FIRST ❤️ TIME ❤️ HEARING ❤️ PENTATONIX - Hallelujah - Vocal Coach Reaction & Analysis
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ต.ค. 2024
- @PTXofficial 's Hallelujah is just....EVERYTHING. ❤️
Original Video: • Pentatonix - Halleluja...
-----------------------------------------
📸 Follow on IG: / youronlinesingingcoach
🎤 MICROPHONE TECHNIQUE MASTER CLASS: • Microphone Technique M...
📬 Sign up for my newsletter for free tools, tips, and tricks for singers and performers at: www.youronline...
🧑🤝🧑 PATREON: / youronlinesingingcoach
Shout out and thank you to Frank!
------------------------------------------
🎧 My headphones: amzn.to/3mvB6fW
🎙️ My microphone: amzn.to/3GDHokD
Copyright Disclaimer: Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.
Disclaimer: Links in this description may be affiliate links. If you purchase a product with the links I may earn a small commission. Thank you for supporting my channel ❤️
#pentatonix #pentatonixreaction #youronlinesingingcoach
Well this is a rabbit hole you won't regret going down!
The best acapella group on earth. 3 grammys, star on the walk of fame, hundreds of millions of views. No one can touch them. They're all unbelievably talented.
I literally don't care about any other a capella group, they don't interest me at all. That says a lot about PTX. :)
Try the group Home Free I love them both . Just saying
@@gryffinmage2517Yeah, they don't interest me at all. Not my style, I guess.
I love Pentatonix, Home Free, and Voiceplay. My favorite is Voiceplay, but I listen to all of them.
Me too!@@SilverFlame819
Girl!!! You have discovered them at just the right time with Christmas right around the corner. THEY OWN CHRISTMAS. And they do it like none other. How much of your life do you want to dedicate to their ENORMOUS rabbit hole? Because you will be down it for a good chunk of your life. They actually do this exact song, live, on a Christmas special that you should check out (and we Pentaholics would love to see). ALL of their Christmas music is 🔥. Next you should hear their GRAMMY AWARD WINNING Daft Punk cover. Enjoyed this and have subscribed to follow this journey❣️
They have actually beaten Mariah at times :).
You will eventually fund Home Free as well.pick and chose I like pentatonic better on this Home free on that
And a NEW Christmas album coming out soon. . .Oct?
You were on spot with the quality of Avi's bass, he was trained in opera. He is the only member to leave the group and was replaced by Matt in 2017.
Since you mentioned hearing Mitch and Kirsten sing together, please check out the group's cover of THE PRAYER.
Yeah, when she said she'd love to hear them in a duet, that's the song I thought of first. Many of their songs they perform in a kind of linear fashion, trading off the lead, but The Prayer is one clear instance of the two of them singing in tandem. And it's intensely gorgeous! I always grin when I'm watching the video "The Making of Evergreen" when Kirsten's sitting in the "sweet spot" in front of the sound board and hears that part of the recording and her face just lights up, it's so good.
Also Mary Did You Know for the two of them singing together
It's my dream to see them in concert during Christmas!
Thanks for reacting to PTX! I hope you continue down this rabbit hole 🥰
For new songs, and based off what you liked here, I suggest Amazing Grace or The Prayer next. If you want to see one of their GRAMMY winning songs then Daft Punk or Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy will make your head explode 😂 ❤
I agree with your suggestions of what to do next. I also like your suggestion of "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy". I am always amazed at how they arranged a classical number written for a ballet without words for their a Capella group without instruments. It's awesome to see and hear.
And after you’ve gotten really immersed in their music, go back to the beginning and watch their sing off competition videos, so that you can see how far they’ve come.
Scott, whom was the first solo singer, is very versatile as you guessed, during the 2nd solo(Avi) Scott was singing the bass part. Avi was an Opera major during his college years before joining the group. They began the group in 2011 to be in the NBC competition show "The Sing Off". I think in total they have over 6 billion views now.
If you want to get hit by the feels...watch Imagine.
I also agree on these suggestions. Amazing Grace is the perfect introduction to the new bass, Matt. Almost all of their recent videos have interesting visual enhancements. One of my favorites for the visuals is "Be My Eyes."
I'm so happy you found Pentatonix! They are amazing! Fans of Pentatonix call ourselves Pentaholics.
The first singer is Scott (pop sounding), Avi was the second singer and is the bass, Kirstin the female, Mitch is the guy in the hat and the percussionist and beat boxer is Kevin. There has only been one change in Pentatonix since they started in 2011. Avi the bass left in 2017 and started a solo career. They brought in Matt who is the current bass. Any song of theirs you pick will be amazing. Enjoy getting to know them!
Pentatonix
They won The Sing Off in 2011. They made a guest starring appearance on America′s Got Talent as non−competitors a couple of years after that.
The founding members are:-
Scott Hoying (tall blond guy, natural baritone but has an impressive five−to−six octave range, can go all the way up to high tenor and down to bass, sings the bass lines when the usual bass singer takes the lead);
Kirstin "Kirstie" (Rhymes with "Thirsty") Maldonado (the only female member, natural mezzo soprano, but can go down to low alto and as high as upper soprano, also can sing in whistle notes that are off the scale); For a time in 2018 between the group’s tours, had the female lead on Broadway in the production of “Kinky Boots”.
Mitch Grassi (a true contra−tenor, can hit high notes in his chest voice with ease and go WAY higher in his falsetto, also with ease);
Avriel "Avi" Kaplan (dark beard and long hair), true basso profundo, trained as an opera singer, also can go up into the tenor range; and
Kevin "KO" Olusola (beatboxer extraordinaire, also is a world−class cellist who plays cello on some of their songs, has a beautiful high tenor voice and gets occasional lead vocal solos as well, graduated pre−med from Yale and speaks several languages including Mandarin Chinese).
Kirstie, Scott & Mitch grew up together in Arlington, Texas, and began performing together as children in local youth musical theater. They ended up in high school together and performed in the choir. While there, they formed an a cappella group called The Trio which had several performance videos go viral on TH-cam, most notably a cover of Lady Gaga′s "Telephone". The three of them are best friends and consider themselves to be almost siblings.
Scott & Kirstie (who were a class year ahead of Mitch) both graduated high school in 2010 and went their separate ways to different colleges, Scott at USC and Kirstie at Oklahoma.
While at USC, Scott joined a USC−based a cappella group called the SoCal VoCals, where he met alumnus Ben Bram, who was now an arranger and vocal coach for the NBC TV show The Sing Off, an a cappella competition show. Ben convinced Scott to get The Trio to audition for the show. The three reunited (Mitch had to skip high school graduation ceremonies to go) in Los Angeles for the audition.
They found out that the rules had changed, so they needed at least five members to audition. Ben put them together with Avi (a native of Visalia, California), who he knew from Avi′s performing days at Mount San Antonio College in California. They found Kevin (from Kentucky) through one of his TH-cam videos that had gone viral featuring him playing the cello and beatboxing at the same time, a talent that Kevin coined as "Cello−Boxing".
Kevin arrived in Los Angeles literally the day before the audition! Scott came up with the name "Pentatonix" after the pentatonic scale. They performed a re−arrangement of "The Telephone" for the audition and passed, despite having been together as a five−piece group for less that 24 hours!
They won The Sing Off that season (all of the performances are available on TH-cam), in which they received a substantial cash prize AND a record contract with Epic Records. They pooled their prize winnings together and all moved to Los Angeles, and all got apartments right next door to each other in the same building.
But just a week later, Epic dropped them because the marketing people didn′t think an a cappella group could sell records.
Instead of giving up, they were determined and began recording their own songs on TH-cam, hiring Ben Bram as their producer and arranger. These usually consisted of the five of them sitting on a couch and performing cover songs live.
Several of the videos went viral, and Sony (the parent company of Epic) decided to give them another chance by placing them on one of their smaller labels, Madison Gate. They released two secular EPs and one Christmas EP on Madison Gate, all of which were strong sellers.
But when their cove r of a medley of songs by Daft Punk not only went super−viral, but also won them their first Grammy, they were promoted all the way up to RCA Records, Sony′s top label.
They began writing and producing their own songs in addition to their covers, began putting out a Christmas album just about annually (which has become their best−selling genre), and have had multi−platinum album sales, sold−out world tours, and have won two additional Grammys.
Avi began getting burned out with all of the touring and heavy recording schedule, was suffering from anxiety and personal problems, and learned that his mother had been diagnosed with cancer in 2017. He announced he was departing from the group and taking some time away from the music industry.
Matt Sallee (from Baltimore) joined them in September 2017. He did only become official when they renewed their RCA contract in February 2018, but he recorded with them in September as a featured artist and went on their Christmas tour as a featured artist, as well. When he attended the audition for the group, he had already mastered the Bass part for most if not all their past catalogue. He was successful and has proved that he fits in well with the group.
If you think there have been other changes to the line up - look again. This is the ONLY change. Kirstie and Mitch are like chameleons and change looks frequently.
After a year away from music, Avi has now returned as a phenomenal solo artist in the Folk/Americana/Roots genre.
Ben Bram has been in charge of their production, including arranging and directing from the beginning. He is often referred to as the sixth member. Scott and Kevin are major players in the arrangements, but every member contributes. A good watch is "The Recording of Evergreen" where a camera was invited into the studio for the second week of recording/
Also, all members are songwriters for both Pentatonix and their own solo work.
Ed Boyer who mixes everything of theirs (even the HWB Livestream) is the one who pulled Ben Bram into the sing off in the first place.
They have Grammy wins for Daft Punk Medley, Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, and Jolene featuring Dolly Parton. They were nominated for a 4th Grammy for their album Evergreen, but didn't win.
Kirstie became a new mum which caused a pause in touring after their Evergreen Christmas tour 2021. Mid March 2023 Kirstie has announced that she is engaged to Ben Hausdorff, their videographer. No dates YET!
They have a star on the Hollywood walk of fame installed in February 2023. They are the only a capella group with a star!
They came 3rd in the 2023 Masked Singer performing as "California Rolls" being unmasked in May 23.
Things you need to know because if you get these wrong Pentaholics will come after you with pitch forks and torches! Ha Ha!!
1- There is NO Auto-Tune; what you hear is actually what they sing. They really are that good. One exception is the 90's Dance Medley where Cher used autotune as an effect - so they had to.
2- What produces everything that you hear in the video, you see in the official video. If there is an instrument used in the music, you see it on screen. In the 2022 Christmas album, there are some instruments not featured throughout the album.
3- They never release something on video they can’t reproduce with the exact same quality live on-stage.
Amazing comment learned a lor
Just a side note by way of addendum. The Trio of Scott, Mitch, and Kirstie appeared in a season 11 episode of Bones called the Strike in the Chord. I just mentioned it because nobody ever mentions that appearance.
Great reaction...I love your engagement to the music! Yes, Avi (the original bass, who left the group some years ago) has had classical training, at USC, I believe. Kirstin played Lauren in Kinky Boots on Broadway for 4-6 months in 2018. Kevin is the beatboxer. He also has a nice tenor voice and is an excellent cellist. When he does both he calls it cello-boxing. He also graduated from Yale in pre-med.
Agreed. To hear Kevin's own voice, try something Mary, Did You Know?
th-cam.com/video/LVnjpX8wUEQ/w-d-xo.html
Kevin is an amazing musician. He plays several instruments and sings beautifully. He has his own TH-cam channel and his cover of "Down" is wonderful.
@@davidtrim6093 ..and for a good example of Kevin's 'cello-boxing', try their cover of 'Shallow'...! 😊
And another info: Avi was generally the bass on early PTX arrangements, but when he had his solo parts, Scott (first guy) takes over the bass! And yes, Kevin does the beatboxing! And yes, PTX has only one female singer, but two sopranos!
technically a contratenor no? or sopranist.....soprano is really for women
@@absolutjackal technically you are right, of course. It was rather meaning it functionally in the ensemble, that he can do what usually a soprano (women) would do and that’s why they only need one women.
Avi Kaplan, the bass, left the group and now has a solo career. You have to check out his songs. He’s an amazing singer and songwriter.
I subscribed for more Pentatonix reactions! I would recommend The Prayer, Bohemian Rhapsody, Amazing Grace and Imagine! Those songs really show off their talent. The two that sang last and the first guy are the trio and they’ve known each other since they were children! The first guy, Scott and the last guy, Mitch also have/had a duo group called Superfruit!
Scott, the first singer is a baritone with a WIDE range. He took over the bass part in the 2nd verse. His name is Avi and he is the only one who has left the group (amicably). Your observation is correct. Avi was classically trained.
The girl, Kirstin, Scott and Mitch (the last singer) are actually childhood friends from Arlington, TX. Along with the others she has a wide range and can “whistle sing” - not sure what it’s called. Listening to you took me back to my high school days when I was taking vocal lessons. I can’t wait for you to really experience Kevin’s talents. He is an excellent beatboxer, cello player, and has a beautiful tenor that we get to hear from time to time. They are all AMAZING!
I think you will find that ONE PTX Christmas song will not be enough. One of their 3 Grammys is “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy”.
I can’t wait to watch you experience them, their versatility and talents. They are amazing.
“Daft Punk” (Grammy winner)
“Bohemian Rhapsody”
“The Prayer”
“Come Along” (and all the others that people will suggest. You can’t miss)
Originals
“Sing”
“Be My Eyes”
“Coffee in Bed”
If you haven’t checked out BTX and their story, it is another amazing rabbit hole. They are not the group that many think they are. Their music covers a wide range of genres.
Best rendition of this song that I've ever heard. They are all extremely multi talented singly and even more so together. The basso profundo (beanie and beard) Avi Kaplan is now solo and amazing on his own. Try Change on the Rise or All is Well 7 layer sessions. You can't go wrong. Still love Pentatonix but always had a soft spot for Avi. Subscribed hoping for more of PTX and dive into Avi's solo music.😅
Yes please
The triumvirate of a capella music is, in no particular order, Voiceplay, Pentatonix, and Home Free.
Each group has their own niche, and I dare say that, within those niches, they are literally equally awesome.
Amen to that - Voiceplay (and their bass, Geoff Castelluci - who has his own channel) go all out on their videos, and they do almost everything themselves (apart from more involved makeup, help with cameras and the final audio mix by Ed Boyer, who also mixes for Home Free) - VP are completely independant and fund themselves from Patreon members/YT memberships..! 😁
The second lead is actually their bass here. When he goes to the lead line, the first guy takes over the bass line. The second guy is indeed a classically trained operatic bass capable of singing to basso profundo. As you heard, he can also do a very good job in the tenor range. The woman is a natural mezzo-soprano who can reach the coloratura range. She can also sing down to the deeper altos. She is also their best belter, although the first guy is also apt to belt on occasion. He is their baritone. The fourth verse is handled by their countertenor, and his voice can rise easily to the coloratura range, and he seems to do whatever he sings whenever he sings with such effortless ease as to appear there is never any strain on him. The fifth member is their beatboxer extraordinaire. You don't get to hear it in this one, but he is also a cellist and keyboardist with a beautiful tenor. He is also blessed with perfect pitch. That is the group and where they fit. I will leave it to my co-Pentaholics to introduce them by name. As far as next from Pentatonix, I would suggest The Sound of Silence, Imagine, Bohemian Rhapsody, Mary Did you know, and The Prayer. Also, check out their Grammy winning Daft Punk Medley.
Welcome to PTX! They actually have several Christmas albums, but they are about to release a new one that will have I think 23 of their former Christmas favorites plus 8 new songs. The only thing I didn't see on it that probably should have been was "The Prayer." I highly suggest as a vocal coach that you check out "The Prayer," and maybe forego the official video and watch the live version here: th-cam.com/video/i5xMpjBLLuc/w-d-xo.html since it will give you a better view of their technique. You may also be interested in their new original song released last week, "I Rise" as Scott's vocal performance is completely masterful, and he leads the entire song (He's the one whose voice you particularly liked). You wanted to hear Mitch and Kirstie blending, and there are a ton of examples, but I can't think of a one that sticks out right now, lol. Here is a lovely live version of the trio (Mitch, Kirstie, and Scott) and their beautiful blending, though: th-cam.com/video/aJQqI6G5iJ8/w-d-xo.html So excited to hear more PTX from your perspective! Great reaction!
Do they have a list of the songs that will be on their new Xmas album available? I saw the announcement, but can't find a list.
@@tasia2174 I've seen the list on Twitter, but I didn't save it and I just tried, but I can't find it. It was a list the included favorites, I believe, not the names of the 8 new songs. If I can find it later I will definitely share!
The big three acapela, Pentatonix, Voiceplay, and Home Free. All excellent, in their own unique ways, and all quite popular.
Enjoyed the reaction :D
Home Free is the Country group - They cover non country songs as well, but best known for their country sound
Pentatonix is the everything group - Just amazing group in any genre. I prefer the pre 2017 with Avi, but Mat has done a wonderful job filling his shoes. I could go on and on about them, but their body of work really speaks for itself.
Voiceplay is the theatrical group - Most of their videos have costumes and lots of layering, so they could not perform many of their songs live and have it sound the same, but they do a fantastic job.
Don't forget Voctave!
@@janeramirez8767 don't care for the big group sound so much, not that they aren't talented... Sound more like a choir to me than an Acapella group.
@@GreybeardMO I can certainly respect that. I also prefer the smaller groups as a general rule. I've heard a lot of choirs, though, and not many of them sound like Voctave! They're worth a listen, for sure.
Tall blond guy is Scott Hoying - Baritone; the girl is Kirsten Maldonado - Mezzo-Soprano; The guy with the hat is Mitch Grassi - Counter-Tenor; the bearded guy with the turban is Avi Kaplan - Basso Profundo; the beatboxer is Kevin Oluysoya Cellist-beatboxer. Scott, Kirsten, and Mitch were in high school together in Arlington, TX. After graduation they went to different universities and majored in music.
In order of presentation, you had Scott Hoying who is primarily a baritone whose four-octave range allows him to perform the bass harmony when the group's bass takes the melody line. That bass is the second singer, Avi Kaplan, who left the group recently to follow a solo career and was replaced by Matt Sailee. Kirstin (Kirsty) Maldonado is a powerful mezzo-soprano in the third verse. Mitch Grassi is the fourth singer and is a contra-tenor with a six-octave range and has a reputation for surprising new listeners that has actually been called the "Mitch-slap." Kevin Olusola not only beatboxes but has a beautiful tenor voice with perfect pitch, plays the cello, and is fluent in Mandarin Chinese. If I've missed anything the other Pentaholics will remind me.
Avi left in 2017, not recently.
@@mel3268, it may not be recent for you. For me it is.
I loved your detailed analysis and it helps me appreciate what they do even more. Yes, Kevin the beatboxer was beatboxing, along with the chest taps and foot stomp. If you watch their live performance of this song on the 2016 Christmas Special, you get a nice view of Kevin doing his thing. You can also see Scott (the 1st lead singer) taker over the bass from Avi (the 2nd lead singer) during his solo.
I was just at one of their live concerts last night. They are truly amazing. Pick your favorite song and listen to their version of it. Every one is amazing and not a cover... it's an upgrade.
I enjoyed watching your reaction. I actually watched when they won The Sing Off years ago. I lost track and just discovered them a couple weeks ago. I am definitely going down the rabbit hole. I love Sound of Silence & Imagine.
There has been one member change the Bass Avi Kaplan left the group in 2017 for personal reasons. He now has an amazing solo career showcasing his amazing songwriting and his 5 octave range. If you would like to react to his music most start with Change on the Rise his first release after leaving PTX. He did release some music while still wtih PTX under the name Avriel and the Sequoias, he also has 1 duet with Peter Hollens on Black is the Color of my True Loves Hair. Subscribing in hopes you will react to Avi's music.
I think you would really enjoy hearing The Prayer. You said Scott (the first singer) has got kind of a pop sound to his voice? Well, he turns on a full operatic voice in The Prayer. I think you would really enjoy that video. I really enjoyed this reaction, as whenever voice coaches react to Pentatonix, or any video for that matter, they always give me a better appreciation for what I'm listening to. I always learn something when listening to voice coaches. Thank you so much for reacting to Pentatonix, and I have subscribed for more! Cheers!
What more can be said about PTX. They are the best! Great reaction!
If you watch their live version, you will see directly how they do this....all...the...time! First time on your channel, hoping for more Pentatonix! We are quite the loyal fans. Edit: When it comes to Christmas music...they have all you need! O Come All Ye Faithful and Mary Did You Know are my favorites.
First -- Thank you so much for reacting to PTX!!! This is my first time visiting your channel and I'm so happy to watch you react to them! Their talent is endless and I'm hoping to see a lot more reactions to them. I love hearing you explain what we're hearing.
A suggestion for the next few reactions to PTX (if you continue): Hallelujah (Live Holiday Special), The Sound of Silence, Daft Punk Medley, Bohemian Rhapsody, The Prayer, Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone), Can You Feel the Love Tonight, and I could go on and on and on and on! Thanks again!
Mitch and Kirsty sort of sing together towards the end of the Prayer. They trade off lines in the same octave. Mitch sings Celine Dion's part, which is amazing!
Avi Kaplan (the second singer and bass) is indeed classically trained! I’ve never heard anyone new to PTX pick that up before, so that was very cool. Avi is no longer with the group, they parted ways amicably in 2017 because he couldn’t cope with the fast-pace they had to live. He’s now a solo singer (definitely check out his work) and Matt Salee joined shortly after Avi left.
Loved your reaction to it all, and how you were vining away to it 😊
Avi is an operatically trained Basso-Profundo, Scott,blonde is bass/Baritone, Kirstie is a mezzo Soprano and Mitch is a Super Tenor with a range as high or higher than Kirstie and Kevin is a tenor beat boxer cello player sax player and speaks 5 languages and graduated from Yale preMed
Avi, from what I understand, was *on his way* to join the Los Angeles (?) Opera as a bass, and he was recruited by Scott to join PTX for the Sing Off.
As a 'new' follower and reactor for Pentatonix, you will hear LOTS of recommendations for what to do next, and after that, etc. My opinion is simple.... Yes. Just pick and go. You really can't go wrong. Welcome to the enchantment that is PTX!! Enjoy the rabbit hole!
This was the 1st song I ever heard by PTX, it still gives me joy when someone discovers them, welcome to the PTX rabbit hole, enjoy the ride.
They have had only one change in members
Check out their Imagine, Daft Punk, 90s Dance Mix and their Bohemian Rhapsody they are all amazing.
"the more I do Pentatonix"
that part 💖
subbing for that 🔥🙌🏻🎉
And one final remark: they say that PTX don‘t just do covers, they do upgrades!
Great reaction. Thank you. They are incredible. Pentatonix always includes non-Christmas songs on their Christmas albums. This song is a perfect example of that. Pentatonix has been together for 12 years. There has only been one member change. Avi, original bass here, left in 2017 for family and personal reasons. Matt has been their bass since October 2017.
Really enjoyed your reaction to Pentatonics. I enjoy hearing the vocal teaching and technique. Thank you for reacting to Pentatonics. There are no bad songs.
I love how even a trained vocal coach loses the point of making comments and just physically moves to the music towards the end.
This song randomly popped up while listening to music yesterday and I had the same reaction- just had to sit and say “wowwwwww”
Welcome to PTX. We who love them welcome you. 200 plus covers and originals,3 Grammys, star on Hollywood walk of fame, they are currently on US leg of world tour. They are incredible live and their videos are fantastic
Check out their cover of Bohemian Rhapsody or the Prayer or evolution of Micheal Jackson. They never miss
Second singer is Avi Kaplan and yes he is a classically trained Basso Profundo with a nice 5+ octave range. .
He had just received a letter to join the Los Angeles Opera House but the next day, Scott, (first singer) contacted him needing a bass for the newly forming group. He chose the group over opera.
Avi left the group in 2017 and is now has a solo career and is both a writer and singer and an overtone singer.
Here is something of his you can listen to and decide if you want to react to.
Avi Kaplan
When I'm a Fool (Kaplan)
th-cam.com/video/LE24UTH3pmQ/w-d-xo.html
with " the prayer " and " Mary did you know " , you have duet between Kirstin and Mitch
Pentatonix IS Christmas 🎄. You could spend the entire season reviewing their music and not cover it all. From Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies (won a Grammy), to Silent Night, to Oh Come, All Ye Faithful, to their originals Thank You and Star on Top, each is unique and you won’t be disappointed.
Yes this is the original group. Avi the bass had to leave with h is sister who worked in management, as retired mother had cancer. Matt took his place. I love Daft Punk Medley, Bohemian Rhapsody, Havana, New Rules and pretty much everything else they do! Thanks!
So glad you found Pentatonix. You have a long way to go to get to really appreciate their extrordinary talent. I am subscribing to your channel hopes that you will continue with their music. We Pentaholics never get tired of watching people go down this rabbitt hole.
Pentatonix, as you've pointed out, is "the" name in acapella. They're the O.G.s in the genre. They have, and have had, the talent and, more importantly, the drive to push acapella a more mainstream direction, though they never, quite, got there. It wasn't from lack of effort, though.
There are, I would say, three main groups in the acapella world of music. Three that almost everyone points to these days. The first, as it should be, is Pentatonix. The second is Hom Free. They are, mostly, a country acapella group, though they DO branch out into other genres of music. The third, and not by any means least, or last, is Voice Play. They are, with reason, called the theater kids of acapella.
When it comes to acapella, there are three great groups out there (well, many more than that, actually, but three stand out for me)--Pentatonix, Home Free, and VoicePlay. You can't go wrong reacting to any of them!
You mentioned an interest in hearing Mitch (counter tenor) and Kirstie (soprano) singing a duet... Imo, the best example, albeit a short part in the piece, is The Prayer. It's a magical blend.
They all are trained, but Avi (guy with the beard) is a classically trained opera bass baritone and an excellent composer.
And for Christmas: save their take on „Mary did you know“! And another PTX must is „Sound of Silence“.
I'm gonna enjoy watching your take on our favorite group! Check out their live Hallelujah and see that there is very little studio magic with this group. ❤
Great, considered reaction! You were spot on that Avi (the bass who sang the second solo) has received some classically training. He had opera training as a basso profundo. They all have 5-7 octave ranges and their baritone Scott (tall blonde who sang first) takes over the bass line when Avi (and now Matt who took over as their bass in 2017) do solos. They have been going since 2012 and with only one band members change when Avi left amicably in 2017 (his mum was sick and he couldn't cope with the PTX schedule) and was replaced by Matt.
Other than that Scott, Kirstie, Mitch (black haired counter tenor) and Kevin (beatboxer, cellist and high tenor) have all been in it since the beginning although Mitch and Kirstie change their looks up a lot so it's easy to think they are different people from one song to the next! Scott, Kirstie and Mitch have known each other since they were 8 (Kirstie and Mitch and Scott and Mitch) and 10 (Kirstie and Scott) growing up in Arlington Texas and they sang as 'the trio' in high school together. They found Kevin 'cello-boxing' (playing the cello and beatboxing!) on TH-cam and Avi was a friend of a friend, when they needed at least five members to enter the a cappella singing contest The Sing Off.
The won the thirs series of that competition and the prize was a Sony record contract. However Sony dropped them after two weeks because they didn't think a cappella woud be marketable! They decided to do it alone and started their own TH-cam channel and a few years later Sony crawled back to sign them on their prestigious RCA label! 11 years later with three Grammy's under their belt, many best-selling albums and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, I think they proved Sony wrong!
They are known for their covers and Christmas music but their original music is also incredible and MUCH under-rated. They have a huge catalogue of many different styles of music including op, rock, rap, hip hop, musical theatre, dance, EDM, work music and even a bit of country (they won their 3rd Grammy for a collab with Dolly Parton on a cover of Jolene!) So there is something for everyone.
FOr PTX newbies I always recommend Bohemian Rhapsody which Queen guitarist Brian May says is one of the best covers of it ever made, also their cover of The Prayer is one of the most beautiful pieces I have ever heard. Mitch sings the Celine Dion part and sounds like an actual angel. Mitch and Scott both suffered homophobic bullying as kids and Mitch in particular was picked on for his voice. Well who is laughing now?! Also watch their Daft Punk Medley that won them their first Grammy. It was made in Avi and Kevin's bathroom closet with $400, some blue contact lenses and a ring light and it is still one of the best a cappella arrangements ever made in my opinion. Also Sound of Silence, Amazing Grace and Mad World are stunning ballads. For upbeat ones with a bit of rap try Problem or Can't hold us. Also any of the 'Evolution of' medleys are amazing. It's just the five of them singing together ona couch. Try Evolution of Music, Beyonce, Rihanna, Michael Jackson and Ariana Grande.
For some fun, try their original song 'Sing' which included some celebrity friends and fans from around the world. Us PTX fans are called 'Pentaholics' and we're a very loyal bunch! I've loved PTX since 2012 and saw them for the first time live in London in May. I'm 54 and it was the best concert I've been to in nearly 40 years of seeing live music!
Please note, they don't sing anything in the studio that they can't replicate live so virtually no effects are added in prost production, just a bit of reverb etc. They sound exactly the same when they sing live. Their arranger since the beginning is Ben Bram and he is a genius! They often call him the 6th member of the band. I could tell you loads more but I just want you to dive in and enjoy the rabbit hole!
If you like the visual, you’ll love The Prayer! And, the first Christmas song you should listen to is Mary, Did You Know, followed by Silent Night. Great reaction!
Thanks for the suggestions! Can’t wait to react to more PTX! 😊👍
The success of Pentatonix reminds me of a story I heard a few decades ago before digital photography was invented.
There was a photography teacher teaching a new class and on the first day, he told ALL of his students to bring in ALL of their best photographic equipment so he could show off to the class, etc. etc. yadda yadda.
He lied.
He took all of his students' cameras and lenses and tripods and EVERYTHING, and locked it up in his storage room for the rest of the class. Of course there was pushback, but he explained his position.
He gave every student a VERY simplified SLR camera without any whizbang features or technology. Just the basics of focus, composition, lighting, etc. etc. whatever true photographers do when they master their Art. He then said he was going to teach them how to take stunning photos with THOSE cameras and at the end of the semester, they could have their fancy gear back.
Apparently, his methodology was extremely effective and his class was a huge hit and his students learned a ton.
I think that's what happened with Scott, Mitch and Kirstie. They learned the foundations of music theory in middle school and high school, and they excelled at it. They learned how to harmonize perfectly together. They didn't NEED any instruments. They ARE the instruments.
Once Kevin and Avi joined, it was just magic. Kevin learned his discipline from his parents, his faith, and Yale University so it was easy for him to learn how to fit in. Avi is a natural basso profundo and he was similarly focused and all five of them got along well and the rest is history.
Learning and mastering the basics and fundamentals is ONE of the many reasons why Pentatonix is so successful.
Avi’s upper register is pure gold, a warm, round and bit of a smoky sound. He does have classical training and is classified as a basso profundo. Scott, the guy who led the song will many times take over bass when the bass has the lead. Kirstie’s bright and forward tone will cut through most anything, yet it does not sound strident (at least to me). Mitch is a true counter-tenor and what impressed me most about his solo here is not the very top note (which is belted, not falsetto but perhaps maybe a head mix) but the very last note which is only one tone lower but he backs way off on the volume and still controls a very relaxed sound. That is VERY impressive. I enjoyed your reaction and will look for other Pentatonix reactions you have done.
Pentatonix is the reason A Capella in general has gone mainstream.
❤❤ Welcome to the PENTATONIX RABBIT HOLE and family!! 😊❤ I agree that you should watch Daft Punk Medley, their 1st Grammy!! I also love their cover/upgrade of The Sound of Silence; you will get to hear Matt as bass. And they all have solos. Also Imagine, Kevin sings harmony and has a solo, no beat boxing in this one! Their cover of Bohemian Rhapsody is mind blowing!! And last recommendation (for now) is a collaboration with Lindsey Sterling a violinist/dancer, amazing artist, Radioactive. In this video you get to see a really unique talent of Kevin's, he plays the cello AND beat boxes at the same time! He coined the the term cello-boxing to describe it!! Again, welcome 😊❤❤
New subscriber for PTX! You're going to love this. I sang acapella and LOVE Pentatonix, Home Free and VoicePlay. All amazing acapella groups with very different sounds. Thanks for a really great reaction.
Excellent reaction!! By the way, they are not "The" name in acapella. There are actually three groups which I find all equally talented, but with differing genres and styles. In alphabetical order (so as not to show any preferences), they are Home Free, Pentatonix, and VoicePlay. All three rabbit holes will amaze you with hours and hours of enjoyment. Thanks again for sharing your reaction!!!
Please watch Pentatonix sing Hallelujah live on their TV Christmas Special. Mitch and Kirsten sing together in “ Be My Eyes “
Pentatonix is the gold standard of acapella. Every single song they do incredible. They are the best in the world.
FYI...They have over 20 MILLION subscribers, and their videos have been viewed over 6 BILLION times.
The singers in order of appearance are:
Scott (baritone)
Avi (bass)
Kirstin (soprano / mezzo)
Mitch (tenor / countertenor)
Kevin (Beatboxer extraordinaire)
Loved your reaction and analysis of not just the group, but their techniques as well. All of them have spend considerable time in musical training throughout their lives and it shows.
You wanted to know their evolution; they started with the Trio, Kirsti, Mitch (with the hat) and Scott (1st singer), meeting each other in Arlington TX in school. Scott and Mitch met at around 7 years old, Mitch and Kirsti met in kindergarten, I believe, and Scott and Kirsti met in high school, bringing the three together at last. Avi, studied opera in college and Kevin joined as their beat boxer in order for them to be able to enter the Sing Off competition in 2011. With 5 they became Pentatonix after the 5-note pentatonic scale. In 2017 Avi choose to leave amicably and late that year they added Matt to their Christmas tour and he officially joined the band after the tour was completed. This is the only change, although as you explore their library you might think they got a new female and guy. You'll find that it's always going to be Kirsti or Mitch and they change their hair and style often. Enjoy the very deep rabbit hole you've entered and all the fans will be here waiting. There are often copyright issues with this band, so be careful to put some kind of filter or verbiage over there video to get you part the copyright police.
My absolute favorite group of heavenly voices ever! Thank you!
Subscribed for PTX. THE PRAYER & AMAZING GRACE!!
This version has been on my Radar for a couple of years and is one of the best versions of this classic beautiful song
Extremely well done and is a big reason why I put PTX in the same category as Home Free.
I just keep finding people reacting to this song and I watch every single one. I love it!
Scott Hoying is the tall blonde and he sings with his whole body!!
Avi Kaplan is the bass that sang the 2nd verse and he was classically trained.
Kirsten or Kirstie Maldonado is the mezzo soprano and she has a beautiful voice that has only gotten better and stronger over time.
Mitch Grassi is the counter-tenor who has a beautiful voice.
And last but not least - Kevin Olusola the beatboxed. He was on the path to becoming a doctor and had just graduated PreMed when Pentatonics asked him to join them for the Sing Off Season 3 an A cappella competition- which they won. He is also a concert cello musician.
The 3 center singers grew up in Arlington Texas performing in the theater community and went to school together were best friends. Avi and Kevin joined right before the Sing Off competition began. In 2016 Avi decided he couldn’t keep up with the fast pace they needed and separated from the group and has a solo career now.
Matt Salle joined the group as the new bass shortly after and has been a great fit!! Enjoyed your reaction!! ❤
They won 3 Grammys out of 4 nominations. I don't remember any acapella group winning any Grammys. They r so good. You should check out their version of " The Prayer " & " Amazing Grace " & " Sound of Silence " and alot more. " Daft Punk' & " 90's medley "
Better late to the party then never! For something similar: „amazing Grace“. For something completely different: „daft punk medley“ or „90ies dance medley“!
Avi, the bass, is indeed classically trained and had been offered a place with the Los Angeles Opera before joining PTX. To really hear the beauty and power of his voice, listen to their Grammy winning version of Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy and also the opening to the live versions of 'Aha' where he leads them in Bruckner's 'Christus Factus Est'.
th-cam.com/video/bAZkLqnrryk/w-d-xo.htmlfeature=shared is a good quality version. He's been solo since 2017.
A duet between Mitch an Kirstie is happening in the last part of "The prayer". There is a video called "Beginners guide to Pentatonix" - go see it. Nice reraction.
Listen to their "Mary Did You Know" and you will hear Kirstie and Mitch singing together - also "Can You Feel the Love Tonight"
yesss more PTX reactions please !! theres no particular reason why they only have one girl - she (Kirstin), the tenor (Mitch), & the baritone (Scott) have been friends since they were kids. the beatboxer (Kevin) & bass (Avi) were added last minute so they could compete in a televised a capella competition in 2011. so it just sort of ended up that way! theres only been one change in the lineup (Avi, who left for personal reasons,) but they found a wonderful replacement in Matt who you'll see in videos after 2017
You just ran full speed, head on into the Pentatonix wall of sound. Now jump into the rabbit hole and enjoy the ride.
You want to hear a duet between Mitch and Kirstie, check out The Prayer. They all kill it! ❤
I'd highly recommend You to Check out Pentatonix's Version of The Prayer
You definitely started with the correct song. I would venture to say that Hallelujah serves as the introduction to Pentatonix for about 80 percent of new TH-cam fans. (Yes, I just made that up, there’s no way I could know that.) They do these big anthems so well. The Prayer, Can You Feel the Love Tonight, Amazing Grace and their brand-new original I Rise are other examples. Check out their Daft Punk medley (first Grammy), Bohemian Rhapsody, Imagine (official video, please), Havana and maybe Mad World to get a feel for their versatility. Come Along is more whimsical, O Come All Ye Faithful is a stellar interpretation of a classic Christmas song, and Gold shows what they can do just sitting around in the studio. Their Evolution of Micheal Jackson medley, ‘90s Dance Medley and Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy (second Grammy) are very fun too. I found them during the pandemic lockdown and quickly became a big fan. I particularly enjoy reactors who know about music and can help me understand why I enjoy them so much, so thank you for your review and analysis. Please keep ‘em coming! Peace from Ohio …
I agree with everything you said could not have said it better. Thank you,
Perfect choices! These are the ones I would have chosen too.
Pentatonix is the only a cappella band to have ever won a Grammy, except they've actually won three Grammys. They're also the only a cappella band to have a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame.
The members of Pentatonix:
In this video, the first verse is sung by Scott Hoying, lyric baritone. Scott's range starts in the middle of the bass range, on the low end, and extends through most of a normal tenor range on the high end. When the bass is soloing, Scott can and does take over the bass harmony line.
The second verse is sung by Avi (pronounced Ah'-vee, emphasis on the first syllable) Kaplan, lyric bass. Avi is an operatically trained basso profundo (his lowest notes have blown out speakers in live performances), but his range extends to about the middle of a normal tenor range.
The third verse is sung by Kirstin (also called Kirstie, which rhymes with thirsty) Maldonado, the only woman in Pentatonix. Kirstie sings anywhere from low alto through coloratura soprano, and she has fantastic whistle notes on top of that. Recently Pentatonix has begun calling her an alto soprano.
The fourth verse is sung by Mitch Grassi (pronounced Grah'-see, emphasis on the first syllable), contratenor. Mitch has a range of just over six octaves and is considered by all the other members of Pentatonix to be the best singer in the band. He's known for his ethereal high vocals, and switches seamlessly between chest voice, mixed voice, and head voice. We refer to that astonished expression people get when they first hear Mitch as being "Mitch-slapped." It's happened to most of us more than once, because Mitch is full of surprises.
The fifth member of Pentatonix is Kevin Olusola (pronounced Oh-loosh"-oh-luh', primary emphasis on the second syllable, secondary emphasis on the fourth syllable), beatboxer extraordinaire. Somewhere there may be a better beatboxer than Kevin, but if so I've never encountered him or her. Kevin is generally too busy being the entire percussion section to sing, but when he does sing he has a lovely tenor voice that occasionally dips into the uppermost reaches of baritone, and he's known for the beauty of his falsetto. He's also a pretty good rapper. Kevin has perfect pitch. He's classically trained on piano, saxophone, and cello. He beatboxes while playing the cello, a technique he calls "celloboxing." He performed at Carnegie Hall twice when he was a teenager, once on saxophone and once on cello. He has a pre-med degree from Yale and had been accepted to Yale Medical School before he decided to become a professional musician instead of a brilliant surgeon. He speaks five languages fluently: English, French, Spanish, German, and Mandarin Chinese. He's one of the kindest people in the world, and when he laughs he makes the whole planet seem like a brighter place.
Avi left Pentatonix in 2017, for a variety of personal reasons. He has since gone on to have a very successful solo career; I highly recommend subscribing to his TH-cam channel: youtube.com/@AviKaplanMusic
He isn't in this video, but in more recent videos you'll see Matt Sallee (pronounced Suh-lee', emphasis on the second syllable), who joined Pentatonix in late 2017 to replace Avi. Matt is another lyric bass. In addition to being the newest member of Pentatonix, Matt is also the youngest member, and I'm told that bass voices improve with age. So it's hard to be sure just what Matt's range is, because it's still growing. To find his current range I recommend listening to a live stream of "Hallelujah" from their recent world tour. You can find one here: th-cam.com/video/ASYzLoi810k/w-d-xo.html Matt's arrangement of the second verse seems to be designed to show off his full range, and it will blow you away. I don't believe he's at the basso profundo level yet, but I expect him to reach it within a year or two. On the high end he's near the top of a normal tenor range.
Thanks so much for all this great info, including the pronunciations! 🙏 Can’t wait to dive in more!
Sound engineer is MVP of this song.
💗💗💗 They are individually so talented, however, when put together, it is truly magical 💗💗💗 And although I love every one in the Pentatonix group, Mitch has a special place in my heart. There is just something so special about a male counter tenor, & feels so exquisite to my ears 💗💗💗
you can catch them doing this live in their 2016 Christmas Special. It's every bit as good as this official video recording. You can't go wrong with any of the PTX songs available. A couple of my favs of mine: 'Can you feel the Love Tonight', 'Havana', 'Oh Come All Ye Faithful'. (There's an exception for playin Xmas music in August when it's PTX.)
I've listened to this song hundreds of times, and this was the first time I noticed their very intentional use of breath as sound right at the end - fairly short phrases with audible breaths in between. Just stunning!
She sang in Broadway shows, they met at school. They are the best
You have such expressive eyes - you were a joy to watch. I love it when people first discover the magic of PTX. Your eyes lit up as you discovered the magic that each of this insanely talented group bring to the table. More please.
PTX is the most commercially successful a cappella group out there right now. They nailed the balance between traditional a cappella and modern pop, and just have something that i fond lacking in the other mainstream a cappella groups.
I'm glad you found them. they are vocal monsters
These guys have been together for quite a while. Scott (First solo), Kirstie (Female), and Mitch (Guy in he big hat that "Mitch-Slapped" you with his amazing voice) were high school classmates and have been singing together since then. Avi (Bass - second solo) and Kevin (Beatbox/percussion) were added when they needed 5 to compete for "The Sing Off", which they did win. Avi performed with the group for the first few years, but left to pursue a less hectic (more time with his family) solo career, which has taken off. Matt became the group's bass singer and they continue to WOW!
I suggest you first delve into the years with Avi as bass, and then move into the newer stuff with Matt as bass. Suggestions to review (Avi- bass) - Bohemian Rhapsody, Say Something, Radioactive (With Lindsey Sterling), Wizard of Aahhs (with Todrick Hall), Daft Punk (1st Grammy), Jolene (with Dolly Parton (3rd Grammy), Run to You (Original), Imagine. This group does not do "covers" - they do "Upgrades"!!!
I just subbed. I look forward to more of you PTX reactions. If you want to hear some great soprano/tenor blends from Kirstie and Mitch, check out their cover of “Waving through a Window”. AviI, the bass, is opera trained. If you want backstory with some spoilers watch the video “The Beginners Guide to Pentatonix “. This Pentaholic welcomes you to the Pentafam. Thank you for your breakdown. Loved it.
Some things to note about the band. Scott (the first verse lead) takes over the bass when Avi (2nd verse singer) is singing. Mitch (last verse singer) has a vocal range of 6 octaves, 1 tone, and can hit the highest notes of anyone in the band. Also, Avi left the band in 2017, but his replacement (Matt) is another top notch bass. Kevin (the percussion guy) is a tenor, an amazing beatboxer, and also does throat singing on at least a few tracks. Kirsten (the only female) is just an all around great female vocalist. Any member of the group could easily be the lead singer that a hit band was built around, if they weren't all doing acapella together.
Sound of silence from Pentatonix is also great to comment on
Welcome to PTX. You might want to watch their cover of the "Prayer", a song by Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli. Mitch (one with the large hat and very high voice)and Kristie (only female) sing back and forth for a little bit. One of their best covers.
Youll love hearing them sing Amazing Grace, Sound of Silence, and Can You Feel The Love Tonight as well.
Welcome to the family! You were just commented by Messer, who is Mitch Grassi! Wow! I notice you did a reaction to Sound of Silence, check out the PTX version. Imagine would also be a good next step if you don’t want to go back to beginning. Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy is the song for which they won their first Grammy, it will really show how good they have been right from the start.
Scott (the first singer), Kirsten, and Mitch (the last solo) have been singing together since junior high in Arlington, Texas.
Thanks for this great reaction! I've heard and watched this a hundred times or more, as well as the live version from their Christmas special, and it still makes me cry. This is sooooo the good type of cry.
To hear the two high voices duet, check out " The Prayer", and Mary Did you know". All things Pentatonix will blow you away.
This is the first group I discovered through TH-cam. They’ve been around forever, and their vocals and techniques are so good so I was surprised this is your first time hearing them. But there’s so much music out there, I suppose.
Looking forward to more of them here. I’ve kind of lost track of them for a while so I’ll be catching up on them with you!
A few more acapella groups to try, Home Free, Voiceplay (their bass singer Geoff Castellucci has his own solo channel where he multitracks all the parts - not acapella, but DEFINITELY worth a listen), and Voctave.
There are others, but those you can usually find organically from those 4. There are a lot of collaborations between the groups too, so also a good way to discover them (though historically less of this on pentatonix channel)
Great reaction! Hope you do more pentatonix... will watch 100%!
I’m totally in for more Pentatonix!
Your gonna love Mitch he is the tenor that can it the most beautiful high notes