Understanding Heart-Shaped Box

[@vampires-from-mars]

The first thing you hear when you enter hell is the midi version of a 90s rock song

[@Reptain253]

*E1M1 intensifies*

[@Mickocarbomb]

@Wind 2000 nope, but it roots itself into rock as a song in a subgenre of rock. Can't have metal without rock, can't rip and tear without metal.

[@Len_M.]

*MIDI with stock samples. Depending what that MIDI is being routed to can change everything. 😬

[@eartheternal3565]

@@Len_M. We all know exactly what he meant. Don't be an asshole.

[@ryankibler7973]

I think many people who make these songs are not giving this much thought. Many can't even read music. They just know what sounds good. That's all you need to know to play rock music.

[@bubbaluvv]

Im only 01:21 into the video and i can say im subscribing right now. This is something totally different in a great way. Stoked to finish this video, great job so far

[@cheenu711]

I can imagine Kurt watching this and thinking to himself, "really it's that deep??"

[@HeroSerp9]

lmao. really, it’s this real.

[@snappy-T]

He would be saying and laughing "what is all this bullshit?"

[@joshuakeelsmusic]

@@snappy-T exactly

[@colico14]

Though he probably wouldn't have admitted it, I think he would have gotten a kick out of his music being analyzed like this. :)

[@kevinmalone584]

Kurts lyrics were never that deep *MOST* of the time

[@thebubonicj]

"A prison that looks like love." That hits pretty close to home.

[@Andrey.Balandin]

it's not a relationship with a wife or a girlfriend he is speaking about, it about his mother, his desire to free himself from her, his hate for her. The clue is in "Throw down your umbilical cord so I can climb right back". It's a clear-cut statement of "I want to be unborn". It can't possibly be interpreted as any boyfriend-girlfriend relationship. "I wish I could eat your cancer when you turn black" is an expression of visceral hate for her. Kurt was a happy child in a happy family until his parents divorced. He was drawn into her "magnet tar pit trap" which is the promise of love and happiness, which all crashed with the divorce. He was never the same again and never forgave his mother for it. Thus all the complaints. "Forever in debt for your priceless advice" is just mocking her parenting.

[@anus333]

@@Andrey.Balandin oh shit,that makes a lot more sense now

[@johnindigo5477]

@@Taushathetech what do you expect from courtney love

[@MountainDewComacho494]

@@Andrey.Balandin Courtney Love is of the opinion that the song is about her.

[@thefaminedenier5199]

The Bubonic J. Sweet home Stockholm syndrome

[@MultiTexMex]

I feel that Heart Shaped Box is a superior song to Smells Like Teen Spirit

[@broexist7134]

Is this copypasta? The success of teen spirit and the way every greedy fuck on the planet wanted them to play it for them kinda ruined it

[@xYottabyte]

@@broexist7134 yes, overplayed, every artist always has a song that they hate (imo), and ofcourse that is their overplayed songs

[@HaHa-qt2zj]

MultiTexMex Kurt himself said that he’s written songs that are far superior in comparison. I think he mentioned Drain You or On A Plain being one but I forget

[@mlalbaitero]

xYottaByte Gaming just because something is popular doesn’t mean that it’s bad

[@xYottabyte]

@@mlalbaitero it's not bad, yes it is badass, but kinda sucked for me now that I take long break from thay song then kick ass again listening again

[@profeshinelspelr2827]

Kurt: Hey Dave, does this sound cool?(plays riff) Dave: Yeah, we should use that.

[@FreaknFreddy]

If you were a real Nirvana fan like me, you would have memorized the hour-long discussion they had about this song from the deleted scenes from Montage of Heck. Dave and Krist both thought Kurt was crazy for dropping the I chord for the post-chorus, but Kurt held an incredible dissertation in which he managed to fuse Coltrane's work on the circle of fifths with chord progressions common to folk music to prove that the I chord was an unnecessary construct made by elitist music schools to stifle creativity. The band was blown away by this act of defiance against the musical establishment, and they immediately jumped into the studio and recorded the song in one take.

[@childofgod759]

@@FreaknFreddy lmao imagine gatekeeping cuz someone didn't memorize an hour long discussion

[@FreaknFreddy]

@@childofgod759 imagine replying to a joke comment as if it were real

[@childofgod759]

@@FreaknFreddy oh Im an idiot :")

[@profeshinelspelr2827]

FreaknFreddy it’s a joke bro...

[@grahamflorida5942]

Everyone commenting about how he's overanalyzing kinda miss the point. It's acknowledged in the video that Kurt didn't purposefully use theory to write, but instead used a learned vernacular of what pop music sounded like in order to subvert our expectations with the misuse of common musical tropes (such as the doo-wop progression). By taking something most people have heard, slowing it down and perverting it, he crafted something to break expectations of that musical vernacular to express himself.

[@sebastianprice8760]

This 👆🏾

[@g-raff9073]

Yessss I very much agree

[@Coldfront15]

Thank you. Simply derailing someones work by ignorance doesn't help. He is analyzing it, whether or not Cobain intended this or that doesnt matter. Intuitive things don't present themselves, even if it circles back to the original listener.

[@joshc5613]

So basically, he reverse engineered pop music in order to make a bizarro version of it, or something to that effect

[@grahamflorida5942]

@@joshc5613 that's a great way to describe it, yes. Reverse engineering music is a great way to describe most self-taught musicians.

[@TheLockdownKidNYC]

For the record, while a lot of musicians (myself included) don't actually possess the ability to explain why they chose the melodies they did - there _is_ a science to music. People like Cobain may not have known that he was singing a 5th or whatever but something learned in him knew that these notes would sound good with these chords. So, all videos like this do is explain why the notes sound the way they do and why they work. If they didn't, we would know and more importantly, he would know. Everyone knows what off key singing sounds like. You just...know something isn't right. It's also worth noting it's precisely the lack of any musical theory or knowledge that gives Nirvana's music the character it does because Cobain doesn't know _why_ the notes work, he just knows they do. He doesn't know whether they are the "correct" notes and melodies that should accompany what he's playing but clearly, they work which is why we have the beautiful melodies and arrangements Nirvana's music brings us.

[@suicidesheepers5967]

The song is called “heart-shaped box” NOT “ A box with a heart sticker on it.”

[@mynameisreallycool1]

I didn't even notice that the drawing on the thumbnail was wrong until you pointed it out lol

[@suicidesheepers5967]

It was the first thing I noticed lol. Just didn’t make sense.

[@johnobrien1528]

Maybe the southpaw musical genius has never seen, or know what a heart-shaped box is.....

[@CorboWill]

Came to the comments to point this out

[@thehorseformerlywithoutana2522]

I've been trapped inside your "box with a heart sticker on it" for weeks. I don't know. It's kinda growing on me.

[@phoenixtrammel1669]

I love this channel, great video!

[@alexwasdreaming9440]

I really want to see one on Where is My Mind By The Pixies

[@quentinsummers2531]

Favourite band

[@nidalelilbasic2721]

Hell yeah

[@ironypoisoned]

Ohh that's sick

[@frida4414]

yesss

[@neveguitar1523]

That has to happen

[@ejejej9200]

Love this channel. Thank you.

[@angelsdemons4113]

I have always thought was written about Courtney, heroin (the heart shaped box) and about how he wanted so badly to leave (she eyes me like a pisces when I am weak), but then she got pregnant (cut myself on angel's hair and baby's breath) and (throw down your umbilical noose, so I can climb right back) are lyrical examples that illustrate this possibility. Cobain, terrified of creating a broken family like his own while growing up, he stayed with Courtney. We know how it all ended. 🤷‍♂️

[@mongmanmarkyt2897]

not only that but Heart Shaped Box is also a Euphemism for Vaginas; so it's bit of a double entendre with the literal box she gave him for the heroin, and her sexual gratification.

[@shellissanctuary7522]

🙌this👏🤝

[@shellissanctuary7522]

He wanted nothing but best for family felt like he failed... He didnt, they are two amazing women and wud be So Very Proud of Francis Bean...shes a beautiful blend of them Both🙌💥🥰

[@reesemalo]

@@shellissanctuary7522 I used to be a huge fan of Courtney until I learned she's super racist :(

[@DeadpoolX9]

How about…. “Marriage counseling “ What an insane idea!

[@AnahataNYC]

The bender drawing yuss 😊🙏🏼 all these drawings are amazing!

[@CasuallyJapan]

I think Kurt never really even considered these thoughts when making his music. It just came to him naturally or at least unknowingly.

[@drazlet]

That’s almost certainly a fact, but that doesn’t mean you can’t analyze it

[@punkazecke3881]

As a punk guitarist, yeah absolutely I have no clue what I'm playing, but it sounds good

[@danielsatter1805]

We all write what we know. If anything it was subconscious at best. And despite him saying he gives no deeper thought to lyrics it's still coming from the heart

[@colbyshannon6548]

@@abridge2 I had that same thought, but couldn't put it into words. Well said

[@stevenhaas9622]

Honestly that what made him so great. He was an amazing melody writer. He instinctually knew what sounded good and how little tweaks could take even common cord progressions and make them much more interesting.

[@TheLuckyAsian22]

thanks 12tone for the pep talk at the end

[@purplezebrahoover]

“It was something completely different”. Draws Monty Python foot. Magnificent. Cheapau.

[@rasmusthunberg8967]

purplezebrahoover I seem to have missed it. When is it?

[@jochem420]

@@rasmusthunberg8967 like 0:10

[@Actiomedey]

Rip Terry Jones

[@flynnguest8323]

@@Actiomedey F

[@isgrin8823]

0:13 great line

[@christophermcclellan8730]

“It’s trying to lead us out, but it’s pointing the wrong way.” I know you’re talking about a small piece of the song here, but can’t help but feel like that description applies to the whole song.

[@mongmanmarkyt2897]

well yes actually; "heart shaped box" is also a euphemism for Vaginas

[@mackeywhaleboy]

The way you wrote that made me think of his death and the gun

[@bonjourphoenix7487]

@@mongmanmarkyt2897 that’s what Courtney said. But it most likely isnt

[@briangrant210]

@@bonjourphoenix7487 gotta agree with ya, unless Novoselik, Cobain, or Grohl said it, I ain't gonna believe it

[@Oklatucky_Guitarman]

Thank you! I love the way you do these!

[@BassMatriX]

The ending of this video blindsided me emotionally. Funny how you don't really acknowledge how worthless you've been feeling until you hear a complete stranger say "the world is a better place with you in it." Thank you so much.

[@matcoffidis1135]

Great message at the end.....❤️❤️❤️

[@vipersb1]

I have a feeling Kurt would just say, it sounds cool, that's why I wrote it the way I did. LOL That's the beauty of music theory, you know it, even if you don't.

[@briangrant210]

Exactly. It's why I love theory. Someone can play something and say "that sounds awesome" and I can explain why and how to get a similar sound

[@givemeajackson]

@@briangrant210 music theory knowledge doesn't replace songwriting, but it sure as hell helps a ton to somewhat know what you're doing instead of fishing in the dark for the next chord to fit.

[@MyNameIsNeutron]

I don't think Kurt gave a shit about being "cool."

[@Deadarmy537]

I shouldn't be watching this cause he had me lost at 1:00

[@nucleartestrabbit]

I think you went in to more depth analyzing it then he did writing it.

[@bishopm4401]

That’s what I thought when he busted out the doo-wop chord progression or the other one. I’m sure most rock writers just go through chords and say “hey that sounded cool”

[@nucleartestrabbit]

Bishop M not going to lie it’s what I do mostly... honestly I only subscribe to this channel to make it seem like I understand theory rather then just feeling out lol...

[@bishopm4401]

nucleartestrabbit in high school I took AP music theory and excelled pretty well in it. Only to never take another theory class again. What I remember is that there’s a bunch of rules to follow and these videos are just highlights of how every band breaks those rules. So you’re not alone lol

[@nucleartestrabbit]

Bishop M I have the problem of being self taught so I know a lot but learned it all in the wrong order while also having huge holes in my understanding. Like beginner lessons bore me while advanced shit blows my mind. But honestly I don’t find a strong basis in theory to be necessary... don’t get me wrong it’s incredibly helpful but at the same time without having the ear or the techniques all the theory in the world doesn’t matter. I see it more as a means to an end rather then holy scripture.

[@Timliu92]

Sure, Kurt might not know the theory or terminologies involved. Did he know it sounded good though? Heck yeah!

[@CarlBowlby]

The best Music Theory class I never wanted.

[@spenceryoung5576]

Idk what the hell he's saying I just like nirvana so i subscribed

[@mfcrocker]

Try out the Building Blocks series he did - I found it super useful and you'll see a lot of the concepts explained in that repeated through the Understanding series :)

[@skmo7105]

12 tone is like the Bob Ross of music theory. I don't really know what is going on, but I am oddly drawn to it.

[@goodyking6732]

Lol, yeah, he has me along for the journey, I just don’t know where we are going or how we got there.

[@zeIilah]

Spencer Young SAME LMFAOOO

[@rickcolesanchez2668]

I’m a simple man. I see nirvana. I click.

[@jamespuleo3269]

Well done, sir ! Thanks for posting ~~~~~ I've enjoyed several of your productions before, but here I feel like you've surpassed my expectations.

[@bunnybeer]

Im a simple man.. i see nirvana on title.. i click

[@iamraulvalencia]

thank you for this bro🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@lolichangedmyname9513]

thumb nail: Nirvanas darkest hour polly: *Am i a Joke to you?*

[@niklanganis]

Beans: *Am I a joke to you*

[@HS6_00]

People are sleeping on Floyd the Barber in this sense.

[@diacilus6148]

My first video from this channel and I'm in love this is amazing

[@loganstrong5426]

I have always thought about this song as being about an abusive relationship, primarily using that idea that the box is a trap that "looks like love." It's nice to hear that I'm not the only person to think that. I always thought it was just projection from my history with abusive relationships.

[@Jaspertine]

It honestly makes more sense than any other explanation I've read.

[@hikerpunk2823]

Courtney Love tells us that this song is about her and strangely that it is her favourite Nirvana song. Apparently the " Heart Shaped Box " is a reference to a particular part of her anatomy, I won't spell it out as I'm sure you can draw your own conclusions.

[@offwhitecolby]

hikerpunk basically your saying guys will stay in abusive relationships because of sex...

[@Digitalhunny]

Logan Strong - His _wife_ Courtney Love, claims it's about her vajayjay. However, the truth is much darker & sadder. You're 100% correct. You hit the nail on the head with, "looks like love". She was known to be _extremely_ abusive towards him. When he was finally strong enough to divorce her. She had him killed, because he was worth more dead to her than alive. Music rights, life insurance & such. If you haven't watch the documentary/movie yet, I strongly recommend you do. After you finish bingeing _this_ channel of course. It's called 'Soaked in Bleach' (Bleach was their 1st studio album. You also soak things in bleach to destroy evidence of a murder. Bang on title, eh?!) Have a great day y'all!! 🤗🥂 Here's the full movie in English, for free: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hHnRg6uohL9_h5I

[@f1ftyfiftycl0wn]

Digitalhunny it’s also a line in Come As You Are, which is where they took the title from

[@skinsdub]

Punkjazz trumpelephant is my favourite 12tone character 8:36

[@criodanomurchu1075]

This is absolutely one of my favourite Nirvana songs. It sounds phenomenal and it's such a blast to play on drums. Thanks for covering it! Edit: I really appreciated your message at the end of the video. As someone who works with people in crisis, it is really huge to break the stigma, raise awareness and realise that talking to someone is good for you. Your problem is not trivial. You have value and deserve to be heard. Thank you 12Tone.

[@spenceryoung5576]

Same

[@wes4439]

+

[@stuartthehuman5280]

I was actually introduced to Nirvana by my drum teacher who taught me this song!

[@criodanomurchu1075]

@@stuartthehuman5280 That's awesome! I thank my drum teacher for introducing me to a huge amount of great music. Great influence.

[@vermilionplains3464]

If Kurt was still alive and saw this video he'd be like "I just messed around on the guitar and it sounded good"

[@kierenmoore3236]

"Forever in debt to your priceless advice" is clearly resentment/tongue-in-cheek, surely ... the tone/phrasing of that line in particular are dripping with sarcasm ... It's a looping resentment that one can't 'let go of' ...

[@mongmanmarkyt2897]

considering the timing of this song i take it as someone that's depressed and the other person "stop being depressed," such 'priceless' advice

[@georgehugill1502]

First video of yours I have watched and i loved you analysis. And the doodles!

[@increase9896]

The intro to heart shaped box is still unbelievable.. what a tone and feeling. Just immediately puts you in a very specific emotional state

[@danielsatter1805]

I really enjoyed this breakdown. Cool vid

[@gobblegobble7]

My friend who was a “huge fan” of Nirvana hated In Utero and I always thought he was crazy. Such a great album.

[@tylerlachney1616]

One of your best analyses

[@QuikVidGuy]

"a free, raw Nirvana" how zen

[@cbot72]

Thank you. That part at the end is what I needed to hear tonight

[@Krpamojtedrpa]

i love how Kurt, most likely didn't even know what he was doing in the sense of music theory

[@songsthatarecatchy]

"The world is a better place with you in it. " Thanks. I needed to hear that.

[@williamjakobsen9822]

I started crying at the end, when you said that stuff about me (and all the other people watcing) mattering. Thank you, I needed that now.

[@jasonstarkie2775]

Thanks for your great work!

[@u121386]

There’s something about the opening riff of this song that scares me. I can’t explain it. Just an absolute masterpiece.

[@brynecarruthers]

Here is an alternative harmonic/melodic analysis of Heart Shaped Box, in summary the chord progression is a descending minor triad arpeggio starting from the 5th (Ab - Fb - Db, i.e. Db minor) and the verse melody (echoed in the chorus as well) outlines an ascending minor triad starting from the same note as if it were the root (Ab - Cb - Eb, i.e. Ab minor) in other words mirror images of the same harmonic structure (a minor triad): “...one harmonic pattern that Kurt Cobain uses in many of his songs is a descending minor triad arpeggio: e.g. A5 - F5 - D5 These are the notes of a D minor triad (D - F - A) in reverse order starting on A, with each note as the root of a chord. Two obvious examples of this include “Territorial Pissings” and “Heart Shaped Box”, both of which use this progression for the verse and chorus... In “Heart Shaped Box”... the guitar is tuned down by a half-step so the song is in Db (or C#) minor rather than D minor...I’ll wrap up by looking at the verse melody to ‘Heart Shaped Box’: [notes/chords written as played on guitar tuned -1 semitone not concert pitch] A (B) C (D) E (D C B) C B A (A) This outlines an ascending A minor triad (first three non-bracketed notes), which runs pretty closely in parallel to the descending D minor triad in the bass line: A - C - E (A - F - D) So here Cobain combines two minor triad arpeggios (A minor and D minor respectively) going in opposite directions (i.e. contrary motion), an example of counterpoint or simultaneously occurring independent melodies. But in this case the triad in the melody is disguised by melodic ornamentation including passing non chord tones (e.g. the first two bracketed notes).” For more info please see: brynecarruthers.com/2013/10/22/analysis-of-nirvana-songs-part-2/

[@101spacegirl]

This has been my favorite Nirvana song lyrically and melodically. I love how it floats between minor and major and then in the chorus it goes fully to major and fully to minor "in a beat". And then there is the beat! And the video. I love everything about it

[@slave2misery]

well done. and great message to finish on.

[@alexanderz3556]

Your analysis is absolutely amazing! You are one of a kind, keep up your amazing work!!!

[@BrashHail]

I really liked your end message. Thank you. You got a new sub now

[@jimplaysric]

As a bassist, I remember at the time that Novoselics' weird bends in this song kind of made me feel seasick, the whole song is a kind of harnessed nuclear reaction that wants to fly apart into chaos, but they understood how to restrain it and make it work.

[@drewhammond5203]

I absolutely hate all of the comments acting like Kurt wasn't smart/deep. He didn't enjoy the perception of being artsy or "fake" deep, but it's obvious in a lot of his writing and in interviews that he was very intellectual and well spoken, and despite how muddy his art was, he was very passionate about aspects of it. Once he achieved mainstream success he sort've anxiety'd out into a joyless and tortured creator but he legitimately seemed like a smart dude and had the makings of a modern philosopher or a poet. A lot of depictions of Kurt portray him rather ignorantly as some junkie guitarist with meaningless lyrics that he wrote while he was high, but he was an intelligent and emotional young man who hated his own fame and was crushed under the pressure of success and expectation. Stop fucking portraying him as anything less.

[@Armakk]

"That vocabulary told him these were the chords to use, and it has an effect on you because you know that vocabulary too." This touches on a thing I wish you spoke more of: idiomatic use of chords. Sometimes a progression is there because it evokes a genre or a musical convention, not because of harmony per se. E.g. a I-VIm is the "love song" change which sets up The Police's "Every Breath You Take" in a sinister way, and Roger Waters' "Watching TV" in a sarcastic way, and were chosen as a musical reference to be subverted more than a harmonic mode. Would love to hear you discuss the role of music idioms more in analyzing songwriters' choices.

[@abigailslade3824]

Armakk I love that Roger waters song actually I love the whole album

[@rrrosecarbinela]

Yes, that PSA is definitely needed right now. Thanks.

[@jordandenny6875]

Oh god that guitar tone. Mmmmmm

[@saraa7104]

First time watching a video of you...this is so damn amazing!!

[@Algo1]

I'm gonna guess I'm not the first to bring it up but this song eers me for it sounds like his suicide note, and breaking it apart like you did just solidified my thought.

[@Algo1]

You're amazing Cory, thanks for addressing it and showing people who might need it a way to get some help.

[@LordDragon1965]

Either that or that Courtney actually killed him.

[@Algo1]

@@LordDragon1965 can attest to both really but I don't buy that one tbh.

[@zach7482]

Except he didn't kill himself. He was murdered.

[@bgm9517]

@@zach7482 ok cringe

[@Hunter_528]

I love how in these videos you take these confusing archaic music theory things and even when you’re not trying to you make them perfectly mirror and explain the song and its amazing. Please keep doing it

[@everonlyallforthee]

"...died by suicide." You could've drawn Courtney Love at that point. You know, just to stir the pot.

[@giacomofasulo3861]

Ok, that would have started the third world war

[@celeste7233]

thirtytwobars she did do it.

[@keeleyduty1185]

She’s a fake. She abused him. She is evil!

[@marci6412]

@Antônio M?

[@supernintendochalmer]

First time viewer of this channel, what a great way to present a video. Subbed.

[@themennissvids]

I just want to restate what 12tone said at the end. The world is a better place with you in it. You are worthy of love. Take care of yourself. That includes reaching out to others. You've got this.

[@williamstamper442]

Yeah its easy to say.

[@themennissvids]

Agreed. You believe the thoughts when you have them, right? I've lived this shit. I've survived it. There is nothing so different about me that meant I lived and others didn't. The good news and the bad news is that it's not magic.

[@ChrisAdragna]

@@williamstamper442 ...and that's why they said it, it was easy for @themennissvids to say. Sometimes it's not easy to see or say, but it needs to be heard. 🙂

[@StuartwasDrinkell]

Understanding heart shaped box would require you to imagine a box shaped like a heart. Not a shoe box with sharpie heart on it.

[@charliestarkey9825]

I know how difficult this has been for you recently and I wanted to thank you so much for making this video anyway. I love the song, I love the analysis, and I really love that you put that message in the end. you're doing great. thank you.

[@georgewashington6577]

You explain things super well

[@GabrielAlves-ll6lc]

Thanks for the ending man, hopefully it'll help some people

[@iWoFeLz99]

outro really touched me thanks :)

[@enricopersia4290]

I always love their bass lines, they sound like "do you expect something predictable? I don't give a *fridge*"

[@justsomeredheaddude1475]

Best nirvana bassline is lounge act

[@victorcobane6644]

Such a dope analysis. Liked this video so I can come back to it sometimes, to remind myself that no, my chords sounding nice together isn't the best I can do. Kurt put all this shit together, linking melodies, chords, and lyrics all to tell one complete story WITHOUT ever studying theory, as someone who does study theory, I should be able to do the same.

[@mackr1940]

0:16 I understood that reference

[@joyhally7754]

Monty Python?

[@mackr1940]

@@joyhally7754 Yes

[@jadencorrea5574]

Thank you so much for this

[@wills_corner]

The scariest part is that this song relates so deeply to me and I'm in a pretty happy relationship, with a little bit of stress from parents and school

[@surfgreen1636]

Amazing analysis!

[@janTasita]

Just wanted to thank you for that message at the end, mainly because that sort of thing could really make a difference to someone who needs to hear it, but also because even as someone who is fortunate enough to be in a pretty good place at the moment, it's still nice to be told that you matter.

[@sadmac356]

Same

[@tjvasquez3164]

Great video, with a good message

[@loganwilbur5131]

One of your best, 12 tone. I'm gaining a newfound respect for Nirvana thanks to you (I was more of a Pumpkins guy as a kid, lol).

[@jaschul]

Kurt almost always started his songs by singing the major or minor third of whatever chord he was implying by playing a power chord. Hence no need, so to speak, to play a full A flat major or A flat minor -- he's already "playing" it by singing the third. So the whole "Kurt almost always played only power chords" complaint really misses the point. I wish guitarists would take singing more seriously.

[@Andrey.Balandin]

I was screaming the same point to the screen throughout the video. The tune is in minor so the chords are in minor, no mystery about it.

[@TheBaconWizard]

Yes, the same complainers rarely note that any one instrument or section of an orchestra ALSO doesn;t play the full chord. But that's the point, there is an arrangement which is orchestrated; you don't have the deeper brass playing 3rds and making it muddy when the more emotive violins and cellos have got it. This is using a rock band in the same way.

[@Budch]

"superposition theory" of music

[@andreungerer3531]

What gets me is the analysis of music is almost always so disconnected from reality. I mean when they wrote the song they went with what the felt and heard. Not all this psycho analysis. I just gringe. It is like trying to explain what an artist was thinking when painting a masterpiece. YOU WILL NEVER FUCKING KNOW.

[@stitchgrimly6167]

@@Andrey.Balandin Except he plays them all as major chords. So there's that. The vocal melody is pretty straight minor though.

[@JDFISOHSBBKGSDKBGKBJG]

Their darkest song is You Know Youre Right.

[@Xoider]

You wonder why he writes from right to left until you see he’s left handed

[@TheGoodGoodMan]

Thanks

[@bluebotmemes5125]

I love these, it also sometimes helps with my music theory and understanding of the song.

[@A.R.77]

12:05 ~ ❤

[@erokraider1690]

I think if Cobain knew any of what you just said he wouldn’t have been able to write this song.

[@HNKYTHECLOWN]

Well the thing is the original songs name was heart shaped coffins its bout children with cancer

[@anonymousguy1188]

@@HNKYTHECLOWN That's actually easily proven wrong. From kurts own diaries, interviews, and even biographies the song is titled amd written about Courtney and the heart shaped box she gave him containing orchids, babies breath, and black tar heroin... Nothing about the song even comes close to what you're talking about and makes you sound like your brain died of cancer during your early childhood

[@bellabear653]

@@anonymousguy1188 I think the other person is talking after viewing the film clip. They fail to realize kurt could of never done a film clip about the songs meaning they would never play it lol on air.

[@zeIilah]

erokraider why? what are you talking about 💀

[@bellabear653]

@@zeIilah he is saying people who construct music in this way are lacking an ingredient to make the music in the first place which is breaking certain rules because had he of known he may not of gone that route. I think this is what his getting at.

[@bundysbunkerage257]

First time watching one of your videos. wow... it's really captivating. especially as someone w/o any knowledge about music theory.

[@LlamassU__]

When the song is heart shaped box but everyone imagines a square shaped box with a heart on it

[@pointless5ive]

When in all reality it's apparently about a vagina.

[@tobipk1536]

Thank you for this video ;)

[@metalfaceoff945]

I did not know left handed people could be artists. Typing is a lifesaver for me since all I ever did was smudge the word I just wrote down.

[@silkwesir1444]

I think I have read somewhere that there actually a lot of artists are left-handed, far more than one would expect going by the statistical average.

[@sethmcbride8490]

@@silkwesir1444 I think so. I took lots of art classes in HS and there was a higher percentage of lefties there than anywhere else. Also the thing about drawing for lefties is they don't have to worry any more about smudging the work with their hands than righties cause you don't have to go left to right, where you do have to in writing.

[@garrystubbs4891]

I’m left handed but never saw the problem with smudging with writing even when using a fountain pen at school (MANY years ago) I simply keep the forearm at 90 degrees to the line of writing, adjusting the angle of the wrist so the tip of the pen being at the top of the stack so to speak and voila ! no smudging and a legible style of handwriting. To any lefties, I say, try it !

[@Speedy-pf5tm]

Fascinating insight into a very complicated and interesting song. Forever in debt 😉 👍

[@AnyahKearney]

I love the fact that both he and Kurt Cobain are/were left handed. (I'm a lefty as well)

[@ariesnurafrian8002]

I always thought that he was left-handed too, but the fact is he was right-handed but played a left handed guitar.

[@chromberries7329]

Yall have it so much harder than us right handed folk. I wish that one day we can live in a more left handed friendly world.

[@markusmatzinger2513]

This is so philosophical. Love it

[@jasjul73]

When musicians just play what sounds good and someone tries to explain it.

[@ArloMathis]

That's honestly the point. The explaining is *why* it sounds good, not saying that the person explicitly used those rules to compose the piece being discussed. No one is saying that Kurt knew all this complex music theory (he pretty explicitly didn't) but it doesn't change anything. You don't have to be able to explain gravitational forces or be thinking about gravity to fall on your ass when you trip. The explanation, in this case, is for understanding *why* people made those instinctual decisions based on what they were trying to write as far as mood and content, etc.

[@orlfane1622]

Well this explanation is as useless as a rocket scientist going into great detail explaining why you fall on your ass when you trIp.

[@z444b]

+Orl Fane I disagree with you here. Being able to be explained the inner language and complex web of concepts that are behind art is awesome imo.

[@Josh-ol8sy]

Wish the vocals were focused on more in this video. The vocal melody and notes is insanely sophisticated. His drop in pitch when he says “priceless” advice is so key to the mood of the song. Nonetheless, great video as always 12tone!

[@woomy8971]

more nirvana is always good!

[@McGuire40695]

0:20 "[about Nevermind] It was also shaped by Cobain's affinity for pop music." Every time people try to play the card that Kurt was this martyr for anti-corporate music, his band's biggest album was made BECAUSE he want to make something with pop elements. Not even trying to diss Kurt, who was probably one of the most notable songwriters of the 90s, but he did have a sense of wanting to be bigger than a pub rock band.

[@LithiumThiefMusic]

Great work as always, thank you so much!

[@isaacandrewerickson]

This was awesome!

[@Dalenthas]

Can you do something from Rush to honor the recently passed Neil Peart?

[@jackholder5254]

Fantastic idea. How about "Understanding Freewill" or "Understanding YYZ"?

[@jacksonbarker7594]

Definitely!! That would be awesome, yyz would be sweet

[@Armakk]

Yes! "Peaceable Kingdom" pls!

[@iainkilcar7463]

Ghost rider would be particularly fitting as it's a song about peart himself

[@niccolegomaster3773]

Understanding Spirit of Radio would be really good