Donnie Hathaway, you don't learn you simply listen and experience. That man was born gifted. Black soul music is often imitated but not felt. You can make it sound pleasing to the ear but you can never fake it. Donnie was the real deal.
THE GENIUS OF DONNIE HATHAWAY! Classical, SOUL, JAZZ and GOSPEL all in one performance. Very few people can incorporate so many genres in one piece. R.I.P. DONNIE HATHAWAY!
Donny didn't "mess up" the song with all his pesky "Ornaments" and oversinging, too soulful vibratos, riffs and mispronunciations. What's the point of learning or teaching how to sing THIS version of the song by kindly insulting the Genius and spine-tingling tambre of Donny's soul touching interpretation? That's the POINT !!! What makes this song from Donny, so perfectly magnificent, legendary, heart-breaking, emotionally effusive and stunningly beautiful IS, the naturally occuring, effortless literal "Soul" that Donny brought to it. Nobody taught Donny to add "Ornaments" explicitly. Nobody taught him to sing it strait up or to hold and modify and stretch words and notes and sounds. He did it because he was NOT a monotone facsimile machine. He sat down, played and FELT the meaning and impact of the song and his heart, his pain, his love, his losses and life experiences boiled out of him, modifying the geat song in to an audible painting of raw feeling. Now, let me see you teach THAT !!!!!!! .................... Don't worry, I'll wait......
Donald Hathaway is an original...with sincere meaning...gifted...this can not be taught by professionalism...that messes personalism up...his...have heard singers...can tell they were trained...But when sung with meaning...experiences...It is so so Real...Got to capture the spirit of the song...the story.
@@pastense You are right she is simplifying. But no. Breaking down is not simplifying. Breaking down is dividing something into components, big and small, keeping everything. What she did was simplify, by singing it straight, ignoring all decoration, timing variation, pitch variation etc. She mentions he does them, does a bit of them towards the end... because singing it straight is so boring likely even she got frustrated singing it straight (wheres the fun in that). If you sing it the way she "broke it down" it will sound flat and boring. But it might be a useful way to learn a song. Making something complex easy. As she alludes to. As such it will not teach you to sing the song the way Donny does. (And perhaps one should adlib your own way rather than steal someone elses shtick).
@@therealkakkamakkara I understand what you mean. I’m just saying as a teacher, she has to make it feasible to the pupil. Even if it’s not exact. Like I said, what Donny does comes straight from the soul and you simply cannot “teach” these things. It has to come from within. And you’re right, that’s why instead of “copying” just do your own thing. We all sound individually unique! I’m not a singer, but I’m a musician and I totally understand the importance of cultivating your own unique sound.
Thank you so much for the breakdown lesson of this song. I love the song and would love to sing the basic before I can really sing it properly, so thank you for this. Thank you for thinking of people like me. God bless your talent 🙏🙏🥰🥰
What a beautiful country version breakdown! It's hard to teach people how to emote their feelings. A well arranged R&B song can easily be a great country song and visa versa.
How are some people not understanding that this a breakdown of THE CORE mechanics of the song? Any soul is up to the singer to embellish of their own accord, this is to understand the melody for those who cant hear it well enough. She did nothing wrong. JEEZ.
Wow of course no one except his daughter and maybe Ray Charles could do this song justice, but the woman in this video makes total sense. Since Don Hathaway's natrual riffs are very comxplex, before you can add emotions and all that riffing you need to be able to clearly understand and be able to sing the melody notes. Once you have that in your ear then you add all the sauce to it. She was trying to break it down that way, but in no way was she saying that it she be performed that way. Some of you are so judgemental to a teacher who is just trying to help her students. Not nice
... would agree w you, buuuut she kept saying "that's not needed" or "I wouldn't do that". That makes it about preference, which is fine, but that takes from the objectivity of a "technical" breakdown.
You totally miss the point of Donny Hathaway. Why strip away all the feeling & nuance? When you do that, you’re left with a vanilla version of the song that has absolutely no feeling whatsoever. That’s like food with absolutely no seasoning-bland. It’s his interpretation that makes it a special rendition. You’d be better off talking about The Carpenter’s version. Your analysis takes all the soul out of soul music.
good lesson for a singer with no passion and no emotion
You gotta listen to his daughter Lalah Hathaway! She has a beautiful sultry alto voice.
Donnie Hathaway, you don't learn you simply listen and experience. That man was born gifted. Black soul music is often imitated but not felt. You can make it sound pleasing to the ear but you can never fake it. Donnie was the real deal.
THE GENIUS OF DONNIE HATHAWAY! Classical, SOUL, JAZZ and GOSPEL all in one performance. Very few people can incorporate so many genres in one piece. R.I.P. DONNIE HATHAWAY!
So your method is to do away with all of the emotions and soul of the song. Got it
Exactly
Donny Hathaway is a genius and each ornament is there with a meaning. He sang his soul in that song so it can live. Don’t try to kill it plz.
Yo take the soul out of every verse by pronouncing the words with TOO proper English.🤔
Donny didn't "mess up" the song with all his pesky "Ornaments" and oversinging, too soulful vibratos, riffs and mispronunciations. What's the point of learning or teaching how to sing THIS version of the song by kindly insulting the Genius and spine-tingling tambre of Donny's soul touching interpretation? That's the POINT !!! What makes this song from Donny, so perfectly magnificent, legendary, heart-breaking, emotionally effusive and stunningly beautiful IS, the naturally occuring, effortless literal "Soul" that Donny brought to it. Nobody taught Donny to add "Ornaments" explicitly. Nobody taught him to sing it strait up or to hold and modify and stretch words and notes and sounds. He did it because he was NOT a monotone facsimile machine. He sat down, played and FELT the meaning and impact of the song and his heart, his pain, his love, his losses and life experiences boiled out of him, modifying the geat song in to an audible painting of raw feeling. Now, let me see you teach THAT !!!!!!! .................... Don't worry, I'll wait......
Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach. You apparently forgot this.
Donald Hathaway is an original...with sincere meaning...gifted...this can not be taught by professionalism...that messes personalism up...his...have heard singers...can tell they were trained...But when sung with meaning...experiences...It is so so Real...Got to capture the spirit of the song...the story.
Only one person can do this song justice! And that’s his daughter Lalah
Elliott Yamin does a doggone fine job with his cover. He clearly loves him some Donny.
this is one song you have to break it down after it finish, it has a lot of feeling and emotions we need to feel
This is the best breakdown but I would expect nothing less because you're a pro!!!
Stacy Sepinwall thank you for helping me discover this awesome song! Great lesson today.
I’m sorry! But there’s no breaking down of Donny. It’s virtually impossible. You’re singing it totally different than Donny.
She’s simplifying what he’s doing to show how Donny is elaborating. That’s exactly what a “break down” means. Nobody can do Donny anyway. (Obviously)
@@pastense You are right she is simplifying. But no. Breaking down is not simplifying. Breaking down is dividing something into components, big and small, keeping everything. What she did was simplify, by singing it straight, ignoring all decoration, timing variation, pitch variation etc. She mentions he does them, does a bit of them towards the end... because singing it straight is so boring likely even she got frustrated singing it straight (wheres the fun in that).
If you sing it the way she "broke it down" it will sound flat and boring. But it might be a useful way to learn a song. Making something complex easy. As she alludes to. As such it will not teach you to sing the song the way Donny does. (And perhaps one should adlib your own way rather than steal someone elses shtick).
@@therealkakkamakkara I understand what you mean. I’m just saying as a teacher, she has to make it feasible to the pupil. Even if it’s not exact. Like I said, what Donny does comes straight from the soul and you simply cannot “teach” these things. It has to come from within. And you’re right, that’s why instead of “copying” just do your own thing. We all sound individually unique! I’m not a singer, but I’m a musician and I totally understand the importance of cultivating your own unique sound.
The 'ointment' is the soul. You take out the 'ointment' you take out the soul. It's Soul Music.
You're singing it like Leon Russell sung it and not how Donny did. Nothing wrong with that because that's who wrote the song. But great breakdown.
She’s simplifying what he’s doing to show how Donny is elaborating. That’s exactly what a “break down” means. Nobody can do Donny anyway. (Obviously)
Donny Hathaway was a piano prodigy. He was a classical pianist.
My god lady u gotta get into the concept of “soul”. Very lacking in this dry analysis here.
If I could sing I would definitely get you as my coach ,you know your stuff
Thank you so much for the breakdown lesson of this song. I love the song and would love to sing the basic before I can really sing it properly, so thank you for this. Thank you for thinking of people like me. God bless your talent 🙏🙏🥰🥰
Donny is terribly hard to break down, kudos to you. well done
Yes😙 two videos this week!
What a beautiful country version breakdown! It's hard to teach people how to emote their feelings. A well arranged R&B song can easily be a great country song and visa versa.
It’s Actually a cover of a country song !
How are some people not understanding that this a breakdown of THE CORE mechanics of the song? Any soul is up to the singer to embellish of their own accord, this is to understand the melody for those who cant hear it well enough. She did nothing wrong. JEEZ.
Wow of course no one except his daughter and maybe Ray Charles could do this song justice, but the woman in this video makes total sense. Since Don Hathaway's natrual riffs are very comxplex, before you can add emotions and all that riffing you need to be able to clearly understand and be able to sing the melody notes. Once you have that in your ear then you add all the sauce to it. She was trying to break it down that way, but in no way was she saying that it she be performed that way. Some of you are so judgemental to a teacher who is just trying to help her students. Not nice
... would agree w you, buuuut she kept saying "that's not needed" or "I wouldn't do that". That makes it about preference, which is fine, but that takes from the objectivity of a "technical" breakdown.
Wouldn't the closed vowels and hard RS teach poor technique?
This is fascinating as far as what white people are hearing.
Donny Hathaway is to be learned from. Soul is not something you can teach. It's either there or it isn't.
off pitch
Alllllll the seasoning? Noooooooo, you cant take allllll the seasoning out... could've at least left the paprika in there.
You totally miss the point of Donny Hathaway. Why strip away all the feeling & nuance? When you do that, you’re left with a vanilla version of the song that has absolutely no feeling whatsoever. That’s like food with absolutely no seasoning-bland. It’s his interpretation that makes it a special rendition. You’d be better off talking about The Carpenter’s version. Your analysis takes all the soul out of soul music.