These people are otherworldly, as we know. Didn't know about the Brian May thing. I knew Leonard Cohen gave them the best compliment before he passed. I have the opportunity to see them in person in September because I'm going to visit my friend in Texas. If we can get tickets, and I could go, I could fully die happy. Even if I immediately just drop dead after I leave the concert. 😅😅😅😅❤
I love how he commented on how if Kevin is a bit off, it all falls off... Which is true... But also, he has said that when he makes a mistake he just goes with it and people think "oh, he's changing it up. Adding a backbeat" haha... Scott also mentioned that one time Kevin could not stop sneezing during a show so he did his best to try and add the sneezes on beat and hoping that people thought it was just beat boxing, haha
Yes, Scott was doubling up on the bass in the middle section with Avi. If you want to be blown away by Scott's lower register, I recommend The Prayer. It has some great Mitch slap moments in it too.
Mitch is a brilliant mimic as well as an incredible 6 octave range singing. So he does this without a megaphone 🤯🤯 they all are so talented If you want to,see them behind the scenes they have a you tube video,about “making Evergreen “. Which was Last years Christmas album Its a fun thing to play as it won’t get blocked and you see how they work together and record.
I just have to join in with the people agreeing that you should watch "Pentatonix - The Recording of Evergreen". You'll see the mixing and sound engineers in action (Ben Bram is in this video doing his thing) and see some of PTX's creative process and how they work things out on the fly. You also don't need to worry about copywrite on that one! For me, I think it's better to see the "recording of" video before reacting to "The Prayer" (needs to get a Grammy!) and "Over The River". My logic is that you'll see them coming up with and trying different ideas for these songs in the studio, and then see how their ideas worked out in the finished product. Whatever order you choose to do things in, it'll be a great experience! 😊 ❤️
There is some very minimal distortion on Mitch guitar sounds (Kevin confirmed it). But way less than many people think, as is clear with how close he preformes it live. And yes to reacting to recording of evergreen!
Avi trained as an opera singer, as a basso profundo, which is where the deep rich bass comes from. He got some tips from Tim Faust (the bass singer for Home Free-who won the 4th season of the sing-off), whose range is a bit bigger. Tim can reach lower notes than Avi. If you enjoy a capella, check them out, too. Avi was in a couple of their music vids, too. Oh, you want to see two real basses sing together, watch Home Free’s video for Ring of Fire, featuring Avi. I love both these groups but I really like watching people discovering PTX for the first time.
Yeah so Mitch doesn't even need the mega phone. He does that live in concert without it. Just props to show you he can do it, lol. So happy to witness your journey through this, glad I subbed! ❤
Pentatonix loves "Bohemian Rhapsody," and they love Queen. They've always wanted to do a cover of this song, but they were afraid that they couldn't do it justice, so they waited until they thought they were ready - this is part of what I'm referring to when I say that Pentatonix always treats the song and the original artist with utmost respect. It took Pentatonix *five years* to decide they were ready, after which came arranging, choreographing, figuring out how to motorize a couch, rehearsals, and whatever else was necessary in preparation - you know more about that side of it than I do. That took several more months, perhaps as long as a year, going by the dates. I'd say it was worth the wait. __________________________________ The starry night sky is a tribute to Brian May, who has a doctorate in astrophysics. The four shooting stars are for the four members of Queen. The five of them lying on the couch near the end is a reference to the cover art of Queen's _Sheer Heart Attack_ album. And I hope that you will never again fear that PTX will ruin a cover through hubris. That's one fault that they don't possess.
One thing you noticed that many reactors miss is that they lift up whoever happens to have the lead without trying to outshine them, but rather lift them up. Their background vocals are so well placed, and without ego. They put the song first. Always.
Also, for Mitch-slap highs, Come Along, Can You Feel the Love Tonight?, Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy (Grammy winner) and God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman to name a few.
Scott doesn't get enough credit for the Bismallah (???) Section. He sings the bass part with Avi, jumps up for the higher section with Kirsty and Kevin, and keeps swapping parts/octaves. He has said he found that terribly demanding. High note was Mitch. It you want to see him stretched watch the concert video of him in Aha! Singapore. Avi is also awesome in it. A phone recording though so not the best audio.
Avi have a gorgeous voice, all through his (very impressive) range but during his time in Pentatonix he was so focused on the bass he didn’t really practice much else with his voice. If you listen to his solo music, where he utilizes his whole range, he will blow your mind.
Dude, when I saw them at one point they put down their mics and their voices still filled the arena. I was in the nosebleeds and they were crystal clear. And Avi’s bass notes were a full body experience *with* mics.
You can see them perform this song live on their recent Hollywood Bowl performance where Mitch does the guitar solo with just his voice and a microphone. Also as someone else suggested watch their Making of Evergreen video to see how their songs are put together and how well they work together.
You really need to watch the produced version of their music then watch a live version just to compare and see how close they actually are. They are amazing! One of their chief goals is to be able to sound the same on tour as they sound in the studio. You mentioned Kevin and Avi's years of working together as their reason for melding so well...au contraire! You need to go watch Season 3 of The Sing Off...singing competition which they won. Scott, Mitch, and Kirstie were friends and brought Avi in shortly before entering the competition. Kevin met the group the DAY BEFORE THE AUDITION. Kevin and Avi were often referred to as "Meat and Potatoes" throughout the competition because they melded so well...it wasn't the years, it was just serendipity. And...Kevin did sing the last line.
They start out with no bass, partly for effect, since it's so impressive when Avi joins in later, and partly because Queen had no bass singer, so they were keeping as close as possible to the original intro. Also, that panning is an homage to Queen, since they did that, too, in their recording. Yes, Kevin and Avi were a remarkable team. They lived together from the early days and practiced supporting each other through the bass lines, percussion and sound effects. Since Queen had no bass singer, most of Avi's singing parts are PTX add-ons. I'm so loving your reactions! You're picking up on so many of the things that we love about the group, including how well they work together and share the spotlight, highlighting each member's strengths. We also love their creativity and ingenuity in the arranging and videography. Imo, the longer the video, the better, especially when you rewind and go over a part that you really liked, or to share a technical note with us. We like to learn, too! 🙂
"the longer the video, the better, especially when you rewind and go over a part that you really liked, or to share a technical note with us. We like to learn, too! " YES YES YES! :D
Tim Foust and Geoff Castellucci also blow out speakers, both with 5+ octave range. Check out Geoff s cover of Sixteen Tons. He is a member of Voice Play. Tim also has his own stuff. Tim is part of Home Free. Watch Kevin's KOver of Down on his channel he actually creates the whole thing right in front of you. Everything PTX and Home Free does is totally awesome. Avi is featured with Home Free on Ring of Fire.
When the group was competing in the Sing Off ( in 2011, I think it was) Sean Stockman , one of the judges, nicknamed Avi and Kevin ..Meat and Potatoes ...the staple of many good things. The part where they are doing the call and answer "Bismilla we will not let you go" Scott is doing all parts with both Avi and Mitch ( the low voices) and with Kevin and Kirstie doing the high. It took the group 5 years working together before they felt confident enough to do the video. There are two tributes to Queen within the video. The four shooting stars representative of Queens 4 members and to Dr Brian May, lead guitar and astrophysicist who has a comet named after him. And the sprawl on the couch just after the shooting stars is done to imitate the cover of Queen's album Sheer Heart Attack.
Mitch does that high note by himself. I know someone else said that Kevin sings the last line, he does but I think it is harmony. Some songs they do, each member slides back and forth from lead to harmony so seamlessly it is mind boggling. Mich's high notes are always amazing, but it is thr richness and smoothness of his midrange that melts my heart. So much good stuff to look forward to.
I am a huge Queen fan, they are my most favorite band ever, I listen to them at least once a day. PTX did such a great job on this. I have listened to this song so many times from Queen and they put in everything on this, the panning effects were there in the original from Queen version as well. When you think about it they were perfect for this song, Queen was known for their harmonies as well. And no, Mitch does those guitar parts live without the megaphone? 👍🏻 They really honored Queen with this, IMO. Thank you for your reaction! T ❤️
What is so awesome about their performances is that you could watch it 1000 times and it never gets old. Plus you recognize new things you missed the prior time/times. It's like constant treats 😁 The fact that people will question the possibility of what they're hearing, no matter how many times you hear them. They are simply THAT amazing! Live performances prove how good they are.
If you think you may still have trouble remembering Kevin's name at times, go to Kevin's solo channel (KO) & watch his cover of Down by Marion Hill, you will never, ever, ever forget his name!!! Lol!!! This will blow your mind & introduce you to his level of super-multi-talent!!
I was sitting in a metal folding chair, got up for some water leaving my phone playing on the chair. When Avi sang, the chair vibrated! That was crazy!
Yes, Mitch is doing the guitar solo sound on his own. The megaphone is just a prop. The live version is amazing also! I am really enjoying your reactions to PTX! I am now a Pentaholic! And I have only started watching and hearing them this year! AMAZING! 🤗💚
They took a long time to get the arrangement and execution right because it is such and important song. This is them not rushing it to market, but fixing it, thinking about it and fixing it some more.
Here is the link to Bohemian Rhapsody that was on the Hollywood Bowl live with Matt as the bass singer. You will be so happy to hear this live. Mitch doesn't need a megaphone to make the guitar sounds he makes on his own. th-cam.com/video/nMFPsouaum0/w-d-xo.html
The other thing you can tell in a live performance is just how *little* of audio in the official video was done with looping and added reverb and such. Yes, in the video they're lip-synching to the studio recording that they've already made, but just about the only thing added electronically is the panning (which they don't even try to do in a live performance).
Hi, thank you for being you. Really enjoy the reactions and conversation. After you have viewed and reacted to some more of their music library, I believe you will enjoy the Evergreen behind scenes, it introduces you to their processes.
It is joyous to me to watch your Ptx journey!! It just tickles me so much to see your appreciation of their talent. I hope you can make one of their live concerts!! They are just getting ready to embark on a Christmas tour!! I was in the front at the edge of the stage last yr for their Evergreen Experience. I have a huge reaction request for one of the songs they performed - "Joyful, Joyful Live from the Evergreen Experience"... and it's not because I am actually in the video - fangirling madly in the front row- LOL - it's bcoz it was my fav performance of the entire night & you will just love it!!! Oh, I am totally ok with as much talking about Ptx as you can throw at us!! My 1st reaction to this song by them, after having watched them win The Sing-Off & release multiple other songs on YT that blew my mind was "Holy cow, they can still surprise & amaze me, just when I didn't think they could get any better!". And of course, I am still having that response each time they release new music, 10+ yrs later!! Their new Christmas album is a genius, magnificent, epic work of art!!!
2:14 "Oh boy. This is going to be hard. This is going to be like the ultimate Mitch-slap for me." And I think, "You have no idea! And you also have no idea how much you're going to like it."
You should look for the video where Scott and Mitch are answering questions by writing with Sharpies on poster board, and the markers squeak, and Mitch utterly imitates the sounds they make right after. His an amazing mimic.
As others have mentioned, Avi is a basso profundo, trained to that as an opera and classical voice major in college, and was offered a position with the Los Angeles Opera about the same time he was asked to join PTX for The Sing Off in 2011. That training gave him the ability to be strong, clear and flexible in those low, low ranges (check out his collaboration with Peter Hollens, "Black is the Color" for his awesome solo), as well as the training to expand his vocal range in octaves (he's got a reputation for his clean 2-octave drops, for example). He's said that when his voice changed at around 14, it affected his speaking voice so much, he had to learn to raise his pitch when talking so that people could understand him. (If you want to hear what his normal speaking voice sounds like, check out the opening of his cover of "House of the Rising Sun" from his August 2019 show in Dallas. His voice in the intro is his normal speaking voice, and you could feel it in your chest if you were in the audience, as you could when he hit those super low notes. th-cam.com/video/Hk_Mh4SweXQ/w-d-xo.html
The choral director at Avi’s high school posted on a choral website right after Pentatonix won The Sing Off. He talked about how, when Avi walked into his chorus room in freshman year with that amazing bass voice so new (since his voice had dropped the summer before), he immediately was rewriting his curriculum to utilize this incredible talent. He knew how incredible Avi was already and could become with the right training. A few years later he organized an all-day singing workshop for all of his students with professional singing coaches, including Trist Curless (now the bass singer for the Manhattan Transfer). He had Trist give a one-on-one session to Avi on how a bass singer utilizes a microphone to maximum effect. Trist later went on to be PTX’s sound engineer on one of their tours as seen on the PTXperience videos.
We Pentaholics don't want to scare off new reactors until they have a feel for PTX, but I think you are at the point where "The Beginners Guide to Pentatonix" would not be overkill. th-cam.com/video/lDxIfwfCmQE/w-d-xo.html . This goes through each member in turn with some snips of them doing the solo. It then covers some of the history of the group - it is a couple of yesrs old now, so no modern stuff. It does show how many songs you still have to react to! Also worth a look is the "Recording of Evergreen" th-cam.com/video/M60SKKkQLqo/w-d-xo.html which is a very recent album. Due to schedules they had 2 weeks to arrange and record the whole album. A camera was invited in for the second week. You get to see some of the creative process!! Absolute GOLD!
11:05 the effects are only Mitch's own voice, heck the megaphone is only being used as a prop. he isnt really using it, just holding it in his hand for visual appeal.
they use some eq and distortion on his mic to get a megaphone-like effect for the music video and some live performances. tho for some live shows, they just skip the effect and you hear the raw vocal, which is still impressive, but doesn't sound like the video.
Please please pleaseeeee do their cover of Imagine!! It will lift your soul out of your body lol no joke!! And yes, Mitch does that guitar solo live without the megaphone..it's just a prop for show
There are just so many songs to request, but I think you need to do an original like Love Again, a mash-up like New RulesxAre You That Somebody and an excellent live medley like 90’s Dance Medley from the Hollywood Bowl (posted by Miles Reuben for best quality). I would also love for you to hear Mitch do a solo cover of Your Power. For a Christmas song, Mary Did You Know is an epic classic of theirs. Please. 🙏🏻💜
PTX IS SO INVENTIVE, BESIDES HAVING GREAT VOICES AND HARMONIES. THEY ARE PERFECT TOGETHER. LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOUR NEXT REACTIONS. SO, SO MANY VIDEOS AND SONGS TO COVER, LIKE: RUN TO YOU, CAN YOU FEEL THE LOVE TONIGHT, MAD WORLD, DREAMS, SHALLOW, WAVING THROUGH A WINDOW, COME ALONG, BLINDING LIGHTS, MARY DID YOU KNOW, COFFEE IN BED, SAY SOMETHING, BE MY EYES, LIGHT IN THE HALLWAY, NEW RULES X ARE YOU THAT SOMEBODY? (MY FAVORITE). DON'T FREAK OUT. THIS BARELY SCRATCHES THE SURFACE. BILLY BOY
Great reaction. Normally I would say to wait for the live performance of Aha at the Star Vista, Singapore. But I think it would be good to check out as it would show how good they are live, as well as a great Avi bass, and how high Mitch can get. If you do check it out be aware that Kevin is indeed there, just not on camera. Everyone always asks where he is. :)
PTX decided to do this one, then waited 5 years before they felt comfortable enough to actually put this together. This shows how dedicated they are to be as perfect as posible. They were worried about the guitar solos until Mitch said he could do it, just get me a megaphone and "I've got this".
One more thing...you asked about the engineering of their music. For years, a lot of it has been by Ben Bram, their principle arranger and producer, and the final mixing done by Mixing Maven, Ed Boyer
I love watching up and coming Pentaholics. I have watched hundreds of reactions to PTX and it is a joy every time. One song that is my absolute favorite that people don't mention as much as some others is their one take cover of Kiaras Gold really showcases their ability to perform a song that will have you going 'how?' Because the original is full of production and synth all throughout it. And PTXs interpretation is unreal.
If you really want to hear Avi on his own, try Change On The Rise on Avi Kaplan's channel. He does all the voices and there is minimal instrumentation.
I've already recommended you check out Avi's latest - the live studio version of his original "When I'm a Fool" done at Sunset Sound, but I'd also recommend the live version of his "All Is Well" that was filmed in a church in Utrecht, Netherlands during his European tour earlier this year. It's just him, his resonant voice, his acoustic guitar, and the acoustics of the building. Here's the link: th-cam.com/video/sNjbAAjF4Tg/w-d-xo.html
I love your excitement when reacting to Pentatonix. They are incredible. They did an excellent job with this song and video. Happy that you enjoyed it. Kevin is a magical unicorn alien. I look forward to more of your Pentatonix reactions.
Please put Popspring Performance 2016. On your list. You get to hear three orginal songs and The evolution of Michael Jackson. Its live and so much fun. Really liking your reactions. :)
That's true, but for the music video, they did some eq and light distortion on his "guitar" solo to make it sound as if it had gone thru a megaphone. His clean vocal in live performances sounds quite different.
Glad you're reacting to PTX, now that you've gone down the rabbit hole, start from their beginning with the Sing-Off competition you will find out how they came together❤️
Brian May is actually Dr. Brian May. He is an astrophysicist. His PhD thesis a survey of radial velocities in the zodiacal dust cloud" was published in 2007 and is a popular astronomy book of the same name. He started his research in 1970 and then stopped to run around the world in this rock band named Queen. Maybe you've heard of them maybe you haven't I had to Google them. That's sarcasm. The megaphone is a prop. Mitch does not use it in the live performances. the voice you hear when they're looking at the stars is the same voice Mitch uses with the megaphone . The shot at the sky is homage to Brian May. Brian May was so impressed with the video that he posted it on all of his social media sites. The part where Mitch is lying down on the couch and Kevin and Avi are walking beside it are to represent the pallbearers carrying Freddie's coffin . The shot at the end when they're looking up at the sky always puzzled me because there are four shooting stars and I always wondered about that because there are 5 members in PTX. I read in a comment that it's an homage to Queen because there are 4 members in Queen. At least that's how I interpret the shooting stars. The moving couch pays homage to how they started. They worked on this song for six years to get it where it is right now. This is a link to a live version of Bohemian Rhapsody. I think it was filmed off of somebody's phone. th-cam.com/video/C1PelJIxHTQ/w-d-xo.html At their concert on the Hollywood Bowl on September 29th they do Bohemian Rhapsody and their is video of that performance. I don't know if anyone's mentioned it but on December 2nd Pentatonix will be lied streaming a concert and I'm pretty sure it's their Christmas album for this year on Disney+
What drew my attention is that Pentatonix did the entire song. Queen left the stage for the pre-recorded "opera" section when they performed live because they did not want to "fake" anything.
Some songs where you can hear Kevin sing more--besides his solo stuff which is amazing--are Mary Did You Know, Imagine, and Amazing Grace. Kevin also does some incredible throat beatboxing in their original song Love Again, an EDM style masterpiece (but I've read this technique hurt his throat so he doesn't do it on any other songs that I know of).
OMG!!! I'm so loving your reaction to PTX!! How?? They're incredibly talented. You really need to watch their live stuff. Thank you for reacting to them.
That was Kevin singing "any way the wind blows" at the end of the song. There are a few songs where Kevin sings last because he is usually so needed for percussion throughout the song. You will recognize his voice more as you listen to more of their music. You might also react to Kevin's solo performance of Down to get an idea of what a musical unicorn he really is.
When I first heard this all I could follow was Mitch but on many many repeated listenings, I hear all the background fills and swells and in and out and, of course, Kevin + Avi, they are really 🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯
You're doing great!!! Obviously...you're a major fan...that's why you've learned everything so fast. I've been a Pentaholic since 2012. No looking back!!!!!!!!!!!!! P.S. They do this live regularly...so they know it REALLY well.
Nope, that last line *was* Kevin. You were right the first time. :) He can sing too! (When you get into the Christmas songs, grab "Mary Did You Know?" He's in there, singing.)
Yes Chris, Mitch has many more songs where he can go higher. His voice spans 6 octaves and a vocal range of A1 - B7. I wont tell you what songs...it's so much fun watching you get Mitch slapped. There is a video of how Pentatonix filmed Bohemian Rhapsody. th-cam.com/video/Q8ugJnIG_Lk/w-d-xo.html or search "[Behind the Scenes] - Bohemian Rhapsody - Pentatonix". When PTX does Bohemian Rhapsody live, Mitch performs the guitar section without the megaphone.
As to Avi (and Matt) and their ability to sing low - that is mostly determined by anatomy, by how your neck and throat and lungs and head are put together. Training can help you use that part of your range a bit better, but training can't really expand your vocal range lower than your anatomy allows. (Until we start talking sub-harmonics, but these guys aren't using that technique.) Training can help you sing higher, but not lower. So far, I haven't heard you react to anything that's really low. What these men have is a beautiful tone in their lower range. And that is what training can do for you. (A good sound engineer helps a bit, too. But they can only do so much.)
Ha ha: here are recomandations for the best mitchslap videos: - Aha live Singapoore (imogen heap cover) - problem - can you feel the love tonight - come along - your power (solo project) - first noel Ands so many more but this will do i think 😉 have fun!
As a producer, I think you might enjoy doing a reaction to last year's Christmas album "The Recording of Evergreen." Great way to see how they work together to create the magic.
Scott always wants their videos set in a way that when they do the live version it the same they can repeat it as close as possible. Also you might want to check out their 90s Dance Medaly. This will really show case Kevin's b'boxing. Great reation😊
The best song they've ever done is whichever one you're listening to at the moment. The most amazing singer of them is whoever has the lead at the moment. They're all just stunning.
Mitch has a talent of being able to match his voice to the original artist. One thing I do want to say that when other people react to them a lot of them constantly compare Avi and Matt. It drives me nuts. So when Avi is on, talk about him. When Matt is on, pretend Avi wasn't there. It isn't fair to Matt or their new music. You're doing great so far. And yes, Mitch was doing the guitar with his voice. The megaphone was a prop. He does it later without it. Did anyone mention Brian May posted it on his Twitter and loved it? Or that it took ptx 5 years to get this done how they wanted?
I cant help but think how much better songs would sound like with avi I feel so bad for matt he an amazing singer and is so worth the spot in the group
I too hate this comparison. Avi left, gone to greener pastures where he excels. But so many people want him back, and get vitriolic with their scorn, their hatred of Matt. What do you really want? Force Avi to stay with PTX? Keep him where he wasn't happy professionally and personally (slavery, coercion anyone). Drop the comparisons people, enjoy Matt for his excellent qualities, of which there are many and enjoy Avi for being with PTX at the beginning and for the extra music we now get since he left.
You should react to one of their live recordings now. Videos like their 'Evolution of Michael Jackson' and 'Gold' are live studio recordings, or they have a live Christmas performance of 'Hallelujah' that is very good.
I would love to see your reaction to them performing this song live. It is even more incredible what they can do with this song completely live. It completely shook me the first time and every time after.
Avi is a natural basso profundo, the deepest human voice. I have read somewhere that when his voice changed, he had to teach himself to speak in a higher register so that people could hear him. True or not, he has one of the most amazing voices around at the moment - you really must listen to some of his solo music. Although undoubtedly there is some engineering input, if you check out their live videos, you will see how close they get to the studio versions. BTW : the swap between left and right speakers is exactly what Queen does in the original recording. (I think the Beatles used the technique in 'Back In The USSR' in 1968)
you have even better appreciation for what they do when you watch some of their live stuff and see how tight and amazing they still are without engineering
This song is an example of a performance that you just can’t choose between it and the original. What makes the song a classic is on full display in this cover, difference is that PTX uses voice to take the role of the instruments. I think it’s harder to arrange a production like this, but as a Queen fan I’m torn as are others. What I don’t understand is the more than 100,000 dislikes, I’m sure it has to do with the video itself. Maybe they think that PTX should have just walked in, stood still and played it deadpan. The way I remember it, we sat on our couch in the living room or garage and belted out this song at the top of our lungs. I’m sure it looked a lot like this. I just wish it could have sounded this good
I would not go so far as to say that this one is better than the original, as Freddie & Queen are iconic performing this song. What I will say is that the vast majority of PTX's covers are definitely "upgrades" that are, indeed, better than the originals. I am enjoying your enthusiastic journey down the ginormous PTX rabbit hole. In my mind, Pentatonix is the most talented musical group performing today.
I would, remember Queen had a huge array of musical instruments and mixers, these guys .. it's all them. If I had seen Queen do this with no instruments this good , then maybe.
You're going to think I'm a heretic for saying this, but I actually don't like Queen's version very much. To start with, I didn't understand the lyrics - it sounded like Freddy Mercury was claiming to be a murderer - so I went online and looked for an explanation, and I found one; it's about coming out of the closet. Okay, that makes sense; I have enough gay friends to have some idea how they must feel about that. So now I "get" the metaphors. I also appreciate the technical prowess that went into the original recording. But I still don't *like* it. Yet I do like Pentatonix's version of it. So why? I've thought long and hard about this, and now I think I know why. It's about the instruments. The original version is extremely heavy on musical instruments, mostly piano and electric guitars, and to me, the song doesn't need instruments (except for the guitar solos, of course). What it needs is the music that was being played on those instruments, not the instruments themselves. Obviously, Queen had to rely on instruments; no one can fault them for that, least of all me. But now that there's someone who can provide the music without the instruments I find it much easier to enjoy the song.
You should really try a live performance. I’d suggest pop spring (3 originals and the evolution of Michael Jackson) and also Joyful Joyful from their Evergreen tour. Ben Bram helps with arrangements and EdBoyer usually does their sound engineering. Love your enthusiasm. You can see behind the scenes of last years Christmas album (the making of Evergreen)
Love this so much. I really appreciate your commentary. I would recommend Imagine and then The prayer and then it’ll be time for some of the “just for fun” songs.
Love your reaction! Kevin is basically a human instrument! You should see him when he beatboxes and plays the cello at the same time! You can see them singing this live recently at the Hollywood Bowl. I love watching reactors' expressions when Mitch does the guitar solo with his voice! No effects on Mitch's voice - he sings it live the same way and the megaphone was just a prop for the video. This is one of the best a cappella covers ever made and Brian May thinks so too. Wait till you see Mitch and Avi on Aha-Singapore. It's insane and Avi blew the speakers (it happened a lot). It's a fan made video.
That high note on the third 'me' following Kirstin actually was Mitch on his own. Focus on him if you re-watch that part and it's quite clear, and if you close your eyes and listen, it's definitely his voice - it's 'thinner' than Kirstin's.
So, some things to know about this cover and video: -It took PTX years to get the arrangement to where they felt they could do the original masterpiece justice. -The cover, and especially the video, was meant to be an homage to Queen. Some of the moments paying respect were: The mono-recording of the line "easy come, easy go" followed by the panning of the voices from left to right on the line "little high, little low" (which is how the original was recorded), obviously the flashlights being used to mimic the lighting on the operatic part of the original video, the four shooting stars to represent the four members of Queen, as well as acknowledge the fact that Dr. Brian May is an astrophysicist, and the overhead shot of them lying on the couch is to represent the Sheer Heart Attack album cover. -The megaphone was just a prop. It is not needed to reproduce the electric guitar distortion. -PTX can, and does, perform this live with no backing track...something even Queen and the Great Freddie Mercury could not do. -Freddy once said he didn't care what people did with his music as long as they "...don't make it boring, darling!", so I think he would absolutely approve. -The overall video--with the "living room" and couch--is an homage to Pentatonix's own journey as a group. They lost their record deal right after winning the Sing Off and moving to LA, so they started putting out videos on TH-cam, performing covers. They would sit on the couch in Kevin (beatboxer) and Avi's (bass) living room and just record themselves on Mitch's (counter tenor who took the lead on this song) iPad. Some of their earliest videos went viral and they eventually were able to secure a new deal, record an EP, go on tour, release chart-topping albums and win three Grammy awards...so they moved out of the living room and down this new, unknown road. At the end of the day, though, they're still the same choir-nerds they've always been; just happy to sit together on a couch and sing. Also brian mays of queen post this video upon hearing this with the word...:ENJOY"
And *this* ( 10:30 ) is the Mitch-slap we've all been looking forward to, the one where Mitch suddenly turns into an electric guitar. The megaphone has nothing to do with the guitar solo except that Mitch saw it lying there on the set and thought it would be cool to use it as a prop, and it's been confusing people ever since. Please note that he also does this in live performances with nothing but a microphone; the guitar is all Mitch. Also note Kirstie hamming it up with an air guitar while Mitch is providing the sound of the guitar. And yes, the second guitar solo, during the shooting stars scene, is also Mitch.
Pentatonix performed this live at the Hollywood Bowl just over a month ago. It was livestreamed and somoene has been uploading a lot of their performances from that night. Here's a link to the Bohemian Rhapsody performance: th-cam.com/video/nMFPsouaum0/w-d-xo.html
You have to check out Avi's solo work. "Change on the Rise", "I'm Only Getting Started", "All Is Well", "I'll Get By"...and many others. His voice is amazing, and his song writing is too.
Loving your reactions. I love when reactors really notice the incredible work that Kevin does here, as well as everything else he touches. We Pentaholics live vicariously through people like you, experiencing PTX for the first time. You have so many wonderful surprises awaiting you, as well as some incredibly beautiful music. I'm a Mitch fan all the way, but they are all amazing. You will be getting lots of suggestions, so all I will say is, don't overlook their Sing Off performances. And, when you are ready, check out Superfruit which was Mitch and Scott's vlog from years ago. It's funny and they made the most wonderful music together (includes slight instrumentation). Enjoy!
Brian May was so impressed with their version that he put a link to it on social media saying “Enjoy”.
These people are otherworldly, as we know.
Didn't know about the Brian May thing.
I knew Leonard Cohen gave them the best compliment before he passed.
I have the opportunity to see them in person in September because I'm going to visit my friend in Texas. If we can get tickets, and I could go, I could fully die happy. Even if I immediately just drop dead after I leave the concert. 😅😅😅😅❤
I've seen them twice when they came to Oklahoma. Absolutely phenomenal!! And someone else said Kevin is a genius on his solo work. 100% fact!
I remember a quote from when this was released: “How will we handle the guitar solo? Mitch: hold my beer”
Once you start reacting to Kevin Olusola's solo work, you will then see the GENIUS that he really is😍
I love Special K. He is so awesome!
I love how he commented on how if Kevin is a bit off, it all falls off... Which is true... But also, he has said that when he makes a mistake he just goes with it and people think "oh, he's changing it up. Adding a backbeat" haha... Scott also mentioned that one time Kevin could not stop sneezing during a show so he did his best to try and add the sneezes on beat and hoping that people thought it was just beat boxing, haha
Yes… he needs to see this!
I've been calling him "musical Michael Winslow" 🤣
Kevin is just awesome so special 😍
Yes, Scott was doubling up on the bass in the middle section with Avi. If you want to be blown away by Scott's lower register, I recommend The Prayer. It has some great Mitch slap moments in it too.
“I should tell ya momma on you” was the one that really opened my eyes to Scott’s range
Ya gotta love those Mitch slaps! :-)
I live for those Mitch slapped moments. There’s nothing better. My favorite Mitch slap is The Prayer.
My Favorite Mitch slap is their cover of Aha live in Singapore.
Mitch is both Freddie Mercury AND Brian May in this performance. Mitch's vocal talents are outstanding.
Mitch is a brilliant mimic as well as an incredible 6 octave range singing. So he does this without a megaphone 🤯🤯 they all are so talented
If you want to,see them behind the scenes they have a you tube video,about “making Evergreen “. Which was Last years Christmas album
Its a fun thing to play as it won’t get blocked and you see how they work together and record.
I agree with watching the making of Evergreen, but I would watch The Prayer and Over the River first or else it will be a bit spoilery. :)
@@tasia2174 Yes you are very correct
For clarification, it is titled “Pentatonix - The Recording Of Evergreen”. However, due to spoilers, he should react to The Prayer first.
I just have to join in with the people agreeing that you should watch "Pentatonix - The Recording of Evergreen". You'll see the mixing and sound engineers in action (Ben Bram is in this video doing his thing) and see some of PTX's creative process and how they work things out on the fly. You also don't need to worry about copywrite on that one!
For me, I think it's better to see the "recording of" video before reacting to "The Prayer" (needs to get a Grammy!) and "Over The River". My logic is that you'll see them coming up with and trying different ideas for these songs in the studio, and then see how their ideas worked out in the finished product. Whatever order you choose to do things in, it'll be a great experience! 😊 ❤️
There is some very minimal distortion on Mitch guitar sounds (Kevin confirmed it). But way less than many people think, as is clear with how close he preformes it live.
And yes to reacting to recording of evergreen!
Avi trained as an opera singer, as a basso profundo, which is where the deep rich bass comes from. He got some tips from Tim Faust (the bass singer for Home Free-who won the 4th season of the sing-off), whose range is a bit bigger. Tim can reach lower notes than Avi. If you enjoy a capella, check them out, too. Avi was in a couple of their music vids, too. Oh, you want to see two real basses sing together, watch Home Free’s video for Ring of Fire, featuring Avi. I love both these groups but I really like watching people discovering PTX for the first time.
Yeah so Mitch doesn't even need the mega phone. He does that live in concert without it. Just props to show you he can do it, lol. So happy to witness your journey through this, glad I subbed! ❤
Pentatonix loves "Bohemian Rhapsody," and they love Queen. They've always wanted to do a cover of this song, but they were afraid that they couldn't do it justice, so they waited until they thought they were ready - this is part of what I'm referring to when I say that Pentatonix always treats the song and the original artist with utmost respect.
It took Pentatonix *five years* to decide they were ready, after which came arranging, choreographing, figuring out how to motorize a couch, rehearsals, and whatever else was necessary in preparation - you know more about that side of it than I do. That took several more months, perhaps as long as a year, going by the dates. I'd say it was worth the wait.
__________________________________
The starry night sky is a tribute to Brian May, who has a doctorate in astrophysics.
The four shooting stars are for the four members of Queen.
The five of them lying on the couch near the end is a reference to the cover art of Queen's _Sheer Heart Attack_ album.
And I hope that you will never again fear that PTX will ruin a cover through hubris. That's one fault that they don't possess.
One thing you noticed that many reactors miss is that they lift up whoever happens to have the lead without trying to outshine them, but rather lift them up. Their background vocals are so well placed, and without ego. They put the song first. Always.
Also, for Mitch-slap highs, Come Along, Can You Feel the Love Tonight?, Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy (Grammy winner) and God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman to name a few.
Scott doesn't get enough credit for the Bismallah (???) Section. He sings the bass part with Avi, jumps up for the higher section with Kirsty and Kevin, and keeps swapping parts/octaves. He has said he found that terribly demanding.
High note was Mitch. It you want to see him stretched watch the concert video of him in Aha! Singapore. Avi is also awesome in it. A phone recording though so not the best audio.
Avi have a gorgeous voice, all through his (very impressive) range but during his time in Pentatonix he was so focused on the bass he didn’t really practice much else with his voice. If you listen to his solo music, where he utilizes his whole range, he will blow your mind.
Yes please! Love Avi's solo stuff!
YESSS AVI IS 🔥 AMAZINGGG
Definitely check out Avi’s “Change on the Rise”
The panning effect in the beginning is an homage to the original Queen recording. That effect was on the Queen record.
Dude, when I saw them at one point they put down their mics and their voices still filled the arena. I was in the nosebleeds and they were crystal clear. And Avi’s bass notes were a full body experience *with* mics.
You can see them perform this song live on their recent Hollywood Bowl performance where Mitch does the guitar solo with just his voice and a microphone. Also as someone else suggested watch their Making of Evergreen video to see how their songs are put together and how well they work together.
You really need to watch the produced version of their music then watch a live version just to compare and see how close they actually are. They are amazing! One of their chief goals is to be able to sound the same on tour as they sound in the studio.
You mentioned Kevin and Avi's years of working together as their reason for melding so well...au contraire! You need to go watch Season 3 of The Sing Off...singing competition which they won. Scott, Mitch, and Kirstie were friends and brought Avi in shortly before entering the competition. Kevin met the group the DAY BEFORE THE AUDITION. Kevin and Avi were often referred to as "Meat and Potatoes" throughout the competition because they melded so well...it wasn't the years, it was just serendipity.
And...Kevin did sing the last line.
I second this request! I’d love to see you react to the sing off series so you can see how they began.
Kevin mouthed the words, but Mitch still sang it...listen to the tone. ❤
Yes, check out their live performance of this song at the Hollywood Bowl a few weeks ago, it was epic and it's available in a video.
I concur
They start out with no bass, partly for effect, since it's so impressive when Avi joins in later, and partly because Queen had no bass singer, so they were keeping as close as possible to the original intro. Also, that panning is an homage to Queen, since they did that, too, in their recording. Yes, Kevin and Avi were a remarkable team. They lived together from the early days and practiced supporting each other through the bass lines, percussion and sound effects. Since Queen had no bass singer, most of Avi's singing parts are PTX add-ons. I'm so loving your reactions! You're picking up on so many of the things that we love about the group, including how well they work together and share the spotlight, highlighting each member's strengths. We also love their creativity and ingenuity in the arranging and videography. Imo, the longer the video, the better, especially when you rewind and go over a part that you really liked, or to share a technical note with us. We like to learn, too! 🙂
"the longer the video, the better, especially when you rewind and go over a part that you really liked, or to share a technical note with us. We like to learn, too! "
YES YES YES! :D
I think SOME of Avi's lows were picked up by John Deacon's base guitar 🎸 in Queen's recording. JMO 😊
You would probably really enjoy listening to their original Sing Off performances. They were live and raw, and their talent was undeniable.
Tim Foust and Geoff Castellucci also blow out speakers, both with 5+ octave range. Check out Geoff s cover of Sixteen Tons. He is a member of Voice Play. Tim also has his own stuff. Tim is part of Home Free.
Watch Kevin's KOver of Down on his channel he actually creates the whole thing right in front of you.
Everything PTX and Home Free does is totally awesome. Avi is featured with Home Free on Ring of Fire.
When the group was competing in the Sing Off ( in 2011, I think it was) Sean Stockman , one of the judges, nicknamed Avi and Kevin ..Meat and Potatoes ...the staple of many good things.
The part where they are doing the call and answer "Bismilla we will not let you go" Scott is doing all parts with both Avi and Mitch ( the low voices) and with Kevin and Kirstie doing the high.
It took the group 5 years working together before they felt confident enough to do the video.
There are two tributes to Queen within the video. The four shooting stars representative of Queens 4 members and to Dr Brian May, lead guitar and astrophysicist who has a comet named after him. And the sprawl on the couch just after the shooting stars is done to imitate the cover of Queen's album Sheer Heart Attack.
Mitch does that high note by himself.
I know someone else said that Kevin sings the last line, he does but I think it is harmony.
Some songs they do, each member slides back and forth from lead to harmony so seamlessly it is mind boggling.
Mich's high notes are always amazing, but it is thr richness and smoothness of his midrange that melts my heart.
So much good stuff to look forward to.
I am a huge Queen fan, they are my most favorite band ever, I listen to them at least once a day. PTX did such a great job on this. I have listened to this song so many times from Queen and they put in everything on this, the panning effects were there in the original from Queen version as well. When you think about it they were perfect for this song, Queen was known for their harmonies as well. And no, Mitch does those guitar parts live without the megaphone? 👍🏻 They really honored Queen with this, IMO. Thank you for your reaction! T ❤️
What is so awesome about their performances is that you could watch it 1000 times and it never gets old. Plus you recognize new things you missed the prior time/times. It's like constant treats 😁
The fact that people will question the possibility of what they're hearing, no matter how many times you hear them. They are simply THAT amazing! Live performances prove how good they are.
If you think you may still have trouble remembering Kevin's name at times, go to Kevin's solo channel (KO) & watch his cover of Down by Marion Hill, you will never, ever, ever forget his name!!! Lol!!! This will blow your mind & introduce you to his level of super-multi-talent!!
Gold needs to be the next stop on your PTX journey.
Avi is a ‘basso profundo’ which is a range lower than ‘bass’. It’s a rare voice type.
I was sitting in a metal folding chair, got up for some water leaving my phone playing on the chair. When Avi sang, the chair vibrated! That was crazy!
Yes, Mitch is doing the guitar solo sound on his own. The megaphone is just a prop. The live version is amazing also! I am really enjoying your reactions to PTX! I am now a Pentaholic! And I have only started watching and hearing them this year! AMAZING! 🤗💚
They took a long time to get the arrangement and execution right because it is such and important song. This is them not rushing it to market, but fixing it, thinking about it and fixing it some more.
Here is the link to Bohemian Rhapsody that was on the Hollywood Bowl live with Matt as the bass singer. You will be so happy to hear this live. Mitch doesn't need a megaphone to make the guitar sounds he makes on his own. th-cam.com/video/nMFPsouaum0/w-d-xo.html
The other thing you can tell in a live performance is just how *little* of audio in the official video was done with looping and added reverb and such. Yes, in the video they're lip-synching to the studio recording that they've already made, but just about the only thing added electronically is the panning (which they don't even try to do in a live performance).
Hi, thank you for being you. Really enjoy the reactions and conversation. After you have viewed and reacted to some more of their music library, I believe you will enjoy the Evergreen behind scenes, it introduces you to their processes.
It is joyous to me to watch your Ptx journey!! It just tickles me so much to see your appreciation of their talent. I hope you can make one of their live concerts!! They are just getting ready to embark on a Christmas tour!! I was in the front at the edge of the stage last yr for their Evergreen Experience. I have a huge reaction request for one of the songs they performed - "Joyful, Joyful Live from the Evergreen Experience"... and it's not because I am actually in the video - fangirling madly in the front row- LOL - it's bcoz it was my fav performance of the entire night & you will just love it!!!
Oh, I am totally ok with as much talking about Ptx as you can throw at us!!
My 1st reaction to this song by them, after having watched them win The Sing-Off & release multiple other songs on YT that blew my mind was "Holy cow, they can still surprise & amaze me, just when I didn't think they could get any better!". And of course, I am still having that response each time they release new music, 10+ yrs later!! Their new Christmas album is a genius, magnificent, epic work of art!!!
2:14 "Oh boy. This is going to be hard. This is going to be like the ultimate Mitch-slap for me."
And I think, "You have no idea! And you also have no idea how much you're going to like it."
You should look for the video where Scott and Mitch are answering questions by writing with Sharpies on poster board, and the markers squeak, and Mitch utterly imitates the sounds they make right after. His an amazing mimic.
As others have mentioned, Avi is a basso profundo, trained to that as an opera and classical voice major in college, and was offered a position with the Los Angeles Opera about the same time he was asked to join PTX for The Sing Off in 2011. That training gave him the ability to be strong, clear and flexible in those low, low ranges (check out his collaboration with Peter Hollens, "Black is the Color" for his awesome solo), as well as the training to expand his vocal range in octaves (he's got a reputation for his clean 2-octave drops, for example). He's said that when his voice changed at around 14, it affected his speaking voice so much, he had to learn to raise his pitch when talking so that people could understand him. (If you want to hear what his normal speaking voice sounds like, check out the opening of his cover of "House of the Rising Sun" from his August 2019 show in Dallas. His voice in the intro is his normal speaking voice, and you could feel it in your chest if you were in the audience, as you could when he hit those super low notes. th-cam.com/video/Hk_Mh4SweXQ/w-d-xo.html
The choral director at Avi’s high school posted on a choral website right after Pentatonix won The Sing Off. He talked about how, when Avi walked into his chorus room in freshman year with that amazing bass voice so new (since his voice had dropped the summer before), he immediately was rewriting his curriculum to utilize this incredible talent. He knew how incredible Avi was already and could become with the right training. A few years later he organized an all-day singing workshop for all of his students with professional singing coaches, including Trist Curless (now the bass singer for the Manhattan Transfer). He had Trist give a one-on-one session to Avi on how a bass singer utilizes a microphone to maximum effect. Trist later went on to be PTX’s sound engineer on one of their tours as seen on the PTXperience videos.
@@kathyastrom1315 thank you. It's awesome learning more about his journey.
We Pentaholics don't want to scare off new reactors until they have a feel for PTX, but I think you are at the point where "The Beginners Guide to Pentatonix" would not be overkill. th-cam.com/video/lDxIfwfCmQE/w-d-xo.html . This goes through each member in turn with some snips of them doing the solo. It then covers some of the history of the group - it is a couple of yesrs old now, so no modern stuff. It does show how many songs you still have to react to! Also worth a look is the "Recording of Evergreen" th-cam.com/video/M60SKKkQLqo/w-d-xo.html which is a very recent album. Due to schedules they had 2 weeks to arrange and record the whole album. A camera was invited in for the second week. You get to see some of the creative process!! Absolute GOLD!
Not to yuck your yum, but I find it really frustrating when people recommend that video. So many spoilers!
I do love the recording Evergreen album video though. He just needs to at least react to The Prayer first.
11:05 the effects are only Mitch's own voice, heck the megaphone is only being used as a prop. he isnt really using it, just holding it in his hand for visual appeal.
they use some eq and distortion on his mic to get a megaphone-like effect for the music video and some live performances. tho for some live shows, they just skip the effect and you hear the raw vocal, which is still impressive, but doesn't sound like the video.
Please please pleaseeeee do their cover of Imagine!! It will lift your soul out of your body lol no joke!!
And yes, Mitch does that guitar solo live without the megaphone..it's just a prop for show
There are just so many songs to request, but I think you need to do an original like Love Again, a mash-up like New RulesxAre You That Somebody and an excellent live medley like 90’s Dance Medley from the Hollywood Bowl (posted by Miles Reuben for best quality). I would also love for you to hear Mitch do a solo cover of Your Power. For a Christmas song, Mary Did You Know is an epic classic of theirs. Please. 🙏🏻💜
Yes to all of these!
Nothing but pure magic in this PTX rendition. Loved that man!
PTX IS SO INVENTIVE, BESIDES HAVING GREAT VOICES AND HARMONIES. THEY ARE PERFECT TOGETHER. LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOUR NEXT REACTIONS. SO, SO MANY VIDEOS AND SONGS TO COVER, LIKE: RUN TO YOU, CAN YOU FEEL THE LOVE TONIGHT, MAD WORLD, DREAMS, SHALLOW, WAVING THROUGH A WINDOW, COME ALONG, BLINDING LIGHTS, MARY DID YOU KNOW, COFFEE IN BED, SAY SOMETHING, BE MY EYES, LIGHT IN THE HALLWAY, NEW RULES X ARE YOU THAT SOMEBODY? (MY FAVORITE). DON'T FREAK OUT. THIS BARELY SCRATCHES THE SURFACE. BILLY BOY
Great reaction. Normally I would say to wait for the live performance of Aha at the Star Vista, Singapore. But I think it would be good to check out as it would show how good they are live, as well as a great Avi bass, and how high Mitch can get. If you do check it out be aware that Kevin is indeed there, just not on camera. Everyone always asks where he is. :)
Idk if he's ready for that yet, it might break him lol.
Aha at Singapore might be the ultimate Mitch slap 😅 But I am here for it!
Maybe watch the official video then the live performance?
PTX decided to do this one, then waited 5 years before they felt comfortable enough to actually put this together. This shows how dedicated they are to be as perfect as posible. They were worried about the guitar solos until Mitch said he could do it, just get me a megaphone and "I've got this".
One more thing...you asked about the engineering of their music. For years, a lot of it has been by Ben Bram, their principle arranger and producer, and the final mixing done by Mixing Maven, Ed Boyer
I love watching up and coming Pentaholics. I have watched hundreds of reactions to PTX and it is a joy every time. One song that is my absolute favorite that people don't mention as much as some others is their one take cover of Kiaras Gold really showcases their ability to perform a song that will have you going 'how?' Because the original is full of production and synth all throughout it. And PTXs interpretation is unreal.
If you really want to hear Avi on his own, try Change On The Rise on Avi Kaplan's channel. He does all the voices and there is minimal instrumentation.
I've already recommended you check out Avi's latest - the live studio version of his original "When I'm a Fool" done at Sunset Sound, but I'd also recommend the live version of his "All Is Well" that was filmed in a church in Utrecht, Netherlands during his European tour earlier this year. It's just him, his resonant voice, his acoustic guitar, and the acoustics of the building. Here's the link: th-cam.com/video/sNjbAAjF4Tg/w-d-xo.html
Yes to all of Avi of solo stuff so good! Hoping to see Avi soon!
Yes! Please react to Avi's "Change on the Rise!" It is AMAZING! Avi's voice is AMAZING!
I love your excitement when reacting to Pentatonix. They are incredible. They did an excellent job with this song and video. Happy that you enjoyed it. Kevin is a magical unicorn alien. I look forward to more of your Pentatonix reactions.
They sung this live in September at their Hollywood Bowl concert. There are TH-cam videos of it if you want to check it out.
There’s a behind the scenes of the making of this video. It’s worth a watch!
Linky for that Behind The Scenes of Bohemian Rhapsody: th-cam.com/video/Q8ugJnIG_Lk/w-d-xo.html
Please put Popspring Performance 2016. On your list. You get to hear three orginal songs and The evolution of Michael Jackson. Its live and so much fun. Really liking your reactions. :)
You need to check out Avi's solo stuff especially "Change on the Rise"
They perform this live, Mitch does not use a megaphone. It’s a prop for the video.
That's true, but for the music video, they did some eq and light distortion on his "guitar" solo to make it sound as if it had gone thru a megaphone. His clean vocal in live performances sounds quite different.
Glad you're reacting to PTX, now that you've gone down the rabbit hole, start from their beginning with the Sing-Off competition you will find out how they came together❤️
Brian May is actually Dr. Brian May. He is an astrophysicist. His PhD thesis a survey of radial velocities in the zodiacal dust cloud" was published in 2007 and is a popular astronomy book of the same name. He started his research in 1970 and then stopped to run around the world in this rock band named Queen. Maybe you've heard of them maybe you haven't I had to Google them. That's sarcasm. The megaphone is a prop. Mitch does not use it in the live performances. the voice you hear when they're looking at the stars is the same voice Mitch uses with the megaphone . The shot at the sky is homage to Brian May. Brian May was so impressed with the video that he posted it on all of his social media sites. The part where Mitch is lying down on the couch and Kevin and Avi are walking beside it are to represent the pallbearers carrying Freddie's coffin . The shot at the end when they're looking up at the sky always puzzled me because there are four shooting stars and I always wondered about that because there are 5 members in PTX. I read in a comment that it's an homage to Queen because there
are 4 members in Queen. At least that's how I interpret the shooting stars. The moving couch pays homage to how they started. They worked on this song for six years to get it where it is right now.
This is a link to a live version of Bohemian Rhapsody. I think it was filmed off of somebody's phone.
th-cam.com/video/C1PelJIxHTQ/w-d-xo.html
At their concert on the Hollywood Bowl on September 29th they do Bohemian Rhapsody and their is video of that performance.
I don't know if anyone's mentioned it but on December 2nd Pentatonix will be lied streaming a concert and I'm pretty sure it's their Christmas album for this year on Disney+
There is a " making of" video of this you should watch. You'll be surprised where they shot the video. Glad you're enjoying this as much as we are! 😁
What drew my attention is that Pentatonix did the entire song. Queen left the stage for the pre-recorded "opera" section when they performed live because they did not want to "fake" anything.
Some songs where you can hear Kevin sing more--besides his solo stuff which is amazing--are Mary Did You Know, Imagine, and Amazing Grace. Kevin also does some incredible throat beatboxing in their original song Love Again, an EDM style masterpiece (but I've read this technique hurt his throat so he doesn't do it on any other songs that I know of).
I think I've said this before, but it really is such a joy to watch you go on this journey! I love it when new Pentaholics are born.
OMG!!! I'm so loving your reaction to PTX!! How?? They're incredibly talented. You really need to watch their live stuff. Thank you for reacting to them.
Your reactions are great fun!!! It is so much fun watching someone discover PTX for the first time…especially someone as enthusiastic as you!!!
That was Kevin singing "any way the wind blows" at the end of the song. There are a few songs where Kevin sings last because he is usually so needed for percussion throughout the song. You will recognize his voice more as you listen to more of their music. You might also react to Kevin's solo performance of Down to get an idea of what a musical unicorn he really is.
When I first heard this all I could follow was Mitch but on many many repeated listenings, I hear all the background fills and swells and in and out and, of course, Kevin + Avi, they are really 🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯
You're doing great!!! Obviously...you're a major fan...that's why you've learned everything so fast. I've been a Pentaholic since 2012. No looking back!!!!!!!!!!!!! P.S. They do this live regularly...so they know it REALLY well.
This was a really great reaction! Keep 'em coming! =)
Nope, that last line *was* Kevin. You were right the first time. :) He can sing too! (When you get into the Christmas songs, grab "Mary Did You Know?" He's in there, singing.)
Yes Chris, Mitch has many more songs where he can go higher. His voice spans 6 octaves and a vocal range of A1 - B7. I wont tell you what songs...it's so much fun watching you get Mitch slapped. There is a video of how Pentatonix filmed Bohemian Rhapsody. th-cam.com/video/Q8ugJnIG_Lk/w-d-xo.html or search "[Behind the Scenes] - Bohemian Rhapsody - Pentatonix". When PTX does Bohemian Rhapsody live, Mitch performs the guitar section without the megaphone.
As to Avi (and Matt) and their ability to sing low - that is mostly determined by anatomy, by how your neck and throat and lungs and head are put together. Training can help you use that part of your range a bit better, but training can't really expand your vocal range lower than your anatomy allows. (Until we start talking sub-harmonics, but these guys aren't using that technique.) Training can help you sing higher, but not lower. So far, I haven't heard you react to anything that's really low. What these men have is a beautiful tone in their lower range. And that is what training can do for you. (A good sound engineer helps a bit, too. But they can only do so much.)
Ha ha: here are recomandations for the best mitchslap videos:
- Aha live Singapoore (imogen heap cover)
- problem
- can you feel the love tonight
- come along
- your power (solo project)
- first noel
Ands so many more but this will do i think 😉 have fun!
Watch their live performance of this at their September 2022 concert at the Hollywood Bowl. I guarantee you will be speechless!
As a producer, I think you might enjoy doing a reaction to last year's Christmas album "The Recording of Evergreen." Great way to see how they work together to create the magic.
If you're enjoying the Pentatonix rabbit hole you should check out the rest of the Acapella trifecta with Home Free and Voiceplay.
Scott always wants their videos set in a way that when they do the live version it the same they can repeat it as close as possible.
Also you might want to check out their 90s Dance Medaly. This will really show case Kevin's b'boxing.
Great reation😊
If you want a big Mitch slap then watch the prayer - angelic voice is all I can say! Also Aha in Singapore Amazing!
Idk that he's ready for Aha! yet, we don't want to jump the gun & break him. But I think The Prayer would be perfect.
The best song they've ever done is whichever one you're listening to at the moment. The most amazing singer of them is whoever has the lead at the moment. They're all just stunning.
Mitch has a talent of being able to match his voice to the original artist. One thing I do want to say that when other people react to them a lot of them constantly compare Avi and Matt. It drives me nuts. So when Avi is on, talk about him. When Matt is on, pretend Avi wasn't there. It isn't fair to Matt or their new music. You're doing great so far. And yes, Mitch was doing the guitar with his voice. The megaphone was a prop. He does it later without it. Did anyone mention Brian May posted it on his Twitter and loved it? Or that it took ptx 5 years to get this done how they wanted?
I cant help but think how much better songs would sound like with avi I feel so bad for matt he an amazing singer and is so worth the spot in the group
@@shelliblossom8953 Not helpful. Songs wouldn’t sound better, just different. Could Avi sing Mr. Grinch like Matt? Don’t think so.
@@dwfarr I know that which is why I added the I cant help it and I feel so bad for matt because I want to not think like that
I too hate this comparison. Avi left, gone to greener pastures where he excels. But so many people want him back, and get vitriolic with their scorn, their hatred of Matt. What do you really want? Force Avi to stay with PTX? Keep him where he wasn't happy professionally and personally (slavery, coercion anyone). Drop the comparisons people, enjoy Matt for his excellent qualities, of which there are many and enjoy Avi for being with PTX at the beginning and for the extra music we now get since he left.
@@joosyjulie well said
I hesitate to admit it, but I weirdly burst into tears the first time I saw this because it was so good.
Since you produce music, I highly recommend their video The Making of Evergreen. It documents how they put together their Christmas album in 2021.
You should react to one of their live recordings now. Videos like their 'Evolution of Michael Jackson' and 'Gold' are live studio recordings, or they have a live Christmas performance of 'Hallelujah' that is very good.
I would love to see your reaction to them performing this song live. It is even more incredible what they can do with this song completely live. It completely shook me the first time and every time after.
Avi is a natural basso profundo, the deepest human voice. I have read somewhere that when his voice changed, he had to teach himself to speak in a higher register so that people could hear him. True or not, he has one of the most amazing voices around at the moment - you really must listen to some of his solo music. Although undoubtedly there is some engineering input, if you check out their live videos, you will see how close they get to the studio versions. BTW : the swap between left and right speakers is exactly what Queen does in the original recording. (I think the Beatles used the technique in 'Back In The USSR' in 1968)
21 minutes, it’s Pentatonix. We all have watched them without number. I keep learning something new every time.
Don’t worry, Mitch makes us ALL feel things!!!❤
That was Kevin at the end.
you have even better appreciation for what they do when you watch some of their live stuff and see how tight and amazing they still are without engineering
This song is an example of a performance that you just can’t choose between it and the original. What makes the song a classic is on full display in this cover, difference is that PTX uses voice to take the role of the instruments. I think it’s harder to arrange a production like this, but as a Queen fan I’m torn as are others. What I don’t understand is the more than 100,000 dislikes, I’m sure it has to do with the video itself. Maybe they think that PTX should have just walked in, stood still and played it deadpan. The way I remember it, we sat on our couch in the living room or garage and belted out this song at the top of our lungs. I’m sure it looked a lot like this. I just wish it could have sounded this good
Ben Bram is their producer from the inception of PTX...
I would not go so far as to say that this one is better than the original, as Freddie & Queen are iconic performing this song. What I will say is that the vast majority of PTX's covers are definitely "upgrades" that are, indeed, better than the originals. I am enjoying your enthusiastic journey down the ginormous PTX rabbit hole. In my mind, Pentatonix is the most talented musical group performing today.
❤. Agree.
Fact. 💕
I would, remember Queen had a huge array of musical instruments and mixers, these guys .. it's all them. If I had seen Queen do this with no instruments this good , then maybe.
You're going to think I'm a heretic for saying this, but I actually don't like Queen's version very much.
To start with, I didn't understand the lyrics - it sounded like Freddy Mercury was claiming to be a murderer - so I went online and looked for an explanation, and I found one; it's about coming out of the closet. Okay, that makes sense; I have enough gay friends to have some idea how they must feel about that. So now I "get" the metaphors. I also appreciate the technical prowess that went into the original recording. But I still don't *like* it. Yet I do like Pentatonix's version of it. So why?
I've thought long and hard about this, and now I think I know why. It's about the instruments. The original version is extremely heavy on musical instruments, mostly piano and electric guitars, and to me, the song doesn't need instruments (except for the guitar solos, of course). What it needs is the music that was being played on those instruments, not the instruments themselves. Obviously, Queen had to rely on instruments; no one can fault them for that, least of all me. But now that there's someone who can provide the music without the instruments I find it much easier to enjoy the song.
@@raymueller1155 except that Freddie and Queen were the geniuses behind creating the song. That can’t be discounted.
Between these guys, Home Free, and Voice Play, each has their niche and they are all awesome.
You should really try a live performance. I’d suggest pop spring (3 originals and the evolution of Michael Jackson) and also Joyful Joyful from their Evergreen tour. Ben Bram helps with arrangements and EdBoyer usually does their sound engineering. Love your enthusiasm. You can see behind the scenes of last years Christmas album (the making of Evergreen)
Love this so much. I really appreciate your commentary. I would recommend Imagine and then The prayer and then it’ll be time for some of the “just for fun” songs.
They apparently added some distortion on the studio version. They either add distortion live in concert or do without. No megaphone usually.
I imagine trying to record the output of a megaphone would be a nightmare, so yeah, they mimic it w eq and distortion.
The coordination to do this is maddening to process
Love your reaction! Kevin is basically a human instrument! You should see him when he beatboxes and plays the cello at the same time! You can see them singing this live recently at the Hollywood Bowl. I love watching reactors' expressions when Mitch does the guitar solo with his voice! No effects on Mitch's voice - he sings it live the same way and the megaphone was just a prop for the video. This is one of the best a cappella covers ever made and Brian May thinks so too. Wait till you see Mitch and Avi on Aha-Singapore. It's insane and Avi blew the speakers (it happened a lot). It's a fan made video.
That high note on the third 'me' following Kirstin actually was Mitch on his own. Focus on him if you re-watch that part and it's quite clear, and if you close your eyes and listen, it's definitely his voice - it's 'thinner' than Kirstin's.
So, some things to know about this cover and video: -It took PTX years to get the arrangement to where they felt they could do the original masterpiece justice. -The cover, and especially the video, was meant to be an homage to Queen. Some of the moments paying respect were: The mono-recording of the line "easy come, easy go" followed by the panning of the voices from left to right on the line "little high, little low" (which is how the original was recorded), obviously the flashlights being used to mimic the lighting on the operatic part of the original video, the four shooting stars to represent the four members of Queen, as well as acknowledge the fact that Dr. Brian May is an astrophysicist, and the overhead shot of them lying on the couch is to represent the Sheer Heart Attack album cover. -The megaphone was just a prop. It is not needed to reproduce the electric guitar distortion. -PTX can, and does, perform this live with no backing track...something even Queen and the Great Freddie Mercury could not do. -Freddy once said he didn't care what people did with his music as long as they "...don't make it boring, darling!", so I think he would absolutely approve. -The overall video--with the "living room" and couch--is an homage to Pentatonix's own journey as a group. They lost their record deal right after winning the Sing Off and moving to LA, so they started putting out videos on TH-cam, performing covers. They would sit on the couch in Kevin (beatboxer) and Avi's (bass) living room and just record themselves on Mitch's (counter tenor who took the lead on this song) iPad. Some of their earliest videos went viral and they eventually were able to secure a new deal, record an EP, go on tour, release chart-topping albums and win three Grammy awards...so they moved out of the living room and down this new, unknown road. At the end of the day, though, they're still the same choir-nerds they've always been; just happy to sit together on a couch and sing. Also brian mays of queen post this video upon hearing this with the word...:ENJOY"
And *this* ( 10:30 ) is the Mitch-slap we've all been looking forward to, the one where Mitch suddenly turns into an electric guitar.
The megaphone has nothing to do with the guitar solo except that Mitch saw it lying there on the set and thought it would be cool to use it as a prop, and it's been confusing people ever since. Please note that he also does this in live performances with nothing but a microphone; the guitar is all Mitch. Also note Kirstie hamming it up with an air guitar while Mitch is providing the sound of the guitar.
And yes, the second guitar solo, during the shooting stars scene, is also Mitch.
Pentatonix performed this live at the Hollywood Bowl just over a month ago. It was livestreamed and somoene has been uploading a lot of their performances from that night. Here's a link to the Bohemian Rhapsody performance: th-cam.com/video/nMFPsouaum0/w-d-xo.html
You have to check out Avi's solo work. "Change on the Rise", "I'm Only Getting Started", "All Is Well", "I'll Get By"...and many others. His voice is amazing, and his song writing is too.
His voice... Watch live, Mitch is the master of all things awesome!
Loving your reactions. I love when reactors really notice the incredible work that Kevin does here, as well as everything else he touches. We Pentaholics live vicariously through people like you, experiencing PTX for the first time. You have so many wonderful surprises awaiting you, as well as some incredibly beautiful music. I'm a Mitch fan all the way, but they are all amazing. You will be getting lots of suggestions, so all I will say is, don't overlook their Sing Off performances. And, when you are ready, check out Superfruit which was Mitch and Scott's vlog from years ago. It's funny and they made the most wonderful music together (includes slight instrumentation). Enjoy!