Your comparison between them really does reflect the original intents behind each group. Like, Pentatonix went into the Sing Off with the intent to prove acapella could produce epic club-style dance tracks, and Voiceplay started as a semi-theatrical group working at Disney World, intended to give folks something to enjoy while getting off their feet for a bit or eating something between rides or parades or whatever. They've both obviously expanded their style and repertoire well beyond their initial scope, but those very different goals at their start do still deeply inform much of their current work.
Well, they were dancing in the video! That chromatic walk down was AMAZING! For 5 voices to do it in harmony simultaneously is mind-blowing! During quarantine Kevin swallowed a steel drum which shows up in Coffee in Bed!
Kevin may have used the RC 505 in his cover of Down. I don't know the specific equipment he used, but he does loop his cello and vocals in it. It is seriously my favorite cover of his.
Kirsti’s line and attitude (as fas as I know) is because they arranged this song after her break up with her fiancé. So the way she sings “you just want attention, you don’t want my heart” it’s on a different level. ☺️
Excellent reaction. I love that you point things out from a DJ's perspective. It's very informative. I really hope that you will react to their new original song "Coffee In Bed". It's a bop. Kevin's beatboxing is insane and intricate. Matt's bass is killer also. 🔥🔥🔥
Well, you're half right. In my Acapella group, there were a lot of rehearsals to nail down parts, but there's also quite a lot of training in reading and writing sheet music so that each common part (Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Baritone, Bass and Rhythm) are able to not only read/perform their own parts, but follow everyone else's part as well. A big part of performing in a group, especially a small group like PTX, is listening to the others for cues in the music and keeping in time. It takes training and time, but when you're used to putting in that time like PTX, performing in studio isn't that different from performing live from their perspective. The only difference really is the energy from the crowd ... all the other technical stuff just takes work. That's partly why I don't see PTX as talented in the sense that they are musical "gods," but rather I revere and appreciate them for how hard they've worked to be as good as they are. Mitch is a natural outlier, since his vocal range is very much genetic and there's something especially unique about that, but the rest of them have earned every bit of their talent and success, and that's even more impressive to me. 🙂
I know some other reactors who have trouble with posting Pentatonix videos because of copyright will end up putting a dark filter over the video to the point that it’s almost not visible to us. We can just see it enough. Trust me all Pentatonix fans have already seen the videos you’re reacting to and they’re just hoping that you watch it while you react. Just a suggestion if you want to try to keep doing their videos.
glad the video's been unblocked! love the comparison and how it highlights how the two groups emphasize different strengths that they can showcase. i love both groups and it's really nice to see someone compare the two without bringing either side down. i haven't commented before but i've kinda been a lurker on your channel, having binged all your videos over the course of a week a few months back. i really enjoy your breakdowns and analysis of these musical groups and various performances, which always shows so much nuance and experience that i wouldn't have ever noticed by myself. love your channel and keep up the good work! hopefully sony will be faster to respond to you next time, if there is one.
You wanna see Kevin with a Loop, check out his own stuff. "Down" is awesome to start. There you got the Loop, beatboxing, the Chello and singing (and you will immediately see, why he can´t jump in as bass). The beatboxer of Home Free does an Beatbox solo live in their show, it´s also worth a reaction. Home Free: Drum Solo [SPM ST15]
Thank you for introducing me to a song I don't remember ever hearing before. Both of these new loves from 2 of my favorite groups are going right on my iTunes (audio) and TH-cam (videos) playlists. Something new to dance to as I'm walking to the bus stop with my iPod hanging from a lanyard and my headphones in my ears. (And I still want to know where you got that cap.)
I'm glad you enjoyed my videos! The symbol on my hat is the symbol for Hyrule, the fictional country you save in the Legend of Zelda video game series. I found it on Amazon 🙂
@@DJSwitchPDX The black-on-black was kind of hard to see. Zelda and the like never held any interest for me but I've been into Ancient Egypt for something like four decades. (My street name in the 80s-90s was isis.) In fact, the Ankh and the Eye of Horus are the only religious symbols I'll ever wear. Too bad I miss out here. Wind to they wings, brother.
I'm snitching on my age, the colors remind me of the Partridge Family TV show. Love your reaction as always. You should check out Coffee in Bed by PTX from their new album. Kevin showed out once again. ;)
I'm so glad this is available to watch now! I was waiting for it and was really disappointed when I saw it had been blocked. I really enjoy your analyses, as you approach things from a direction that I would never think of, and notice things that I don't have the training/experience to pick up as a classical musician. Your discussion of the groove was really interesting, and I've noticed that, depending on my mood, I'll prefer to listen to either largely PTX or largely Voiceplay when on a none-classical/choral acapella binge. PTX is much more pop/EDM orientated than voiceplay, which I find to be more theatrical and varied in genre. Voiceplay uses a lot more effects in post than PTX, which was something I wasn't a huge fan of when I first started listening to their stuff. It’s definitely grown on me since then, and I now appreciate the interest the effects add to the music, since they’re only adding a bit to what was already there. After you pointed out the chromatics, I started picking them up in the bass line as well, so that may be where the idea came from, and why it doesn't sound out of place. I definitely prefer Geoff’s version of the bass line in this, he does a brilliant job of mimicking the timbre and almost percussive rhythm (which you mentioned in part 1) of a bass guitar. Sorry for the essay 😅, but I really enjoyed your comparison here, and got a bit carried away with my comment. (Also, I'm so glad you didn't go the route of ‘x’s version is better’, they’re both good arrangements, just different from one another)
I don’t know if you noticed but on the original version, the Voiceplay version and the pentatonix version on the words “maybe you just” in the chorus, the bassline actually does a chromatic run downwards Edit: in the ptx key it goes from D3-B2
Really glad to see/hear you got all the stupid blocking stuff worked out. Gotta be frustrating but glad it's worked out without too much delay. Once again I really enjoyed your breakdown, and fully understand and agree with you about when I feel both songs would work so well. I enjoy both of these versions, but VP's is my go-to for when I'm reading a book or winding down for the night and just want to listen to music or have music playing. PTX's would be my attempt to energize myself before work or preparing for a night out. Also, yes, Kevin is INSANE! He's amazing. Both of these groups are just so good, so it's fun to see how they handle the same song differently and the choices they each made about their respective versions. Thank you again for the really interesting and informative reviews/breakdowns!
I really like your reatcion and very well explanation for people who doesn't know all the term or the equipment (i am one of them). BTW, is there any way to support you ? Maybe through a Patreon or something else ? Keep up the good work
Thank you for watching! Right now I'm streaming on Twitch three nights a week (Wed/Fri/Sun) at 7pm Pacific time, so you can support me there, or directly through PayPal, Venmo or Cash App @DJSwitchPDX. I'm still learning about integrating all the different apps together to make it easier for everyone, I just wish I had more time outside of my day job to work on TH-cam/Twitch stuff 🙂
The difference to me is just in the tone and mood. I don't know if I have the right words for it, but PTX was very energetic, brighter, and pop-y. Voiceplay is really good at darker drama in their vids, and true to their nature (it seemed like a throwback almost) they add runs and pieces of music in an artistic jigsaw kinda way and they make it work!
I think I prefer the Voiceplay rendition. I think VP did a better job at showcasing the individual vocalists' strengths, while Pentatonix's felt kinda... homogenized? ...to me, almost over-harmonized. The greater diversity in backing rhythms and harmonies for VP's version landed better with me.
I'm not sure I agree. They tend to rotate the lead line pretty regularly in their compositions, especially as the group got older and their writing got more nuanced.
Your comparison between them really does reflect the original intents behind each group. Like, Pentatonix went into the Sing Off with the intent to prove acapella could produce epic club-style dance tracks, and Voiceplay started as a semi-theatrical group working at Disney World, intended to give folks something to enjoy while getting off their feet for a bit or eating something between rides or parades or whatever. They've both obviously expanded their style and repertoire well beyond their initial scope, but those very different goals at their start do still deeply inform much of their current work.
Add home free and that is true too.
The chromatic scale they dropped in all nonchalant.... THANK YOU for noticing that and commenting on it! It's my favorite part of their arrangement.
It's an AWESOME transition!
🥴🥴 That just freaking melts me, every time.
Well, they were dancing in the video! That chromatic walk down was AMAZING! For 5 voices to do it in harmony simultaneously is mind-blowing! During quarantine Kevin swallowed a steel drum which shows up in Coffee in Bed!
Kevin may have used the RC 505 in his cover of Down. I don't know the specific equipment he used, but he does loop his cello and vocals in it. It is seriously my favorite cover of his.
Kirsti’s line and attitude (as fas as I know) is because they arranged this song after her break up with her fiancé. So the way she sings “you just want attention, you don’t want my heart” it’s on a different level. ☺️
Thanks for reacting to another Pentatonix video. I find your comments are extremely informative and interesting. I’ve subscribed for more PTX
When you realize Matt's bass part is just him saying "Padumadede" the entire song
Yeah, Pentatonix has always had that chromatic bit in their toy box. They don't use it often, but when they DO use it it's super good.
I absolutely adore this cover! It’s such a groove & bop from minute one. Kevin & Matt kill this one!!!!
PTX gets my vote. 💃
You sharing your extraordinary knowledge is a gift!! So thank you very much for your videos!!!
Excellent reaction. I love that you point things out from a DJ's perspective. It's very informative. I really hope that you will react to their new original song "Coffee In Bed". It's a bop. Kevin's beatboxing is insane and intricate. Matt's bass is killer also. 🔥🔥🔥
Down cover by Kevin - Amazing. Think it's what you are looking for from him.
What a nice surprise to wake up to! Thank you!
I think Pentatonix arrangements are set up so they can not only do them on video but also play them live. Their live concerts are high energy.
Well, you're half right. In my Acapella group, there were a lot of rehearsals to nail down parts, but there's also quite a lot of training in reading and writing sheet music so that each common part (Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Baritone, Bass and Rhythm) are able to not only read/perform their own parts, but follow everyone else's part as well.
A big part of performing in a group, especially a small group like PTX, is listening to the others for cues in the music and keeping in time. It takes training and time, but when you're used to putting in that time like PTX, performing in studio isn't that different from performing live from their perspective. The only difference really is the energy from the crowd ... all the other technical stuff just takes work.
That's partly why I don't see PTX as talented in the sense that they are musical "gods," but rather I revere and appreciate them for how hard they've worked to be as good as they are.
Mitch is a natural outlier, since his vocal range is very much genetic and there's something especially unique about that, but the rest of them have earned every bit of their talent and success, and that's even more impressive to me. 🙂
I know some other reactors who have trouble with posting Pentatonix videos because of copyright will end up putting a dark filter over the video to the point that it’s almost not visible to us. We can just see it enough. Trust me all Pentatonix fans have already seen the videos you’re reacting to and they’re just hoping that you watch it while you react. Just a suggestion if you want to try to keep doing their videos.
You Should React to Kevin Olusola's {KO} Cover of Marion Hill's "Down" He uses a Loop on that song!!!! It's So Good!!!!
glad the video's been unblocked! love the comparison and how it highlights how the two groups emphasize different strengths that they can showcase. i love both groups and it's really nice to see someone compare the two without bringing either side down.
i haven't commented before but i've kinda been a lurker on your channel, having binged all your videos over the course of a week a few months back. i really enjoy your breakdowns and analysis of these musical groups and various performances, which always shows so much nuance and experience that i wouldn't have ever noticed by myself. love your channel and keep up the good work! hopefully sony will be faster to respond to you next time, if there is one.
It was pretty weird that I posted that video and the PTX video was unlocked and hour later ... 😂
Thank you so much for watching!
Mid-century modern style; l love the use of colors here. Your reactions are like a master class - thank you!
Thank you so much for watching!
This was fun! I always learn something here. Thanks!
yay! it got released!!
Kevin on the new PTX album is killing it
You wanna see Kevin with a Loop, check out his own stuff. "Down" is awesome to start. There you got the Loop, beatboxing, the Chello and singing (and you will immediately see, why he can´t jump in as bass).
The beatboxer of Home Free does an Beatbox solo live in their show, it´s also worth a reaction. Home Free: Drum Solo [SPM ST15]
Thank you for introducing me to a song I don't remember ever hearing before. Both of these new loves from 2 of my favorite groups are going right on my iTunes (audio) and TH-cam (videos) playlists. Something new to dance to as I'm walking to the bus stop with my iPod hanging from a lanyard and my headphones in my ears. (And I still want to know where you got that cap.)
I'm glad you enjoyed my videos! The symbol on my hat is the symbol for Hyrule, the fictional country you save in the Legend of Zelda video game series.
I found it on Amazon 🙂
@@DJSwitchPDX The black-on-black was kind of hard to see. Zelda and the like never held any interest for me but I've been into Ancient Egypt for something like four decades. (My street name in the 80s-90s was isis.) In fact, the Ankh and the Eye of Horus are the only religious symbols I'll ever wear. Too bad I miss out here. Wind to they wings, brother.
are you thinking mid-century modern design style as far as colors go and....CHROMATIC FTW! That's wonderful!
Maybe? It was a solid decade or more before I was born, so my information is fuzzy, but I know I've seen those kinds of color patterns before
@@DJSwitchPDX LOL I was born in 1971 and the color palette reminds me so much of Brady Bunch LOL
YES! It really does!
I'm snitching on my age, the colors remind me of the Partridge Family TV show. Love your reaction as always. You should check out Coffee in Bed by PTX from their new album. Kevin showed out once again. ;)
Kevin and his cover of down - please and thank you!
I'm so glad this is available to watch now! I was waiting for it and was really disappointed when I saw it had been blocked. I really enjoy your analyses, as you approach things from a direction that I would never think of, and notice things that I don't have the training/experience to pick up as a classical musician.
Your discussion of the groove was really interesting, and I've noticed that, depending on my mood, I'll prefer to listen to either largely PTX or largely Voiceplay when on a none-classical/choral acapella binge. PTX is much more pop/EDM orientated than voiceplay, which I find to be more theatrical and varied in genre.
Voiceplay uses a lot more effects in post than PTX, which was something I wasn't a huge fan of when I first started listening to their stuff. It’s definitely grown on me since then, and I now appreciate the interest the effects add to the music, since they’re only adding a bit to what was already there.
After you pointed out the chromatics, I started picking them up in the bass line as well, so that may be where the idea came from, and why it doesn't sound out of place. I definitely prefer Geoff’s version of the bass line in this, he does a brilliant job of mimicking the timbre and almost percussive rhythm (which you mentioned in part 1) of a bass guitar.
Sorry for the essay 😅, but I really enjoyed your comparison here, and got a bit carried away with my comment. (Also, I'm so glad you didn't go the route of ‘x’s version is better’, they’re both good arrangements, just different from one another)
The chromatic transition you mentioned reminded me of old school Boyz to Men.
Yes! Definitely!
Cool change-up with the chromatic descending pattern and then again, but as more of a glissando...
I don’t know if you noticed but on the original version, the Voiceplay version and the pentatonix version on the words “maybe you just” in the chorus, the bassline actually does a chromatic run downwards
Edit: in the ptx key it goes from D3-B2
Kevin does that with something like that in a solo piece. Exactly as you explain. Look him up. Got a mill views
Yeah it's the Marian Hill - Down cover by Kevin Olusola. He has a couple others too, but that is the most popular.
Have you heard & reacted to Kevin doing Harry Styles “Sign of the times “? Kevin uses that looping on it as well as “Down” maybe some others too
Really glad to see/hear you got all the stupid blocking stuff worked out. Gotta be frustrating but glad it's worked out without too much delay. Once again I really enjoyed your breakdown, and fully understand and agree with you about when I feel both songs would work so well. I enjoy both of these versions, but VP's is my go-to for when I'm reading a book or winding down for the night and just want to listen to music or have music playing. PTX's would be my attempt to energize myself before work or preparing for a night out. Also, yes, Kevin is INSANE! He's amazing. Both of these groups are just so good, so it's fun to see how they handle the same song differently and the choices they each made about their respective versions. Thank you again for the really interesting and informative reviews/breakdowns!
Yea! Glad to see this unblocked...❤️
Atomic Style.
You just have to listen to Kevin's cover of "Down". You described it in what you were saying about the RC505.
I really enjoyed that video! You can see my full reaction here: th-cam.com/video/EaIggVKgxn4/w-d-xo.html
Please react to their cover of The Sound of Silence or Mad World. 🙏🙏🙏
Kevin uses a loopstation in some of his solo stuff
I LOVE watching reactions to that chromatic drop.
Voice play all the way!
Wouldn't it be awesome if Home Free came out with a version of this song?! To compare all three.
I really like your reatcion and very well explanation for people who doesn't know all the term or the equipment (i am one of them). BTW, is there any way to support you ? Maybe through a Patreon or something else ?
Keep up the good work
Thank you for watching!
Right now I'm streaming on Twitch three nights a week (Wed/Fri/Sun) at 7pm Pacific time, so you can support me there, or directly through PayPal, Venmo or Cash App @DJSwitchPDX.
I'm still learning about integrating all the different apps together to make it easier for everyone, I just wish I had more time outside of my day job to work on TH-cam/Twitch stuff 🙂
@@DJSwitchPDX Keep up the good work man ! I shall go on twitch and add you to my favorites :)
@@stephaniedechamplain735 Awesome! See you there!
There IS a video of Kevin doing that! Look for it!!!!
Remember, PTX doesn't do covers... They do upgrades!
I think the art style you are looking for is Mondrian.
I think you’re referring to the mod subculture/ art movement ? Regarding the colors
Also Kevin’s TikTok has a lot of his live looping performances!
So... PTX - dance party, VP - dinner party?
Also, if you're branching into rock, would love to hear your thoughts on YYZ by Rush.
The difference to me is just in the tone and mood. I don't know if I have the right words for it, but PTX was very energetic, brighter, and pop-y. Voiceplay is really good at darker drama in their vids, and true to their nature (it seemed like a throwback almost) they add runs and pieces of music in an artistic jigsaw kinda way and they make it work!
You'rw referring to Kitsch art style. I may have mispelled that.
Peter Max - Pop Art
They modulated the whole song down a half step too, even beside the chromatic descent.
Yeah, you're thinking of pop art. Specifically Andy Warhol's work.
💥PENTATONIX did it BEST!!!💥
Ptx is more poppy to voiceplays barroom pianoman situation.
You hear it from PTX!
Vintage
I think I prefer the Voiceplay rendition. I think VP did a better job at showcasing the individual vocalists' strengths, while Pentatonix's felt kinda... homogenized? ...to me, almost over-harmonized. The greater diversity in backing rhythms and harmonies for VP's version landed better with me.
PTX always feels like the Scott/Mitch show. Super talented but always a little disappointed.
I'm not sure I agree. They tend to rotate the lead line pretty regularly in their compositions, especially as the group got older and their writing got more nuanced.