounced El-ee) has arranged a couple in the past, (most recently Creep) and will be taking on a third of the new productions soon. Whoever arranges makes all of the decisions: plans, directs and edits the video, etc. etc., unless they decide to invite someone to help. (Eli often does lighting and backdrops). Layne commented in an interview that he views each as an art piece, and I think that attention to detail shows from all of them. We rarely get to hear "VioLayne." He first played for us in Warriors, this was the second, and he pulled out his violin briefly in a more recent one. (I won't say which, don't want to spoil it.) Loved your reaction, thank you.
Nope, not skipping. I love seeing the music with you.
Thanks & cheers 👋🤓🎶
One of the reasons I really loved watching you analyze this is because you fully appreciate the level of complexity that they put into the arrangement itself, over and above the amazing vocal skills. And "Violayne" (Layne plus violin) is a rare beast and the fans adore it. He also plays it in "Warriors," (and so does J None - the only time that's happened so far). And I think I saw it in a recent short, but I'm not clear on that one.
If you look at the credits under the video, you'll find a great deal more detail than most music videos, including who arranged the piece (90% of the time it's split between Geoff and Layne. Eli's done a couple and there's another person's name in their latest who I don't know). They are extremely hands-on in their stuff, including costuming, designing sets, working the camera, lighting, etc. Layne and Tony Wakim (a prior member or the group) co-own Pattycake Studios, where quite a lot of their stuff of produced.
Early VoicePlay (when Geoff had short hair) has some really great stuff, and you can see Geoff develop his bass voice over time. He has videos on his personal YT channel talking about learning subharmonics and the like. He started out with fairly traditional bass "guitar" runs but his talent has metamorphized over time.
Every member is capable of carrying a lead, and they are really good at passing the baton in that regard. It is strongly recommended that you not turn off the videos until at least the Patreon scroll, as they often have little "after-bits" that show up when the song is complete. Especially the funny ones.
The Lion Sleeps Tonight has VioLayne. Was supposed to be a mini but Layne got carried away having fun with the arrangement. Rob Dietz helped VP with the arrangement for In the Cold Below and a few others. He was one of the coaches on The Sing-Off. Along with Avi Kaplan and Ben Bram, Rob co-founded the A Cappella Academy. Very talented guy, well respected in the music industry.
Rob Dietz is the other composer who’s done several of their songs when they were too busy. Adriana Arellano has been in two of them that I’m aware of: We’re Good and Good 4 U. I see his name from time to time as a co-arranger as well. I am pretty sure he also arranges their minis. It’s either that or their ACA top 10 that he’s done in the past.
@@janetdwRob does a lot of their minis and from what I understand it’s just a time saver since they can obvi arrange the hell out of a song themselves 😅
@@thisismetoday7423Absolutely. I am always amazed that they can continue to create as much as they do and it seems like they are doing more minis than before. As a non creative person I am always in awe. It will be interesting now that Eli is also going to be arranging. Maybe I’ll finally be able to figure out who does which ones without looking it up every month!
You sir just got a sub. That was by far the most in-depth reaction and breakdown I've seen of this song. Welcome to the rabbit hole
🫡
Came for the VoicePlay, stayed for the incredibly in depth analysis and also just the lovely vibe. It's always fun to see a reactor's first encounter with VoicePlay, and I loved the way you broke down some of the rhythm and chord progression stuff. There's so much incredible VoicePlay content our there but if I may, I'd suggest their cover of Elenore Rigby. It's one of their older ones and while not as 'catchy' as some, it has some really complex arrangement details that could be fun to break down. It was also just after a previous member left, so it's arranged for just four voices.
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed And thanks for the recommendation - that's one of my favourite songs by The Beatles so it's on my list for a future reaction!
Good first reaction. They are in Florida near Disney and most of them have worked there for a time so "theater" as in costuming is a factor for them.
Geoff Castelluci uses a technique called subharmonics for his low notes. If you go to his RUclips channel he discusses the technique.
This is a song I have always liked.
I'd never heard of them before thank you for introducing us to them! Great!
You should try Oogie boogie and Valhala Calling
Voiceplay is completely independent, no label, no manager, they make all of the decisions. Arrangements are usually done by Geoff or Layne. A few have been done by Eli, the rock tenor, he will be doing more going forward. They release a major cover each month taking turns with the arrangement. Whoever arranges is also responsible for the video. Set, costume, production, editing, first mix is all decided by one person. Final mix is done by Ed Boyer who I believe performs the same function for Home Free and Pentatonix.
You wanted a contra tenor? Cesar is technically a baritone, he replaced J None when J joined the US Navy to sing with them. They recently did The Lion Sleeps Tonight. Cesar hits a D6.
They do all genres, you can't go wrong. I would suggest Hoist the Colours and In The Air Tonight. Trust me.
Subscribed in anticipation!!!
Enjoyable analysis! Subscribed in anticipation of more Voiceplay. Geoff did this brilliant arrangement.
Thank you!
No artist should be boxed in a style or format. I love the arrangement, the surprise violin (and why not when you can play so well), the power of these voices, the nuances, the dark mood... I really love their cover of Oogie Boogie Man from Nightmare before Christmas. I’m glad that people enjoy sharing their music. Worth knowing. Oh I’m so looking forward to your R&A of Voctave, another (bigger) A Cappella group. I’m such a choir nerd and all those vocal arrangements are so breathtaking. Thank you. 🤗
I really hope he gets around to Voctave. I think Jamey’s arrangements will blow his mind.
"Oogie Boogie" really is extraordinary and shows off both their theatre talent and Geoff's incredible range.
A tiny background on the group, Ill try not to say too much because I know you like to keep it a surprise:
The group was formed in the late 90s by friends in high school by the name 4:2:Five. Geoff and Layne, the beatboxer, are the only two original members remaining.
VoiLayne is a rare occurance, but always a treat when it does appear. Most the time he beatboxes, he also has the occasional singing feature but he is usually a background vocal if he does sing.
VoicePlay actually auditioned for the SingOff season 1 and did not make it.
Eli, pronounced Ellie, joined in 2010, and after a couple viral RUclips videos, the SingOff invited them back for season 4, but wanted them to have 6 members for the show, so they added a female vocalist who did the show with them.
The cool things about the other members of this video are that JNone joined the group in 2018 or so, and left in 2021 to join the US Military. He also sings with the US Navy.
Cesar, the final member of this video, is the one who joined VoicePlay to fill the hole left by JNone!
I have to point out that the Sing-Off specifically wanted them to have a female as the sixth. They auditioned with Rachel Potter, who is a great fit and has sung with them in many videos. But by the time VP got word they'd been accepted, Rachel was unavailable. They turned to another longtime friend, Honey LaRochelle. She's a fine singer in her own right, but -- in my opinion -- the producers made them Honey LaRochelle & Five Guys. (Sorry, I'm not hiding my grudge very well. LOL!) They weren't the VP we know and love now. They were finally allowed to be a bit more like themselves on the Sing-Off tour, when Emoni Wilkins (who had competed with another group) joined them instead of Honey. Emoni has recorded several videos with them, most recently the Wicked Medley. And Geoff and Layne's arranging skills have grown by leaps and bounds since 2013.
In contrast, the producers loved the concept of a country a cappella band and pushed Home Free to commit to country, where they'd previously only done a couple country tunes. (The guys talk about it on Chris Rupp's channel.) It was like the producers had decided who would win before the season even started. They fawned over Tim's bass and treated Geoff like yesterday's fish.
Don't get me wrong -- Home Free is a great group. I've seen them in concert three times and look forward to going again. In 2013, they deserved to win.
This was really cool! A lot of us Voiceplay fans love watching analysis videos. It was really cool listening to the breakdown from a classical musician. I hope you continue to react to them. This was definitely one of their more "serious" pieces. Regarding Geoff percussive onset, he is actually quite good at vocal percussion and often uses those tricks in his performances to get the right sound for the piece. He actually arranged this one and does about 50% of Voiceplay's covers. When they lost their beatboxer when they were still a baby group Layne, then baritone, decided to try vocal percussion so Geoff actually taught him vocal percussion which then Layne went on to master. For theatrical covers I recommend Hoist the Colors or We Don't Talk About Bruno. Geoff just released a solo project of Wicked Game by Chris Isaak with minor instrumentation but doing all the vocal parts himself.
I believe he also technically is responsible for all the instrumentation since he generally does it on the keyboard with plug-ins. And then because he’s not talented enough he does some of his cover art and variations.
@@janetdw You are correct. He uses plug-ins for any instruments he doesn't personally play.
I love the way you break down the videos in such a creative way, and I quite enjoy watching you, watching Voiceplay, PTX, or Home Free. Their music has been saving my life with their talents and gifts since I was in too much pain to do anything else. I am happy to say I am doing quite well, considering, and you're quite interesting to watch eyes, and your hands move around as you're listening to their magic that these groups have. Have a blessed day!!
Thank you I'm happy to hear you're doing quite well! 🙏
Wasn't about to skip and miss some awesomeness!!! Yeah, Geoff is ridiculous -- outrageously ridiculous... he's worked hard to get to where he's at (voice). VP has stepped up their game in the last so many yrs and my my, it's so damn good. Appreciate the breakdown and oh my my for you : ) ... you've got material you don't even know about .... and -- and ummmm, yer gonna love it!!! Be Safe
I've been an acapella fan for about 20 years. My first favorite was Cub For Five and then Pentatonix came on the scene and really raised the bar. Home Free, Voiceplay, and Voctave are all incredible. And I know there are many more. Thanks for reacting to these acapella gems, your analyses are such a pleasure to experience.
Oh yeah, Voctave! They're incredible all on their own, but the Disney Medley with Kirstin from PTX, and the INSANE high notes from Voctave is so incredible.
Voces8 are also tremendous, though more choral in nature.
"These gentlemen, I don't know their names"
_Scarlet Witch voice:_ *YOU WILL*
With all seriousness though, welcome to the rabbit hole. I love your professional analysis and attention to detail. Can't wait to see the reactions to other songs, Geoff's solo channel, maybe even some other singers. I recommend Marwan Ayman, Bobby Bass, Peter Barber, and Tomi P. - they're all exceptional solo singers and have recently formed an acapella group called "The Bass Gang". If you want to check them out, you'd be amazed.
Please do a reaction to their cover of In the Hall of the Mountain King. It is a classical song that they have turned vocal and theater, but I think that you would be able to explain the way they arranged it.
No copyright issues with VP. Just wait you're in for a fantastic RIDE! Love your analysis.
Try Moana & Tennessee Whiskey
So, VoicePlay do all the work on their videos. Arrangement, lighting, set design, production, vocals, and whatever else gets done. The stuff that runs at the end of their videos is the list of some of their Patreon Patrons because that's how they manage to have the funds to create their music so they pay respect to and recognize their patrons at the end of their videos. This list is not anywhere near all their patrons but just the most significant ones at the top tier of their list. I'm pretty sure they have over 1 million patrons at this time.
They have over a million RUclips subscribers but about 4,000 Patreons on Patreon. You are right, they only list their top their paying ones here on RUclips.
Welcome to the Voiceplay rabbit hole! I recommend to you the Voiceplay Cover of hoist the colour. You will find a lot of great stuff on your tour through their stuff
I love Hoist the Colours, it’s so incredibly well done as is everything they do 😅
I always liked this Metallica song ❤ The way Voiceplay does it is mind blowing 🥰 I’m so glad this was chosen and that you reacted to it. I love hearing your insight on it. Thank you 😊
Haha yes we can thank everyone who voted Glad you enjoyed
Finding Voiceplay through THIS song is like going to your first rock concert and hearing Trans Siberian Orchestra - not knowing rock. The BLINK when the violin gets tossed in was AMAZING! It's a subtle freak out moment that gets me every time... THAT was Layne ... Both VioLayne and the noise. He doesn't bring it out often, but it ROCKS.
I suggest In the Air Tonight, Carry on my Wayward Son, and Seven Nation Army... And about 125 others that you will most ASSUREDLY hear about from other fans.
I'm glad you asked if the end of the videos showing the Patrons should be "part of" the reaction videos because that's been on my mind for a long time. Personally I think it shows respect for the group/artist to let those names come up on the screen because those are the people ( the patrons ) that are helping fund the musical creations, and creators, that we love and enjoy.
That was a really good reaction. You picked up on every major thing that VoicePlay does so, so damned well. I won't ask you if you're going to fall down the VoicePlay rabbit hole because right now this video is 6 months old and I can already see at least two more thumbnails for other VoicePlay reactions from you. :)
I just subscribed so that I miss any others.
Thank you! I’ve done over 20 VoicePlay reactions since this one - you can find them all in my VoicePlay playlist found in the description of any my VoicePlay videos 😊
The question that Peter Barber & Geoff Castellucci argue: Geoff (and I) maintain that he’s a natural low baritone who’s developed an extremely low register with an impressive higher reach). Peter Barber “will die on the hill” that Geoff is a true, deep bass. Listen to Geoff’s solo video of “Shenandoah”, and give an opinion.
I’m soooooo happy you’ve done voice play, they have so many different genres, and some really fun songs for you to discover. Can’t wait 😊
So enjoyed your analysis/reaction, Sir. You've turned me into a listener of every song I hear. There are hidden gems in all genres of music. Of course, your musical training and expertise find the gems so effortlessly. So thankful that you share your knowledge with us.
Thanks so much, Beverly
Welcome to Voiceplay! Can’t wait to see the journey. I’ve not seen a bad voiceplay song so far. Enjoy!
Now that's a great detailed analysis! Thank you for that. Geoff is SUCH a great arranger, besides of his obviously unique and amazing voice. All the VoicePlay guys are super talented and humble people who do everything from the arrangement, lighting, to video conception and editing. And they are so versatile too!
another acapella - wow - group Metallica is not making my type of music, but I love this one very much. Also this arrangement of the song is absolutely great and Geoffs voice - well those low notes feel like someone playing them on the pedals of a church organ - just incredible
I just love this channel! Do Bass Gang next! Also, as an aside, Elizabeth over at the Charismatic Voice has indepth interviews with a lot of these folk. They talk of their history a lot, but they also talk technique you might find really interesting. Geoff told how he warms up his subharmonics.
LOVE Voiceplay! The best of the a cappella groups by a long shot. Geoff is unbelievable.
Yesssss!!! I feel like I’ve been waiting a lifetime for you to analyze VoicePlay!! Some others beat me to giving you extra info but you really are in for a ride with these guys. Each cover they do is unique and they are so diverse. They will keep you surprised each time, even within the same cover. I hope you do another poll for your next cover or you can just pick one and you’ll love it. Their new one, Sleeping in the Cold Below is out of this world fantastic. Fan favorites seem to be Hoist the Colours, Oogie Boogie Man and Valhalla Calling. But as others mentioned In the Hall of the Mountain King is one you would really enjoy breaking down. Also Seven Nation Army. If you are analyzing any of their covers your videos might be longer than most because their arrangements are quite complicated.Thank you again and I hope you don’t wait long at all to react to them again!!
I'm a complete Pentaholic butI really enjoy almost everything about Voiceplay; their theattricality, interesting rhythmic choices quite apart from the beat-boxing which is also excellent, harmonies - everything that attracts me to modern a cappella. Their choices of song and how they interpret them can be adventurous and wild, in a good way. There is only one thing that sometimes makes it difficult for me to isten to them but I'm not going to say what it is because I know it would be seen as sacreligious and I don't particularly want to be ripped apart in the comments.
Home Free are also excellent as are Voctave although their more traditional choral approach doesn't attract me as much despite the wonderful voices in the group (band? choir?). I'm basically a jazz fan and there is another, older a cappella group that is seldom mentioned which scratches that jazz itch and that's Take Six. I think they're well worth a listen.
For a real a cappella harmony eargasm though, it is difficult to beat Jacob Collier's "Moon River", a visual and auditory feast.
The violin was unexpected. This was the first and only time I've seen them play an instrument in one of their songs. There may be others, but I haven't seen them.
There are 2 others with "Violayne"....Warriors where he plays throughout the song, and The Lion Sleeps Tonight where he does a short bit like here.
My daughter and I watched together. We were blown away by your reaction and analysis. Fascinating. We wanted more more more. Thank you!
Thank you ☺
Great reaction! I enjoy hearing your technical analysis. The amount of talent in Voiceplay is staggering. Please check out their covers of Valhalla Calling and Seven Nation Army. They’re next level 🔥🔥🔥
Minor typo - "Seven Nation Army". Just in case he's googling.
@@hwyla4416 sorry my bad! didn’t notice the typo. I’ll edit it.
@@lisalaursen3684 Not really a problem - only if someone was doing a search.
@@hwyla4416 true 💯thx for letting me know ✌️
I'm always here for first time reactions to any group I like, but especially VoicePlay. They're never what anyone expects. And I think you've successfully pinpointed one reason why they're among my favorites: They're so willing to experiment with overlapping rhythms and chords in their arrangements -- it's like adding just a bit of spice for the ear. If you want to hear an arrangement with a different guest singer, and one arranged by Layne Stein, to contrast/compare arrangers, I'd suggest either their cover of "We don't talk about Bruno" or "in the Hall of the Mountain King" (Yes, that's the orchestral piece by Grieg). Both of which show why they're nicknamed "The theater kids of a capella."
Geoff uses a techniqe call sub-harmonics which uses vocal fry to add an octave below chest voice. You can hear lots of it when you listen to The Bass Gang. Tim Foust uses a technique called growling to extend his voice to more than two ledger lines below the bass clef. All in all a capella bass singing is a fascinating experience.
I can't believe what I just did, I left a Lara Fabian song in the middle as soon as I saw that you posted this Voiceplay video.... I hate that I like your analysis so much
Let's gooooo!! It's VoicePlay time! I'm SO excited to see your reactions to their music, it's an arrangers paradise. Look how much they made you smile! Ok, let me calm down, but I'm so anxious to see more VoicePlay! First off, copyright is not usually an issue, they are independent and all of them are great guys, they give interviews on other channels and collab all the time. They did a collab with Home Free, Survivors, it's hilarious! They were also on the Sing Off show, but its not the same members and there were several last minute changes and they have evolved a lot. The violin is rarity, but they have been known to say acapella is better with instruments, and they're not wrong LOL! Anything is possible with them. A few things about the guys: Geoff can sing in 5 octaves (at least) there is no classifying his voice he's very clearly a space wizard, he drops subharmonics all the time, like in the middle of a phrase which is insane and it's always a shock. He has his own "solo" work as well where he does 4 and 5 part harmony with himself, Blackbird and Ain't No Sunshine are special. The Oogie Boogie Song is the classic Geoff show with VoicePlay. Geoff and Lane (percussion) also largely share arranging duties. Eli (pronounced L-E) has the best rock god voice I've ever heard, he can sing in literally any style and if he has an upper limit I've never heard it, another space wizard. He crushes in 7 Nation Army and Dream On. J.None was a past member so you will see him in earlier vids as well, he's in the Navy, he went active duty for a bit (like a hero), but now he's back. YAY for J.None! And I hope you do Valhalla Calling soon, he's the star of that one. And my favorite diva and yours...Caesar! He has an angelic tone which has no top limit, literally, whistle tones and all, check out Creep and In the Jungle for some lovely Caesar moments. And Lane, I think Lane is actually a robot who just happens to play a human in real life. For a taste of Lane's arranging, Hall of the Mountain King is Lane at his most playful, but he sneaks in some wild drop or another in most songs and I love it when he sings, Little Mermaid medley has a moment of Lane singing and it's awesome.
I'm so excited that you chose to check out Voiceplay! Yes! the violin was a surprise for us as well. He did bring it out once before but I don't remember the song. They are masters of Halloween. My favorite is "In the hall of the mountain king" by Greig but most fans love "Hoist the Colors". Geoff Castelucci has his own solo channel as well. I love "Monster Mash" from his channel.
Warriors was the first time VioLayne graced us with his presence. J None also played violin a bit in that one. VioLayne also recently came out in The Lion Sleeps Tonight ❤
I love how absolutely everybody reacts to hearing Geoff for the first time. There's this "What the fuck just happened!?!?" moment.
Geoff and Tim with their matching gray streeks in their hair. They have remained friends from The Sing-Off. Geoff is Tims #1 fan.
Absolutely the most intelligent reaction to #Voiceplay Nothing Else Matters I've seen to date!! I am immediately subscribed and can't wait for your next reaction!! Welcome to the Voiceplay family! Voiceplay just dropped Sleeping in the Cold Below yesterday. It is exceptional. React to that and then come back to Voiceplay's versions of Valhalla Calling, Hellfire, Creep, Hoist The Colours, Warriors, Seven Nation Army, Dream On, Dragonborn Comes, Hall of the Mountain King! So many others. They're all amazing and you can't go wrong with any of the recommendation. Voiceplay does everything themselves...no record label. So, everything from the arrangements, production, video, costumes, lighting, everything is all them. Eli (pronounced Ellie) Jacobson is the rock tenor and arranges some of the releases and usually does the lighting, Layne Stein is the vocal percussion, arranger 50% of the time and VioLayne of course, Geoff arranges 50% of the releases but wait until you experience his 5 octave range, Cesar (C-Zar) is their baritone who can deliver the Steven Tyler highest notes on Dream On, and J. None will be featured on many of their releases since he used to be full time with the group and now sings for the Navy and comes back as feature as often as he can. Omar Cardona is featured on Sleeping in the Cold Below, Dragonborn Comes, Dream On and others. Anthony Garguila is featured on Creep, Seven Nation Army, Golden Hour. Jose Rosario Jr. is featured on Hoist The Colours, Drunken Sailer, and My Mother Told Me. This doesn't even scratch the surface. All of their features are perfect for the songs. Enjoy the ride. You're just getting started. EDIT...Oh and get yourself a keyboard that goes down to B0....just saying!!
Thanks so much! I'm excited to continue this VoicePlay journey Appreciate all the info and recommendations!
You can react to them freely, they won't copyright you.
This is WAY better than I expected, I loved your reaction, oh I cannot wait for more VoicePlay, they are my favorite Acapella Group (And no, the violin is not a normal thing for them), and I love Pentatonix on a second place (I don't really like Home-Free). Anyways finally my fav acapella group on my favorite reaction channel. You goooo!
Lupe.-
Welcome to Voiceplay - they never disappoint. Geoff also has a great collection of solo work you should check out.
Just watched this again as I really appreciate your analysis's (if that's a word?) I've watch others try to analyze songs and they don't compare to your method. Most are boring but you have a way of keeping it interesting, even to newbs like myself. Thank you for your time as I know many of us appreciate it.
There is always a lot to talk about with VoicePlay, so don't worry, we're used to it.
And yes, the group is very good about passing the lead around, unless a song calls for a specific character as lead, then the person playing that character will dominate. However, even in these instances, they still will pass parts around. Hellfire is a good example of that.
Personally, I love that about them. If it is a group of singers, then they should all get moments to shine and not just have the one lead while the others are perpetual backups. Sure, Geoff covers the bass line 90% of the time cause dear gods his voice is amazing and Layne is practically a human soundboard with his vocal percussion at this point, but they get moments to shine with too!
Also, just fair warning, Geoff has a ridiculous range. He wanted to be a rock tenor growing up, then he got that bass voice instead but never lost the desire for those higher notes. He has a beautiful higher range as well as earth shaking low notes.
Eli (rhymes with jelly) is their resident "Rock God" and his belts are insane.
Cesar can and will cut right to your emotions with both voice and performance. He's a true showman at heart.
Layne's singing voice is also quite beautiful and I always love hearing it. I want to see him take lead on a song one of these days, though I don't know who would take over percussion.
And many fans are hopeful J.None will return to the group after his tour with the Navy is over. I just hope that if he does, they don't stop bringing in collaborators on occasion. Omar, Rachel, Anthony, Jose, all of them bring something unique and are enjoyable to watch/listen to.
Addition: VoicePlay was actually on the same season of the Sing Off as Home Free (Season 4)! And the two groups have maintained a friendship ever since. Actually, they had a song they wanted to do if they ever got paired up for the VS portion of the show, but they never did. They wanted to do it so much that they actually just went ahead and recorded it anyways. It's Zombies vs. Hillbillies - Survivor. Here's the link: ruclips.net/video/yYzwzbqUJXk/видео.html
Its crazy how full it sounds. Even the beginning. It mimmicks the instruments so well.
So glad you’re doing VP! I love all the bass singers, IMO I believe Avi made bass singing popular. Tim and Geoff took the reins and ran with them. There are several others on YT doing their thing as well. Thanks for the analysis!
Just wanted to add that the reactor mentioned in the comments, Peter Barber, is a Bass opera singer and is part of a group called the Bass Gang (four basses). They are worth checking out. Welcome to the rabbit hole that is VoicePlay!
Will wait yours reactions on other Voiceplay's masterpieces! There are a lot of them😂🔥👍🏻
Of all my watching reaction vids, You are my favorite, bcuz of how you break it down and analyze it! 💯 Dude! At age 41, Ive played piano for 37 yrs! And have had a deep voice that shocks anyone, the first time you hear it, since I was 12...and can ALMOST sing as low as my idol, Geoff Castellucci!!!!
Yassss Voiceplay!! Geoff has a silly range too (check out Oogie Boogie's Song), also Valhalla Calling and Creep!
Your reaction was so fun - I've been listening to Geoff, and other groups using subharmonics, for so long that I rather expect them as the norm now and your reaction was mine initially, which is fun to see someone else experience. If you want more of that, I'd really recommend you check out The Bass Gang, who really take it to the next level of a bass-focused ensemble experience (and are very much worthy of a reaction/analysis).
That said, you can learn to sing subharmonics; since I tried to learn prior to Geoff's instructional video came out, I went to videos by Bass2Yang, David Larson, and finally BillyTheBard11th, and during Billy's explanation and example I had my 'ah ha!' moment for me to do it for the first time and I've been enjoying the technique ever since.
I think most info about the members were answered but as to the sound effect at 20:04 might be an inhaled vocal fry - at least that's how I was able to recreate it. Layne, and to a lesser extent Geoff, can create some wild beatboxing sounds and I'm not that great at it or extrapolating the techniques involved. This song doesn't really showcase Layne's insane beatboxing skills all that well, so I'll be looking to see if you check out more Voiceplay and experience his techniques further.
Anyway, I'm definitely going to check out your other videos, as I really appreciate your analysis, as well as hair style that mirrors my own, and I'll be looking forward to future Voiceplay (and hopefully Bass Gang) videos. Cheers!
I love seeing someone praise Layne because he absolutely deserves it. I remember watching The Charismatic Voice interview him and how genuinely nice and humble he is. And about 55 minutes in she asks him on the spot to do a particular complex drum beat and he did. It really didn’t sound like a person should be able to do that. 😅
Un violín Stradivarius cuesta 20 millones aproximadamente, un chelo empieza en los 2000 dolares y más, pero estos instrumentos, las cuerdas vocales de cada uno de ellos, no tienen precio, imposible pagarlas y cuan bellas es disfrutarlas, ojala les duren para siempre y la magia que transmiten. Gracias por compartirlo con nosotros. un abrazo de madre como siempre
🎶👌
Love the depth of your analysis! And I can't wait to hear their "character" voices (main in Nightmare Before Christmas covers) and Eli, Cesar, and Omar Cardona basically embodying Stephen Tyler for a moment in Dream On!
It was actually just Cesar on the super high note in Dream On. If I didn’t hear him say it myself I would have sworn it was Eli 😮
This just made my heart happy! I adore VoicePlay and I"m so excited to see them on your channel.
I wanted to add another comment because I know you make note of these things. As mentioned, it’s mainly Geoff and Layne switching off arrangements. This was Geoff’s so it would be cool for you to check out a Layne arrangement next. They definitely have different arranging styles and interestingly, a lot of their more popular and also more theatrical pieces belong to Layne. Valhalla Calling, We Don’t Talk About Bruno, Hellfire, In the Hall of the Mountain King, Moana Medley, Little Mermaid Medley and many more. He’s pure genius.
That E1 you hear is using a technique called subharmonics (think reverse overtones) and is one of the many techniques used to sing super low. Tim uses chest fry or growl for super low notes, depending on the intended feel of the note. Geoff sometimes uses growls but rarely chest fry, instead opting for subharmonics. To create the subharmonic, you sing a note towards the lower end of your range that is still comfortable and strong, before constricting in a particular way to apply vocal fry over the top of the note. The fry note and sung note interfere to produce the subharmonic exactly 1 octave lower than the sung note.
So in the intro Geoff sings an E2 but applies this technique to produce the sound of an E1. It’s really obvious to hear in his solo because he waits until partway through the sung note to apply the technique, dropping the octave. Geoff’s chest range has been known to go down to an F1 and his subharmonic range down to B0(!). It’s pretty awesome and you’ll hear it a lot if you keep listening to Voiceplay or dive into Geoff’s solo music (which isn’t acapella).
A recommendation from Voiceplay is Seven Nation Army and a recommendation from Geoff is Man of Constant Sorrow (in which he writes and adds his own bridge).
The electronic sound halfway through the violin section is using an inhaling technique from Layne, which is another way to sing super low if used in a particular way.
Hope I cleared some things up for you there, I’m a big fan of Home Free, Voiceplay, and Avi Kaplan so I’m excited to see what you do next for them. Love your insights!
"I was wrong about the beatboxer coming in, here he is (and he can sing, too)!" - Oh, just you wait!;)
Voice Play is the third leg of the a capella triumvirate! All three (Pentatonix, Home Free, and Voice Play) are excellent! I am a fan of all three and have no desire to compare and contrast! I would love to see a "trio" with all three groups collabing and contributing! Between the three, almost every base is covered! In the mood for a pop sound? Pentatonix! Country? Home Free! A theatrical sound? Voice Play! Awesome groups!
This has Rock God Eli, VioLayne, several Geoffquakes, and Cesar and J.None proving they have access to all the octaves.
They don't normally use the viollin, i think so far it only happened 2x. As for the arrangement, this one is Geoff's, as they do their own arrangement. Actually, apart form final mixing, dificult makeup and holding the camera, they do everything. Their behind the scenes are quite illuminating.
Three times now: this one, Warriors and The Lion Sleeps Tonight.
Geoff started out doing beatbox before he sang bass. He taught Lane how to do the beatboxing. So he still incorporates some beatboxing with his bass to join in with Lane.
Valhala Calling is one of my favorites. It showcases all their individual talents.
Came here cos I wanted to watch the first one beforehand, and fvuking wow 😍 I love the original, and this is just such a brilliant version! I'd never heard of this group and if the rest of their stuff is anything like this, they've got a new fan. Wow.
I didn´t know, it could be so exiting to hear someone explain to me, what I really hear, when I listen to VP sing!
You made me laugh! Of cause, it is all the hair! How could it be otherwise? And what do you mean no filter to stop Geoff.... you don´t want to stop him! Do you??
Enjoyed your reaction and analysis. When VoicePlay did this, I heard a lot of people say that an acapella group can't do Metallica. They don't anymore. Chicago saw this video and invited VoicePlay to join them in their Nov 17-18 Chicago and Friends. Geoff you know but his range: A0 very short growl in Enemy, B0 subharmonics, F1 full chest, B4 mix, Bb5 falsetto, J None is beside Geoff and currently is in the US Navy that recruited him for his vocals for 5 yrs (nearly 3 yrs in). He was promoted from the Pacific NW to Washington DC's premier US Navy c chorus. They've moved him from baritone to bass. If you listen to VPs Jan drop The Lion Sleeps Tonight you'll hear both J None's really high notes, and Cesar hits 2 new notes (C6 and D6). Cesar is the newest member and easily goes from baritone to high tenor. Eli (rhymes with jelly, rock tenor, character voices) joined VP in 2010. He handles the lighting as well as the computer backgrounds, green screens, CGI and recently threw his hat in the ring for doing projects - he's done 2 (Eleanor Rigby and Creep) and he will be put in the rotation for the projects. Geoff or Layne have been responsible that month's project: doing arrangements, video/camera work, pre-mix audio (goes to Ed Boyer for final), staging, costuming, makeup (sometimes by Rick Underwood for complicated makeup and prosthetics like VPs In the Hall of the Mountain King), Both Geoff and Layne are the original members (then 4:2:Five, changed name to VoicePlay). Layne (beatboxer extraordinaire, baritone, and classical violinist, aka VioLayne (only used the violin in 3 videos)) started as baritone and when Scott Porter (beatboxer at the time) wanted to become an actor, Layne took that position (Geoff taught him what he knew and Layne ran with it, now one of the , best). Tony Wakim was baritone for awhile before dropping the singing and going into productions with Layne. They bought a studio, Pattycake Productions and are co-owners. The studio is in a mall and their minis are usually done in the open section of the mall which is the where The Lion Sleeps Tonight is done.
Llegué a tu canal por Dimash, y hoy me encuentro con ésta sorpresa, mí agrupación musical favorita.
¡ Gracias, gracias, GRACIAS !
Yeah, to date we're not sure whether Geoff's range has an _upper_ limit, either. 🤔VoicePlay's cover of Oogie Boogie and Geoff's solo cover in his own channel of I See Fire will help demonstrate what I mean. I really enjoyed your reaction to this masterpiece! Liked and subscribed, hoping to see more! (And I concur with the other commenters' recs of Hoist the Colours, Moana Medley, and We Don't Talk About Bruno. Queen in Five Minutes is older, but also a very interesting arrangement.)
That was super fun. I really enjoyed the musical analysis.
I saw a couple other folks making educated guesses, but wanted to confirm that the deep "whoa" sound in the middle of the violin solo is indeed also Layne, using ingressive phonation. He employs that technique quite a bit and to great effect.
This is so exciting! What a reaction too! VoicePlay is a whole different animal in A Capella. But they're one of the 3 top tier groups. They only occasionally add in an instrument. The effect by bringing the violin in here was profound! I can't wait to see you get to react to more of them. Your face always speaks volumes, and you didn't disappoint here. Discovery is a wonderful thing. This song/performance I hope is on your VP reaction list. Geoff leads this one. I'll leave it at that.....ruclips.net/video/bVbetHB815E/видео.htmlsi=mCFuWnsAe7H8X9Wr As for your breakdown, I hadn't heard the notes you pointed out and now I can hear and appreciate how they mix in. Thanks for that and a very entertaining reaction!
That one certainly is on my list, along with a number of others! They should keep us occupied in terms of VP for a while Thanks, as always!
What an awesome reaction! My advice? Just enjoy. I’m new to Voiceplay too- we’ll be wow’ed together! Keep the reactions coming!
Fall down the Voiceplay rabbit hole! They are absolutely and utterly phenomenal! A massively creative group of people that deserve every moment of fandom that we can give them.
Geoff's decision to have the violin thrown to Layne to honour the guitar solo is the correct one imho- kudos to him for making that decision knowing he'd catch a dollop of whine from the a cappella purists! There needs to be a stringed instrument there to properly honour the original. :)
Fantastic reaction 😊 I’ve subscribed to see more VoicePlay reactions please 😊
I love your reaction and analysis of this song. I really enjoyed your enthusiasm. I think you might like their version of Hall of the Mountain King.