First Time Hearing | Geoff Castellucci - Blackbird | The Beatles | Bass Singer Cover Reaction

[@bjspeck4337]

Paul McCartney talking to a group said that Blackbird was in honor of the American Civil Rights movement which I was active in back in the late 60s. I didn't know the song then but it makes it more special to my heart. Geoff recorded this at his home and trying to be quiet since his son was supposed to be sleeping. He heard a voice, "Daddy, is that Blackbird?" "Yes. Go back to sleep." Geoff's voice in this is so smooth and beautiful. When he was working at Disney and Universal, he always sang tenor. He still says that he isn't a true bass but you sure could have fooled me. Tim Foust of Home Free worked with him some, tried to teach him growls, which Geoff still isn't comfortable with - he mostly does subharmonics to get to the really, really low notes. In VPs recent Enemy he hits an A0 - last note on a piano. He does have a couple of videos on How to Sing Really Low. Listen to his High and Dry, as Halloween gets closer - check out the Monster Mash.

[@ZaneNicholson]

He just recently released his cover of Elvis's Way Down. Phenomenal. Most all of Geoff's work is incredible in my opinion, I definitely like this type of content.

[@Aurora-cv5to]

Geoff's classic crowd pleaser is 16 Tons - expertly done, wonderful arrangement and singing - and fun. Don't miss Shenandoah, it's gorgeous. Like Dimash, I suspect that what makes him "different" from other talented performers is that he works incredibly hard, and never stops developing his voice. When he started learning to do subharmonics a few years back he soon had the whole VoicePlay group learning too. (Eli, their tenor, can hit a respectable A1 in subharmonics.) But many of the incredible notes he throws out are pure chest voice, and that is amazing. His take on Ain't No Sunshine is not to be missed.
(I noticed yesterday on your Dirty Loops reaction, and again today, that you are using new software to obscure the video. Totally not necessary with VoicePlay - no label, no manager, and they're cool with reactors. As for Dirty Loops, I've never seen another reactor use it or complain about being blocked. It really spoils the fun to see it so totally obscured. But hey, your channel, your choice.)

[@paulcooper2897]

How?
Easy .. Geoff has unlocked all the Cheat Codes!
His cover of Ain't No Sunshine should be on your to do list!!!
Thanks for sharing 🇨🇦

[@tahoemike5828]

About the meaning of this song, which I didn't know for forty odd years...
"Bird" is a British term for a woman, in the way we might call her a "Chick." Paul saw a news report about civil rights in the American south, and wrote this in tribute and in support of the black women in the report. "...Take these broken wings and learn to fly. All your life, you were only waiting for this moment to arise.."

[@carolfranklin]

Geoff has a few tutorials on TH-cam where he explains the use of subharmonics to get an octave lower but he naturally has at least 4 octaves & an incredible metal scream!! Way Down which he just released is very good with a very funny video but he also did Bill Withers' Ain't No Sunshine recently, all his stuffs fantastic.

[@gabrielwoolf1037]

He has 5 octives now after hitting that B0. Just check out his latest content where he describes just how low and high he can go

[@dagan2000]

when you've had the vocal warfare experience he did as a Universal Studios Florida performer, singing rock medleys for years at the Beetlejuice Rock Revue, on stage 4-5 times a day doing a 45 minute set each time, 5 days a week, you learn how to make your voice do a lot of things

[@AndieO]

The Bass Gang should be on your radar. 4 young bass artists... So much talent.

[@Traci2000]

LOL! Geoff leaves us all confounded. He's pretty amazing!

[@vortexathletic]

Your reaction on this deserves more views! 🙌🏻 More Geoff please

[@johnjacobsen619]

The man, the myth, the legend.

[@Zain327]

This man is the sound spectrum..

[@suzybailey5501]

I'm in awe of Geoffs rich bass voice but equally love his very beautiful tenor range as well, so this cover, along with his rendition of 'High and Dry' give me a bit of everything I love about his near 5 octave range! Enjoyable reaction, thank you! My only gripe, the annoying and distracting screen saver! 🙂👍

[@NicholasAHart]

Loved the reaction. Take Care & God Bless.

[@jw3843]

The original is definitely worth doing. Geoff is a great singer. If you haven't done the one about working in a mine you should do that one. It is called "sixteen tons".

[@acorrado5529]

Yes, and his other one about working in the mine "Big Bad John" is great too.

[@dori4362]

Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone is another hit he's remade into his own that's amazing

[@jackyfriedman1963]

Yes. Geoff does Way Down by Elvis.
He also is bass for Voiceplay. They have Alot of great songs as well. The one with his lowest note of B0 is the Ball Theme.

[@regardlessyvette]

I'd love to see you react to Voiceplay that he is a part of and watch Hoist the Colours (and more of course)...they have such fun and fantastic covers and I feel like you'd appreciate them

[@dawnburris6412]

Love Geoff and Voiceplay!! Please react to more of their stuff! ❤

[@bsmith5970]

Geoff works very hard to train his lower range and he has extended his chest voice so much even operatic voice coaches have trouble discerning when he's in chest or subharmonic. His near 5 full octave range (B0 to A5) makes some of his belts sound like a totally different singer. (Oogie Boogie is a good example and his run in The Little Mermaid Medley (as Ursula) - both with VoicePlay. He just released Way Down, an old Elvis tune where JD Sumners was Elvis's bass. Geoff, perfectionist that he is, was said to have done 80 takes on the closing line to hit EXACTLY the impossibly low notes that Sumner had in the original. Interesting trivia - Elvis, a natural baritone - always wanted to be a bass.

[@Broomrider1492]

The Geoff Quintet.

[@natebaker3672]

Next is definitely Way Down. That cover is incredible.

[@victorcowboywest]

It is that he is a six-octave singer. Check out the covers of:"AIN'T NO SUNSHINE ","WAY DOWN","BIG BAD JOHN "and "THE HOUSE RISING SUN "

[@dannygraham6304]

Geoff is a unicorn. Crazy talented with a ridiculous 5 octave range.

[@blissinpa]

Blackbird is an amazing song. So beautiful.

[@thomasfarr7934]

I really enjoyed your reaction! His latest "solo" cover is Elvis Presley's Way Down. It is one that he just has fun with and he has let it all out! Definitely worth seeing and hearing!

[@tyghe_bright]

Paul McCartney wrote Blackbird about the civil rights movement. More specifically, to the Little Rock Nine, a group of nine Black students who enrolled at a formerly all-white high school, which triggered riots. He's said that he's singing it to a Black woman in the South. (Bird is a double entendre, since it was common slang in Britain at the time for woman.) It's a tremendous song of hope. And I love this cover of it.

[@RedSinter]

His Bill Withers cover of Ain't No Sun Shine...is beyond compare... He has a 5 Octave range.

[@gilliandrysdale5306]

Geoff is truly amazing ❤️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@annepinkerton7735]

When he sings the second verse of Shenandoah, he melts my heart!!!

[@dovos8572]

i find it interresting to see when a man with a deep talking voice is wondering how others can sing in a deep voice. it is years of training and dedication. i have found someone who is comfortable in the 0-2 octave and doesn't like to go higher. he trained for years to hold a 0-1 octave note for longer than 10 seconds in a "pure chest voice" and says that he will be able to sing songs in ten years from now.

[@TheJimmycrakcorn]

Would love to see you and The Charasmatic Voice have a chat. You 2 are my fave reactors. For the most part, you cover the bars, she covers the voice/singing side. She is where I learned that there's a second set of vocal folds that allow subharmonics/screaming without ruining your voice.

[@letheardaw]

Great reaction, and I love listening to your voice. Very nice! Geoff (currently, though no bets for the future) has a 5 octave range. The range isn't as amazing as the fact that he can sing in all of it so well and beautifully. It seems he pushes his envelope out further with every video. In his latest release, Elvis' Way Down, he said that it took him 80 takes to hit the C1 at the end. Hope to see more Geoff and Voiceplay.

[@karenzak6627]

Great reaction, thank you!

[@joeb4142]

Blackbird is from the Beatle’s White Album.

[@ilonadever8249]

Really enjoyed your reaction to this Geoff, as well as your Misty Mountains Cold Geoff! He does all of his arrangements himself, he does the filming, the initial mix, everything himself. Unless sets, costumes, makeup, or additional camera work is necessary. It is all him and his wife Kathy. Ed Boyer does the final mix (he also works with Pentatonix and Home Free).
Please, please, please do more reactions to Geoff's work and start reacting to Voiceplay. Start with Hoist the Colours from Pirates of the Caribbean 3. Trust me.
Subscribed in anticipation of more Geoff and Voiceplay.

[@KorvidRavenscraft]

His cover of Radiohead's High and Dry is mind blowing. I would highly recommend it

[@Wildecat10]

And Geoff had said that it’s one of his favorites!

[@zitriphyer8429]

He utilizes a technique called subharmonics. He has made a video explaining the techniques he uses on his channel. I would highly recommend it if you're interested with how he does it

[@johndeeregreen4592]

Even in chest voice, he is good to F1, which is nearly an octave lower than an average bass singer. He only dropped one subharmonic in this -- the note at the end. Other than that note, it was all his natural voice.

[@fleetadmiralmatteo4123]

Geoff has a five-octave range, and is very proficient at using subharmonics and vocal fry, as well. His own solo work is excellent, along with his performances with VoicePlay. Some of my favorites of his are his cover of Misty Mountains, Monster Mash, and Sixteen Tons, plus his new cover of Elvis's Way Down. From VoicePlay, their versions of the medley from The Little Mermaid and We Don't Talk About Bruno from Encanto are far better than I would have expected, and their recent cover of Enemy by Imagine Dragons and If I were a Rich Man/Girl are pure gold. New to your channel, and loving it so far!

[@TheNagorian]

Great to see you finally reacting to Castellucci, he's an amazing performer, well worth a deep dive ;)

[@brahmpayton334]

Good sir. It's almost halloween. VoicePlay doing "the oogie boogie man" from "The nightmare before christmas" Geoff has amazing backup and KILLS the song in form and spirit. Yes, that was a pun.

[@ISurfHawaii]

If you're interested, watch some videos on subharmonic singing. He has a naturally low voice for sure, but his insanely low range are subharmonic. It's basically a trick of the vocal cords that drops the audible sound by an octave.

[@DarthKoonstyle]

I had been getting back into vocal exercises during COVID since I was working from home. Was a nice distraction while working. With only those voice excercises in the last 20 years, I can hit most of his chest range. The only training I had before that was in school, as I was in choir and show chorus from like sixth grade through high school. Lowest note in high school I could scrape by on was a C2, and was most resonate around E2.
Twenty years on, at the age of 38 I can hit an A1 when warmed up, though I'm definitely most resonate from C2-E2. First thing in the morning I've hit a G#1 but those mornings don't happen too often. I can belt if with the proper lead up to probably a F4, can hit C4 easily any given day of the week. If warmed up I can get through at least half of the 4th octave, but I haven't hit a A4 probably since high school. And through lack of use I don't even really have much of a falsetto voice anymore.
In subharmonics I can hit a D1-E1 pretty clean. Never really realized it until I watched his tutorial but I've been messing around with subharmonic and vocal fry since I was in high school, especially when imitating motor sounds. So applying that to signing actually came fairly quickly. Men with a lower speaking voice, if trained at all, usually have a fairly wide range. But if they've had no training they wouldn't even know their vocal potentia.
Regardless, (tldr) I think that there are probably more people out there like Geoff than one might realize. Men with a low voice simply did not sing much/if at all to unlock their true range.

[@ericbnielsen]

Blackbird was written by Lennon-McCartney and performed by Paul McCartney who said the song is about the American Civil Right movement in the 60’s.

[@justinthompson7623]

To sing low you need a big voicebox and he must have a big one! What amazes me most about this song is his precision and control through the whole range. Still one of my top 3 of his (with Misty Mountains and Ain't No Sunshine). I hope you do more of his!

[@rmdewberry2482]

Geoff is my fave singer on TH-cam!

[@crystijones9518]

Oh man, please do a react of oogie boogie man by voiceplay with Geoff as lead!!
So I just found Geoff last month, falling in complete love with his God rest ye merry gentlemen song 😂 I didn't realize he was a member of voiceplay for weeks. I was excited to see you did a couple reacts to him! Please do oogie boogie man I think you will love it.
Or maybe you did and I just cant find it, please point me to it 😁

[@acorrado5529]

Thanks for your reaction! All of his solo work and Voice Play is amazing. They do all of their own production and make it easier to post and share videos so you won't need to worry about the copywrite blocks that reactors struggle with when reacting to Pentatonix and other groups (Pentatonix has a difficult record contract that requires screens and filters for reactors and can be frustrating). Voice Play is a complete package as far as their amazing arrangements, voices and harmonies but are also so talented in all aspects of their production that they do on their own. Please check out Voice Play's "Little Mermaid Medley".

[@christinestromberg4057]

Geoff also play piano in High and Dry, and Shenandoah. :)

[@TheNeonParadox]

You've heard him sing and harmonize before. He did five-octaves of harmonies with himself on Over the Misty Mountains Cold. His range is so absurd.

[@edithdavis2848]

His newest is cover of Elvis Way Down.
He has so much fun in it that it is hilarious .

[@manolife777]

I would recommend "Sixteen Tons" or when he sings the "Oogie Boogie" or "Hoist the Colors" song as a part of Voice Play he goes from his low to top rock n roll scream in one Breath. as far as his voice he had or has a hearing condition where tha was just how he learned to hear voice.

[@benjaminfrost2780]

16 Tons is his best amongst great work for certain. You should for sure check out Voiceplay too, they are on another level up there with Pentatonix and Homefree for sure. Voiceplay's Oogie Boogie song showcases his deep and his high end both very well.

[@simmerplayer2747]

I believe that originally when Geoff was really young he trained his tenor voice because he wanted to be a rock tenor but then as he got older his voice deepened and he started training that lower voice but he keeps up his higher range as well

[@upinya123321]

Your screensaver really went well with this song lol

[@zitriphyer8429]

He's a god :)

[@ad9aggie]

Tim Foust of Home Free is very similar. Check out his version of "Will You Love Me Tomorrow/Stay"
Keep on keepin' on!

[@bobkitten8150]

Yes, for something completely different check out his recent cover of Elvis' Way Down !

[@janetdw]

And be sure to watch all the way through to the Outro.

[@Overlord_Arlas]

Congrats on 500k brother!
Definitely love Geoff reactions, he is definitely a one man band with his ability to harmonize with himself. Suggesting his most recent cover of Elvis' Way Down!
Also, just listening to the range of your natural speaking voice when you react, I would bet you could definitely get down pretty low with subharmonics (the technique Geoff uses to do *most of his very low notes.

[@mendelson6052]

He likely has much longer and thicker vocal cords than the average adult male.
Think of the way plucking a longer and thicker bass string produces a deeper, lower tone compared to strings of a guitar or a violin.
Interestingly, long and thick vocal chords are also generally able to produce fairly high tones as well, so it’s not uncommon for men like him to also be able to sing high.
It’s worth mentioning that, even by those standards, he seems to be especially gifted on both the low and the high ends.

[@chrisd7047]

It would really be worth it for you to hear the original. It is a beautiful song. While it is credited to The Beatles, it's really just Paul McCartney on an acoustic guitar with double-tracked vocals, and his foot-tapping.

[@El_Jefe_Zamora]

500K let's gooooo

[@jghue]

"Is it a condition?" 🤣🤣

[@Haarkad]

Q: "How is this possible"
A: go to his TH-cam channel and he'll tell you :)

[@jrm-ue9if]

Try Tim Foust, Tim Storms, Avi Kaplin. They all sing this low.

[@johnbattles1002]

The ridiculous spaceman overlay (to presumably prevent copyright blockage) was 100% distracting! NOTE! -- Geoff Castellucci and the a capella group Voiceplay of which he is a founding member, NEVER restricts their videos on reactors' channels! So, you DON'T have to do this masking!

[@DarriusMichael]

I know how to sing low like him

[@carinarodebak9419]

Hours and hours of training and the use of subharmonics technics.

[@hgianos65]

Hey get rid of the screen saver

[@Consider00]

Not gonna lie. This dude make me feel like a woman. Or, maybe that's just my prostate. I think I found my prostate guys!

[@crystijones9518]

😂

[@markw3598]

Too bad we can't see the video because your back ground drowns it out.

[@MrKeychange]

It's not worth hearing a Beatles cover without hearing the original first. The original is always better.

[@herbyragan8686]

Pretty cover. But doesn’t come close to the original version by The Beatles. If you want to hear a really good acapella version I highly recommend the version by Bobby McFerrin