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Author Topic: George's Harmonies  (Read 7152 times)

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alexis

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Re: George's Harmonies
« Reply #20 on: May 06, 2009, 08:07:52 PM »

Quote from: 2092
one point to consider here is George had a fine SUPPORTING voice....

John had an ARROGANT Confident voice....tending towards the LOWER range (ie: "If I Fell" etc) - shades of Don Everly in the Everlys sound.


Paul had the Higher more "Singalong" voice tho' also a confident voice...handling the High Harmony...("If I Fell" etc)....leaning towards Phil Everly's style...

George...who kept more of his native accent when singing and whose voice Lacked Arrogance ...."Filled in" the Middle range perfectly to create an Overall "Unified sound" when the three sing together...."Yes it is" , "Tell Me Why","Nowhere Man"  ....even years later "Because" etc...

"Baby's in Black" is just Lennon-McCartney....

while "You Really Got A Hold On Me" gives an example of Lennon-Harrison ONLY

George's voice  was often used as a key third voice to EMPHASISE certain passeges....on "She Loves You" for example...
John-Paul :"You think you lost your love..." John-Paul-George "...Well I saw Her Yesterday-i-ay..." etc

George was also utilised as an extra falsetto voice on occasions too....i.e. the ending of "Paperback Writer"


Tony Hicks mostly  did likewise for The Hollies taking the middle vocal range between  the voices of Allan Clarke & Graham Nash / Terry Sylvester ....to create a "unified vocal sound"
(Listen to: "Stewball" 1966  / "Be With You" 1976 )

Pegasus, welcome to the forum, and I have to say, these are two of the finest first posts I've seen in any forum!

I had absolutely NO idea that it was George below John on "You Really Got a Hold On Me", that little nugget made my day - thank you!!

I might just add an example of a George and Paul harmony duet (fairly rare as well) - "Don't You Ever Change" on the BBC tapes.

Welcome, and thanks again!
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Alexis

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Re: George's Harmonies
« Reply #21 on: May 06, 2009, 08:37:06 PM »

Nice stuff guys. :)
The leap from 2 to 3 harmonies is a critical one for sure but even getting 2 harmonies to lock in to the likes of Simon & Garfunkel takes great skill. Theres not many duo male vocal groups out there nowadays. I'm learning Bob & Earl Harlem Shuffle (topline) right as we speak as it goes. Classic! :)
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Pegasus

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Re: George's Harmonies
« Reply #22 on: May 07, 2009, 11:22:23 AM »

Yeah while most people look to instrumental abilities, the ART of vocals & Vocal Harmonising is often overlooked !

For Example John & Paul COULD "Impersonate" each other....!

listen to the backing vocals on "Woman"....John makes it sound very "McCartney-ish" ....!

On the other hand on Wings "Let Me Roll it" Paul does a "Lennon style" Vocal....!

Paul spoke of how when they came to do The Beatles version of "Real Love" John's "Rough Guide vocal for the demo" was NOT understandably that strong....NEVER being intended for issue by john.

Paul thus did his "John voice"  which was then mixed in  together with John's opriginal demo  Guide  Lead vocal...thus what we get is infact "Lennon-McCartney" as "John Lennon" singing the lead...!

Paul, George, Ringo...and very probably Producer Jeff Lynne (of ELO /The Move/ The Idle Race fame) then added the backing vocals...

One very important point on Beatles harmonies is that while John & Paul "Sounded American" when they sang....George always sounded "British" indeed "Liverpudlian"  ...thus the combined Beatles harmonies have an "American/British" sound...a transatlantic sound that is so very appealing...

Likewise Crosby, Stills & Nash...."Yankee" Crosby...."Southern boy" Stills...and "Britisher" Nash...and on occasions also "Canadian" Young ! - thus a real mixture of Accented vocals

Speaking of Simon & Garfunkel...On the album "Bridge Over Troubled Water" is a few interesting points....

"Baby Driver" is actually "Simon & Simon" - Artie Garfunkel was still delayed filming "Catch-22" down in Mexico....thus Paul Simon handled ALL the vocal parts himself....even adding a "Garfunkel style" :  "Ba-Ba-Ba-Ba..." vocal line to sound just like his partner in song !  

This also explains "The ONLY Living Boy in New York" - where Paul Simon is so fed up awaiting Garfunkel's delayed return....holding up recording of the album... he duly WROTE A SONG ABOUT IT...!

Hence: "Tom get your plane right on time....I know your part'll go fine...fly down to Mexico..."

they were originally known as "Tom & Jerry" early on....Artie was "Tom" !

Garfunkel only arrived after the basic song was complete....tho' he adds a fitting glorious high harmony of "Aaaahhhh..." and only sings one later  Dubbed on  line...an ethereal:  "Here I am...." - Garfunkel's supreme Glistening  Harmony lines gliding majestically  high above Paul Simon's already finished so utterly down to Earth world weary recitation of this "down" yet so compelling song...while once more it's "Simon & Simon" who  are the duet voices on the bridge duet section:

"Half of the Time we're gone..."

I think that Simon & Grafunkel...tho' in fact each recorded   at different times...song "The Only Living Boy in New York"  is one of the most moving & memorable tracks on the finished album....tho' it tellingly points towards the break up of the famous Duo...
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Re: George's Harmonies
« Reply #23 on: May 07, 2009, 01:03:15 PM »

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Hi - Apple and others - what do you think, are these right?

HI Alexis, sorry for not replying sooner.....I don't have great knowledge on 'Yes It Is' to be able to distinguish if your all doing them right. Sounds great though. nice timbre. ;)
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alexis

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Re: George's Harmonies
« Reply #24 on: May 07, 2009, 06:38:07 PM »

Quote from: 15

HI Alexis, sorry for not replying sooner.....I don't have great knowledge on 'Yes It Is' to be able to distinguish if your all doing them right. Sounds great though. nice timbre. ;)

Hi there Apple - sorry, I wish I could take credit, but that wasn't me on the youtube doing those harmonies.

Sounds a little Autotuned, no?
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Re: George's Harmonies
« Reply #25 on: May 08, 2009, 03:57:19 AM »

Hi, Pegasus! I really enjoyed your posts. Thanks so much for joining in!

I've always enjoyed George's Liverpudlian drawl sneaking into a Beatles song, but I hadn't really thought of this before:

Quote
Likewise Crosby, Stills & Nash...."Yankee" Crosby...."Southern boy" Stills...and "Britisher" Nash...and on occasions also "Canadian" Young ! - thus a real mixture of Accented vocals
Hmm, two of my favorite bands. I'm obviously a sucker for accents!

And harmony. I love harmony. Thanks for the discussion, everyone!
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walrus_21

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Re: George's Harmonies
« Reply #26 on: May 26, 2009, 07:48:45 PM »

What a cool topic.  Thanks to everyone who knows these things for sharing.  I play guitar and sing, but I'm not trained.  
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Re: George's Harmonies
« Reply #27 on: June 01, 2009, 12:57:31 AM »

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  I play guitar and sing, but I'm not trained.  

Worked for The Beatles ;) heheh
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Nelson_Wilbury

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Re: George's Harmonies
« Reply #28 on: July 13, 2009, 02:40:05 AM »

Hi, I'm new here. I'm from Argentina, home of the Blue Meanies, sorry for my english.

I love this kind of discussion!!!

I'd like to give my experience in this theme. I'm a "George" in a Beatles Tribute Band and a George Tribute Band.

It's true that the George's parts on the harmonies are very low in the mixes and were really rare and hard to sing. The example of "I'll get you" is good. But this no mean that George Martin hide his voice in the mix, remember that in 1963 the Beatles recorded "live" in the studio. Probably the 3 sang in 1 mic and the John and Paul voices were strongest that George's.

"Because" is other with a very difficult part 'cos the George's part is the less evident.

One more time, sorry if I make a mistake, tell me and I try to correct it.

See you
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alexis

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Re: George's Harmonies
« Reply #29 on: July 13, 2009, 03:21:27 AM »

Hi Nelson - Welcome!!! I think that is so cool that you are in a Beatles tribute band  :D

On "I'll Get You" that you mention ... I have worked through the George harmony in the middle eight/break ("Well there's gonna be a time ..."), I love it! Do you hear George in the verse too ("Imagine I'm in love with you ...")? I don't hear one, but if you do, please let me know (somehow?  ???) where!

I love picking out George harmonies. I think you have a good point, if they were all using one mic, maybe his voice was the softest.

What songs do you sing George on? Do you have a youtube or other site we could listen too?

Gracias!
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Nelson_Wilbury

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Re: George's Harmonies
« Reply #30 on: July 13, 2009, 03:33:05 PM »

HI!
In "I'll get you" only John and sometimes Paul sing in the verse ("Imagine I'm in love with you..."). George only join them in the middle eight.
I sing almost all the George's songs with The Beatles, but ussually made a few in the gigs.
Do you want to know a secret?, Roll over Beethoven, Everybody's trying to be my baby, If I needed someone, Something
But I remember to do I need you, Taxman, While my guitar gently weeps, Here comes the sun, etc
With the other band we made solo material and beatles.
Look here
Cheer Down - Harrisongs - George Harrison Tribute

P2 Vatican Blues - Harrisongs - The Cavern Club - Parte 3

Cloud 9 - Harrisongs - The Cavern Club - Parte 1
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Nelson_Wilbury

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Re: George's Harmonies
« Reply #31 on: July 21, 2009, 03:25:57 PM »

I was thinking in this theme very much last days.

I'll add other points over the George's work.

Not always he took the low part of the harmonies, sometimes is in the middle (This boy, I feel fine)

When Paul is the lead, he is the higher in the "asnwering harmonies" (The night before, I'm down)

I sang "rare" notes (Last "yeah" in the intro and final of "She loves you" is a 6th) Very hard to sing without follow to John.

I think that sometimes is hard to listen his voice because when you sing, some notes sound louder that others. Remember that George's parts use to move over the scale in differents ways. Understand? (Sorry for my english again and again and again!!!)

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