Crosby's Harmonies
Crosby's Harmonies
While there can be no doubt that Roger McGuinn's Rickenbacker 12 string and heavy compression is the hallmark of many Byrd's recordings, I continue to be taken by David Croby's harmonies which were quite unique at the time. It is these harmonies that accentuate the suspended chords used in many of their performances and for me really typify the Byrds' sound.
Life, as with music, often requires one to let go of the melody and listen to the rhythm
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mark_telfer
- Veteran RRF member
- Posts: 89
- Joined: Thu Nov 15, 2001 3:48 am
I am not aware of who influenced David Crosby's harmonies. Has anyone read about who he may have credited? His alternate guitar tunings are also most intriguing especially with Crosby Stills and Nash.
Life, as with music, often requires one to let go of the melody and listen to the rhythm
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Crosby has a lot of influences on both his playing and singing.He got exposure to a good deal off classical, as well as jazz around his home while growing up. Later,influences as diverse as Bulgarian womens choral music got his off the wall ear going, and as to his open tunings/ chord voicings, he cites the chord work and playing of jazz pianist McCoy Tyner.All this, with a heavy dose of the folkies of his early days.On many levels, he's a guy who refuses to be bound by limited conventional thinking[sometimes to his own hurt!!!].One of my personal favorite player/singers.
Thanks Don. One of my favourite Byrds' tunes has always been "I Knew I'd Want You". David Crosby's harmony work on this one is a standout. At what point, Roger excepted, did the Byrds play their own instruments?
Life, as with music, often requires one to let go of the melody and listen to the rhythm
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At what point, Roger excepted, did the Byrds play their own instruments?
The Byrds played their own instruments on everything else But the Tambourine Man single and its flip side.
Crosbys' harmony work is intriguing in that sometimes it's obvious he's there on the top. Other times he weaves himself in and unless he wasn't there at all, you can have a hard time figuring out just what he's doing.Tambourine Man and Turn Turn, are basically Roger and Gene Clark
in unison, with David on top.Eight Miles High is a different beast altogether.If you're trying to sing along, your hear is trying to average out some kind of vocal line, and you have David and Roger doing vocals that are counterpoint, with Gene Clark somewhere on the bottom.A strange mix that works really cool.Add to that the Rick12/
Gretsch tonal mix, and the infamous Hillman basswork.Now you got me started,I have to go put this on the CD player....
The Byrds played their own instruments on everything else But the Tambourine Man single and its flip side.
Crosbys' harmony work is intriguing in that sometimes it's obvious he's there on the top. Other times he weaves himself in and unless he wasn't there at all, you can have a hard time figuring out just what he's doing.Tambourine Man and Turn Turn, are basically Roger and Gene Clark
in unison, with David on top.Eight Miles High is a different beast altogether.If you're trying to sing along, your hear is trying to average out some kind of vocal line, and you have David and Roger doing vocals that are counterpoint, with Gene Clark somewhere on the bottom.A strange mix that works really cool.Add to that the Rick12/
Gretsch tonal mix, and the infamous Hillman basswork.Now you got me started,I have to go put this on the CD player....
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stanley
Talking about that Gretsch and Rick---- I get goose bumps when I hear Crosby doing the chord work during the Bridge of "We'll Meet Again". What a great sound that is! You can hear the same on "The Bells of Rhythme".
BTW, does anyone know how the background was recorded for the Gene Clark tune "If you are gone". Are those vocals? It sort of reminds me of 2001 Space Oddisey.
How about the guitar or ???piano in "Set you free this time". How do they do it (did it)?
BTW, does anyone know how the background was recorded for the Gene Clark tune "If you are gone". Are those vocals? It sort of reminds me of 2001 Space Oddisey.
How about the guitar or ???piano in "Set you free this time". How do they do it (did it)?
BTW, does anyone know how the background was recorded for the Gene Clark tune "If you are gone". Are those vocals? It sort of reminds me of 2001 Space Oddisey.
How about the guitar or ???piano in "Set you free this time". How do they do it (did it)?
"If you're Gone"; yes, those are vocals you allude to.
on "Set You Free This Time," it's guitar.Crank that one up with headphones sometime, and just absorb[or be absorbed by] the stately Rick 12, along with Hillmans' solid bass work[done on a Guild Starfire semihollow bass, BTW; a Fender just Doesn't get That tone that you are hearing on this, and the rest of the TTT album]. I personally consider the Rick sound on TTT to be THE quintessential Byrds tone, PERIOD.
How about the guitar or ???piano in "Set you free this time". How do they do it (did it)?
"If you're Gone"; yes, those are vocals you allude to.
on "Set You Free This Time," it's guitar.Crank that one up with headphones sometime, and just absorb[or be absorbed by] the stately Rick 12, along with Hillmans' solid bass work[done on a Guild Starfire semihollow bass, BTW; a Fender just Doesn't get That tone that you are hearing on this, and the rest of the TTT album]. I personally consider the Rick sound on TTT to be THE quintessential Byrds tone, PERIOD.