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Michael's harmonies

StaceyMJ

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One of the most amazing things about Michael's music is the harmonies that he uses. They're amazing, the layering, they sound so thick. Just brilliant. This is something that amazes me time after time. He doesn't get enough credit for it imo. It's not a song, it's like, a vocal creation. Like almost he's building and building, with the foundations and so on.

What are your favourite MJ harmonies?

I was just listening to We Be Ballin' and Michael's parts are so good! Also, off the top of my head the chorus of Speed Demon, Tabloid Junkie and a lot of the others off HIStory. Liberian Girl...Smooth Criminal, Dangerous, Stranger In Moscow, Why. I could go on and on. I recommend you get some decent headphones, turn it up loud and just listen to the harmonies on those tracks!

Hearing the Beat It demo was a huge treat for me.
Anyone else as obsessed with this as I am? :wub:
 
I know what you meen! I try to immitate it when I create my own music but I just CAN'T. It's impossible for me to make it sound Michael'ish :p

gawd, I love him so much. What a talent!
 
Safira said:
I know what you meen! I try to immitate it when I create my own music but I just CAN'T. It's impossible for me to make it sound Michael'ish :p

gawd, I love him so much. What a talent!
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Exactly, I've never heard anyone do it quite like him! It's like, heavy, but so light at the same time. The keys are complex as well. What a talent, you're right. :wub:
 
StaceyMJ said:
Exactly, I've never heard anyone do it quite like him! It's like, heavy, but so light at the same time. The keys are complex as well. What a talent, you're right. :wub:
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and I can't stand looking at your siggy :p cute..

btt.
also in the chorus for scream is a harmony as you describes here. sometimes his harmonies reminds me of the ones that african natives makes when they sing together to have fun. think about it. i'm thinking about the CORE of the harmonies. not the exact way he sings it.
 
Safira said:
and I can't stand looking at your siggy :p cute..

btt.
also in the chorus for scream is a harmony as you describes here. sometimes his harmonies reminds me of the ones that african natives makes when they sing together to have fun. think about it. i'm thinking about the CORE of the harmonies. not the exact way he sings it.
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Oh yeah, can't believe I forgot Scream! Perfect example of what I mean. I can totally hear the African native origins in it too, but Michael adds this velvety smooth thing. Makes me melt!
 
For me the Beat it demo is so beautiful.
Its pure,simple and hearing the way his voice melts together makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
xxx
 
The harmonies from the place with no name demo leak are sensational, although i just wish he would kind of swell it more on the word to, you know make it more trembly and crecendo it. But perhaps he does in the final version :). Also there are some georgeous warm harmonies on butterflies.
 
I always love the variety of Michael's harmonies. Sometime we had it so silky, sometimes very sexual, and sometimes so raspy and rocky. Oooooh I do love em lol!
 
Becca, I'm obsessed with that demo - pure genius!

MJultimatemusiclegen said:
The harmonies from the place with no name demo leak are sensational, although i just wish he would kind of swell it more on the word to, you know make it more trembly and crecendo it. But perhaps he does in the final version :). Also there are some georgeous warm harmonies on butterflies.
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OMG, yeah that tremble, I think that's why I love the Tabloid Junkie harmonies so much. The chorus on that is just phenomenal...I think that's one of my faves. *goes to listen to A Place With No Name*

EDIT: Just remembered Heartbreaker too.
 
Michaels harmonies are just like him...AMAZING.
I remember a couple of years ago when I think Janet did an interview, and she said that her, Michael and the brothers used to harmonize while doing the dishes. I so wish I could have heard that !!!
I love listening to MJ's accapellas his voice, its so amazing !!. I also love listening to Janets accapellas, both their harmonies are just perfection !!
 
StaceyMJ said:
Becca, I'm obsessed with that demo - pure genius!



OMG, yeah that tremble, I think that's why I love the Tabloid Junkie harmonies so much. The chorus on that is just phenomenal...I think that's one of my faves. *goes to listen to A Place With No Name*

EDIT: Just remembered Heartbreaker too.
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Yes, he does it in heartbreaker to and tabloid junkie. On the word breaker in heartbreaker and see it in the tabloid junkie chorus he kind of trembles them, i call them swollen harmonies, lol. I love it when he does that.
 
StaceyMJ said:
Oh yeah, can't believe I forgot Scream! Perfect example of what I mean. I can totally hear the African native origins in it too, but Michael adds this velvety smooth thing. Makes me melt!
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I just listened to the chords for the "ooh" choir in the chorus for scream. It goes something like this:

E Dsus
E Dsus
F C

Seems so easy but still I can't immitate it myself.. It's magic!
 
MJultimatemusiclegen said:
Yes, he does it in heartbreaker to and tabloid junkie. On the word breaker in heartbreaker and see it in the tabloid junkie chorus he kind of trembles them, i call them swollen harmonies, lol. I love it when he does that.
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Yeah, it's amazing when he does that. :wub:

Safira said:
I just listened to the chords for the "ooh" choir in the chorus for scream. It goes something like this:

E Dsus
E Dsus
F C

Seems so easy but still I can't immitate it myself.. It's magic!
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Wow, thanks for that, will give it a try when I'm home alone! :lol:

raz2911 said:
The harmonies on YRMW are amazing !!!
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Ah, I remember getting the single when it came out and just listening to that over and over again. Thanks for posting. :wub:
 
oh and what is that voice in the background in this time around on BIG's rap. Those haunting lines it does to create a paranoid atmousphere. That is insane, it goes unoticed by so many people, but it adds so much to the feel of the track. He used things like that and his skilled use of harmonies to lift his tracks to another level. It's these touched which make michael genius.
 
MJultimatemusiclegen said:
oh and what is that voice in the background in this time around on BIG's rap. Those haunting lines it does to create a paranoid atmousphere. That is insane, it goes unoticed by so many people, but it adds so much to the feel of the track. He used things like that and his skilled use of harmonies to lift his tracks to another level. It's these touched which make michael genius.
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Oh yeah, I just listened and I see what you mean. Wow, it's amazing how after so many years something can still shock you as if it's new.
These touches are what gives it the Michael quality stamp, there's nobody quite like him. It's like every song is a work of art.
 
StaceyMJ said:
Oh yeah, I just listened and I see what you mean. Wow, it's amazing how after so many years something can still shock you as if it's new.
These touches are what gives it the Michael quality stamp, there's nobody quite like him. It's like every song is a work of art.
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It's true, if you really listen to that voice BIG in the background, it physically makes you feel paranoid, like the tracks supposed to be. Mike was one of the few artists who really fully understood the power of music. He uses the harmonys when he wants to richen out the sound, almost like a soothing massage lol. Or if he wants an angry effect he swells them.
 
Now I feel stupid for not knowing what a harmony is. :lol: Well I think I have a general idea...but could someone explain it to me? Wikipedia isn't helping...
 
MJultimatemusiclegen said:
It's true, if you really listen to that voice BIG in the background, it physically makes you feel paranoid, like the tracks supposed to be. Mike was one of the few artists who really fully understood the power of music. He uses the harmonys when he wants to richen out the sound, almost like a soothing massage lol. Or if he wants an angry effect he swells them.
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Definitely, I totally agree. It's unbelievable what he created. It was always one of my dreams to sit and talk music with him, he's just incredible. :(
 
Giant Enemy Cat said:
Now I feel stupid for not knowing what a harmony is. :lol: Well I think I have a general idea...but could someone explain it to me? Wikipedia isn't helping...
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A harmony is like, layering voices all in different pitches so the blend together. Does that make sense? Look at some of the YT's people have posted, that should explain it better.
 
StaceyMJ said:
A harmony is like, layering voices all in different pitches so the blend together. Does that make sense? Look at some of the YT's people have posted, that should explain it better.
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Ahh OK, yes it does make sense. Thanks.
 
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