Episode 3. Vocal Timbre

The distinguishing characteristic of vocal quality (separate from pitch and volume), is called timbre (pronounced 'tamber') and can be thought of as a texture, ranging from silky smooth (i.e. Whitney Houston) to gritty (i.e. Taj Mahal, below). These are three of the most unique voices you will encounter, and it's as if they were meant to sing these three songs, which progress in gravity from "fun" to "vaguely emotional" to "heavy and deep."

#1.Taj Mahal - "Queen Bee" (1997)


Quite possibly the most delightful feel good song I've heard. The opening guitar lick and bass are like a guy leaning over with a big smile and saying "listen up, this is gonna be a good one". Taj Mahal's vocals in this song are clearly brilliant, and the bass provides a perfect playful energy. One sign of great music is the precise use of instruments, meaning the addition of certain sounds in very specific locations rather than spraying them around just because they're there. If you listen closely toward the middle of the song, you'll hear a few saxophone notes every couple bars, and this is only done in certain verses. Only a handful of sax notes in the whole song. An amateur sax player or producer would be tempted to do a lot more. It takes some genius to simplify things so fittingly. This variation and subtle detail helps prevent the song from getting old as Taj stands on his mountain and spreads the love. Perfect 10/10.

#2. Courtney Barnett - "Depreston" (2015)


Sydney-based Courtney Barnett delivers an absolutely beautiful account of moving to a depressing town and wishing she could rebuild and start over. In all likelihood this should be a depressing story, but instead Courtney focuses on little things like saving money with her new percolator. The way her lazy, matter-of-fact style reduces a significant life event down to small, comfortable pieces makes this song as close to aural Xanax as it gets. This attitude permeates the entire song, including the lazy guitar that can't decide between background and lead. Courtney's genius is that it sounds like none of the instruments really matter very much, which completes the picture on an even deeper level. Also, the way she sings in tune with very low power (she's almost talking) combined with her unique melodic style (her choice of ups and downs in pitch) makes her exceptional both artistically and technically. As the Aussies say, she makes it seem "Too easy." Best song of 2015. 10/10.

#3. Tracy Chapman - "Fast Car" (1988)


Audio pros use Tracy Chapman's voice to test sound system quality due to its subtlety and depth. Tracy has the ability to tap right into your soul. Beyond her one-of-a-kind voice, her passion is palpable and her lyrics and storytelling are poetic, yet easy to follow and engrossing. She uses a good deal of vibrato, which is the shaky, undulating quality that requires power and tension in the vocal chords, although she makes it seem effortless. Courtney Barnett, in contrast, uses almost no vibrato with her ultra-easy-going-no-tension style. By the end of the first few lines, you have been transplanted into Tracy's world. I'm not aware of a song that can more quickly and effectively create such a deep empathic connection. And that simple guitar lick* repeats over and over and hovers around like a skeleton in the closet. Off the charts 11/10.

* A lick is a series of notes that repeats either back-to-back or at various points throughout the song, functioning like a theme.

Episode 2. Nina Simone

If you haven't seen the Netflix documentary about her, it's definitely worth watching. To summarize, Nina Simone was a complete badass, and I mean that with genuine respect. She was a very passionate, sometimes even militant, civil rights activist, and her method of activism was to get on stage and make other people feel her frustration. And she was brilliant, and they loved it. 

#1.Nina Simone - "I Ain't Got No, I Got Life"(1968)

The incredible thing about this first song is that the lyrics are completely mundane and repetitive and yet she manages to pour her heart out and make you feel her pain and happiness. Her voice has an intense power independent of volume. 

#2. Nina Simone - "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free" (1967)

If an angel spent her life locked in a cage, this is what it would sound like on Sundays. The structure of this song is interesting, as Nina starts out almost whispering and ends almost screaming. The intensity ramps up so slowly that it's easy to miss.

#3. Nina Simone - "Baltimore" (1978)

Nina Simone, who was not a "reggae artist," happened to create a mind-blowing reggae song. If you really want to hear a cool bass line, check out the one during the chorus (at 1:50). It may sound simple, and it is, but the mood it elicits perfectly fits the vague struggle Nina's talking about ("Ol' Baltimore, ain't it hard just to live"). 

Episode 1. The Bass Line

The bass guitar is often the "base" of the song, and everything else can be put in its context. This first episode will be an intro to the bass, to help the reader appreciate this deep sonic booming heartbeat that directs the music and gives the vocalist a platform to reach the sky.

#1. A Tribe Called Quest - "Buggin' Out" (1991)


This bass line is unmistakable (it's the only thing you hear at the beginning) and repeats throughout the entire song. However, it is not very easy to follow. Although it is repetitive, it feels like it's never-ending partly because the first and last notes are the same, partly because it sounds like it's resolving in the middle, eliciting a kind of rebellious, uneasy feel. Regarded in the hip-hop community as one of the greatest bass lines, it was played by legendary jazz bassist Ron Carter on a stand-up bass.

#2. James Brown - "The Boss" (1973)


The bass starts out very simply, with three notes repeating. The first note is very low and sounds like the instrument is being (or was) de-tuned (like the guitar is falling out of tune and the pitch is dropping), subtly contributing to the "I don't give a shit" attitude of the song. As the song transitions into the breakdown, Mr. Brown adds some horns, but the real significant change is in the bass, which starts to jump all over the place, adding a lot of energy. We all pay the cost to be some kind of boss. 

#3. Sly & The Family Stone - "If You Want Me To Stay" (1973)


This is some of the funkiest bass of all time, and it's great practice for paying attention to the bass because there's a nice long intro to get accustomed to, and then you can try to keep following it as the other instruments come in. 

#4. Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Soul to Squeeze" (1993)


This is a great example of a song that people find beautiful because of the singing without realizing that the bass is what's actually beautiful and the singing is mediocre. Just kidding, Anthony Kiedis is a good singer (and his nonsensical rapping on this track is genius), but Flea is arguably the greatest pop bassist since Jesus. Chad Smith, the drummer, is also an all-time great, and his playing in this song is exceptional. If you pay attention you'll notice that he adds very subtle detail but also keeps it simple. It's the equivalent of being extremely eloquent. Try to follow the bass the whole way through the song, and you'll find that the bass really is the song. 

The playlist: