Why are SO MANY Funk songs in E minor? - AN INVESTIGATION
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- Опубликовано: 8 сен 2024
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And yeah... Hollywood Swinin' is in E Major 🤦♂️
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SOURCES
The inciting article: pagesix.com/20...
The Quincy Interview:
www.vulture.co...
TOPICS COVERED
MIchael Jackson
Off The Wall
Workin Day and Night
Rick James
Mary Jane
Mashup
Remix
Billie Jean
Thriller
Bill Withers
Use Me
Bass Guitar
Double Bass
E minor
Funk Music
Soul
Music History
Classical Music
Beethoven
Domenico Dragonetti
Fender
Jazz
Monk Montgomery
Quincy Jones
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Everyone calls him Superfreak... along with his tagline "Cocaine's a hell of a drug"
Your videos are maad dope keep up the great work
I mean I get, this information he puts out is just too high quality, to get 1 mil subs you need to make cheesy content. Let's just be happy knowing we know a secret
Emin -A7 = E Dorian
And every one Steals from Everyone we are musicians that's what we do 🤣Paganini Stole from Bach
With the bass being the backbone for most of the songs, I believe it is due to the open E string being easiest to slap.
100%
yea its lowest.. also to levarage hammer ons and pull offs
And the same bassist playing on almost every Motown song from the 1950s, 60s, and 70s.
It's also super comfortable to play in E minor on keyboards which are pretty much as ubiquitous as bass guitar in funk
And the deepest note on a 4 string with standard tuning, in a lot of metal and electronic music there's a lot of focus on making songs in the keys with the deepest bass
That workin day and night/mary jane mix is butter
the BIll Withers one is heat too!
🙏🙏
Its work.Workin.WORKIN fam good work
Yeah I’m doing the Bill Withers one with Serato Stems for sure tonight at my DJ gig. That ish was funky.
dude the fact you don't have a million subs yet is insane. your videos are so professional, fun and informative yet it never feels pretentious or snobby, just pure music facts. and the mashups!
🙏🙏
I second this!
Third!
@@diggingthegreats yea man my favorite channel for learning about the different colors of music. Really beautiful stuff man!!
fourthed. it's definitely picking up steam!
You are the music teacher we all wanted in high school.
How tf you putting out so much well produced genius content? I swear you're some kind of plant with a huge team behind you or something 😅
I wish! It would make my life a whole lot easier haha
Nah he's just a bamf
I swear I thought this was something one of the majors was putting out. It's TOO GOOD.
DR. SIRI😆
@@diggingthegreats Which one of your team wrote that response?!? Ha
That Mary Jane/Use Me mash up was 🔥 AF!!!
Yea that was smooth!!
I’ve been on RUclips for like, twenty years. This is theFIRST channel that’s held my interest, challenged my music history education (in a good way - nobody EVER told me about Beethoven and the classical bass evolution), AND got me all geeked about the sponsor! Incredible.
The only song that inspired Billie Jean was I Can't Go for That by Hall & Oates according to Michael himself. He listen the song endlessly and found a way to make a new groove out of it. He even told that to Daryl Hall during the we are the world recording.
That’s what I thought
Carreberian Queen Billy Ocean Not To Be Confused With Billie Jean Michael Jackson!
Michael never said it himself. Daryl could’ve made it up
It was actually a song by donna summer called state of the union or something like that.
@@elnorey have you listened to ‘I can’t go for that’ ? Because it has a very similar sound to Billie Jean
You make making music sound so simple, yet its so HARD.
Thank you for allowing us mortals to understand the complexity of music.
@@darrellmfume4020 it's both..
Just make bad music. That's pretty easy. heh.
It's all how your brain perceives. Music or anything is hard for some, very easy to understand for others.
@@OdaKacash me outside girl got more views and subscribers and can't speak proper english
It's not that it's that hard, but maybe you are expecting too much from yourself too soon
Great video as always! I’m a fan of MJ’s work and I’m a fan of Quincy’s work, especially his work with MJ. Q is an undeniable legend of course. But the last several years Q’s been throwing a lot of dirt on MJ’s name and legacy. This would be foul even if MJ were alive to defend himself and it’s even more foul sense he’s not.
But it made us pay attention to Q again, Right?
I think the mystery is solved.
Quincy lacks class. Huge musical talent, but a trash human being.
100%. I don't understand what would make Quincy say those things about Michael if he didn't believe them to be true so I have to accept that he does think it's true-- however several of the things he said were demonstrably false so it's like... maybe he's just losing his memory 😭
I love you using your bass playing as a framing device within these comparisons.
It really does a great job of driving your ideas home about the chord progressions being used, all the while adding more of yourself into the content, thus giving yourself a stronger identity as you dissect the songs in an efficient manner.
The bass line on the song "thriller" is inspired by Rick james' "give it to me baby".
True, I hear that also, and (plot twist) Rick accused Quincy Jones of stealing the bass line for Thriller.
@@Silly81 let's just say Rick was not in a good mood during those days. He ranted about Prince to anyone who would listen, complained about not being played on MTV (he had a point actually) complained some more about Prince and so on and so forth.
“Good artists copy, Great artists steal” Picasso. Everyone gets inspired by something the great ones take that and make it so good you think they were the one who did it first. Good stuff as always. As a bass noob keep dropping that knowledge.
Yeah that’s a hack, not artists or creatives.
The great ones make the song theirs through the creative effort.
Skill, talent, emotive response to the challenge of making it theirs.
The greats don’t copy or steal.
Because they always cite their influential heroes.
For without those influences what would we the artists be?
My apologies, I keep seeing that statement.✌🏿🔆👍🏿
Bass noob as well😂
@@wwddwi2183 what are you talking about? I get what you're saying, but it doesn't make the original quote invalid. All that stuff is implied within the original quote by those who understand it.
I remember hearing Prince talk about E funk. It might have been in a song too but I can't recall which one.
PLEASE release the working day and night and Mary Jane Mashup in full with you on bass. That sounded killer🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
I’ve heard the story that Billie Jean is basically Say No Go by Hall & Oates for the last ten years. Michael was one for inspiration to say the most. Big edit: correction- I Can’t Go For That, it’s obvious that De La Soul is on my mind 😅
Daryl Hall indicated several times that Michael approached him during the We Are The World Sessions and indicated the main intro and groove inspiration from “I can’t go for that” and he just swapped the order a bit. Daryl of course thought that was a great honor but didn’t see it.
Although it’s not that uncommon for artists l, or Michael specifically. A lot of Michael’s works show he was paying attention to multiple genes of music both in and outside pop music. He did the same thing with choreography and stage production. It’s really the composition of various inspirations that was unique.
Rod Temperton composed Thriller and it‘s inspired by “Heartbreak Hotel“ a song Michael previously wrote and recorded. It’s on the Jackson‘s Triumph album, That’s mostly where everything came from (from the theme to the music)
The baseline of Thriller is heartbreak hotels baseline sped up
The Thriller baseline is mostly the baseline from Rick James Give it 2 Me.
I can see that, but dude you can't tell me that they didn't hear Give it to Me Baby's bass line and weren't atleast inspired by it lmao.
I'm a massive MJ fan, but come on now
When did Boogie Nights by Heatwave come out? I hear many similar bass lines to that one, including songs from Rick James.
That Mary Jane / Use Me mash up is absolutely 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯😭😭
🙏🙏
Your explanation of the double bass was spot on, so many people get the roots of the instrument wrong but you got it!
That Use Me/Mary Jane mash up was thicker than cold grits!
😂😂
*It should be noted that many popular songs were composed on the guitar, and like the four strings on the bass, the bottom four strings on the guitar are tuned E, A, D, & G. So whether a song was written on guitar or bass, the same keys that are easy and convenient on one would also apply to the other. And as the bass and especially the guitar are both very popular instruments, many popular songs are written in keys that are easy and convenient on both.*
The same idea allbeit somewhat less applies to Jazz music which favors keys simple for horn players Bb, F, Eb, Ab while bass and guitar are simpler to play in E, A, D, G.
I write a lot of stuff in E minor just because there are a lot of good open harmonies etc. It's just what guitar is as an instrument. Suits my vocal range well too!
Same with electronic music. It all kinda works around the range of the bass/sub
It's also super comfy and fun to play Em on keyboard. People think funk is all bass guitar but synths and keyboards were just as common, often playing the bassline
@@mississippijohnfahey7175 A Minor is even easier on keys, as it's the relative minor of C Major, so it's all the white keys, with no sharps or flats...
I have to say, the homework done here is top notch. It is one of those things I've always kind of suspected and felt like I knew, but I've never been able to put it all together and connect all the thoughts. Nicely done
Brilliant video after brilliant video. Brother the content you are consistently putting out is just pure gold.
The reason why most funk is written in E minor is because the BASS guitar's lowest note at the time was E. At times, like I do, a player might tune down to E flat or D for a deeper tone.
Or grab a five string tuned to low B, which for me is the better move. Not only do you get those five notes below low E but it also gives you greater range across the fretboard. This helps minimize a lot of shifting positions to play octaves and double octaves.
@@bustabass9025 I'm a guitarist and a bassist. I am an aggressive rocker and funker. My hands are large and I play a five for less intricate baselines, but prefer a 4 detuned because the space between strings makes more feasible for pop -slapping.
This is gold. We need those full mash-up’s in mp3!
You are becoming one of my favourite music RUclipsrs. I’m currently getting into hip-hop and funk/soul, as well as dabbling with production and sampling, and your channel really accelerates my acquisition of love for & knowledge of these things. Your videos are so informative and easy to follow, yet filled with so much fun and love for music. Thank you for another great video, you deserve far more views and subscribers!
Just discovered your channel-as a music teacher, I appreciate how you can break down music concepts for literally ANYONE-you have quite a gift, besides the fact that you’re a dope bassist!
You are an excellent storyteller
You will expand into world wide documentaries/films based on anything you choose to teach
Congratulations
More specifically...funk songs are in the key of E *dorian* minor. That Em-A7 repeating chord is a classic i-IV dorian vamp.
No Doubt's "Hella Good" also kicks off with that beat.
Came for video
stayed for your bass playing. Groovy AF 👌🏽👌🏽👌🏽
Dude, these mashups you are doing are"cold blooded". 👍
Keep the FUNK alive.
Bruno Mars' "Calling All My Lovelies" sounds similar to Mary Jane.
DAMN. THOSE. MASH-UPS. 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
🙏🙏🙏
all of this content is so so valuable you have no idea, im goin to class everytime I watch one of your videos lets gooooooooo keep it up youre a very good communicator congrats
I really love how you always tie the end of one of your videos to the beginning of another one. It's kinda like a "cinematic universe-esque touch" but with videos? I don't know how to describe it, but it's cool! You're so cool, man 😉
I could listen to you for hours straight! 🤓 Very Nice job!!
🙏🙏
Your music history expertise never fails to vow me away
Your content is phenomenal 👏🏽
My guess for the short answer is simply the open notes giving you easy access to paying with octaves (especially low E) especially with slap bass. Feels very natural. Interesting video though, as always
Your bass playing is excellent. You got the groove my brotha!
This man just took me to school and it was fun. I don't know anything about keys or chords or writing/reading music...but this guy had me for every second of this video. I'll be surfing his channel fa sho!
That Mary Jane Use Me mashup is phenomenal
I could be wrong about my analysis, but it has to do with the natural set-up or register of the electric bass, with the lowest string being in the open key of E. From there most bass players find it is a natural process-and one not be ashamed of-to then build or create songs in the key of E. Kind of like the great classic tunes of Jazz, R&B, the Blues, Rock and even Pop and Folk music, using the 12 bar blues format to make what often turned out to be a classic hit!
It then, boils downs to, as I've stated, the nature of the thing-from it's natural make-up or structure, combined with one's ability to synthesize or appropriate unto themselves an endless world of creativity, to "make it happen", and has nothing to do with laziness or ineptitude. In addition, if one applies themself, they will find an endless world of creativity from which to create or compose tunes in the key of E minor-or any other; it comes with first having a "vision", and then devoting one's self to the craft of making good Funk-whether it's in the key of E minor or any other.
And yes I am an African-American who has been into funk since it's inception in the 1970s, in case one thinks I don't know what I'm talking about. And if you ask me, with the SORRY state that music has regressed to, the new and younger generations of music makers could take a cue from the greats of the past. 3-16-23.
Wow! I never knew that was the history of how the bass came into being. Always learning something new here. And yeah, that Em-A7 progression is all over the place. A lot of Philly Soul songs used it as well ("You Got What I Need" - Teddy Pendergrass, "Love is the Message" and "TSOP" - MFSB, and more).
Rick James had said in the liner notes for the CD compilation, "Rick James Bustin' Out", that Quincy Jones approached him and told Rick that he used part of Give It To Me Baby for the title cut of Mike's Thriller album. Which actually makes sense.
You deserve wayyyyy more subs than this, the quality is unmatched. Routing for you bro!
The first 30 seconds of "One Nation Under A Groove" is another of many examples of that Em- A7 progression, and it was also released in 1978. Given Michael's proximity to Rick James though, the Mary Jane theory is likely more plausable.
That Bill Withers x Rick James mashup was nastyyyyy 🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾
The truth is Michael came up to Rick in a club about street songs. Mike like how Lanise kept a hard heartbeat like groove without all the fills
This video deserves an award. Assuming it can all peer reviewed, your presentation is both entertaining, creative and educational. Very well executed or at least I enjoyed it!
Thank you! Love your videos and bass playing! 🔥🔥🔥
WOOOOO! keep it up bro... An upload or 2 a day would be great 🤣😅 loving the content
Haha! If only I could!
When I was growing up ,learning to play ,jamming with other people in the 70s we had a joke .Someone would yell "JAM IN E"..if we wanted the fake songs to prolong a set we would yell jam in E!!!.SO YES your correct and it's an easy key for guitar and Bass the root of blues funk and rock. Love this post ..NICE WORK
This is such a great and well researched video! Not trying to nitpick although I might suggest that these keys are in fact E dorian *mode* and are a im7-IV7 progression. In E minor your 4 chord is a A minor 7, while Dorian gives you the A dominant 7. Another band that uses this two chord vamp quite a bit is Pink Floyd, which is not so suprising considering many of their songs are dripping with funk and psychedelic soul motifs. Examples: Breathe / Wish You Were Here (Em-A), Great Gig in the Sky (Gm7-C9), Another Brick in the Wall / Any Color You Like (Dm-G).
The way it all comes back to the blues!
Modes are not keys. Dorian is a minor mode.
Yes I know Dorian is a mode, like Aeolian with a natural 6. Corrected my original comment to add the word "mode". I think most people in this situation will consider the tonal center to be "E", then it's a matter of finding what chords and notes best fit the song. If the tonal center is E but there's a dominant 7 on the 4, some people would consider this to be a ii-V7 in D Ionian that never resolves to the I. This doesn't make sense though because the tonic is clearly E, so it's E Dorian. When writing music I think most of us think in terms of what collection of notes and chords the strict definitions of keys, modes, and scales are more important in an academic context or when someone wants to explore further.
cool detail! wondering how they used c# I was looking for this info :)
Holy shit, that Mary Jane/Use Me mashup is fucking incredible
This channel covers the absolute creme-de-la-creme of music. Me and some friends used to run a funk and hip-hop night back in the late00s/early 10s that focused on that magical sweet spot between funk and hip-hop and watching these vids just takes me back to those days when we'd be digging through records or one of us would find a sample that popped up in a song (WhoSampled wasn't as much of a thing then although it is very useful too).
Keep making these vids, you're style/delivery is really warm and engaging and your taste in music is dynamite.
Rick James in the thumb nail?? Instant click we need more music breaking down the king of punk funk!
My brother, this was a MASTER CLASS on eminor. Wow! As a producer who interpolates a lot of sample material, I constantly have come across eminor and supposed that I personally had an attraction to it, but you just put the nail on the head with this one! It has a historical and practical reason to be in some of the best songs ever made! I'm excited to compose my first song intentionally in eminor to A7 just for this reason and see how it sounds!
Never stop doing what you're doing! I don't think theres anyone else who lays down as good as you!
Your breakdowns are awesome , love the details
“I can’t go for that” - Hall and Oats = Billie Jean’s inspiration as stated by MJ.
Hey man I'm an Irish bassist who just recently discovered your channel and I absolutely love it! All the artists/genres you do videos on are ones I've really gotten into over the last few months so finding out about your channel has made listening to this type of music all the more enjoyable. Keep doing what you're doing my guy :D
Wow thank you for these knowledge, man
Props to you from fellow bass player
I love your stuff, bro! I had to laugh at this one. There are songs one might deem similar and then there are songs that are similar. I suppose it's anyone's call, but that author's opinion is absurd to me...a stretch at best. Even Quincy's comment about MJ "stealing" from other artists is objective. Hell, the whole industry is inundated with one artist vibing off of another...bass riffs, drum beats. That's my interpretation of Q's point.
Agreed - a lot of lawsuits in recent years, and only so many things you can do with the 12 notes in western music 😂
Thank you so much for spreading all this knowledge on funk and soul and all the groove! Such wonderful music the world needs more of, we're savoring every second 👀
The only songs I’ve heard that have almost the same bassline is Jefferson Airplane “White Rabbit”, Jackson 5 “Can You Feel It” and Madonna “Material Girl”
Bro thanks for that musical history. Very good. Very important. Love it.
Man I just discovered your channel and I’ve been binge watching all of your videos. Extremely thought out and digestible scripts about music history. You’re my new favorite channel.
Each new video from you is outstanding/ on 🔥🔥🔥, longing for your next one, all the time.
🙏🙏 thank you
I think the Michael song "Workin Day and Night" should be compared with Rick James' "Dance Wit Me" those two are close in sound. Although I'm not sure which song came out first!🤔
Working day and night came out in 1979. Dance with me was from 1982.
The quality of the info, explanation and illustration in your videos gives me funk face. Your videos are STANKY good!
this is incredible as per usual but i’m surprised that you didn’t mention the similarities between the bass lines in thriller and give it to me baby
Love the content. These videos are great.
I love this channel and this is a great video, but I'd love to see Will Sasso create a MadTV type parody of one of these videos.
Love the channel, love this episode, love the history involved 👏🏾
I like your video so much! I like that there are always fun facts, a story with a good structure, and a summary. All of that makes a video both entertaining and educational.
This was a fantastic history lesson, even as a bassist I didn't know all this stuff. Thanks for the great video!
"Start copying what you love. Copy copy copy copy. At the end of the copy you will find your self."
Austin Kleon, Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative
Best 'history of the B A S S' story I've ever heard, thanks mate! I finally learned about the true roots of my beloved instrument 🤩 Stay funky bro 👍
🎸🎸
Fun fact about the string bass:
In some orchestrations, the instrument is written to reach a C1 note, requiring an addition to the fingerboard called a C Extension, which does exactly what it sounds like. It extends the range of the instrument from a low E to an even lower C. Each note position from the nut of the C extension (C# to E♭) have their own gates, which if you've played a guitar, act similarly to a capo but for one string instead of the entire fretboard.
Very, very well done! Great job. I love your content.
🙏🙏
For Billie Jean, MJ admitted that the bass line and drum beat was heavily inspired by "I Can't Go For That" by Hall & Oates. In many interviews, Daryl Hall mentions the conversation he had with MJ about this and how flattered he was when MJ told him, "you know I stole the intro from Billie Jean from you."
Dang I can't unhear it now
BUT THE DRUMS FROM BILLIE JEAN AND GHETTO LIFE ARE IDENTICAL AND I CANT BELIEVE I NEVER NOTICED THAT
@@Desnes7 LOL sure you hear it. Hall didn't even hear it. He used the word "stole" when he told the story, but Michael probably said he was "inspired"
I heard "Billie Jean" was a take-off of "I can't go for that" by Hall & Oates. D. Hall said " Hey, we all steal from each other."
Exact
You are an incredible historian! New subscriber. I do smooth jazz and love the circle of fifths
It is the road map, no question. It is a very valuable tool for bass players, since the bass is tuned in fourths, and the circle when read counterclockwise is also constructed in fourths. Learning how to properly use and interpret it should be the goal of every serious musician, as far as I'm concerned.
as a classically trained past instrumentalist/current vocalist, this is my shit. keep doing what you're doing man. this channel & what you've got goin on is amongst the few things that are a breath of fresh air, as of late. also, spector🤘
Love your content ❤
Dude how are u so good? My ADHD just disappears, I mean your fingies hurt less playing in E ! Thanks man the world appreciates this
Such a great video! Thanks for the great content!
Great video. Lot's of new to me info. Thanks
I paused this and read the Quincy Jones interview...whoa buddy! I love your vids, please keep em coming! My neighbor's uncle's brother agrees
Ah man this is what YT should be about. I'm watching instead of working as usual but I'm learning fast so enriching myself anyway
Elucidating. Keep up the good job I love it.
Great video! This fills in the blanks about my own beats and why, when sampling, I always seem to gravitate towards E
Thanks for your all of your hard work 🤘🏾
Dude keep up the great vids! 🔥and thanks for the spotify listening guide
As a bassist that has played both double and electric bass in an orchestra I'm glad you covered all this. Keep up the great work!
Brilliant video 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 Much, much respect.
Rick James’ first hit ‘You and I’ had that cadence as well but tuned down 1/2 step to Eb minor
the demo of Mj of " working day and night " is on youtube. Btw Phills collins steal ( the jackson - one more chance) for Phills collins - one more night. He even told to Randy Jackson, that he was influent by this song