Songs that use Counterpoint

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Get full access to over 40,000 sheet music works with a Tomplay 14 day free trial: tomplay.com/premium-trial?ref=davidbennett6 🎼

[@furretwalky]

yes

[@brakman01]

Not sure if you know Gentle Giant: here's a song by them that utilises counterpoint and canon techniques, and they do it live, using instruments and vocals. One of the most underrated bands ever IMO: kzbin.info/www/bejne/sGe6hH99atdgrac

[@_InTheBin]

David, could you tell, whether "Big Jet Plane" by Angus and Julia Stone uses also counterpoint in terms of the vocals, guitar and the strings or not? I just can't figure out the last. Thank you in advance.

[@janeamandaford4199]

👌🌸🙏

[@PvtPartsRPG]

There’s a lot of instability in my life but one thing I can always count on is seeing Paul McCartney in the thumbnail of a David Bennett Piano video

[@jameshannagan4256]

And Radiohead and i read that Paul is a big Radiohead fan which is just perfect because even though they often sound nothing alike the band that reminds me of the Beatles the most by far is Radiohead.

[@paulmeunier5747]

There are 3 guarantees in life: Death, taxes, and a Beatle being featured in a thumbnail of a David Bennett music theory video 😜

[@gloomsdoom649]

Bahahahahaha

[@wetbeans7957]

SenpaiKai

[@oakvalepennybridge]

I hate the thumbnails. Can't quite put my finger on why they bug me so much. I think it's because they're always very staged photoshoot shots. Also he frequently puts randoms like green Day alongside the Beatles, you get the impression he doesn't know that much popular /rock music other than Beatles and Radiohead, apart from a couple of random bands like green day

[@jasonremy1627]

Thom Yorke, Paul McCartney, and JS Bach. David's big three...

[@mateusbez2669]

Oh god. That ‘vocals only’ of God Only knows is beautiful. Brian Wilson is such a brilliant mind.

[@kellydalstok8900]

That’s one song I’ll never grow tired of.

[@Tyrell_Corp2019]

You should check out his latest solo piano album. You will hear harmonies of some of those Pet Sounds and Smile tunes like you’ve never heard before. Some of it resembles a blend of Debussy, Mozart and Gershwin. Unbelievable mind.

[@pianomikey0]

I went to a religious college, where we occasionally sang from "101 Bach Chorales". It was some of the most amazing, hauntingly beautiful music I've ever been a part of. The classical composers have earned their fame!

[@deetay725]

I loved all the harmonies and polyphony of The Beach Boys. Even in a less serious song like Be True to Your School, check out the cool chord change on the word fly in the sentence Let your colors fly and also later in the song on the Oos going into Rah Rah after the chant Push En Back, Push Em Back, Way Back! Genius!

[@lorrainedonahue9507]

It's a masterpiece!

[@Marina-pe1gx]

oh my. David this is insanely good?! I mean everything you do is perfection. Whenever you do the 'if it was......, then it would sound like this', I LOVE it. So much care goes into stuff like that and it is so satisfying to watch while learning!

[@Marina-pe1gx]

And an example by Blur? YES. Also, as a piano player, fugues are bastards :) Lovely arrangement at the end too.

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Thank you! That means a lot 😊😊

[@DarioTinucci]

Paul McCartney also uses counterpoint in Wings' "Silly love songs" layering the 3 melodies introduced before then adding a fourth melody with the bass

[@ThinWhiteAxe]

I love that! It's mind-meltingly cool

[@brentmcf]

The way Paul plays bass, most Beatles/Wings/Paul solo songs could be considered counterpoint

[@NNnn-zc2bm]

Is there counterpoint in McCartney's song Wanderlust?

[@tommyhughes4661]

@@NNnn-zc2bm yes at the end of the song

[@brentmcf]

@@NNnn-zc2bm yep, definitely! That’s a great example. That second melody comes in with the horns under the verse about midway through the song, and then as has been pointed out, it becomes really prominent with the two overlapping vocal lines at the end. Although it’s not from the bass on that one-I mean something like All My Loving

[@Vonliktenstien]

My favorite Bealtes counterpoint is the 4 parter at the end of I’ve Got a Feeling with John and Paul’s vocals mixing with Georges and Billy’s riffs. Great stuff.

[@tina.InTheSkyWithDiamonds]

Yes!! Looove that as well!

[@Bella-nt7ec]

Right, that's heavenly piece of music

[@peterbernhard7415]

Considering "mixing", "riff" I'd like to draw you attention to my comment. In fact, isn't riff not a counterpoint as the vocals always come first (it might be just the opposite, or just seen from the "mixing": it's up to the studios to turn a riff into a counterpoint). Never mind. Your comment pleases me.

[@voornaam3191]

The Senots are also interetsing...

[@howie9751]

I'm glad someone finally pointed out the wonderful counterpoint of "Scarborough Fair/Canticle".

[@i.setyawan]

I always love Bach's use of counterpoint, although it caused me great grief when I was learning the piano as a child. It was my piano teacher, who pointed out that my two hands were playing independent melodies although together they make nice harmony. Perhaps that was the point when my liking of counterpoints (in any genre of music) begun.

[@peterbernhard7415]

makes me tentatively think of counterpoint as creating suspense until two or more notes of a riff and a vocal line meet. A riff might be a simple melody ... but isn't that what the video shows? So equality might lead to dominance, and just like the key of a piece or row of notes is a matter of ambi-valence turned to "dominance", hierarchy. I was told it's a matter of counting. Crows know to count to 4, no more. Do they eat chocolate bars - of course they do, just like real bears know to talk too. There is always an a-specht (I'm German, too) of equality. Sorry about my brmng.

[@whatever2045]

I'm a big fan of counterpoint, so this may be my favorite video of yours yet. Also bravo for your arrangement at the end!

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Thank you!

[@unacuentadeyoutube13]

I've never had chills running down my spine from a brief example in a music theory video, till now. Les Miserables is a complete work of art

[@sarahbird7398]

Great example with For No One. It’s one of my favorite Beatles songs and hearing those two melodies come together toward the end of the song always hit me extra hard.

[@ThinWhiteAxe]

yes it's soooo good

[@TheDirge69]

my daughters fave Beatles song, however she says it doesn't go long enough, maybe an extra verse-chorus? Come-on Paul you can do it!

[@jacobshirley3457]

@@TheDirge69 Early Beatles and their short song lengths.

[@leon723]

I was rooting for Scarborough Fair / Canticle to make into this piece, and there it was!

[@LTDLimiTeD1995]

When you mentioned musicals, my mind when straight to the last bit of "We Don't Talk About Bruno" when all the verses come together.

[@KingoftheJuice18]

Yes, of course, but, you know, We Don't....

[@1stevenreid]

Lin Manuel Miranda uses counterpoint a lot. "The Schuyler Sister" from Hamilton has a great counterpoint section with Angelica repeating a section, Eliza and Peggy a different section, and the ensemble doing a third section.

[@Johnisawsome1]

Yes. Lin Manuel Miranda is a master polyphonist and has incredible understanding of counterpoint. See “Blackout” “Non-Stop” and “The Battle of YorkTown”

[@emmy._.jan.e]

You just made me understand counterpoint 😭

[@jaakkot5440]

The ending piece was lovely

[@farteinjonassen7523]

National anthem of Ukraine.

[@andreasheine9607]

In the flag's colours!

[@jaakkot5440]

@@andreasheine9607 yes, noticed that too

[@GorillaCanon]

@@farteinjonassen7523 Thank you! I didn't realize that. I've already listened to it three times, looked for more versions of it, and fully intend to learn to play it. I am a huge fan of Bach, and this piece spoke to me in all the same ways. Amazing.

[@Ivartshiva]

There I was playing along innocently until the end. Then I went back and played it again.

[@philippospratsos4198]

Beautiful arrangement of the Ukrainian national anthem at the end! We’re playing that piece in my orchestra to honor the citizens of Ukraine 🇺🇦

[@peterkelley6344]

Now that I understand it. I can understand WHY you did it. Bravo DAVID, BRAVO!

[@DMSProduktions]

I saw WHAT he did with the place markers also!

[@suleymantekingurmen7643]

@@DMSProduktions Yep ukrainian flag ftw.

[@DMSProduktions]

@@suleymantekingurmen7643 Dobry!

[@judih.8754]

Bravo David, Bravo peoples of Ukraine 🇺🇦

[@wozzywick]

Great video. Blackbird by The Beatles is the example of counterpoint in pop that I most often hear cited. In terms of vocal counterpoint, Queen’s The Prophets Song and Duran Duran’s New Religion are great examples.

[@sharpphilip]

I think “New Religion” is such an undervalued song-and yeah, those contrapuntal vocals get me every time!

[@andik110]

@@sharpphilip As well as The Prophets Song 😉

[@wandajames143]

Blackbird is moving in 10ths or 3rds it’s not really counterpoint

[@urilevy1]

The little things give you away - Linkin Park

[@aldeayeah]

@@andik110 Now I know :P

[@StarlightedWanderer]

"Paradise by the Dashboard Light"! Where they're singing "...will you love me forever..." and "let me sleep on it..." at the same time. Also in the outtro, "it was long ago and it was far away..." with "it never felt so good, it never felt so right...".

[@itsgoubie]

Counterpoint is definitely my favorite subject. I'm still a beginner so i can do only second species, but it's still fascinating. It relaxes me, makes me dream, makes me feel immense satisfaction when I crack the puzzle.

[@pup64hcp]

It took me a moment to realize why the second voice in the final piece was marked yellow. Brilliant. 🇺🇦

[@verache2250]

Queen's "Prophet's song" is an awesome example of the canon technique - the polyphonic part starts by looping individual melodies and repeating them in rounds, but then Freddie starts layering whole harmonies in a counterpoint, which is crazy. Such a cool and underrated piece! P.S., as a Ukrainian, I didn't expect to hear the hymn in here. Thanks for this little gesture of support, it made me smile

[@finchx881]

This is made by the delay technique often used by queen. Try to listen all of the live solos of Brian May where he layer himself by using the delay. Great example

[@FEZASA727]

Thanks for mentioning "The prophet's song" such an underated song by Brian May.

[@kirkwahmmett1666]

The Prophet's Song is so great. I'm a huge Queen fan and it is one of my favorite Queen songs. Brian May really has written some of the most brilliant music.

[@squidsbizarreadventure]

Thank you for explaining it, that song is a religious experience!

[@duppthord6278]

Ooo

[@NinjaPastry]

I learned a lot about this in theatre, MANY musicals use this technique with the last song of the first act, ie Hamiltons "Non-Stop" or in A Gentlemens Guide to Love and Murder combative character/pushing moment, "I've Decided to Marry You". It's a fantastic opportunity to really sink multiple people and ideas together in such a creative way. I adore it, it's one of my favorite things about transitive music writing.

[@TTarragon]

Lin Manuel Miranda really loves it. He used it in In the Heights (96000, Blackout, Finale), Hamilton (Non-stop, Schuyler Sisters... ), and Encanto (We don't talk about Bruno). I think he really makes it work!

[@lamelania2221]

I really enjoy watching your videos and it caught me by surprise to hear our Ukrainian anthem at the end!!! Thank you so much for this gesture, it's sounds just wonderful and I absolutely love it🥺💙💛

[@luisrusmonforte8048]

- Songs that use: "insert music theory concept" - Thom York's face: Helloooooooo

[@caospasajeroable]

Because Beatles and RH are the most creative and popular bands❤

[@urbangorilla33]

The middle, slower section of "Close to the Edge" by Yes has a great example of two inter-woven melody lines.

[@stephenmcg4299]

Great counterpoint in And You and I on the same album.

[@AtomizedSound]

Man, coming with a great video topic. I think a lot of music lacks counterpoint today. Doesn’t matter what genre but legit counterpoint would be nice to hear again in some music from someone.

[@victorwilburn8588]

What I found interesting in the Paranoid Android example was that the various voice do sort of HINT at homophony. Like, in some places they come close to some similar motion, but passing notes, pick-up notes, and other ornamentation gets in the way.

[@andrewmole3355]

Thank you. As a choirboy, I heard all these on a weekly basis, but it is lovely to see it all laid out and explained so clearly and with examples from different genres. I was wondering what the piece at the end was… then I read the name… then I became aware of the colours. More meaningful because of its understated nature.

[@micahbannister1287]

Counterpoint is what I'm going over in university, this is perfect timing! Thanks for all the videos

[@UnfriendlyGhostK]

Amazing ending, David. One song which recently came out that uses counterpoint is one of my favourite songs, The Adults Are Talking. In several parts, the guitars that Albert Hammond Jr. and Nick Valensi play are contrapuntal against each other.

[@squidsbizarreadventure]

Great fucking album and I hope David will talk more about it, I want to learn everything about it!

[@Sloth_and_Badger]

Kudos to the last piece.

[@Chishannicon]

My favorite pop songs of the late 90s/early 00s were always the ones that featured counterpoint at the end. Britney Spears's "...Baby One More Time" and "Oops!... I Did it Again," as well as "Get Another Boyfriend" by The Backstreet Boys were great examples of such songs. Incidentally, Max Martin wrote all of them. Dude knew how to craft a song.

[@DenysZhadiaiev]

Counterpoint at the end, perhaps, was a symbolic representation of "divorce" (another boyfriend? or "oops" - something not according to the initial plan). These are aural pictures of the meaning behind the song. In his other video David talks about Bach's masterpiece where composer joined two identical lines for the player to play them simultaneously but one from the beginning to the end and another, identical, from the end to the beginning. For me it is clear representation of the antinomies and antitetics developed by German philosophers at that time.

[@eleesiasportraits6114]

I was rambling to my sister the other day about how much I love all the "layered overlapping parts" at the end of Oops! I Did It Again! without even realizing it was the Counterpoint I was referring to. 😆

[@peterbernhard7415]

Considering the replies I wonder I you can layer a chorus with what leads to the chorus (what is the word for what's opposed to the chorus, I wonder). I think it's interesting to assume that a "chorus" can never be layered with what's before as it never really fits well, by definition. Never mind!

[@antonlushankin9568]

Damn David! Our anthem in the end was so good. Sorry for responding that late, but only now had a possibility to finally catch up with this video in particular. Thank you for your videos and for your support! Been a fan since too long. Greetings from Ukraine! Together we'll be strong as no one ever before. Peace out✌

[@gqgaming1224]

Knots by Gentle Giant has some of my favourite vocals in music. They’re known for complicated music, even for prog rock, & the vocal counterpoint is dense and rich.

[@patchoulicyanide]

Yo that song is sick

[@progfellow]

I was looking for a Gentle Giant comment, who I’d say were the masters of counterpoint in rock. For the uninitiated, try “On Reflection” (the studio and live versions are VERY different) and No God’s a Man in addition to Knots.

[@jameswberk]

Thank you for the beautiful coda. Дуже гарно

[@paulsoderquist4788]

I love this! I hadn't even considered what made these songs special. It feels so freeing to have interwoven melodies that don't need block chords to support them

[@LisaSmith-yb2uz]

I COMPLETELY AGREE!!! 🎵☺️👌💓

[@mrsb50]

I’ve tried to learn about and understand counterpoint on many occasions, but it wasn’t until this video that it really clicked. By coincidence, many of the songs you used as examples are favorites of mine, and now that I know the word to describe what they’re doing, I feel way smarter ☺️ The ending arrangement was gorgeous and a lovely, subtle way to end. Nicely done!✌️🇺🇦❤️

[@ElMeach]

It really is not that hard once you see this video and now I can be that awful guy with my friends who talks about something that nobody else gets while laughing as if anyone not knowing is beside us. I'm a monster

[@torvanderlinden6560]

I’ve always been aware of counterpoint due to my love of Les Mis and my favourite song, The Confrontation. I’ve never however understood it to the extent I do now, thanks to your video. Thank you. It’s made me realise why I adore certain songs, for example Mad Hatter by Avenged Sevenfold. I knew I loved it and kind of why, but didn’t realise that it’s the counterpoint that comes in is what really draws me into the song. Again, thank you

[@danayang7712]

David, you've opened up a whole new world to me! I love your videos. I watch them all and I've learnt so much! ❤

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Great! Thank you!

[@JeremiahPickardMusic]

This could mean interesting idea. Explore how composers maintain attention in longer songs. Some suggestions Cygnet Committee - David Bowie Supper's Ready - Genesis Echoes - Pink Floyd Karn Evil 9 or Tarkus - ELP 2112 - Rush Thick as a Brick or A Passion Play - Jethro Tull

[@ThinWhiteAxe]

I'm something of a long song connoisseur and I'd say a lot of it is overall dynamics. They often tend to rise and fall in a seamless, dramatic, and interesting way (Echoes, Shine On You Crazy Diamond) or continually rise in intensity until they come to a triumphant climax (Cygnet Committee, Stairway To Heaven). Very few examples are relatively steady in dynamics, and usually have some other variation or musical trick to keep them interesting - two examples that come to mind are Kashmir and Achilles' Last Stand, which both have rhythmic and harmonic tension throughout (Kashmir is polyrhythmic and Achilles has the tightly layered bass/guitar/drum parts); even they do build up and fall down, albeit to a less dramatic extent than the other examples.

[@Symphonicrockfran]

The Underfall Yard - Big Big Train We Spin the World - Moon Safari Other Half of the Sky - Moon Safari Mind Drive - Yes The Truth Will Set You Free - The Flower Kings

[@danteshydratshirt2360]

I would throw in Jim Steinman to that mix who seemed incapable of writing short songs

[@danteshydratshirt2360]

@@ThinWhiteAxe I think an exception which proves the rule is Laurie Andersons O Superman and most trance music

[@jarkkohypponen6198]

Thank you so much David Bennett. I just learned in a few minutes what counterpoint and fuque actually mean, something I’ve been trying to understand for a long time.

[@bobsykes]

I love this one. Also, a nice reminder of the never matched awesomness of JS Bach.

[@michaelkalmar9575]

Dude! You and 12 Tone are awesome. I went to school for percussion and made a living full time as a drummer for almost 25 years. I have started studying the melodic and harmonic aspects of music as well as composition and theory. Well done! Your videos are so helpful. After all these years to approach music from a different angle, makes me so happy. I actually laugh out loud at the keyboard discovering this stuff. Thank you. Blessings to you and yours.

[@bodanerius]

Thanks for a great video. I love counterpoint... A round repeats the same melody. A fugue at first repeats the melody a fifth up or a fourth down. Then the melody an octave up or down. Any parallel melody line extendening more than two notes is technically not a counterpoint but a harmonization, ie illegal. Wether theyre fifths, forths, octaves, thirds or sixths. But fifths and octaves cant even have two parallell lines to be illegal. Bach and most composers of the olden days often wrote music keeping in mind that it could maybe be played on monophonic instruments. So the two-part piece (invention no 13) employs a neat little trick that makes it a three part melody line. One line plays two melodies separated by space. Its tricky to explains without playing it and pointing at the notes. But once you hear it, you cant unhear it. One example thats easier to point to is Bach BWV 565. Its starts with the well known Toccata and then goes in to the fugue. Wich begins with a high note on the off beat that counterpoints with the other note on the down beat. One line (sort of) playing two melodies. Counterpoint trivia: If I Fell by The Beatles has some great elements of counterpoint in it. Oddly if you take away one melody line the song falls apart and sounds dull. With Scarborough Fair you can sing/play the main line on its own and its fine. The S&G counterpoint melodies adds wonderful texture to the song. If I Fell sounds weird if you leave out one of the melodies. :)

[@danteshydratshirt2360]

IMO fugues are the basis of modern pop

[@garfieldh.8820]

One of my favorite examples of counterpoint (round) in popular music has got to be "Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space" by Spiritualized

[@danielf3623]

Mine would be Fiona Apple's Hot Knife, which is pretty much a baroque pop fugue.

[@sarahhowell7042]

i LOVE that song

[@mhoppy6639]

Great shout. Great album and I have the original album with orescription drug packaging. Superb.

[@Symphonicrockfran]

I LOVE THAT

[@bettyswunghole3310]

It's vids like this that inspire me to keep plugging away at music, even though I'm rubbish at it.

[@toneDeFguitar]

Same here. Keep it up buddy! 👍

[@deetay725]

Thanks for a great informative video! This was right up my alley as I am a retired K-8 music teacher. Love Bach and the Beatles! The Bach Invention # 13 you played at the beginning is one I play on the piano all the time! (2nd favorite after # 8) I have always loved music with a lot of countermelodies going on, like with The Beach Boys, Motown groups and so on back in the day. I started my students on countermelodies at an early age- Kindergarten- get them singing in tune- 1st grade we did Borduns- one half the class singing a simple repetitive phrase while the other half sings the melody; 2nd- 4th rounds (going up to 8 part rounds, not being next to someone singing your own part) and partner songs where you divide in groups and each group sings a different song, like Row Row Row Your Boat, The Farmer in the Dell (head start for upbeat), Three Blind Mice, Frere Jacques, starting and ending at the same time (Row Your Boat and Farmer sing twice), with the piano keeping the steady beat with a common chord. We also went up to 8 partner songs at a time. So my students learned about countermelodies and could easily go into harmony choir music after that. Some other random thoughts- I also liked the countermelodies in the vocals in Scarborough Fair and there was another nice melody going on with the harpsichord, which really added to the beauty of the song, despite the depressing lyrics! My favorite countermelody from a musical is Tonight from West Side Story (This is from the original movie with Natalie Wood) where Tony, Anita, Maria, the Jets, and the Sharks are all singing the song together from different locations, and adding to the excitement is the orchestra, which is playing music that is crazily reminiscent of the theme to Jaws, only at a faster speed! Anyway, thanks for a great video, new subscriber here, and thanks to all who commented. I am going to look up the music you suggested since I am an old codger and have not kept up with a lot of the more modern music!

[@benoitrenaud519]

The rock band that used counterpoint in the most effective and interesting way has to be Gentle Giant, with songs like The Advent of Panurge, Knots, So Sincere, His Last Voyage and of course, the amazing On Reflection. A whole David video on those few songs would be worth it!

[@oliverzwahlen]

YES!!!!! It's really a pity that David ignores the rich world of 70s art rock. I mentioned here many times Genesis songs from the Gabriel area which - as I would argue - were the Radiohead of the 70s.

[@massimomarchesin8708]

Nel PROG ROCK di stampo classico sinfonico la forma contrappunto si usa spesso e VOLENTIERI!!!!!!! GENTLE GIANT, GENESIS, YES,PROCOL HARUM,NICE,EL&P, es da Noi in ITALIA ORME,PFM BANCO in varie loro composizioni la forma contrappunto è presente !!!!!!!! Ovviamente il mago del contrappunto è....JOHAN SEBASTIAN BACH!!!!!!!!! Colui che ha saputo comporre le cose piu SPLENDIDE usando quella tecnica!!!!!!! Però Non scordiamoci anche GEORG FREDERICK HANDEL anche LUI bravissimo nella tecnica del contrappunto!!!!!!!!!!

[@BHHartman]

The breakdown in Prophet’s Song by Queen feels like a great example of counterpoint

[@MalMotorDedo]

This dude Bach was insane, clearly insane

[@tanukibrahma]

You’re such a great teacher! I’d add that, to me, avoiding parallel fifths and octaves makes for more satisfying voice-leading in general, especially in string or other instrumental backgrounds where lines should flow smoothly without detracting from other parts of the song.

[@andystrazz]

the ukrainian anthem was a pleasant surprise. nice to hear nothing but music in that part, as that piece fits the theme of the video and no explanation was needed.

[@DressedForDrowning]

Dear David, you're my new favorite channel on KZbin, thanks for all your wonderful videos who give me much insight. You transformed me into a Radiohead-listener, LOL, a band I haven't known before.

[@AndyRubio1]

that Bach Fugue in G minor BWV 578 wtf incredible, heart-stopping - holy moly - never heard it before, thanks for sharing

[@peterkelley6344]

You've never heard of Bach's Fugue in G minor BWV until now! That was one of the first classical works my parents introduced me to when I was a kid! (1960's). It is still one of those 'ear worms' that I have from time to time. Ear Worm = a song you can't get out of your head.

[@golwenlothlindel]

Go listen to the whole thing. It's so cool! And there's like a hundred more where that came from. Though as my choir director was fond of saying to us junior singers: "counterpoint, the original remixing". Yes, he was good at writing music. He was also good at sampling and remixing music, a talent not all composers had or have.

[@gaffer2602]

I just found out that that's the intro to "The Red Baron" by Sabaton, which I recommended to David when I saw him in March and I said the intro ties into the main song in a nice way. If only I mentioned that it was Bach

[@aceeastman8829]

I am currently studying gcse music. I keep coming across new music theory ideas and absolutely love it. Your videos are great, and somehow all of your recent videos are about something I have recently come across. Counterpoint I learned about a few weeks ago, and fugues just recently. I love your take on explaining it all, it's very clear.

[@andriyskrypnyak9640]

Thank you very much, David, for the example of our country's national anthem from the 16:23 minute. You are real friends!

[@Bjornification]

🇺🇦❤️

[@hectorpascal]

As a non-musician I am amazed at how musically sophisticated much "pop music" is. David's technical analyses seem to show that great music can be created in the brains of many special humans, regardless of whether they are taught the existing technical composition structures - or even really understand how they are making it.

[@DukeIrritable]

"Carnival Fugue" - on the album Focus 3 - written by the astonishing Thijs Van Leer, is a rare example of a fugue for a rock band.

[@seanocean]

Well I get it now. There’s so many people explaining the minutiae of how counterpoint and fugal composition works from bar to bar but no overarching explanation of how it’s used and this video does that. Great explanation. More like this.

[@jea559]

How about Tears for Fears "sowing the Seeds of love."? Love the counterpoint in that tune. Great video David. Keep 'em coming!

[@Aritro77]

Another great video. You've taught me more about music than anyone else and helped me listen to it in new ways, with a new understanding. Thanks David.

[@kierandansey7293]

That understated finale was marvelous! David Bennett you dastardly little showman!

[@gumbycat5226]

The best music teacher and of course, my favourite Beatles song. I just love those Bach fugues, they are mind-blowingly complex.

[@dr.westwood]

Learned many new things today. Thank you. Would be willing to make a video of you separate the voices from a finished music track? I think it would be very helpful in trying to hear the individual parts and further understanding of how and why things work together. Is it a complicated process? Is it just load a track into a particular software program and click a few buttons and it does it for you? Can you do more than separate the vocals from the instruments? Can separate each vocal? Can you separate each instrument? Can you separate each voice so can hear each vocal and each instrument in isolation and then play them back by choosing which voices to hear together? Thank you so much. Enjoying the content as always? I don't (yet) play any instruments and I do not have a good singing voice, so I'd never get into a music school (especially at my age), but music fascinates me and I have fallen in love with dissecting music thanks to your videos. Cheers

[@ZooDSSfirst]

I have to say, that David is the best musical teacher here on KZbin.

[@thegothaunt]

Beautiful arrangement at the end there. 💜 Blessings to Ukraine.

[@turquisestones]

You send blessings to a country that bombed its own civilians in 2014, right?

[@yankee2liljeter]

honestly so grateful for this video. way easier to digest than gradus ad parnassum !

[@Guz579N]

when shche ne vmerla started -- my heart broke. in a good way

[@Atlas-jc9ug]

This is real interesting. I wrote a very short counterpoint piece years ago without knowing what counterpoint was. It just sounded cool to me. It's awesome to have a name for it. Thanks for the video.

[@urbangorilla33]

"Fall on Me" from R.E.M. has three vocal lines in the chorus. "Pilgrimage" from Murmur is a good example as well.

[@tommyamoeba9220]

was going to post fall on me. early r.e.m. has a lot of counterpoint with backing vocals singing different melodies and lyrics that lead vocals often more clearly, blurring the line between lead and backing. other examples, harborcoat, driver 8 and it's the end of the world as we know it (and I feel fine). additionally, their melodic bass lines and ringing guitar arpeggios bring even more counterpoint to the party.

[@urbangorilla33]

@@tommyamoeba9220 Yes, I think those were the key ingredients to their sound those first few albums.

[@aftp6646]

There are so many examples by R.E.M also in late R.E.M. as well like the Great Beyond, Leaving New York and Binky the Doormat.

[@RhiannonRaven]

Thank you this was really well explained and I enjoyed it. I will show it to people who know no music theory and they will still understand it. This is the mark of an excellent teacher and communicator.

[@SomethingUnprofessional69]

Now i want to hear bachs inventions but with the beach boys' voices.

[@actuallythepie]

great video once again man! the middle section of paranoid android is also really interesting harmonically. a lot of borrowed chords and key changes here and there. its honestly beautiful.

[@TheFrozenblaze_]

So I guess this is why I prefer baroque music over classical. Bach is the bomb--that's all I got to say. I guess that's also why I am drawn to Radiohead. It's not simple pulpy music. It takes concentration to digest it and hear all the parts simultaneously.

[@ignacioclerici5341]

I'll tell you a secret... There is counterpoint in the classical period as well Another secret: classical symphonies are not simple nor "pulpy" and are full of counterpoint, specially Mozarts and Haydns, and Beethovens

[@TheFrozenblaze_]

@@ignacioclerici5341 I like classical as well, but baroque sticks out more. And Pop music is pulpy, not classical.

[@ignacioclerici5341]

@@TheFrozenblaze_ watch Richard Atkinson videos on Mozarts symphonies to get an idea of how good he was at counterpoint, and how amazing and sophisticated his music is

[@miguelpereira9859]

@@ignacioclerici5341 Mozart's Requiem

[@richardevans3624]

I was hanging out for you to talk about the miraculous 5 part counterpoint near the end of Mozart's 41st Symphony. The real miracle is not the 5 part counterpoint but the way he joined all 5 parts back together in a couple of seconds and making them disappear like a magic trick.

[@OnkelPeters]

Another musical example: Tradition from Fiddler on the Roof. Four melodies comes together quite dramatically.

[@jeff__w]

And, roughly from the same era, _The Music Man’s_ “Lida Rose/Will I Ever Tell You?” Barbara Cook, in a 2000 interview, said that every time she and the Buffalo Bills did that number it stopped the show, something that utterly baffled her until she saw it as an observer in the audience.

[@tarotwitxena]

I'm a new subscriber and I just want to tell you how much comfort your videos bring me, thank you for all of your time and effort, its not going to waste and I wish you a life of inspiration and creation

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Thank you!

[@rosco1pug]

The 'Scarborough Fair-Canticle' model of counter melody brings to mind David Bowie and Bing Crosby's 'Little Drummer Boy-Peace on Earth' from 1977. The latter has an interesting story to it. Worth looking it up.

[@GrimGearheart]

I found this video after listening to the song "Built 4 Love" by TWRP. I was trying to find a name for what they did, and now I know. 2-part Counterpoint. Thank you! The example in their song is particularly satisfying because the two separate parts both line up with the word "Love". One is sung very slowly, and the other quickly, but they still align. It's beautifully done. Although I don't know if it fully fits the definition of a 2-part counterpoint. The two parts aren't introduced individually. We first hear the slow part of the chorus, and then they add a second piece on top of it that aligns.

[@MaquiladoraIII]

Excellent fare as ever. I actually love that 100% counterpoint version of God Only Knows.

[@prestige2000rider]

Nice vid David..It goes to show how even today, Lennon-Mcartney writing stands up and has so much color !

[@flowerpt]

Counterpuntal vocals are the real harmony in my book. "4-part" choruses that are just stacking chords grind my gears (especially intrusive sevenths) but a proper ensemble of counterpuntal melodies (like One Day More) is transcendent.

[@rubenmencos5594]

Great topic! Been waiting for a great counterpoint video.

[@angry2andrew]

Great video and lovely ending :). Thank you from Ukraine.

[@gooball2005]

Excellent video! I've never heard of the term homophony before and your explanation and example of why people say "avoid parallel fifths" was great!

[@IanWaugh]

Hey David - Love this one. Great fan of counterpoint. There were a few in the 60s and 70s - before your time 😀 - which maybe laid the foundations for this in pop. One I remember is the Chiffons' Sweet Talking Guy. Can't remember the others but they will come...

[@deetay725]

I love Sweet Talkin Guy!! My favorite song from all the girl groups!

[@IanWaugh]

@@deetay725 Hey Dee - Yes, an absolute classic. Wish I could think of the others...

[@DonDueed]

As has probably already been mentioned, the Beatles used counterpoint quite a bit. "She's Leaving Home" comes to mind right away. You might have mentioned that the Les Miz piece you featured is one that breaks the conventions of consecutive octaves! Kudos for featuring the Ukranian piece at the end. "Scarborough Fair / Canticle" is also a propos at the moment. "Fight for a cause they've long ago forgotten"... or never understood to begin with... yeah.

[@royalex21]

Reptilia by The Strokes is a good example of counterpoint between the guitar riff and the vocal melody

[@Reptilia12]

Indeed

[@aureliande2659]

Again a very informative and well-built video, thank you for that. But especially for the end: Your moving arrangement as well as the gesture itself brought a tear to my eye.

[@BernardGreenberg]

The first song that made me say "hey, there really is counterpoint in pop music" 50+ years ago (I was a "classical" kid) was _California Dreamin'_ by the Mamas and the Papas, that has some very neat madrigalesque texture, augmented chords, suspensions in 3 voices, etc, and _We can work it out_ by the Beatles. When I think of counterpoint in the (little) show music I know, Frank Loesser's _Fugue for Tin Horns_ , the opening number of _Guys and Dolls_ , and _Stranger in Paradise_ , the famed duet from _Kismet_ . Your examples are considerably later. Of course there were vocal groups in the Big Band era with complexly-voice-led arrangements that beg the question of the boundary-land between counterpoint and harmony.

[@NafthaliHananja]

Yess, I was also thinking of California dreaming! Absolutely love that song. But the first thing that came to mind was “A Whiter Shade of Pale”, by Procol Harum. Of course it helps that it is partially based on “Air on the G String”, and “Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme” by Bach :)

[@lh2227]

Thank you very much, David for this video!! It's really helpful to see examples of counterpoint in different genres. I really love your arrangement at the end of the video, I sing along to the notes and learns a lot. Thanks again, David!

[@gwalla]

I know of one good example of imitative counterpoint in pop/rock music: "Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space" by Spiritualized. If not a proper fugue, it definitely has the feel of one. Great tune too.

[@supermalavox]

There's one of the themes from a NES game called Yoshi - more specifically the flower's theme - which is played with counterpoint!

[@jyrilukkala7434]

Wow, finally some examples from The Beatles and Radiohead! Thank you, I love your content! ❤

[@NomeDeArte]

Amazing video, thank you! Btw, love the bright colors of the sweater!

[@VultureClone]

You may not know Gentle Giant, but they have some intense vocal counterpoint going on in their song, 'On Reflection'

[@ramonromerohernandez7136]

And instrumental as well. I was looking for this comment, yes, Gentle Giant are the kings of counterpoint (fugues or imitatives): The Advent of Panurge and Experience also have counterpoint

[@dgv1170]

Wow- what a thoughtful, smart and compelling educational piece- thanks David! You can tell your advertisers/sponsors it is very effective.

[@koopalovetoast2409]

That sweater is bloody gorgeous I love it! You look great in it. Just wanted to point that out.

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Thanks!

[@Bubba-zu6yr]

My first noticeable example (a kid with minimal music ed. at the time) was in ELO’s “Fire On High”… ref. “Wide World of Sports” cue. The contrary motion in the Bm, for lack of better term, pre-chorus grabbed me. Something about smooth voice leading and contrary motion always ‘blew my hair back’ as a kid.😅 Great stuff as usual Mr David!👍

[@iliketrains3495]

4:57 Well that stutter of 'dead dead dead' in the second chorus of Supermassive Black Hole is the coolest thing I've heard all week

[@ThinWhiteAxe]

it's a very cool song!