David Crosby's Harmonies?

[stubby]

Can anybody tell me about Crosby's musical "training?" Or, put another way, how extensive was Crosby's theoretical understanding of music (and especially harmony)? This thread mentions singing in 5ths or 4ths, etc. but I always assumed Crosby was just a creative guy with a highly tuned ear and the voice to pull off whatever his imagination was suggesting. Could his lack of formal training have helped in this regard, allowing him to sing harmonies that were simply natural to his ear/mind, without the "constraints" that a solid and engrained knowledge of theory might have imposed on him? I don't know much about his early life - did he have a solid theoretical grounding in harmony?

[admin]

Bill: From what I have read over the years, David Crosby did not have extensive or formalized vocal training.

I have heard in discussions with others that his parents were interested in madrigal vocal music composition. This may explain the Renaissance and early Baroque vibe that I hear in some of the Byrds music. His alternate guitar tunings also added a dynamic that made his performing even more unique.

[mcd220]

I was all excited to join this discussion, but you guys have it well covered!!

Christian

[mcd220]

All I would add would be this; although it's not mentioned much, I firmly believe that David's time in Les Baxter's Balladeers was very important for the Byrds sound. If you listen, he's really singing those Byrds parts ike a '40's crooner, as opposed to the voice he "Found" later on, like "Almost cut my hair", etc.

Steve's right on target with the difficulty in replicating Byrds vocals; it's so hard to "Get it right". I look at it this way; Roger & Gene were like two scoops of ice cream, each one sort of cancelling the other one out. Gene's richness, and Roger's edginess sort of colliding with each other. Crosby is the butterscotch syrup poured on top of both scoops, and the sound, well, we all agree, right?!

Roger & Gene did double most of the time; good call from Jim regarding the MTM Hullabaloo live vocals. That was lost on Leon Russels's piano track, which was deleted.

"Turn! Turn! Turn" & "Lay down your weary tune" are two more that have a full triad in parts.

Christian

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[admin]

Excellent post, Christian.

Just in passing, I do not think that it will ever be possible to have the work of the Byrds covered. There remains to this day so many unanswered questions about their compositions, tunings, performances and gear.

To be fair, the living members may no longer know the answers to our questions. A fascinating study for sure.

[mcd220]

Thanks so much Peter, and I know what you mean!!

BTW-I saw you were about to send a PM, was their something you wanted to discuss???

Thanks,

Chris