Rocker Reacts: Avi Kaplan "Change on the Rise"

[@rachellephipps1361]

I love Avi's solo stuff so good. All the vocals are him. Highs and lows. He has am amazing range you should check more from Avi. He has a lot of live versions out there. Would recommend Full moon from KZbin space LA or All is well from 7 layers session. Juzt him in a church with his gutair. Stunning!

[@MidnightNotion]

I bet it is! If this song is any indication, I’m sure the rest of his catalogue is just as good. Looking forward to checking it out!

[@Lookinforrealmusic]

I LOVE the 7 layers session. Good suggestion!

[@tommieev5589]

@@MidnightNotion he is classified as folk/Americana, but he manages a WIDE array of sounds in his original music; so I don't know whether you can get an indication of his catalogue from one song. That said, I don't think there is an Avi song that I actually dislike. I hope you react to more.

[@carlaemerson1195]

Avi is amazing

[@charlottevan_8]

Well, believe it or not, the only actual instruments used in this song, according to Avi himself, are organ and tambourine from the bridge on. The low, low notes you hear throughout are strictly his own voice and he does do all of the harmonies himself. Avi was known in PTX for using his basso profundo training (he was an opera/classical major in college and had been offered a position with the Los Angeles Opera at the same time he was recruited into PTX in 2011) to hit low tones effortlessly and fully, and to give bass instrument sounds as well. His upper ranges were also honed in that training and in the vocal coaching he still pursues today. The percussive sounds you hear were all "organically" produced, with claps, stomps, etc. He does not use autotune in his music. For a pure representation of his voice without any extra production whatsoever, check out this live version of his original song "All Is Well", filmed in a church in Utrecht, Netherlands during his European tour earlier this year. It's just him, his acoustic guitar, and the natural acoustics of the church. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qX_Nk3R3n6tnisk

[@charlottevan_8]

For a current, more upbeat song, here's a live studio version of his original "When I'm a Fool", filmed at the legendary Sunset Sound in LA, with some of the best studio musicians in the area, as well as his album's producer, Shooter Jennings on the black Gibson SG. They all get into a mini jam session toward the end. Note that Avi's voice hits the notes at the bottom of the piano's range. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gnaVZYiKfZijo7M

[@vickipeterson9633]

@@charlottevan_8 Right on, You are the best Charlotte!

[@MidnightNotion]

Thanks for the lesson! I’m happy those low notes are his voice-it’s pretty impressive!

[@cocohol3513]

I love your breakdown of this epic song! It's good to be skeptical but I have watched many Instagram lives from Avi during the last 2 years to know his voice is just that good! Please more Avi.A lot of good suggestions already given in the comments

[@annicajakobsson]

Love that you go so in depth with the lyrics, Avi is a master of meaningful lyrics. He can say so much without using a lot of words and it’s wonderful, hope to see you react to more from him!

[@MidnightNotion]

Welcome! So glad to have you here, and that you enjoyed the review. I switch genres every week, because exploring all kinds of music is important to me, but I am very, very impressed with this piece and will definitely be listening to more of his music.

[@gailseatonhumbert]

Glad you liked it. Lots of reactors have said it's going on their gym workout. "Ahh vee" Avi. Avi was the bass of Pentatonix. Oh and surprise Avi is really against autotune on his voice. Doesn't use it but some people want him to because it's faster to produce music. Yes it's his voice. If you ever listen to his newest album it's all just his voice high,low and in the middle. He talked about that with Steve Inskeep of NPR this summer. No it's not a bass instrument it's Avi imitating a bass as he did for years in Pentatonix. Acapella basses are used to doing that. He really can be standing in front of you and sound like a bass being slapped. He does perform this in his live shows and gets his audience to do the claps and the chorus for him. If you want to see him with more instruments backing try "I'm Only Getting Started" guitar, bass, drums, pedal steel and piano. Or for a great improv session Avi Kaplan live at Sunset Sound Studios "When I'm A Fool" has Shooter Jennings on guitar backing him up along with the rest of the guys.

[@MidnightNotion]

This is all great info. I’m always a little wary of modern recording artists who say they ONLY use their voice, because there are recording, mixing, and editing tricks that can mask things like I was talking about: bass and vocals together as one. But it doesn’t matter as much to me whether or not alternative instruments were recorded or edited in-what matters is that this guy is talented as hell, and I’m a little bummed I didn’t write this song. It’s awesome!

[@gailseatonhumbert]

@@MidnightNotion I have Avi singing part of Misty Mountains for you (definitely no autotune on this one it's during quarantine) kzbin.info/www/bejne/hJ7Sm5R-fa6hZ9U I understand your skepticism but Avi is sort of terminally honest. If he doesn't want to tell you something he just won't answer.

[@MidnightNotion]

My favorite kind of human. I prefer honesty as well. Here in the Midwest, there is a lot of beating around the bush and subtext, and I’m just not into it. Always been transparent with my life, and always will be. I think you’re building me up to be a new Avi fan! Very nice!

[@Lookinforrealmusic]

@@MidnightNotion I saw him live in Nashville in a tiny venue when he did a bunch of shows to start off his solo career and see if he could draw a big enough crowd to tour. Lol!! He did. In that show he used a looper and a sound engineer and his band was made up of professional Nashville singer/songwriter friends who also have a serious background in acappella. I think the level of technical knowledge they all brought to the show was phenomenal. The place was a dive and At one point Avi and the band all took cautious looks at a squeaky speaker they thought might fall off it's brackets on the ceiling. I have to say it was absolutely one of the best shows I've ever seen or heard. However Avi does it it's magical. That voice and gentle personality just draw you in and way, way too soon the show is over.

[@deborahhardin4383]

I work out & use my treadmill to Avi's music all the time. 💪

[@tommieev5589]

The low tones are his voice, but sometimes they double the track for extra depth on some of his tracks (I don't know if they did on this song). He also does all of the background vocals in this, so he is the choir. I am glad you liked this. BTW, pretty sure he does use quite a bit of reverb but not much else. From what I have read, the only instruments in this are the organ, the tambourine, and some drums - the rest is him

[@MidnightNotion]

Subtle layering is an art of its own. On my last album, my mixing engineer snuck some synth pads into one of the songs and I didn’t notice until it was printed. 😂 🤦‍♂️

[@kayecastleman6353]

Really love your in depth analysis. Avi's work can withstand the most intense scrutiny, as he is a true purist at heart. Subbing for more Avi from you. My favourite all-time of his is the 7 Layers Session's recording of "All is Well."

[@elenahume8295]

Ohhh AVII ISSS AMAZINGGGGG

[@staciemoisa4884]

Avi, Avi, Avi! ❤❤❤

[@vix387]

It is great to hear someone knowledgeable about music and so enthusiastic too. I clicked because ... Avi ... but subscribed because your reaction was so interesting ... and in the hope of more Avi 😉

[@pepinosylvie8887]

Love your reaction. Very pro, love your details. As a musician, you should check When I'm a fool, live at Sunset Sound. Avi wrote everything, lyrics and melody, as usual, and you will see the band jamming on the end. Pure art, pure music. Hope to see you react to this one in particular. Thanks for this moment, that was great, and just for you know, Avi's doing all the vocals, high and low. He's harmonising with himself on all his songs. So much work, but so worth it 😘

[@heatherhuard]

Brilliant reaction to Avi's work! All if the suggestions below are wonderful, I will just add a few others. In his older work he has a duet with Peter Hollens that really spotlights his stunning lower register. He did masterful covers of Lean on Me, House of the Rising Sun and OutKast's Hey Ya. But in reality anything by Avi is incredible. Always amazing how you can listen to a song of his and think wow just perfect, then he will release it again and it is different and again wow just perfect how can something be perfect and then changed and perfect again?! Subscribed for more Avi can't wait to watch this journey!

[@5thgentexan95]

Wow what a great reaction and analysis! Love your energy, too. It’s great to see someone knowledgeable really appreciate what Avi can do with his voice; I hope you’ll cover more of his work! Well done. 👍🏻

[@MidnightNotion]

Glad you liked it, and welcome to the channel! I don’t know how anyone could hear this song and not enjoy, but I certainly did!

[@biru-kelabu-0821]

1. Thank you for taking my suggestion! I obviously love the song, the atmosphere it creates, as well as Avi's voice in it. So good. 2. There are videos of Pentatonix singing without mics and to my untrained ears, they sound amazingly similar to their studio version. Maybe you can do a comparison reaction. "Daft Punk", "Take Me Home", and "Valentine" all have no-mic versions. 3. I actually like songs whose chorus is not too obvious because it doesn't rise in notes or volume. An example that comes to mind is "Blue and Grey" by BTS. (The bridge in the song is not near the end, btw.)

[@kayellwanger2378]

You deserve a sub, so you got it. Love how you analyze the song. Like you, I prefer pure vocals, and that’s hard to find in popular music. I listen to mostly folk and Americana these days because of this. They use much less production. Groups like The Lumineers, Dead South, and Nathanial Rateliff are my absolute favorites. Avi is my obsession, not just because of his amazing voice, but because he has been so open about his personal struggles with depression and anxiety. Leaving PTX had to happen for his own health, and it’s 100% evident he is much happier when he controls his musical choices. I grew up with 80’s music, which will forever be my guilty pleasure. I love all genre’s, so look forward to finding my way through all your posts on your channel. GREAT STUFF!

[@MidnightNotion]

Thanks for this wonderful comment! Glad you found the channel, and I hope you find something to enjoy here. 😊

[@Lookinforrealmusic]

Subbed for more Avi. Avi is just wonderful live. Check out the Sunset Sound Studio videos he's dropping right now. The studio players in these videos are the ones he worked on the new album with. Great live sessions He layers his voice in this video you are reviewing He did vocals for the soundtrack for Bladerunner 2049. If you know his voice you can occasionally pick it out in the mechanical sounds. It's crazy.

[@MidnightNotion]

Mechanical sounds too!? Now that’s awesome! Great use of his pipes!

[@loritoigo8020]

More Avi please

[@readerlistener5402]

That bass is all Avi’s singing. Avi layers his voice. Also with Avi’s solo work you really need headphones to hear all of nuances in the song.

[@deborahhardin4383]

So glad you dig Avi's song, It does remind me of LOTR hobbits. He is a master at combining his lyrics & videos. Such a cool breakdown analysis of the song. Avi does all his own arranging, lyrics- yes all those low bass tones are Avi. 😍 This song is powerful, and evokes a war cry feel. 🔥🔥🔥Thanks for reacting, I hope to hear more Avi reactions from you, please. 🙏🙏

[@deborahhardin4383]

BTW, I just now found your channel 👍

[@Phillylullaby77]

Re: Pentatonix - Did you ever watch any live performances? There must be hundreds online for you to view. Many are recorded on individuals cellphones. If the concertgoer has a good seat, PTX sounds as good if not better than their videos. There are also the professionally recorded live performances which are excellent, especially when Avi was part of the band. Since Avi left PTX, he uses a band in concert. He does record himself singing different parts and he layers those. He has almost a 5 octave range..

[@MidnightNotion]

I’m sure I’ve seen a live performance or two of PTX, but their live skills were never in question to me. The processing in their *recordings* is what turns me off. It’s grating on my ears. You know that thing where you learn a new word that you’ve never heard before, and then suddenly you hear it everywhere? Or when you study typography, and suddenly you’re frustrated to see how many people use Copperplate for their logo? That. I studied audio production, so I can hear compression and pitch-correction in ways the general public cannot, and it makes it harder to enjoy pop music. When I was growing up, I loved the Backstreet Boys. Curious, I bought their Christmas album last year, and after 1 song I couldn’t take it anymore. They’re all so heavily autotuned that I can’t even focus on or enjoy the beat. That’s how I feel about PTX: Amazing compositions, probably wonderful humans with incredible talent, but the processing is all I can hear.

[@Phillylullaby77]

@@MidnightNotion Thank you so much for kindly explaining your viewpoint. I guess it just stings a little when my favorite artists get thrown in with the massive group of ALL musicians who record anything. Are there any recordings out there in today's market that could meet your criteria? You made me understand and appreciate your position. Thank you for your response!

[@MidnightNotion]

Oh yes, there are plenty of current artists who mask it well! Almost everyone (myself included) uses pitch correction, but I think it’s all about context. Hip-hop and R&B singers dial it up to 100% for that Cher/T-Pain style; rock and country bands dial it way back to like 20%; most pop acts live around 40-60% (these are all un-researched estimations); but my feeling is that A Cappella groups should not be using it at all. The entire point of their genre is to capture the essence of what the human voice can do without processing. PTX (and honestly most American vocal pop) dials it up to like 75-90%, which is way too heavy on the computer for a group that’s supposed to be showcasing their human talent. My frustration is because it feels like I’m being lied to in the same way that Reality TV is mostly scripted and highly doctored to the point where it’s not even close to reality. So my ears favor natural-sounding vocals. Thankfully, there are plenty of artists across all genres who don’t use autotune so much.

[@geogiana2270]

Actually, you're wrong. Pentatonix never uses auto-tune. It's a matter of pride with them that they never do anything in their videos that they cannot do onstage. Love this reaction.

[@MidnightNotion]

My job here isn’t to argue, but it is very important to me that reality is preserved. Autotune (or pitch correction) is not a weakness or a mark of laziness, it’s just a post-production technique that every genre uses. “Even if people don’t know the difference between tempered and true tuning, they subconsciously expect tempered tuning. Some people have a purist attitude and don’t agree with tuning, but Pentatonix is a pop group, and not only do you want it perfectly in tune, you also want to hear some of the timbre of pitch correction, because it is part of the sound of modern pop music.” - Ed Boyer, Pentatonix’ mixing engineer, talking about how he uses Melodyne (aka Pitch Correction). www.soundonsound.com/techniques/inside-track-pentatonix?amp

[@SolennBreizh]

I've enjoyed your enthousiastic reaction! If you want to see musicians around him, you should definitely listen to one of the videos "Live at Sunset Sound", for example this one: :kzbin.info/www/bejne/gnaVZYiKfZijo7M The musicians are the ones he recorded his recent album with (the bass guiter player being the producer Shooter Jennings) :)

[@melodiemalone2317]

Great reaction I Hope you react to more Avi If you like low voice i suggest to react to Geoff Castellucci. Please react to Geoff Castellucci Misty montains please 🥺

[@saraphillips5945]

There's no drum, Avi provides the percussion and backup vocals

[@jarahnom8797]

Avi Avi AhVee is Awesome. Bass and background vocals are all AVI‼️ Suggest: Peter Hollens feat Avi Kaplan “ Black is the color of my true love’s hair kzbin.info/www/bejne/aaDGYourpt-sfdU

[@stephanie3230]

Can't wait for more Avi reactions!! Subscribing!! Not a fan of the Pentatonix hate though. LOL

[@MidnightNotion]

Welcome! Glad you’re here! Two quick things, because your experience matters to me, and I don’t want to mislead you: 1) It’s a different artist/song/genre every week, so I may not be returning to Avi for quite some time. If interest is high enough, I might go live either here or on Instagram, but I want to spread the love across all music genres. 2) I don’t believe I’ve ever said I *hate* Pentatonix. To be clear: I despise the mid-2010’s pitch-corrected vocal sound that they use in most recordings. The group is fantastic, and they make wonderful videos and medleys, etc; but their sound is hard for my ears to handle, because I can hear the pitch correction and it takes me out of the song. It’s kind of like the Wilhelm Scream in movies-I get why it’s so popular, but it immediately breaks the illusion for me, and I can’t simply listen for enjoyment anymore. No hate, just sonic preference. 😊

[@martinhafner2201]

Avi gets down to at least an A1, probably lower if he leaves chest voice and goes into deep vocal fry or subharmonics.

[@johndeeregreen4592]

G1 is Avi's lowest chest note. What makes him different from a lot of the KZbin bass singers, is his power in that B1-F2 range. There are lower bass singers, but not with his clarity and power in that traditional bass range. He can actually sing and project off-mic at a B1, which is very rare.

[@Diane_Phoenix]

No pitch correction here. Avi is all Avi all the time. The multiple tones are Avi layers. No enhancements. you need to see the video of this one for sure!

[@johndeeregreen4592]

All recordings today use pitch-correction. It's super easy to tell. Yes, this recording uses pitch-correction.

[@goldfishwatching1619]

Think you will find that PTX does not use autotune. 90's Dance Medley is the exception where they used it as a tribute to Cher's use of it on her song. Listen to some of their live work, like 'Gold' or 'Silent Night". Also Jacob Restituto interviewed Ed Boyar who is in charge of PTX's vocal production. Two interviews kzbin.info/www/bejne/jqq0hKCIoLh3n9k and kzbin.info/www/bejne/bKDGmXinqtCqobc. Will give you a good look at how a capella groups are recorded.

[@MidnightNotion]

I am looking forward to watching those two videos. Thank you for sharing them. As an engineer, I’m looking forward to hearing more about Ed’s workflow. But in the meantime, I recommend the “Melo Gold” section of this article, where Ed Boyer discusses how he uses Melodyne to pitch-correct Pentatonix (and other a cappella groups). It’s the same pitch correction software I use, and the industry standard since the mid-2000s. Every pop act uses it, and most other genres do too. The thing you have to know about pitch correction (often “autotune” for short, in the same way we use “Kleenex” for “tissues”), is that the amount can be controlled. Cher and T-Pain use it all the way at 100, whereas Pentatonix and Camila Cabello are more like 75. Most acts are using somewhere around 25-50, but either way, almost EVERYONE uses it. It’s not an insult, it’s just part of the process. I have nothing against Pentatonix as talented musicians-I know they can sing-my ears just do not like the amount of processing and pitch correction they use, because I’m trained to hear that stuff and it’s too much for my taste. No judgment, just preference. 😊

[@MidnightNotion]

www.soundonsound.com/techniques/inside-track-pentatonix

[@goldfishwatching1619]

@@MidnightNotion

[@goldfishwatching1619]

@@MidnightNotion I get where you are coming from. Not knowing your background I was concerned with the term autotune, Many PTX fans treat the word as synonymous with "Satanic Ritual' and will come for you with pitchforks LOL. And then there is the group that think all music is computer generated with no human involved.

[@MidnightNotion]

I don’t think I’ll ever understand that energy. PTX uses pitch correction-it’s not only documented, but audible enough that any trained ear can hear it. If someone told me Metallica plays with distorted guitars, I wouldn’t come after them with pitchforks because…they do. This isn’t the first, and surely won’t be the last time I get this comment. Check out my BTS videos-people ripped me apart for pointing out the “autotune” (pitch correction). Why do you think PTX fans get so upset about that word?

[@johndeeregreen4592]

He goes down to a C2 with authority, so definitely bass and not baritone.

[@angelatc]

Leg cap, hand clap, snap gives you the sounds you're trying to place about the 8 min mark. Also subscribed because I find the commentary interesting. I know nothing about music, and your comment about the chorus being higher....next video in my queue was kzbin.info/www/bejne/gnaVZYiKfZijo7M - he does the opposite. As his pride falls, so does his voice. And the end is just a good old fashioned jam session. Anyway, thanks for the insight.

[@MidnightNotion]

Thanks for watching and subscribing! I’m really glad you got something out of this. 😊

[@MrNoe1993]

You mentioned wanting to hear more natural Pentatonix stuff, heres probably my favorite off mic I've found and with Avi still in the group. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fpicp6Fri7-Ya5Y

[@changlyn100]

Best thing Avi ever did was to leave Pentatonix. He's doing what he loves now. Now PTX lacks his bass. Avi is a Basso Profundo.

[@michellerodeghier8071]

Ummmm…..you realize there’s tons of live recordings of PTX out there. Give one a try!

[@ssb031]

You're accusing Pentatonix of *heavily* using autotune... thems fighting words! And you DO NOT want to take on their fans!!!!

[@MidnightNotion]

I’m not accusing anyone. I am stating provable facts that Pentatonix’ mixer/editor has publicly shared. If fans want to fight reality, the battle isn’t here. 😉

[@SissyKool]

Ptx does not use auto tune... smfh

[@MidnightNotion]

Unfortunately, you may have been lied to. Most Pentatonix recordings are CAKED in pitch correction and sampling (maybe not the Autotune brand, but probably something like Melodyne). It’s the mid-2010’s sound that every pop act is using, from Blink-182 to Camila Cabello to BTS. It does not mean the performers cannot sing, it just means they get edited on the recording to make the recording process faster. The average radio listener has been hearing pitch correction in almost every song since the late ‘90s without even noticing, but the average listener isn’t a trained audio engineer who can spot the difference. It’s important to me that you know this isn’t about competition, and using pitch correction does not make someone a lesser artist (I use it too!); I am simply here to help people learn about making music and understand the processes they may not have known before. Perhaps I should do a video about autotune?

[@MidnightNotion]

Further reading from the Pentatonix mixing engineer: www.soundonsound.com/techniques/inside-track-pentatonix “Some people have a purist attitude and don’t agree with tuning, but Pentatonix is a pop group, and not only do you want it perfectly in tune, you also want to hear some of the timbre of pitch correction, because it is part of the sound of modern pop music.”

[@5thgentexan95]

@@MidnightNotion thanks for sharing this. Guess I’m a purist! 😉 I think a video on auto tune would be very informative! As a non-musician, I can’t necessarily pick it out, but I can tell a difference in the sounds - enough to know I don’t like it. It’s the main reason I don’t listen to pop anymore.

[@Lookinforrealmusic]

@@MidnightNotion I'm glad you posted this. I was going to because PTX fans are so adamant that there's no editing when it's so evident that there is. They are all very talented but their goal from the start was to compete with other pop groups so they have to have a guy like Ed working on their sound.

[@mariawilliams4941]

Totally loved your reaction, I know nothing about music, I like what I like and I love Avi. I listened to what you said it it helps me to pick things out. So thank you more Avi please