VC6 Live: Eric Whitacre in conversation with Jacob Collier

[@DylanMourik]

Jacob "One thing I've been thinking about recently" Collier

[@hezekiahdaggett2179]

Lol nice

[@mac_sour]

Jacob “My music gives you my toes” Collier (5:33)

[@singit3630]

...which is actually 20 things...

[@thiswlad]

"a lot" :)

[@MelissaVandenberg]

This was my therapy session oh my god

[@headrat1]

I felt the same way. When they talked about fear and examining the present moment and linking that with performance and getting out of the way? Well, they both have such emotional coherence in their music, in themselves and for one another.

[@JohnMackey]

I was going to watch 5 minutes but couldn't turn this off. Just a fascinating conversation - and inspiring. I totally love the contrast between the ever-smooth Whitacre and the never-chill Collier - and both are 100% genuine and honest. Even the rooms behind each of them are physical representations of their minds and their music. Eric's is designed, flawless, thoughtful, immaculate, interesting, and beautiful. Collier's is OH MY GOD PUT THIS IN THERE TOO AND SQUEEZE THIS IN THERE ALSO BECAUSE WHY NOT AND I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY YET BUT IT WILL BECOME CLEAR. Great conversation.

[@andrescarames]

Eric Whitacre AND Jacob Collier?! Yes, please.

[@DanPerezSax]

"Yeah, that night when I was chillin at Hans Zimmer's place, and it was Eric Whitacre, Jacob Collier and Quincy Jones hanging out..." FML I wanna be at *that* party!

[@JamesQuintero7]

Watching Jacob explain his process is literally worth more than my entire music education. He inspires me to just experiment and just create what is important to me and feels good...getting away from the worry about sounding formally "right". It will sound right once you allow freedom run its course.

[@chrisa0001]

@@MishMashi he’s a college faculty all by himself.

[@joshuapeacock17]

true true but ig you gotta know really good, foundational (sometimes mundane) basics through and through in order to even be able to just do whatever you want and experiment (not sayin you cant experiment w/o being an expert but the education is def fundamental)

[@dominikn19]

So true.

[@machitect]

Ditto :)

[@brianmessemer2973]

This made my entire 2020.

[@Eric_Aerolis]

Jacob encourages me to self reflect all the time and its crazy

[@Jarnagua]

I feel so much better about life, art, myself, the world and everything - after listening to this conversation. Thank you.

[@nilsmarius]

"Hans, he's such a kid aint he?" Jacob 2020 Love it

[@headrat1]

Jacon's got such humor and authenticity when he talks about others

[@amanthacamille]

As a choir nerd, how did I not know this existed sooner?

[@Edmund89sg]

These two are like infinity stones of the music world. So awesome seeing this~

[@sassulusmagnus]

"Emotional Architecture" What a great way to describe a composition. "The inner child always knows." Wisdom.

[@saraamancio6977]

JC is such a brilliant person, with tremendous scope, and depth, and purpose. I am thrilled he is right where he is supposed to be.

[@santoor_naad]

This interview, this dialogue, this conversation alone is testimony to how multifaceted complete musicians like Eric and Jacob are. This conversation pulls upon so many other areas other than music including: philosophy, psychology, linguistics, spiritual experience, poetry, music (the list goes on). Goes to show how well-educated a musician can be intellectually, philosophically, and emotionally to have their audience step away from the conversation feeling that they have learned much more than just music. These two are the perfect duo as both can illustrate their musical ideas extremely well with words and the choicest metaphors.

[@arinetic5538]

the last hour and a half of my life watching this was maybe the most eye-opening creative masterclass i've ever seen

[@jacobemery2712]

8:10 for when they solve technical difficulties

[@elinemay]

Thank you so much!

[@elinemay]

@@laurencelong Laurence! Haha

[@jacobhelbig6967]

eline and laurence!

[@elinemay]

​@@jacobhelbig6967 hahaha yay almost united! Let's see if the rest follows...

[@helenpanshin5589]

+

[@ranirupeiris]

In this world only the freedom is music . Free music

[@Vidyut_Gore]

Jacob Collier's biggest super human achievement is that the more I see his interactions and music, the more I can relate to him. This fellow is transparent to an extraordinary level. It is like every person can see a reflection of themselves in the mirror that he presents (not unlike his description of every note fitting a chord/scale/?). Including us all in the moments when we are overwhelmed by his music. It is like seeing a side of ourselves we are too inhibited to act on, but recognize, when we see it and it dwarfs us.

[@lorenzomo1]

As a writer I found myself listening to these comments about music, composition, harmony, etc. But I have the feeling they are talking always about something else. Some many things I have learned by them could work with my writing. So pleased and so grateful, I am. Thanks Eric & Jacob

[@tiagoribeiro8358]

___________________________Questions Order___________________________________ -Albums 12:30 -Creative Process 14:25 - Naming an Ideia and balance between sensibility and control 22:05 -Emotion Intelligence and audience 29:03 -Chords in music and stretching 34:35 -Leraning from thinking vs experimenting 42:50 -Authenticity 1:00:00 -Jacob Collier Room 1:05:00 -Arpeji 1:10:00 -Filosofating 1:13:00

[@Herfinnur]

Mr. Whitacre, please pin this!

[@tiagoribeiro8358]

@@Herfinnur eheheheh thanks man

[@reev9759]

Thank you for this service

[@joaofarias6473]

Obrigado Tiago! Foi muito útil 😎

[@pabloduran8100]

Thank you brother 🙇🏻‍♂️

[@alecdickinson]

15:05 "--- so I try to postpone my believing of anything, I guess as long as I can, because once you quantify things to something that you know, then you are basically projecting your past on to it..."

[@HarleyKing001]

Love the discussion between these two musicians and composers. Feel inspired. Thank you. Can't wait for parts 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8.

[@jakobjager6878]

And 9.

[@hezekiahdaggett2179]

Lmao

[@Daiwie44]

I have a good hunch about part 17, don't know what it really is, but I just know it's gonna be good!

[@000netko]

My two favorite modern musicians talking to each other for an hour and a half and only now do I find this

[@katewhite3021]

My choir kid/ music theory fan dreams are fulfilled. This is incredible

[@GBvybes]

I feel unbelievably fortunate to be one of the 27,000 people to date who have watched this conversation. Value personified.

[@arjanvanelst9861]

I came here to hear more about their music skills but I didn't expected these two 'guru's' exchanging wisdom of life!

[@Mdjagg]

This is the best conversation on creativity I've ever heard! Jacob is a mastermind at explaining everything. Thanks Eric!

[@aubreywarneck5629]

This just fed my soul. Watching you two speak to one another as modern day composers who influence one another is such an amazing thing to witness as a music educator. How amazing to watch you both and be able to be a "part" of your amazing conversation. Thank you.

[@MicroBuddy5]

Still my absolute favorite conversation with Jacob. I can't wait for another one!

[@narayan..7518]

"Once you quantify something that you know then you're basically sticking your past to it" so damn true, so beautifully put Jacob

[@transzend5998]

It seems that everything is connected to the deepest level, Zen Buddhism, Music, Psychology, everything in life. Thanks for sharing this great conversation with us and I am so inspired as a musician as I feel so free to create now

[@JasonSmith-tm7vm]

Wow. I I thought I'd watch 5 minutes of this...90 minutes later i wish you guys had gone on longer! Thank you both so much for a really inspiring and thought provoking conversation. :)

[@diavalitemusic]

I feel the same way. really lucky to be alive when jacob is doing his thing.

[@brandenburg05]

Wow! Best masterclass ever! Can't believe I didn't have to pay for it! The best hour and a half I've ever spent.

[@headrat1]

I know huh. Their generosity reminds me of how we learn to share and where we get taught competition

[@thekingoface8338]

Amazing! About 20 minutes in I started taking notes. I'm nearly done a music degree and I've never felt so compelled to take notes, such valuable and thought provoking knowledge!

[@MatthewDovetail]

This is just the kind of conversation that I like: displaying thoughts, wondering about anything and, above all, being passionate in going deep in a very natural and spontaneous way! I'd really love to have a chat with both of you someday! =)

[@headrat1]

Their sense of wonder can be felt like a child's excitement unpacking every new idea.

[@oilerrtayl6271]

h3y love it and the look

[@stevenschelling8452]

This is one of the most wholesome and inspirational things I've ever been blessed to have in front of my eyes. The mutual respect between you two makes me emotional. I am about Jacob's age and I had my mind blown by Light & Gold and the Virtual Choir in exactly the same way as he described, at the height of my adolescence. To see how he was touched by your music in the same way, and to see how you gawk at his mind in the same way that I do now just makes me feel so fortunate to be alive in a time where I get to watch the exchanges between such brilliant minds whose music I have connected with so deeply. Your words about fear and danger cut deep right now, in such anxious times. Thank you for sharing this with us, I wish I'd known about your channel sooner. I also can't get over how refreshing it is to have you dig past the surface level questions with each other. I have always been so curious about how Jacob deals with criticism and fear in the creative process, he doesn't usually dwell in those spaces in interviews and stuff. For the perfectionists like me out there who can be afraid to create, hearing about those sorts of vulnerabilities explicitly from masters like you two is very powerful. I would die if I could have a question read if another one of these interviews happens: Both of you have collaborated with many artists of varying levels of mastery and notoriety (Hans Zimmer, The London Symphony, Steve Vai, Snarky Puppy, Kimbra, Daniel Caesar, Dodie, etc. etc. etc.); how have your experiences in dealing with these artists surprised you? Is there an obvious power dynamic? Have you ever felt stifled by their input? Did you ever feel like your vibes synced so hard that you made something greater than you thought would be possible? Now that I've got you thinking so hard about collaboration... please collaborate

[@headrat1]

How they communicate, the timing, giving space for ideas and expression to develop, not knowing where they are going but trusting they will have fun together wherever they end up. WOW!

[@cleocss]

JACOB: --I feel like everything is kind of singing for me

[@UnfurlWithYu]

i love how philosophically jacob can talk about music and artistry that stretches into the way life works 🩵

[@jakefromshadefarm]

Blessed to hear these two having sincere, earnest, open-minded, heartfelt, passionate conversation. A dream, executed impeccably.

[@directionofease]

Eric: “Just be honest” Jacob: “Honesty is always so interesting - it is so much more interesting than dishonesty”

[@katiestaudt8284]

I’m looking forward to the interview part 2 ( and more?) You’re both geniuses! Thank you

[@bassmandan817]

Watching people troubleshoot technical difficulties is one of my absolute favorite things in the world. What a gift to have 2 of my favorite musical minds humanized in this way!

[@SgtMacska]

24:30 “I find that straight lines guide you wrong, that’s just something that I consistently find on every level. … Really, if you believe something, if you think, ‘this is right,’ it’s gonna make you smaller. Until you learn how to read the resistance and travel with the friction that is created when you put a line in your life. You put a line in your life or a process … it changes things. It adds a consequence. It means if you go this way, there’s a block or there’s a reflection or there’s a refraction on the other side, or there’s something to push against or … lean against, like a boundary or a rule. … And I think that there are times … when those kinds of boundaries are important, and … when it is important to remove them, too.”

[@SarahKrohn]

i took notes while watching this because everything seemed so important and i had to make note of it. i am filled with wonder, uncertainty, and peace

[@brownlashawn56]

some of the greatest wisdom in under an hour and a half. Very wise, well spoken man. musically and just in general. I related so much to the part where he talks about how deep and over thinkers need and desire to release some kind of productive creative energy in some form and how it gets difficult when things aren't going how you want them to go. Jacob Collier is truly one of a kind.

[@Balthazar2242]

11:00 This idea of letting ideas grow rather than being so desperate for the first thing you think of...this seems like it comes from experience. And it could be taken as a life principle too. When you have more experience with life you realize what you're worth and what "good ideas" actually are, so you let things grow more before locking them in.

[@ThoughtfulAl]

Jacob opens his mind and pours it out onto the floor in front of Eric. This is musical genius happening in front of us. So few people use more than 10 percent of their brain.

[@headrat1]

Great wacthing two geniuses collaborate in conversation

[@zabba7461]

So many interesting thoughts! This slipped so seamlessly between music and psychology. I loved Jacob's idea that every instrument is a dialect of the same language.

[@davidbauguess]

Two Idols in one video. Sick!

[@Cruiser1040]

What an extraordinary conversation, so deep and inspirational. It's clear that these minds understand the essence of music creation and why they are here. Love and respect from Iceland.

[@Noy_shiv]

thank you so much Eric, this conversation was nothing short of epic, and a lot of it is thanks to your generous spirit as a host. this was incredibly inspirational for me as an opera singer to hear. it's so rare that such high calibar artists as you guys, take the time to talk and reflect and share their insights about such a variety of subjects.

[@frederikmarohn6358]

Wow. The fact that we can view these two musical titans speak such wisdom about music and creativity for FREE is simply awesome. Thank you so much Mr Whitacre.

[@achokarlos]

I came here looking for musical orientation and stayed here for the life meaning and self direction therapy content. You really do know how to play with people expectation!

[@Cancer4700]

"But, what if it all works out." Heavy yo

[@robalston314]

Jacob is incredibly inspiring. He is for sure a Landmark graduate. I can't get enough of his thoughts. What if everything turns out OK? What if everything has happened in our best interest? What if things have already turned out OK?

[@mahmuduwi]

Insane! Great job Eric. Such a flowing brilliant dialoge between the two of you.

[@alecdickinson]

15:26 "if you follow it (your idea), if you follow it, rather than try to understand it... you just follow it, for as long as you can, then I find that the idea can give you ideas that you would never have otherwise..."

[@JulienAndo]

Thank you so much for sharing this great interview!

[@alecdickinson]

15:01 "...because the inner child... always knows..."

[@mikosato3838]

Great interview. Too bad there are too many ads interrupting the flow of the interivew.

[@SgtMacska]

14:45 “For example I might believe that this is a chord that I like. I might say that’s D11. But before I believe that it’s D11 I just know that it’s a sound and I know what it does. Because … a child always knows. So I try to postpone my believing of anything as long as I can. Because once you quantify things to something that you know then you’re basically projecting your past onto it.”

[@peteroselador6132]

Many people: Write a symphony in four movements Jacob: Let's make each album a movement, and do four of them

[@nushious]

It's like my birthday. My two favouritest choral composers in one video together. Wow!

[@kvaler10]

I love both these artists and they way they bend what music is, as well as who can participate in making music. When I first found Jacob about a month ago I recall thinking some of his harmony progressions reminded me of Eric, so imagine my joy at being able to listen to these two brilliant musical minds chatting about working through their creative process. Years ago I participated in VC's 3,4,5 I was captivated by the idea of sharing song and harmonizing with people around the world. It was thrilling. And now I get to spend an evening learning about things like the difference between believing something and knowing something. Thanks so much for sharing all of this with the world. Mind blown.

[@ramreiyomahung5392]

Best live stream video I have ever watched in my entire life.

[@Holobrine]

42:00 I totally get this. It’s consumption and digestion. You listen to the world with an open ear and collect new ideas and new sounds, and then you work them into your musical vocabulary by playing with them and incorporating them into your work. Eventually you hunger for more, and the process repeats.

[@cathy5119]

Your words touching my dear heart with remembrances of moments when words woven together in conversation become enlivening, inspirational. As I listen to your conversations and read the comments in the written responses I realize our hearts are touched. I am grateful for this opportunity to share a poem. To see Is to forget The name Of The thing one sees Paul Valery

[@juancarlosrosales2969]

Thank you Eric for giving us this wonderful interview. More please!

[@billr55]

Great vid!! Remember to have your own voice fellow musicians. We can learn a TON from Jacob but..... BE YOU in your music. Ever learning ever growing. Bloom where you are planted...and BE YOU!

[@matthewflores6286]

Need to watch this at least a dozen times.

[@AlishaTodd]

Grrr a great interview with way too many ads

[@fatguy338]

Thanks Jacob and Eric, I think you guys are the coolest!

[@singit3630]

Believing it can't be done, or if done, mistakes will be made: the base of dreams unrealized...fear. Well said.

[@AlexMoukalaMusic]

Absolutely inspirational talk. Thanks for this, Eric & Jacob!

[@YolanGroen]

Love the depth, the excellence, the honesty! Keep on shining!!

[@castrogarcia97]

1:00:00 right there he basically explains how to use your ears. Thanks Jacob and Eric!

[@annabellearnold1008]

I could feel my brain synapses firing in so many ways; loved this conversation and wonderful exchange of ideas! Thank you so much Jacob and Eric, I can see why you're friends 👌😊 You're both so brilliant 🙏🌟💕Something came to me about how we use the mind that feels relevant here: in the study of ontology I learned that what 'we know that we know' and what 'we know that we don't know' are both relatively small pieces of a much bigger pie like you were saying Jacob. What 'we don't know that we don't know' is a very interesting place.. and this can lead to what 'we don't know that we do know' and so often turning things on their head can lead to some wonderful new openings and revelations in any kind of pursuit or artistry or relationship 🙏thanks so much 👍🤸‍♂️🦄

[@JusticeConstantine]

Thank you Eric for this interview with Jacob Collier. It is wonderful to listen to two brilliant minds bouncing off each other.

[@paulcharlesworth9114]

I am revisiting this having watched it on release. Nearly two years later, this conversation has stayed with me throughout all the change and craziness. When the world felt like it had shrunk to four walls, these gentlemen reminded me of the universe beyond. Thank you so much.

[@easeandcomposure657]

Oh my god, both their music has had a huge impact on my life for many years, such a pleasure to see them together

[@KeenanReimerWatts]

Some of the most beautiful creating about composition that I've ever heard. So healing to read. Thank you to both of you for being such open and honest people in the world. You're making a deep difference in peoples lives!

[@KeeperOfOrchards]

love the DEPTH of personal perceptions in music composition, its exploring & inspiration... and it’s of course a real FEAT to put into words... i remember that i used to contemplate & in time, use these emotional mechanisms full of either subtil harmonies & feelings, or often so, sparkling jolts of life-giving riffs that are always the source of a greater audience tackling, engaging & altogether performance, ending up creating unique sound pieces, greater chord progressions & harmonies (more original ones overall), something almost instinctively coming to mind (“inspired”?) that’s claiming to be born... but through a necessary ‘birth pangs’ process, but often also bestowing with itself an immense pleasure of relief & satisfaction, at times sad, or extremely joyous, or ecstatic, or as JC mentioned it, a sort of ‘catharsis’ which in my case has done wonders of frustration RELIEF & therefore inner resolutions & healing, leading to soothing contemplation & peace... (however the deepest peace for me comes from God himself at the reconciliation point, and when realizing He offers an eternity of bliss, resulting in CANCELLING the very unnatural fear of death: it’s GONE, forever gone, and so the inner peace that comes in is supreme!) nowadays however, being older i suppose kinda causes the above inspirational considerations to kind of vanish while music itself continue to ‘happen’ almost on its own (but it’s not a bad thing at all) and all of the above mentioned felt & explorational feelings &/or personal discoveries are now overlooked to the benefit of just & more simply following where music sets itself to go & to be... less ‘exploring’ & more following the flow of a song, pretty much like if it already existed... and i guess it’s yet another ’mind game’ (possibly, cuz it’s hard to truly define, being its own, without me even interfering), but more on the restful side, more peacefully & contemplative. Now this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mZ-0d6mojKmMqbc&feature=share blew my mind, Mr Whitacre!.. Thank you for facilitating such things as a choir singing intricate harmonies to the edge of dissonances so exceptionally meshed with organic purity, brilliance & beauty, that it jumps from the natural realm to the spiritual one, resulting in such extraordinary degree of quasi-heavenly worship quality... I don’t know if that was the goal, but that’s how i hear it. kp/SBR

[@issiewatson5875]

This video is a goldmine about composition and life philosophy - thank you!!

[@yuriamorim]

Wow, that was pure GOLD! Alchemist deep chitchat. Thanks for doing it. I hope it happens again sometime soon!

[@Darko.mp3]

PLEASE do another one. This was so insightful

[@SteliosKGuitar]

What an inspiring and beautiful conversation, not only on a musical level but on a deeply human one. It would be so easy to just talk about the technicalities of careers and music but what you’ve touched on is deeply relevant for any artist or person going through life. Thank you Eric for making this happen.

[@tedbabbitt7108]

The number of metaphors used in this video is astronomical

[@dominikn19]

Such a powerful rhetorical device, isn't it? It places a picture in the viewer's/listener's head and makes whatever you're saying more relatable.

[@johndimase]

Wow. What a special and emotional chat, thanks so much for this Eric and Jacob.

[@wallybeep]

Jacob is nothing short of the personification of joy. Jacob? Yea. You’re musically brilliant in ways I will never know. As good if not better? There will be more Mozart’s. Chill. Whether you are that or not, I’m not equipped to opine. I am human, however, and as a force of wonderful? You are someone who it is impossible about whom or with whom not to just love. I love that you love. Thank you.

[@wallybeep]

I used too many words to say, that my visceral reaction to you, isn’t to be honest, in music, it’s you. It’s in your magical joy of life. Geeze.

[@andrewweber7949]

I love the dialogue about Jacob's ability to play multiple instruments. Reminds me of Victor Wooten's Ted Talk on music as a language--once you nail down how strings, keyboard, wind, drums, etc. work harmonically, playing other instruments within those domains becomes more natural. There's probably an exponential decline in "time spent learning an instrument" as you learn more, perhaps much like learning multiple languages goes. So cool!

[@timprice703]

39:23 Eric: When I was 25, I was like a bull in a china shop. There's an appropriately placed porcelain bull right behind him.

[@EricWhitacre]

Ha!

[@chrisa0001]

RIGHT BEHIND HIM.

[@braincakez6603]

Thank you very much! Never heard of you before to be quite honest, but my thirst for listening to Jacob talk about his connections between music and mind and language and philosophy and cognitive concepts brought me here. And i have to say, it has been an utter pleasure to listen to you two exchange thoughts! Very inspiring and very free and authentic talk! Just two great minds connecting and exchanging without any inhibitions, beautiful! I am currenty studying Psychology and literally just put down my book about Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and turned to this video, so when you mentioned it that really struck a chord! Ever since i've been getting more involved with Jacob and his Music i have been convinced that i want to study Psychology with regard to Music and Language and the concepts that are conveyed throught those and how the mind makes sense of them. This video has just been a source of inspiration for things to research in this direction! Thank you so much Eric and Jacob!

[@sethprewitt3723]

Brain cakez you should Check out Eric’s song “Goodnight Moon” which is a choir arrangement of the classic bedtime story. Such respect for both of these brilliant minds.

[@CAnthonyVidal]

I used to think you both were musical genius composers. I now see that you both are very composed geniuses whose favorite language happens to be music.

[@jay_adams__]

magical

[@mikezooper]

Amazing to see someone talk in another field. I’m a tech guy and I literally feel my way to solutions. I definitely play with technology.

[@chipotlemonkey]

This may be my favorite conversation. The discussion about automatic thoughts (CBT) and the often-opposing forces of danger and fear is wonderful!

[@gaycannon9248]

This was an enlightening conversation and much appreciated that you can deconstruct the creative process. I wish I could hear a similar conversation between Jacob and Stephen Sondheim who finds ways to parallel thematic text in musical theater. I would love to hear that kind of thinking and who influenced it.

[@chrisa0001]

Alas too late now.

[@johnmatthewsii6014]

My heart can’t handle this 🤭😰😱. This is like the BEST dream come true EVER 😭!

[@PsytranceGOUGAS]

Damn this was therapeutic.