The Hymn of Acxiom - Transcription

[@tyetnic]

The lyrics are actually pretty creepy if you read them. But holy crap this is a perty song.

[@TheElizabethcamp]

TheTyeGuy I totally understand that!! I looked it up on song meanings and someone said that it's about technology rising or something like that. It's kinda interesting when you think about it that way. songmeanings.com/m/songs/view/3530822107859468191/

[@TheElizabethcamp]

***** wow, I never knew that!! That is so interesting. Thanks for sharing. :D

[@deepsolar169]

@TheMjolnir128 Vienna Tang even goes on to say that she wanted to write "something from the point of view of something mechanical" kzbin.info/www/bejne/qnvcmZiJhdmdpbc

[@thickmacaroni9148]

It’s about a company called Axciom and it’s data mining, basically all of your information is open to the entire internet lol

[@JerAlaric]

I can add context to this! I met Vienna at a show in Seattle several years ago and she said it is from the perspective of a data handling computer that just wants to make it's users happy. It's like it's onu job and it wants to be good at it (or something very similar). So hauntingly good!

[@msewell763]

I like that when it seems like it's going to change key, it resolves, like you can't escape from non privacy

[@effervescentrelief]

Such a beautiful ode to data mining. I wonder how many realize this?

[@SuperBlooper53]

A professional drum core, not a school marching band!

[@nzane1216]

You conspiracy theorists are so funny.. So afraid of technology taking over your precious little world.

[@beingsocialwasnevermyforte]

Lmao I know. It ruined my understanding of it; I thought it was a meaningful song about being there for someone with depression!!!!!!

[@echoforceoverwatchcoaching5874]

dreamlandnightmare I don’t know how you think DRUM CORPS are stupid. They aren’t school bands they are extremely high level corps.

[@emilycooper1121]

I originally thought it was about choral music (meta) until I found this out!!!!! But I remind myself people bring many different meanings to poems/texts and even though they may not be the author's intention, they are still valid for us!

[@scarlette712]

honestly I think the creepiest part about this is the fact that it ends with an “amen”

[@SHBazTBone]

It's not a typical "Amen" either. The chords are wrong. Like a minor step down to the cadence. SO eerie and hair raising on first listen...

[@TechBearSeattle]

There is a breath before the syllable "men," shown in the transcription as a large comma above the staff. So while is sings like a long "amen," it is actually an expression on the folly of humanity, or maybe the chortle of a predator: "Aaaaah, men." Just one of several very creepy elements that can only be seen in a transcription like this because the plain lyrics can't capture them.

[@hunterperry8230]

Good ole religious trauma, am I right?

[@betaomega04]

I thing the preceeding two lines are creepier: Is that wrong? Isn't this what you want? The "amen" is like a straight up f*** you.

[@thickmacaroni9148]

It’s actually “ah, men” not “amen”

[@Reaction_Image_Factory]

Death metal WISHES it could be this terrifying. This has actually given me an amazing idea for a sci-fi horror movie

[@bacon337]

You're living in it. That's the joke.

[@Sevro720]

bro is NOT listening to the right death metal 😭

[@buckyjames1898]

I didn't realize how dark this song really is until now

[@Smalzish]

its not as dark as uplifting

[@buckyjames1898]

I'm gonna be honest I don't see how this is at all uplifting

[@TheAnthonyCable]

Connor Buckley yeah its dark as shit. its from the perspective of the Acxiom database basically collecting your information; your life. It's pretty unsettling to say the least.

[@ZarathustrasCrown]

Connor Buckley It would depend on your philosophical outlook on things...someone who's a transhumanist, who sees the concept of deeply interweaving technology into our existence as working toward a utopian ideal would likely see this idea as a moving conception of the idea. Someone who's a much more traditionalist mindset likely wouldn't...it's the same ideas we see brought up in shows like Ghost in the Shell, with people supplanting bits of their body with higher-quality tech, replacing parts of their brain to achieve perfect photographic memory for example or even ultimately "uploading" the mind into a computer to achieve immortality, transhumanists find this idea incredibly exciting. This is just a bit more external than that...

[@neilcrocker945]

ZarathustrasCrown "..Isn't that what you want?" is taken literally by some and ironically by others.

[@michaeltyree5007]

This is one of the most beautiful things I have ever heard. Warm up for my college marching band at James Madison University.

[@catherinegitlin2286]

I absolutely agree my high schools marching marching band the golden Regiment had this piece in our 2015 show titled subliminal and it was incredible that was the year we first made it to bands of America grand national's and I'm proud to be an alumni of the Golden Regiment and everything we've accomplished just in the past 4 years #clarinet2019

[@osutuba]

I would love to see that arrangement!

[@collinpike333]

@@catherinegitlin2286 what band is the golden regiment? I want to see!

[@leaf4836]

@@collinpike333 It's Blue Springs 2015. I would also highly recommend listening to Bluecoats 2014 Hymn of Acxiom.

[@BigRichMann]

Absolutely LOVE Vienna Teng!!!!! Her use of technology is wonderful!

[@ren3171]

First time I heard this song I honestly thought it was a nice song about falling in love and learning about each other. Even if you don't realize it's happening and you think you're alone or no one's paying you any attention. That you're not actually alone and someone is paying attention and learning all about you and that you should keep those people close and not shut them out or put up walls (keep your life open, your don't have to hide). Then it sunk in at the lyrics along with the chord at 1:24 I was like woah wait what happened to the sweet and inspiring song?? Edit: in retrospect I should have realized that gathering every crumb you drop is a creepy line and at the very least makes that person a stalker.

[@sandwichxiii]

As a guy who sings bass, it's fun to take that high Gb up an octave, even if it sounds like someone shrieking NOW WE POSEEEEEEEE- (voice cracks)

[@kevinhambrick2035]

As someone who sings generally Top Bass / Baritone, Doing that would just be easier for me lmao

[@rukia997]

Yes. I approve this message.

[@sethy2746]

I sing Bass 3 and I can still hit that soprano note and even above. Oof.

[@KyleNally]

Singing tenor II that speaks in a baritone I register (I'm weird like that) chiming in. .I love that phrase. So much power so appropriately scored there, and I can actually sing it clearly with good tone. I'm happy for that, because that moment *sobs* for that kind of balls/wall volume. I know there's a men's chorus arrangement of this piece but I've yet to listen to it. "Now we will build you..." goes down the octave for me when I'm singing the melodic line, of course. It's just appropriate to do both in the text and the scoring, even if I can sing it in the same register. Back off, climax done. Like certain other things, I suppose. Heh.

[@cameronlane1281]

Ayyyyyyyy same my dude. I can sing down to C2, but my break into falsetto sits right on D4, so I get a bit shrieky up their too

[@davycroket100]

Damn... I never even heard of this song before in my life but I've gone shed a tear. Absolutely full of emotion and meaning.

[@donovanroe5419]

@dani elise lol

[@timothyreynolds7474]

David Lopez this song is about the very real company of Acxiom. They fit into a very large category called database marketing (data mining). Acxiom was started in 1969 and has been using phone books and other low tech tools, along with one computer, to amass information on voters and consumers for direct marketing. 40 years later, they now have detailed entries for more than 190 million people and 126 million households in the USA alone. Worldwide, they have 500 million active consumers.

[@BonessenoB]

This is so hauntingly beautiful.

[@sambreuer831]

I want to turn this into a musical I swear. A semi-futuristic hyper-surveillance state with a computer hacker trying to beat the system? needs some work. Absolutely amazing song none the less.

[@bonnerwelch9227]

Sam Breuer You should DEFINITELY write that

[@marieagnethepihl8971]

That sounds AWESOME!

[@bandgeek2499]

Please make that a thing

[@TechBearSeattle]

Dystopia: The Musical.

[@vitopettito1689]

What I would give to have my choir do this piece. It's so moving.

[@caseyygerr]

what's stopping you?

[@cedriclewis651]

My choir is going to this when I have one, no doubt. It's not to difficult to teach or learn really

[@taylon_6057]

@@cedriclewis651 the choir I'm in is going to do this, that's why I'm here lol

[@Anonymous-gq1zh]

My choir did this at festival of gold and came in first 😝

[@ddude081]

Vito Pettito moving? You do know what this song is about right?!

[@ian.whaley]

2:24-2:32 fires off all the pleasure centers in my brain. What a beyond masterful piece from the writing to the voicing and lyrics. Vienna Teng is truly a brilliant artist and a master of her craft!

[@iHateJerseyShore]

That chord around 1:24. My goodness.

[@MMAteenager]

Clashing notes in a chord can have epic effects if used well

[@dansullivanstudios]

+MMAteenager mmmm sus 4.

[@dansullivanstudios]

***** Yeah, I should say add 4. not suss 4

[@lorenamenendez6709]

+tempsentemps I'd say it's a major chord with the 11th added

[@rosiefay7283]

Presumably Vienna Tang had heard some piece by Eric Whitacre (who is also fond of this combo of a major chord and added fourth).

[@maliquecooper6367]

I found this because of the Bluecoats. Tears and chills all over! Let's go BLoooo!

[@Frhomo2319]

Addicted to this song

[@meganknight1654]

My band teacher had us listen to this in class and I fell in love with this song. Every time I listen to this I get the chills.

[@redfalls2001]

I can't even begin to explain what this song means to me, and the sheer amount of times I've given this video a view. I may not be supporting the original creator, but thank you so much for being the reason I came across this masterpiece. It brings me peace whenever I hear it. ❤❤

[@bellat3087]

my choir is doing this next month, i’m so excited

[@AnemocracyTheBand]

Beautiful, but very frightening if you know who Acxiom is and whet they are doing.

[@shalikaseka7895]

Who's Acxiom?

[@kevinthomas3692]

goodness, I'm almost crying. so beautiful

[@tinyshepherdess7710]

One of the most brilliant 'pop' songs ever composed, both musically and lyrically. And yes, if you really pay attention to the meaning, it will and should scare the sh/t out of you.

[@somethingofnote9241]

God, I remember hearing our school's audition group singing this. For a while, I thought this was a happy-go-lucky, acceptance, and peace type song because I hardly paid attention to the lyrics until the actual performance. This song is genius: masking an intrusive, somewhat dystopian concept as something that is for the best and loving. This is EXACTLY what companies are trying to do, making data tracking seem as though it benefits them in ways other than cold hard cash, and considering the fact that people, me included, fell for this song's deception, despite its complete lack of lyrical subtlety, is genuinely terrifying. One of the most beautifully horrifying peaces I've ever heard, and it makes me regret not auditioning the year they did this piece.

[@alexspiro95]

This is creepy and dark AF

[@betaomega04]

"Reach in your pocket, embrace you for all you're worth. Is that wrong? Isn't this what you want?" That shit terrifies me.

[@TheItalianBreadMan]

I'm not here from anyone else, I just watch too many sheet music videos.

[@sarahb.1669]

My marching band is doing this for our marching show this year, and we have watched the Bluecoats show SO MANY TIMES

[@rukia997]

I'm glad you used the original recording. I know Vienna decently well, so.

[@theafellacomposer]

This piece just dethroned Disney’s Hellfire the title of Best Villain Song

[@dedede5586]

listen to this with headphones, i beg you. goosebumps all over.

[@SunnieLarsen]

Thank you so much for this! I've been working on my own transcription as a hobby, and it's nice to have something visual to check my work against. :)

[@caden.bartlett]

Hello! I was wondering if i could use this video to put together a percussion ensemble for a festival coming up. Can i by chance get your email? thank you!

[@DavidRussell323]

Absolutely wonderful transcription

[@rorygiambalvo2955]

Just listening to a few lines while doing something else made me think this was a really beautiful love song, and I thought the slightly computerized voices were a little odd. Nope, they makes sense. They definitely, definitely make sense.

[@KyleNally]

Fun fsct: Teng used a keyboard that had an attachment called a vocal harmonizer. She can actually sing all the parts at once live on stage!

[@FREEASTHESTARS]

This is one of the most beautiful pieces of music I have ever heard!

[@SongSparrow1]

Facebook theme song

[@charlesballiet7074]

cadge'd bird analitica

[@marchingmajorleague]

I get BlooBumps whenever I hear this!

[@Empowerman]

+marchingmajorleague Yup.

[@parkerwicker]

BBBBBLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[@elijahcrosby786]

*dead silent* SIX WORDS

[@skeletizer]

I'm late but yes

[@isaac-fe6qy]

those chords... so beautiful

[@erinedgar7260]

Most beautiful thing I've ever heard.

[@beppo05]

it's about surveillance capitalism

[@aknopf8173]

@@beppo05 Wasn't Axciom part of the NSA's "prism"? That would make it about a state that is spying on it's own citizens. Still a beautiful song about a sad thing.

[@Bebogeen2]

Most beautiful thing I've ever heard (2).

[@yaboyjay99]

Bluecoats 2014 brought me here

[@kaidensmith1150]

1:21 tho god that dissonance gets me all the time 😆

[@annfabgirl7]

THIS IS ACTUALLY PERFECTION

[@DisHonestGaming]

I'm making an arrangment of this for brass ensemble. If anyone has input on which instruments have which part, then please comment. I currently am putting trumpet 1/2 on the soprano, horn 1/2 on alto, trombone 1/2 on tenor, euphonium 1/2 on bass. Then tuba 1/2 on chords from the piano part. Anyone have better ideas? Should the bass part just go to tubas? And how much, if any, of the piano part should I try to include?

[@seralikethecar]

I already tried this and I couldn't get it anything sounding good or balanced. I ended up starting with a little more of a drum corps-ey set up (3 trumpet parts, 2 horn parts, 3 trombone parts, and 1 tuba part). What I have isn't bad--though that might be my self-serving bias--but there's still some parts that aren't 100% true to the original. You should be able to find it on my Musescore (username "bandreadygoband")

[@plus3943]

My friend is making an arrangement of this for percussion ensemble..and it sounds great.

[@TechBearSeattle]

Me: Alexa, play The Hymn of Acxiom Alexa: Always and forever.

[@candicestalczynski4795]

Thank you so much for posting this!!

[@leslienotis5286]

Very beautiful lyrics. Sounds churchlike.

[@donovanroe5419]

Definitely not something that's full of glory.

[@kalslavnes4880]

This was our Marching Band Ballad this year

[@lianatrosen4457]

us too!!

[@SammyTanders]

Yay Bluecoats! #bloooo

[@Jimmy2e_]

I loved touring with them for the first half of the season. Seeing this every other night for a week was sooooo awesome.

[@joezavorskas8347]

MCFrenchTheLlama And then watching it in the dome? SO good.

[@apxclan13]

2:32 so good

[@jaronmiller1480]

So true

[@CallumRickard]

Wow, this is beautiful!

[@bonetonelord]

Obligatory BLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Apparently the Bluecoats played it in Eb rather than Db. They're right. I don't play anything outside of G-Ab if I can possibly avoid it.

[@homfencing]

I was pleased that 'Coats kept the tune most;y intact and didn't chop & bop it...so nice to head a complete melody in drum corps. And, of course, they really had the brass horses to pull it off.

[@dansullivanstudios]

+Bone-Tone Lord It's so nice when people know how to avoid resistive keys in brass instruments.

[@gailrosen8222]

I mean I'm fine with D and Db but nothing more

[@chiwahwa710]

the voices sing in C, the trumpets play in Bb. it's the same key but it had to be transposed for the bluecoats since trumpets are in Bb and horns are in F.

[@optimus8799]

No, its definitely in the key of Db. The treble clef parts are simply in concert pitch rather than transposed as they traditionally are.

[@PostLagone]

The HQ of the company this song is about is literally down the road from me lol

[@connorsmith1695]

This is so beautiful

[@thedreamerisme6275]

hauntingly beautiful

[@charlesballiet7074]

Im still waiting on "Song of Snowden" and "Psalm of Palantir"

[@TheRectorscale]

The 2018 version of this song should be titled, the hymn of Facebook.

[@ainsleymason852]

Rectorbj Hymn of the Zucc

[@guibox3]

My vocal ensemble sang this two years ago but we sang a different arrangement. Too bad because I love this arrangement more. It was still impressive but this arrangement just has something the one we sang didn't.

[@H9092-2]

It sounds like GLaDoS singing me a lullaby. Why does that sound worse than an NSA spy puppet?

[@jayd5694]

Been trying to figure out what purpose the d natural at around 2:21 in the sopranos, but I gave up and just concluded it must be an anchor tone, but I feel like it just has something else to it

[@jacobhanekamp2534]

It provides tension so that the big hit can be "relieving"

[@jimmyseb2000]

I feel like this could have been Eric whitacre

[@andrewprawat8199]

+Christopher Wiggins i prefer stuff like this over whitacre :P

[@u1zha]

How is that a "no, Eric does his music with lots of chord progressions and dissonance in his music, then resolves it in the end"? The same thing happens here in many phrases, especially starting from "Keep them all", that was the point. Of course not exact his style.

[@itswaffletaco5214]

I can see him in this in some parts, but I don’t dislike him. Alleluia/October is my favorite of his

[@lindsaykearney5089]

It actually reminds me a lot of Imogen Heap.

[@dinkusoninkus]

Everything about this is so sick!

[@jjcarrizales7915]

Everyone in band knows this song

[@andrewprawat8199]

my all time favorite song

[@vaguermoose1002]

I like this song.

[@alexjones5140]

Our Choir NEEDS to do this song!!

[@graceismine1111]

It's like someone twisting the knife in your guts and caressing you at the same time.

[@teamerjt11]

Where can I find the sheet music for this? This is beautiful!

[@Bighous503]

right infront of u

[@teamerjt11]

I was talking about an actual PDF of the sheet music rather than a KZbin video.

[@Lucifers-perfect-angel]

we have to use parts of this for our marching band performance this year.

[@TheManyNations]

So do about 3,000 other high school bands ;)

[@Lucifers-perfect-angel]

Ouity true. And it makes the music creepy.

[@joebagelz1190]

And we're doing it this year!

[@210Driver]

BLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[@annalise8572]

FINALLY FOUND IT! My marching band is doing the music Machine by Lewis Norfleet for our opener, then our ballad is this, (one of the color guard members is singing it and it sounds beautiful so far), and then I'm pretty sure we are switching back to Machine for the ending. It sounds so beautiful when our member is singing it but the lyrics are actually really creepy

[@josephagan7278]

Does anyone know of any songs in a similar style to this? I'm in love with this song, and the only song I've found even remotely similar is "Hide and Seek" by Imogen Heap

[@locoloco337]

Eric Whitacre “When David Heard” and “Lux Aurumque”

[@drowningmonday4374]

"Woods" by Bon Iver and "Creek" by Bon Iver

[@EastPlanet]

Oh my good lord in Heaven amen is right...

[@Ty6260]

I'm here because this dude on Reddit with full synesthesia says it's his mostly favorite song to hear/see/smell/have for dinner

[@lesliefairchild8461]

Ty6260 me too lol

[@dalton3473]

Our band is doing this for our second song in our show

[@sky-boy6038]

Such a pretty song

[@milojohnson3057]

interesting, very creepy vibe, very direct metaphors.

[@WillGaylord]

Anyone else know of other songs like this that use themes of futuristic dystopia but make it sound pretty?

[@marieagnethepihl8971]

Does anybody know the arranger of this version (and where I can buy it)? I have made an 8-piece brass ensemble arrangement based on this arrangement, and I would like to be able to perform it legally. All help would be appreciated!

[@KyleNally]

You can buy the choral sheet music here. IDK about instrumental versions. cypresschoral.com/composers/robin-salkeld/hymn-of-acxiom/

[@ayouafurry4050]

It's a beautiful song

[@christianwindish1656]

what program do you use to do this I'm composing a trio for me and some friends and I need this

[@JKmagic23]

+Christian Windish Finale

[@SponeHollow]

+Christian Windish musescore is a great program to use and its free

[@bigchooch4434]

+Christian Windish Musescore, another good one that I use is noteflight; it seems to be more user-friendly.

[@christianwindish1656]

thankyou

[@Diinokk]

Alec, the New-ly lyric starts to merge in with the rest of the voices and sounds like "this" but its not. So it actually says Newly Need but it sounds like New this need.

[@pfeifanddrum4610]

turned futuristic

[@alecingram15]

It sounds like at measure 73, or 2:29, that there is a background voice saying "...this need," but you don't have it in. Am I just imagining it or is there a voice there you just missed? You have in in for the piano part, but it's not represented by any voice.

[@JKmagic23]

+Alec Ingram Yeah I probably had it in at one point but decided to take it out. Don't remember why. I did this over a year ago :P

[@charlesballiet7074]

Brave new world vibes from this

[@JoannaFalkowska]

Thank you so much.

[@michaelaloisi1876]

anyone know if their is a version of this for brass QUARTET?

[@TheSpecializedMiner]

Here's a trumpet, french horn, trombone, and tuba quartet. musescore.com/user/5772046/scores/2319041

[@michaelaloisi1876]

thank you so much

[@TheSpecializedMiner]

You're welcome. MuseScore is a cool site to find arrangements that people have created.

[@williamsanborn9195]

I like this song, but I think I like it better in A-flat major. I first heard it from the arrangement played by the Bluecoats in their 2014 production called “Tilt”

[@kingorubik]

Beautiful

[@jeremytrevino4957]

I talked to Vienna herself for permission to use this song for a VC (granted) but I need the sheet music. Yours is perfect, but is there anyway that you could share the transcript?

[@JoannaFalkowska]

Kerry Marsh, shameless self-plug, isn't it?

[@samanthafisher4494]

a choir needs to sing this omg

[@jilliannoelle8303]

The altos are supposed to have the melody, that's what it is in the actual piece.

[@trevornordike583]

Please tell me this is available.

[@Walperalper]

Who arranged this? It's sublime and I need more!

[@aknopf8173]

Vienna Teng wrote the song. This is the original "arrangement".

[@KyleNally]

@@aknopf8173 Well, it's an extended arrangement. She can't do this particular version live because, well, human can only speak one word at a time. It sounds a bit different live: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qnvcmZiJhdmdpbc

[@alternativaltrntv]

a song that perfectly matches 1984 by George Orwell

[@dreamlandnightmare]

More like Brave New World.

[@be9nz]

Tears.

[@williamsherwood2239]

Can you post the finale file please?

[@williamsherwood2239]

or at least the midi

[@thatbandgirl2535]

Did the cadets play this in the zone?

[@thatbandgirl2535]

no they didn't I'm a fucking idiot that's 2014 ballad but if you do know what the cadets played in the opener for "The Zone" please say

[@Finstahy]

+ThatBandGirl First of all, you're right that this was a 2014 ballad, but it was played by the Bluecoats, not Cadets. Secondly the Cadets 2005 opened with "Twisted Nerve" by Bernard Herrmann.

[@thatbandgirl2535]

+Finstahy after I posted the comment I read it back and I forgot to add bluecoats. Thanks though!

[@Finstahy]

+ThatBandGirl No problem! Anytime you want to know what pieces a corps played, go to that corps' Wikipedia page. It will have their show summary which includes the show name, pieces used, finals score, and finals placing for every single year.

[@thatbandgirl2535]

+Finstahy thanks!