how kurt actually made progressions: move the power chord shape around the fretboard until you finding something that sounds cool
@gavinrichards8016
5 жыл бұрын
lol yeah this dude is overanalyzing this shit so much
@BeastmanUCF
5 жыл бұрын
Yeah so all you have to do is have the musical talent of Kurt Cobain and you can write songs like him! Or, for the rest of us, you can watch videos like these and have a better understanding of how he did it. I like these videos, keep it up!
@ClaudioBrogliato
5 жыл бұрын
@@BeastmanUCF I wouldn't say this is how he did it, I'd say it's more how it works.
@ClaudioBrogliato
5 жыл бұрын
Totally missing the point. They wouldn't even be chords if it wasn't for the melody he sings, which is the what the whole video is about.
@calvinnickel9995
5 жыл бұрын
@Liam Beyer and we still come to the same conclusion. That Kurt just moves around power chords randomly. Let’s take Aneurysm, for example. Intro of F# - C - B - A. Doesn’t really fit into much of a pattern unless you hyper analyze it. Even more so when you look at it the way Kurt plays it sloppily... F#sus4 - Cmaj - Bmaj- Amaj.. typically with the B and e string ringing Then he does a basic chromatic scale on the G string starting st the third fret with the B and E strings ringing going up at an uneven rhythm to an arbitrary end (no version is the same... even in the same recording of the song). Then it’s just alternating between B and D power chords for the verse with B being clean and D being distorted. Then the chorus is just F# - G - A - A# - B - A. Pretty much a random pattern with lots of half-step intervals. If you want to see Kurt at the peak of his random power chords... listen to Milk In on In Utero. A# - E - G (with an open E string for a couple beats) - G# - E
@brightoneasterling9304
6 жыл бұрын
if kurt made this video himself it would be 30 seconds long. "just find a chord you like and branch off and be creative"
@Zer0Spinn
5 жыл бұрын
My music teacher when I told him I wanted to learn guitar: This is a power chord, you can move it around. Now go form a band.
@basedbattledroid3507
5 жыл бұрын
Zer0Spinn When I told my teacher I wanted to learn piano: "You'll never be popular or sexy."
@Zer0Spinn
5 жыл бұрын
@@basedbattledroid3507 You'll be popular and sexy if you eat meat.
@jesse.b613
5 жыл бұрын
@@analogeit I did see him in an interview once and they asked about music theory and he just said " its worthless, it only gets in the way". Not sure if that means he did know theory or not..
8:30 The reason you hear that chord as major and NOT minor is because Kurt Cobain plays that chord as a major chord more often then not as an accident. This is because of his technique with power chords. Kurt uses only his index and ring finger, and (as you see and hear in live performances) Kurt barres his ring finger across the fifth and the octave and sometimes hits the next string down from that ( in this case, the g string ). This adds an affect you can hear very clearly when Kurt builds his power chords from the E string. When Kurt builds his power chords on the A string though, he barres across and usually hits the B string, making the chord overall a major chord. In smells like teen spirits case, this means the chord progression actually goes like this: F5 - BbMaj. - Ab5 - DbMaj.
@Apebek
6 жыл бұрын
No the chord progression you say is false. They are just power chords. Did you even listen to the song? There is obviously no D in his Bb chord nor an F in his Db chord. I tried to play that on my guitar and sounds awful.
@Patrick96322
6 жыл бұрын
You are absolutely right !
@Patrick96322
6 жыл бұрын
Just look at Kurt play... @Ben Gehre is absoutely right !
@Apebek
6 жыл бұрын
@@Patrick96322 dont look at what Kurt plays, but listen to the song. Music is audio. It looks like he is holding a major chord but it doesnt mean he's playing it.
@InsigniaTheBandOfficial
6 жыл бұрын
Best comment I've read so far. That's the perfect analysis right there by @Ben Gehre. When i started playing guitar, I never took lessons. I covered Nirvana songs by watching all of their live videos and observing Kurt's playing very closely. And since i was sloppy in my initial days of playing and didn't know a lot of music theory, i would end up playing exactly like that and blow people's minds by getting the Nirvana effect. This effect is best heard on Aneurysm. When he builds up an E string power chord. Kurt was the "let it rip" type. He wasn't very nuanced in his guitar playing which is what makes up his unique style!
@claye_l463
6 жыл бұрын
I have a good hypothesis for your Bb major chord in Smells like teen spirits. The Major third is actually a frequency present in the sound of the guitar because of the distortion. Distortion adds a lot of overtone and increases the volume of the overtones. The major third is a pretty early note in the overtone series, which explains why you hear it in a chord that only has the root and fifth.
@Holistic-songwriting
6 жыл бұрын
Laura JD Fan huh! Never thought about it like that. You might be right!
@maxime4086
6 жыл бұрын
Or it is because Cobain actually plays the major third sometimes as he places his fingers so that his ring finger barres the fifth, the octave, and sometimes the major third.
@samaudioyt
6 жыл бұрын
true
@matthewbaumann630
6 жыл бұрын
It's most likely just from the parallel F major key.
@SJA962
6 жыл бұрын
Hi. Just watch carefully at Cobain's fingers. He uses just one finger to do chords like F and B, so that's why it sounds like that. Most noticeable on "Dumb" and "Rape Me"
@tdrake59
5 жыл бұрын
Best quote: "Even nihilism has it's formulas"
@allenf.5907
4 жыл бұрын
Ha - and did!
@ASKpq
6 жыл бұрын
I remember playing Nirvana on the guitar all the time when I was younger, and then having trouble transitioning to bar chords as I moved on to other bands. I admire how Kurt juiced out so much melody from power chords. Playing Nirvana with bar chords completely changes their sound for the worse, I believe. It really confines the sound and impairs the melodies. I genuinely think the way he unified the simplistic limitations of power chords with the most succulent melodies was genius. It's incredibly difficult to sound distinctive with such basic tools, but he managed it.
@apimpnamedslickback6757
4 жыл бұрын
Hey, man. I know this is an old video, and nobody will see this, including the author of the video, but Kurt was in a school band, and anyone in a school band will attest to the fact that you can't be in band if you can't read music a little bit. I appreciate the effort put into this video and think a lot of what you said is super valid, but that part should get a rethink.
@brobunni
4 жыл бұрын
Underrated comment
@nickthelick
Жыл бұрын
I find just being able to count helps!?🤔
@J.D....
6 жыл бұрын
Season so far has been great Friedemann! Really dig the more theory intense stuff being discussed. Looking forward to Muse! What about a episode on The Beatles? They have very complex harmony at times, Lots of minor plagal cadences and let's not forget I am The Walrus.
@Holistic-songwriting
6 жыл бұрын
Yeah, I would love to, but boy, I could do an entire season on the Beatles and there'd STILL be a ton of stuff to discuss.
@zacheatsworld
6 жыл бұрын
Elliott Smith please!
@Not_Mii_Uus
6 жыл бұрын
YESSS
@peacemeal3196
6 жыл бұрын
Yeeeeszss!
@clintjones9848
6 жыл бұрын
Elliott Smith's changes are off the hook!!
@arrrg3
6 жыл бұрын
yessss
@ellie.licious
6 жыл бұрын
Please please pleaaaaassee
@willbaskin700
Ай бұрын
power chords allow the listener to fill in the harmonic information..... my mind is actually blown, listener gets to add a layer of determining whether something is happy or sad or in between. I've always tried to do this with lyrics and wordplay, but doing that harmoincally is such a cool idea, especially when Curt was able to do that over and over again
@wadefedaw5815
6 жыл бұрын
I'm a huge fan of nirvana and this video is amazing thank you so much for the video
@AlpacaLegion
6 жыл бұрын
Your voice is godly
@tiki_trash
6 жыл бұрын
He has an interesting accent. Is he Canadian?
@sincitysinner9239
6 жыл бұрын
I noticed his voice almost immediately, lol. This dude needs to be narrating documentaries and doing voice over work for movies and cartoons got dammit, lol. I swear a nature documentary or some science documentary would be fucking perfect for this dude. I also think he would be perfect as the wise old teacher or instructor in some Pixar or DreamWorks movie. As I'm typing this comment I have the video playing but can't see it and all I'm picturing is this guy as Poe's martial arts instructor, or as the grisled old blues guy training the animals in the movie Sing. It would be fucking cool if some movie exec or some agent stumbled across one of his video's and offered him some voice over work. He wouldn't be the first KZitemr to be cast in a big Hollywood movie, fucking Anthony and Ian from Smosh were both in the Angry birds movie, and I know there were a few more KZitemrs in other movies, I just can't remember who and what movies right now.
@Joylevinstein
6 жыл бұрын
I'm rather hearing a very slight German accent, predominantly in some of his L's, but also, to a lesser extent, in some other aspects of his voice.
@Holistic-songwriting
6 жыл бұрын
German is correct ;) But thanks, y'all!
@alextrica4240
6 жыл бұрын
Ce cauti aici? :)))
@benc4968
3 жыл бұрын
His use of the Tritone on In Utero is amazing
@oravlaful
6 жыл бұрын
the chord in that part of come as you are are G5 to Bb5, as the song is written with the guitar one step down. (although it can easily be played by just dropping the E and A strings a step each)
@ertugrulka.4244
6 жыл бұрын
PLEASE DO AN ELLIOTT SMITH EPISODE. This show is absolutely great.
@montyjimmy7625
5 жыл бұрын
I swear I seen a documentary about ufo's with a person who narrarted the same freakin way but just older.
@diablojd52
6 жыл бұрын
I know so little of what the hell you are on about but still find it interesting to try to understand. Thank you for sharing this.
@battmarn
6 жыл бұрын
Just discovered this channel today and it's brilliant
@bryanlettow4389
6 жыл бұрын
I dig the descriptive chord changes. He definitely tried to make things fresh.
@A-Milkdromeda-Laniakea-Hominid
6 жыл бұрын
Wow greatest Einstein quote I'd never heard before thank you. That is a great quote...
@ashley-id9fx
6 жыл бұрын
I don’t know what this means but I’m watching it because this guys voice is awesome
@bradburleigh
6 жыл бұрын
show biz being show biz. The man probably knew alot more than he let off. excellent video, i cant wait to read your website material! Thanks so much for sharing!
@jonwilson6077
6 жыл бұрын
I will never have an ear for notes or chords etc. I just know this video made me want to listen to Nirvana
@thephuntastics2920
6 жыл бұрын
from what i have learned from my guitar teacher i remember that curt tuned his guitar to " fit" the powerchord playstyle. and on live recordings sometimes we can hear him tune the guitar different per song
@leonherperger4055
6 жыл бұрын
despite your ideas of counter culture, grunge had existed before nirvana, and nirvana willingly signed to a major label. nirvana was the end of counter culture
@ellie.licious
6 жыл бұрын
I like power chords because I play rhythm guitar in a spiratic band and my hand gets sore playing so many bar chords for 5-20 minutes straight but I can switch one or two of the chords to power chords and it sounds great
@squash7456
6 жыл бұрын
Another cool fact about Nirvana's music: When i analysed their melodies, the important notes would often shape a minor chord Examples are: Teen spirit, In bloom, about a girl, come as you are (verse) and many more
@SJTyska89
6 жыл бұрын
this dude LOVES the sound of his own voice.
@danegoodwin3057
2 жыл бұрын
Kurt would just be like "uhh, I guess I just chose those chords because they sounded kinda dark and moody to me. *Takes drag on cigarette*
@kit2na
6 жыл бұрын
This is truly so interesting i want more nirvana
@josephsaccente7828
5 жыл бұрын
Very cool analysis of Kurt Cobain's songwriting. I've always loved his use of chromatically ascending or descending vocals melodies. One thing that no one ever seems to point out is Kurt's constant use of sus4 chords on guitar. Of course, this wasn't entirely intentional. If you notice how he played his power chords on guitar, he always used his first finger and ring finger only, yet he played more than just the lowest three strings. Take the first chord of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" - it's not exactly an F5, but an Fsus4, his ring finger extended to the 3rd fret of the G string, playing a Bb. In fact, any power chord he played with it's root on the E-string almost always was rendered in the sus4 form. Although the addition of this sus4 note obviously wasn't intentional, Kurt subconsciously realized its inclusion and enjoyed the tension that the note added to his songs. For example, take the chorus of "Come As You Are" - the "memoria" part, F#sus4 to A major (not A5, his power chord unintentionally adds the C#). This part would not have that tension if he simply played F#5 to A5. Although you can argue that this was just a consequence of Kurt's sloppy guitar playing, let's take a look at an even better example: the verse of "Dumb", all barre chords (tuned down 1/2 step) Esus4, Amaj, Gsus4, Cmaj with the sus4 or maj note purposely picked out, not just sloppy guitar playing.
@DiazdelVivar
4 жыл бұрын
Joseph Saccente but he plays some times Maj and minor and other times Sus, so it was intentional. no accident
@nevmor123
6 жыл бұрын
Oh I've heard that King Crimson's "Red" (one of my early faves as well) was Cobain's favorite lp. Maybe another choice for your observations? King Crimson? or why not Van Der Graaf Generator? Okay I'll stop before I get started. I heard Nancy Sinatra's "These Boots Are Made For Walking" when it came out and I was 6 years old and I 'got the beat' at that tender age and have NEVER lost it since. Everything from Early Music to modern R&B and Hip Hop counts as great music to my ears.
@paisaoang5969
5 жыл бұрын
Story Time There was a village man who visited to an artist friend at an art show in a city and stop waiting his busy friend at the corner of the show.He was nervous by the busy people visiting there and droped down a brunch of banana which he wish to give his friend as presant from his garden. And he kept his hat on top of banana brunch. And he inserted his big ciger. One journalist started to notic that and rushed to him and take photos of the Banana brunch. Other many more come around and taking photos as they saying "what a nice installation". And the village man tried to explaine about it by starting " Oh it´s nothing ......ah..". but he was interupted by the crowd " oh yes what an intresting title" and kept busy themselves on taking photos. And there came at the newspapers with the heading " what an installation art of the year". At the detail below" yes, the title is Nothing and it will mean if even bunana tried wearing hat and smoking ceger never can be a human",
@DATrB15
6 жыл бұрын
Please do Björk!, she's amazing, her music is strange, and every album is completely different.
@shamicentertainment1262
6 жыл бұрын
+Jeffrey Dohnger you björked her
@DATrB15
6 жыл бұрын
Goldie?, is that you?
@ishaangrover1
6 жыл бұрын
Do one for Queen
@brianritzer8024
Жыл бұрын
Smells Like Teen Spirit is just one of the million examples of modal mixture that Kurt uses intuitively
@nicholaskazantzidis
6 жыл бұрын
Thank you. Great video.
@lost_cause_
4 жыл бұрын
I wish I understood chord progressions and music theory. I could never afford lessons and I've never found a video that's helped me understand
@drew2dee2
5 жыл бұрын
Less than 3 minutes in and im already subscribed, fantastic video
@GinoPietermaai1999
Ай бұрын
As someone who likes to make music. I live up to the most important rule in my life: If it sounds good, then it's good. I am lucky I'm not "tone-deaf", nor am I arrhythmic. Cobain and other musicians have proven that there are 'no rules' in making music. It doesn't have to be complicated. You don't have to study music theory imo.
@jacklynam5653
9 күн бұрын
What you dont understand is that those arent contradictions. The point of theory is not to define correct songwriting procedure but to increase the melodic, harmonic and rythmic colours available to you as an artist. When Kurt found that he could move a power chord up 3 frets and it would make a sound he liked, he was doing theory. These notes ellicit thesr emotions in me sort of thought process. The guiding principle of theory is that if it sounds good, it is good. Theory exists to increase the pallette of emotions and sounds that artists have available to them. Think of it like it was painting. I could tell you to "just paint good man" but that would be terrible advice and it would be far more benfitial if I explained to you the basic principles of form and colour while reminding you that these are guideline and you are allowed to do whatever you like best
@DarioCaprice
6 жыл бұрын
One of Soundgarden PLEASE!!!
@someguy6345
6 жыл бұрын
deftones.or crosses
@DINGDONGDANIEL3
6 жыл бұрын
Some Guy Yes!
@vicarious7858
6 жыл бұрын
Word
@LilSirAxolotl
6 жыл бұрын
The way I've always heard Kurt's voice is like a string bending to a note that's just acceptable enough to sound in key but like it has a hangover... I don't understand all this theory at all... But I can definitely hear Kurt nagging and complaining... Does this make sense from both a voice actor's and musician's point of view? All this talk about "How did he do it without theory?" He didn't... He knew a bunch of chords and how to play around with them, had a flair for the dramatic and lots of creative ideas He was just performing a character on stage... His existential crisis... But he really was in serious physical pain at that time... The tear behind the mask
@collj86
5 жыл бұрын
UkeliDokeli I commented this before But theory doesent have to mean, going to college. Or reading etc One thing I liked about nirvana was the technique of playing distorted loud to quieter more normal tone Which I believe I read Kurt picked up from the pixies. And maybe that’s not theory, but that’s kind of my point. Have you ever heard someone say “he knew what he was doing.” I re-watched this. I thought the first time I saw it the commentator said something about maybe Kurt knew more than he let on. But I would say theory can be restrictive in the sense. Imagine Kurt playing a song for someone and them telling him something technical like you can’t do that? Or maybe what Kurt didn’t know helped his originality or uniqueness
@generalstievous4460
6 жыл бұрын
The pixies.
@FukcYuo-cy5yg
6 жыл бұрын
death to the pixies
@aprisonerscinemastephenmur6932
6 жыл бұрын
Great video dude thanks 🙂
@AFryingPan
6 жыл бұрын
Do Dream theatre
@TheNomios
6 жыл бұрын
Cool video, I also always liked powerchords because of their vagueness and ease of self adaptations/openness :) Also, can we get a "how tame impala/kevin parker writes a chord progression"? PLEASEEE
@tacituskillgore2707
3 жыл бұрын
people judging because he can make something simple sound amazing
@oleggoncharuk5428
6 жыл бұрын
very cool. thanks!!!
@jonnyfive5000
6 жыл бұрын
Nice video. Melancholy, Rain and Distortion are 3 words I think of when I think of Nirvana. Dont find their music to appealing anymore. But maybe its cause I see myself and the world differently now. Would love to see one of these videos for the Police, Billy Joel, Paul Mccartney and the Goo Goo Dolls.
@charlesthompson1762
6 жыл бұрын
LOL Goo Goo Dolls. Thanks for that.
@why6615
6 жыл бұрын
Hey, i know tears for fears are not the biggest band or artist compared with other artist videos you have posted. But i would be SO pleased if you posted a artist series video about them!!!!😀
@hutearo844
Жыл бұрын
Personally, when i think about four words for nirvana, i Come up with Oblivion, pain, freedom
@shaneruff8805
5 жыл бұрын
do one on the band helmet and jazz chord progressions also bad brains 🤘🤘
@11superchelseafc
6 жыл бұрын
An ep on The Shins would be cool
@philrobichaud3063
6 жыл бұрын
Just found your channel - AMAZING! Like Kurt Cobain, i was more or less self-taught guitar/bass and never learned to read music. Although i know chord names, and can tell minor from major, most of my playing is by ear and what sounds "right". Your videos make me want to learn actual music theory :)
@maartenrigharts
5 жыл бұрын
I can’t find the link to the pdf? Great video, thnx!
@gj9665
6 жыл бұрын
Wow this is pretty cool
@Pahhu
6 жыл бұрын
Ha! Jokes on you, this is the first video of yours I actually DID pause the video and think of keywords. Nirvana was pretty much life in highschool, so I thought I might as well.
@damianmux6072
6 жыл бұрын
he approaches his odd notes by half-step chromatically which sounds a lot edgier
@adammackintosh
6 жыл бұрын
These videos are great. Loving them. But, is Drain You Really A5-C5? I always thought it was A5-C#5...?
@joeybboy3433
6 жыл бұрын
Four words that make me think of Nirvana: 1. Smells 2. Like 3. Teen 4. Spirit
@samtah1145
5 жыл бұрын
Smells like the only Nirvana song you know...
@shucksful
6 жыл бұрын
thisisGREAT!!!!!!
@kreep182
6 жыл бұрын
Alice in chains please
@tiedyedakman017
3 жыл бұрын
Hey y’all should do Van Halen
@alicegiorgi3617
6 жыл бұрын
Really interesting!!
@vaguemartin
5 жыл бұрын
Just because you don’t read music does not mean you don’t know the difference between (and connotations of) using major or minor chords.
@isixiail1433
6 жыл бұрын
Deftones.
@Darxar7
5 жыл бұрын
It's not a coincidence or a mistake that turned Nirvana an overnight success. Kurt was a musical genius. He probably didn't know the reasoning but he felt it and he probably relied a lot on his guts.
@DylanTrowbridge
6 жыл бұрын
Maybe Chris Daughtry, Chad Kroeger, Amy Lee or Shaun Morgan
@kiko2129
6 жыл бұрын
Steven wilson or myles kennedy will be awesome to do 😀😀😀
@francoislecanadien1710
6 жыл бұрын
Do i get it right : Is Eli the computer guy a musician now ? LOL ! Very insightful, thanks buddy ! - The more you know about music theory, the more you're un control, that's what my guitar teacher told me some forty years ago and i never forgot it...
@devilpizza123
6 жыл бұрын
Please do Weezer, Especially for Blue album and Pinkerton.
@et9577
6 жыл бұрын
Thanks for touching on this topic. On my opinion this is just one more evidence that when people study music theory they might become a bit more limited compared to those ones who just play by heart making the wrong sounding beautifully right. This happens a lot with children, they are very creative. They always come up with a new approach to do things, until they are told to do things in a classic way limiting their creativity. Anyone agree? this is no news at all.
@kylestevensanders
6 жыл бұрын
Emmo Tan I understand what you are saying, but to be truthful, I am shocked at the ignorance of that idea that music theory is "limiting." What about Charlie Parker, Wes Montgomery, Miles Davis, Bill Evans, Duke Ellington, Gershwin, Andrew Lloyd Webber, John Williams, John Coltrane? What about the OG's - Bach, Mozart, Paganini, Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, Chopin, Grainger, Sousa...music theory clearly did not limit a single one of the names I dropped. Have you ever actually met a single person trained in theory that regretted it or felt that it actually limited them? Have you ever actually met a true professional jazz or classical musician that felt limited for knowing theory? Yes there are conventions observed that teach patterns and "rules" and concepts. But an understanding of that can help you to write smarter, more understood music. If you know all about scales and arpeggios and cadences and functional harmony and orchestration etc. etc. it will open up a whole new world you couldn't touch on because you didn't even know it existed or couldn't put into your instrument what you heard in your head. Green Day is my all time favorite band hands down no matter what. I am no elitist about theory. I don't hate pop music. But I cannot stand the notion that theory is "limiting." Like anything for the first time that you do is limiting - like getting a permit that restricts your driving to prepare you for a regular license. Think about it like that :) Honestly, I understand where you are coming from and yes I got a little heated about this and apologize, but I implore you to not look at theory that way anymore. People don't go to Juilliard or Berklee or any renowned conservatory to become bound by rules. Theory unlocks the powerful secrets of making music. If you would like to know more, I highly encourage you to seek KZitemrs such as Adam Neely and 12Tone :D
@et9577
6 жыл бұрын
@@kylestevensanders thanks for your words and time. So, as long as you understand where I'm coming from I'm cool. Also, I wrote music theory "sometimes might" let musicians more limited. I'm talking about "non open minded "musicians" who over complicate things just for the sake of showing off theoretic abilities when is not necessary. Sometimes life has to be simple. Actually this is an endless topic because what sound good for some maybe doesn't sound for others. I'm happy to build a track with you though
@patrickclark3337
6 жыл бұрын
I think people put too much into what Kurt's writing is. Coming from a similar background I can tell you that it was just what sounded good to him or went with a lyric. There certainly was no musical theory aspect or any thought about how progressions work. I like many other people who come from a self taught, learn by ear approach, write in a similar manner. It's how we who started out in a punk band write, there is no thought about what's minor or major and if it theoretically should fit.
@antondobrorez2212
6 жыл бұрын
Thanks for such a great analysis! Could you make the same with Chris Cornell or Soundgarden music please? I think there are many interesting and unusual chord progressions and melodies in their music.
@hillelbrat69
6 жыл бұрын
Red Hot Chili Peppers
@asiakurtalic7223
6 жыл бұрын
Hillel Brat agreed especially during the Frusciante era
@SuvenH
6 жыл бұрын
Bon Jovi please
@profd65
6 жыл бұрын
Gross.
@pollard068
6 жыл бұрын
lol
@bose6662
6 жыл бұрын
Rammstein ?
@markxv2267
6 жыл бұрын
Lol please
@johnnickpappanastos3382
6 жыл бұрын
Please do A Perfect Circle!!!!!
@beback_
6 жыл бұрын
It seems to me like Kurt wrote his songs around bass lines rather than chord progressions.
@FishHeadBiologist
5 жыл бұрын
Kurt was quoted, "I was lazy and waited to the last minute and just wrote down a bunch of garble. Then spent all my time trying to explain what the songs actually meant".
@Benjamin-bj6xj
5 жыл бұрын
sly angler lyrics wise
@rice6827
5 жыл бұрын
sly angler ohh theres still hope for me i see xD
@michelleottley5292
5 жыл бұрын
Lol such a piscean
@westonwheeler2311
5 жыл бұрын
@@michelleottley5292 oh stfu
@kris8695
5 жыл бұрын
@@westonwheeler2311 He was into astology and really related to it though.(so in his case he was "such a Pisces")
@boddah
4 жыл бұрын
"I have no concept of knowing how to be a musician at all, whatsoever. I mean I don't know the name of the chords I play, I don't know how to do major or minor chords on a guitar at all. I couldn't even pass you know, Guitar 101. Everyone knows more than I do" - Kurt Cobain
@demos1936
4 жыл бұрын
He knew scales
@mikoaj5891
4 жыл бұрын
@@demos1936 i dont think he knew scals he didnt even knew if he was playing major or minor chords
@juannauj9631
4 жыл бұрын
@@mikoaj5891 he knew, there are a lot of evidence, he was maybe joking or exagerating about it.
@surfdigby
4 жыл бұрын
@@juannauj9631 Kurt was a far more capable guitarist than he liked to let on. He started playing the piano at four, and had been playing guitar for 6 years by the time he formed Nirvana. I'd recommend the Nevermind episode of VH1 Classic Albums if you want to get an idea of what he was like behind the public image.
@juannauj9631
4 жыл бұрын
@@surfdigby yeah i know, i never said something against that idea, i said that he knew a lot about guitar, maybe not on a high level of theory, but more than usually gets credit for.
@bigfatbullfrog
4 жыл бұрын
I don't think Kurt realized any of these things at all
@carlostejada1479
4 жыл бұрын
most of these things are merely interpretations of this guy who never lived on 80's and 90's. a lot of bs here
@SG-go4gu
4 жыл бұрын
Most of these are tho, Kurt was a feminist punk rocker that rebelled agaisnt a buncj of things
@SubtleHawk
4 жыл бұрын
Who cares. You can still analyze what someone did and see how they did it so you can do something similar. That's what great about music theory. You can learn from others and know why it sounds so good.
@MtMars
4 жыл бұрын
It doesnt matter whether or not he knew what he was doing, he still DID it.
@teamyordle23
3 жыл бұрын
Nobody said he did. smh
@Ivan-pt8hz
6 жыл бұрын
"pro legalization of MARY-YU-ANA"
@seekerofpowerfulideas2727
5 жыл бұрын
Lmao I’m glad I’m not the only one who noticed that
@Jolgeable
4 жыл бұрын
If I had a daughter, I would name her Mary Yu Ana.
@ericrenquist6494
5 жыл бұрын
God I wish I knew what any of this meant
@dan8ball22
4 жыл бұрын
You know, I was thinking the exact same thing and this is not my first video from this guy. I don't even know why am I watching them. :))
@brvnotrash
4 жыл бұрын
Don't worry kurt cobain didn't knew any of this either
@stella-vu8vh
5 жыл бұрын
I'm so high and this is way too deep
@irfanbozkurt9194
3 жыл бұрын
most sincere
@PaulDavids
6 жыл бұрын
Another explanation for major where you expect minor is that an overdriven major chord sounds way sweeter then a minor one. Good video!
@gloomsdoom649
2 жыл бұрын
This! People miss the big reason why he used these chords and it all has to do with the equipment he used (the distortion pedals) and the sound they made which affected completely the use of certain chords. Barre chords would be way too muddy for a 3 piece band with that much distortion on just one guitar.
@openjcd
Жыл бұрын
if Paul Davids says the video is great, the video is great
@User-om5bv
Жыл бұрын
Kurt never used overdrive pedals but yeah distortion and dynamics come into effect during his creative process
@tymime
6 жыл бұрын
I have literally never heard anybody use the word "gender" to describe chords.
@ltrain4479
5 жыл бұрын
Lol I know right. I was like wtf? I bet I know this guys political leanings just by those comments.
@winring5593
5 жыл бұрын
Gordon Adams Gender = masculine/feminine
@Zackapo
5 жыл бұрын
@@ltrain4479 yeah I bet you do
@paulbeahm3891
5 жыл бұрын
Its 2019 man chords can identify with whatever gender they want now.
@DiazdelVivar
5 жыл бұрын
tymime Bingo!!! gender is BS to music
@mainsmain
6 жыл бұрын
6:48 That's not Breed that's In Bloom
@saulkennedy7155
5 жыл бұрын
who cares it’s obviously an accident
@andersonbryan3372
5 жыл бұрын
Was thinking that and scrolling to c if anyone noticed
@Sumday
6 жыл бұрын
Kurt Cobain was a power chord musical genius. You can always hear the influence of Pixies, Wipers, Buzzcocks etc. who wrote great unexpected melodies on top of their fast, hard-rocking music but Kurt just took it to a next level. If there's actually people sneering at the mere thought of a power chord they should watch this video. You don't even see it coming as he's playing the same power chord as before but the song's already in a different place when the melody goes from major to minor or vice versa. Playing those full chords to Smells Like Teen Spirit felt like spoilers to something where there's no real ending or solution. It just felt wrong. Fun experiment though, and a great video, thanks!
@collj86
5 жыл бұрын
Sumday hey I play guitar and have written a little I don’t play power chords. And very rarely play bar chords But I really like these videos. And like the fact that power chords leave off some notes from the chord is really interesting how it can effect a chord progression Just thought I’d comment on what you said
@carlostejada1479
4 жыл бұрын
Sumday Kurt was a musical genius. Come as you are is not power chords. it's chromatic arpeggio and the melody fits perfectly on it. He's not the 1st one on mixing major/minor chords... but he learn to did it very well. his music is very organic. He clearly thinks in terms of the whole thing (not only one element)
@emzee1148
4 жыл бұрын
The people who sneer at power chords would be unable to understand this unless their professor told them so.
@Paul-gf6kp
3 жыл бұрын
@@emzee1148 lmao.
@nonyobussiness3440
Жыл бұрын
Kurt used power chords because that was all what he needed to do. He could shred but he hated hair metal and he liked to kinda annoy and show off to other musicians/songwriters he could make hit records and great sounding music with sloppy simple easy beginner level guitar playing…that was better then their songs with complex highly skilled guitar playing and music theory. He made a bunk of artists salty. Him playing like a beginner was also part of the character /the image he wanted to present to the masses. The too cool to care, anti rockstar -that was lazy, did not want or like fame or money, too cool to care, who could barely play guitar and wrote lyrics on the fly accidentally wrote hit songs without trying. Kurt could play guitar very well, his lyrics were not meaning less and he spent a lot of time on them and wrote them well in advance. He definitely knew music theory unlike he said. Analyzing his songwriting and it becomes apparent he did. Billy Corgan and other artists at the time, knew and later on stated the image he created was bullshit. Kurt practiced, wrote 24/7
@joshualoveless20
5 жыл бұрын
So to write a Nirvana tune, start on happy chords and end sad chords or start on sad chords and end on happy chords. Distortion is optional on either parts depending on your mood. Sing in a major note on the sad chords, sing on the minor for the happy chords. Screaming or yelling is optional depending on your mood.
@mikesantiago14
6 ай бұрын
can you give me examples on what the sad and happy chords are, and what you mean by "major notes on sad chords and minor notes on happy chords"? please
@Davidlcorzine
5 ай бұрын
@@mikesantiago14here’s the easiest way to think of it. Step 1, pick a key. Say you pick the e key. If you decide to use E minor there are certain modes you can pick but to be Kurt like pick Phrygian. In E key that would be E minor, F major, G major, A minor, C major, D minor. You can view this as the cynical aspect of the E key. The ironically happy scale not sure if they mentioned in the video so you can just use Ionian. E key Ionian chords would be E major, F#minor, G# minor, A major, B major, C# minor. And then cover up these progressions by picking shared chords (for example both keys have an e power chord and an a power chord), turn them into power chords, and emphasizing the key you are actually inferring with melody. Oh and every once in a while shift your power chord down half a step to keep things unexpected.
@mikesantiago14
5 ай бұрын
@@Davidlcorzine that is incredibly helpful. thank you
@carlklasson5602
6 жыл бұрын
I have no idee what you are talking about. Yet I see the whole video.
@Deathtank75
6 жыл бұрын
Trent Reznor/ Nine Inch Nails next please. =)
@UltraCodex66
6 жыл бұрын
exactly
@jeffwatson8110
6 жыл бұрын
if kurt saw this, he would laugh his ass off
@bryanzautner8576
6 жыл бұрын
I did
@anonymousclay6828
6 жыл бұрын
Bet he'd watch the whole thing though.
@a.graham7979
6 жыл бұрын
He definitely would have found this amusing. He did not put this much thought into it or intend for it to be analyzed like this. He sat and wrote these songs on his guitar, humming or mumbling a melody until he thought it sounded right and then would start working on the lyrics. He for sure wasn't thinking about music theory or changing a minor chord to a major through his singing over that particular note. I'm glad this video exists, though.
Kurt had perfect voice leading. If you take the melodies out of the context of rock and play them on the piano they sound really beautiful and very sophisticated. The influence of The Beatles especially John Lennon is undeniably there.
@SeveredLegs
6 жыл бұрын
Wow now you're talking about gender? Can we please keep the faux-political junk out of Nirvana? You're nuking my childhood here.
@mos6507
6 жыл бұрын
Chords don't really have gender. Major/minor is really more of a mood (happy/sad) than a gender.
@SeveredLegs
6 жыл бұрын
Who gives a shit who was around him at the time or what his stance on social issues was? This is a video about how he wrote music. He said most of his lyrics were fodder anyway, so the lyrical content only matters minimally. This clown on this channel is trying bring soy into Nirvana and it's not necessary. His stance on social issues had nothing to do with the random chord patterns he created. He wasn't a sophisticated musician and he wasn't thinking about gay people getting married when he transitioned from G#m to C#m on "Drain You" (or whatever song). He just did it. Fuck this guy and fuck this video. In his attempt to seem to identify with what "punk" and "counter-culture" is, he's gotten it backwards. This is the lamest video I've seen in a while, seriously.
@bryanzautner8576
6 жыл бұрын
KevvyLava Awesome
@miguelpereira9859
6 жыл бұрын
Oh no your precious childhood lol
@gruesomewolfgaming4735
5 жыл бұрын
KevvyLava who hurt you
@zachtaylor1939
5 жыл бұрын
A thought for anyone who says "Kurt just played chords until he found something that sounded good.. and it worked for him, so therefore I don't need music theory".... We weren't there when the songs were written so we have no concrete way of knowing exactly how Kurt's creative process worked. Maybe he was just an intuitive genius who stumbled onto brilliant creative chord progressions and matching melodies. Maybe he was influenced by another band member (Dave Grohl for example is a serious student of music). Maybe he found some older song transcriptions and repurposed the chord progressions and/or melody to his style. We don't know. My point is... your brain might be tempted to tell you "music theory is for nerds, Kurt wrote brilliant music and he was just messing around." There's no way of even verifying that premise, and --- even if it is true --- I think clinging to it is just a cop out for the lazy who wish to believe that they can achieve greatness by just casually messing around on their instrument. Hey, maybe you can. But I can't see the downside of acquiring new knowledge and expanding your capabilities; and I would encourage you to look very skeptically on any idea that might dissuade you from doing so.
@amaze2n
5 жыл бұрын
I think Kurt spent his early days jamming, figuring out what kind of vibe various chord progressions evoke and then used those in his songs later. A lot of his songs use the same core themes. Knowing the kind of person he was and his philosophy, it was without a doubt done intuitively and not through an application of theory. Kurt's music was not what would be classically considered great. Listen to his solos, they're objectively garbage. But the raw nature, his voice, his sincerity and angst translate into something greater than the sum of its parts. It is possible to make great music through intuition without a knowledge of theory. Nonetheless, music theory, like any other form of theoretical knowledge, can give you the tools to explore new opportunities and form more complex compositions.
@calvinnickel9995
5 жыл бұрын
There were a few ways of verifying that he had virtually no grasp on music theory. First was self admission. He said that he’d write songs and lyrics almost half hazardly and at the last minute. Dave Grohl said in an interview protesting the reality music shows that the way to become famous is to form a band even though you all suck. Kurt was immensely pressured fame and realized that he was at his creative limit. A song like Rape Me was just Smells Like Teen Spirit with a different chord progression and tempo. The time signature and rhythm were identical and the lyrics were lacklustre. Senseless Apprentice l, Radio Friendly Unit Shifter, Tourette’s, and Milk It were just incoherent noise. Heart Shaped Box, Pennyroyal Tea were ok. Francis Farmer will have her Revenge on Seattle and All Apologies were almost cries for help. The other band members got good after Nirvana. Kris just followed along with root chords 90% of the time and Dave did a good harmony and was a decent drummer but had few writing credits for Nirvana. Dave’s proto-Foo-Fighters song Marigold was an extremely simple harmony with himself and the first Foo Fighters album didn’t stray very far from Nirvana and Grunge in general with the exception of a few more melodic pieces like For All the Cows and Big Me.
@nahte-
4 жыл бұрын
Dave taught himself to play the drums and i’m sure he did the same for guitar
@clicheguevara5282
4 жыл бұрын
I understand both sides of the argument. I purposely didn't learn theory until I'd already been writing songs for a while - and I think that worked out for the best. I'm not limited to stumbling around in the dark OR writing everything mathematically.The two things can compliment each other. That's just me though. Everyone's different and being judgmental is silly. It's all subjective.
@DiazdelVivar
4 жыл бұрын
Zach Taylor I agree, but the main thing is composing is not looking outside like this guy on the video says, but the exactly opposite!! composing is looking INSIDE, is an introspective thing, that's why the beginning of this video is totally BS!! all the "social changes" blah blah blah... when you create you go to your private unique universe, and you build your own world... Kurt never thought of any of that BS while he was creating a song. besides many ppl think Nirvana songs are simple just because they are easy to play; that's Faaaraway from the truth!! a simple song is _Stand by Me_ that's a simple song, a G circle (boring to me) with no modulations, alterations, zero... it's plain G E C D zzz if Nirvana's music would be written, it would be full of b and #, and changes of key, different key signatures, chromatic stuffs all the time, dense harmony, rich harmony, heavy harmony (don't know the exact word) to have all this elements (and more) and make it sounds fresh and easy to listen, that's the Genius part. Mozart 40th symp. is also easy to listen, but it's not simple at all... is very complex.
@CrystalVideo9
5 жыл бұрын
Kurt was self taught. He literally made stuff up...and it worked. Creative Genius!
@youreokayboah2128
2 жыл бұрын
Creative and Gifted*
@heidiherndon3890
Жыл бұрын
He wasn’t at all self taught he took piano lessons growing up and he had a guitar teacher as a teenager, he came from a family of musicians, and he had a Beatles song book
@CrystalVideo9
Жыл бұрын
@@heidiherndon3890 Whatever....Nevermind
@heidiherndon3890
Жыл бұрын
@@CrystalVideo9 lol nice
@johnnypiss
Жыл бұрын
This is what I try to explain to people who say “Nirvana weren’t that good”.
@gordonmcneil8729
6 жыл бұрын
I think that what made Nirvana was the lack of so called 'musical education' which allows for going places that education would tell you was wrong.
@Holistic-songwriting
6 жыл бұрын
Agreed :)
@peterheinzelmann3335
6 жыл бұрын
I agree, too, to a certain degree. But Cobain also listened to so much music, he might have had the knowledge unconsciously. That means he realized there was "something" happening without having the technical knowledge about it. He was a very smart guy, at least when it comes to music.
@ManWithoutThePants
6 жыл бұрын
Music theory doesn't really limit you to write anything you want. You can explain everything in music in someway or the other by it. Also not knowing anything about music theory doesn't necessarily limit people to write anything. Some people can have great ear, trained their musicality by listening a lot of music and so on.
@NXTMusicianBassist
6 жыл бұрын
Learning music theory greatly expanded what I could do. It describes, not prescribes. Like reading more makes you a better writer (expanding vocabulary and introducing tropes and themes), learning music theory allows you to describe and manipulate your music to bring out more creativity.
@MICKEYISLOWD
3 жыл бұрын
@@Holistic-songwriting It's all been done before in classical music.
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