World Science Festival 2009: Bobby McFerrin Improvises A Cappella, Song One of Two

[eyspeys]

whats that song in the intro?

[strwy2hvn94]

is he later singing in a language or improvising a language?

[Demov12]

1:55 ...GAY!

Haahahaaa

[025385867]

מזה לעזעזל

[nairdaoneub]

The second 20-30 are not the Flight of Bumblebee? o.o"

[Ipodtoucheraccount]

Africa.

[deizel90]

@Ipodtoucheraccount YES INDEED!!!!!

[themagician90]

wow. he is hitting harmonic notes right on the spot and transitioning so quickly. un-fucking believable .

[Konsoquence]

he should do a duet with Imogen Heap

[Kruezoraxe]

Subtlety that cuts like a razor. The only way I can describe his voice.

[ernie2111]

genius



[AhmadAboulFarag]

I don't like this one although I like Bobby, but this one is just him making pigeon noise to me sorry.

[betobets]

bobby mcferrin plays the human

[StringsCrusader]

@betobets lmao. well put.

[6DarkSchneider9]

This is nothing new to me, any time I'm in the car or alone at home...I am creating this type of music :) He is MUCH faster and has an incredible vocal range!

[tititalin]

GOD BOBBY MCFERRIN IS A GENIUS. 

[salrubz]

P.S: The beginning is kinda like The Flight of The BumbleBee.

[Sliceofpow]

@salrubz I think it is?

[salrubz]

Bobby McFerrin plays the microphone.

[bajer111]

be happy now

[UnAvailableOucha]

he is def genius

[funkmasta34110]

why the world science festival? because science has yet to completely understand the mystery of his talent

[soldius24]

Hahahahha. I finally burst to laughs with this. Truly amazing how a man singing tingdiritadigidingturutu can sound so good. Its hilarious.

[Zeabot91]

sound like he is speaking in tounges

[samee0101]

i don't get it... i wanna.. but i don't. what is he doing exactly? ):

[Timmyinc44]

he's singing. Impromptu singing, that is it.

[archon099]

@Timmyinc44 You be trollin'. Impromptu trollin'. That's it. ;) Umadbro?

[marredsun]

I wonder if 1:27-1:47 is very accurate musically or if it is a superficial approximation of arabic music that I can't recognize is a ruse. It certainly sounds very authentic to me, in the same way the african stuff that follows seems absolutely authentic. I mean, obviously, it's all subjective, but from a point of musicological accuracy I wonder how "right" it is.

[sharynyoung1]

I like the way his fingers play the microphone

[ydneah13]

@MrJelle18 not in the context ur using it spel is wheat "spelled" is the proper spelling

[mesamatt]

What an amazing performance. Anyone who doesn't recognize the remarkable level of training and musicality demonstrated here simply doesn't know music. Fantastic.

[SEKSHINATE]

I would love to see him with a loop pedal.



[themayking666]

just imagine what the world would be like if there were five Bobbys and they all got together and had an a capella improv band. There wouldn't be wars. It would be a better place.

[andyG4114]

can anyone tell what language or what type of music he is singing

[morrisal]

@andyG4114 So simple. The language is Bobby and the type of music is Bobby.

[TehJustinShow]

@andyG4114 Sounds indian to me.. could be african

[skegee97edu]

@TehJustinShow

This is the same style as Circle Songs. No language just sounds.

[10Lamat]

fantastic

[Latinbeatdrums]

Sheer brilliance, I want this man's brain! In fact do I trust my brain to have caught all of that lol! He knows all from Konnakol thru African to Western..phew..

[GeetarAdam]

It's refreshing to see someone so free of inhibition.

[djcarlosf]

and ability do do harmonies lol

[90mv]

How ?

[PiUcH]

This guy is a Chaman...

[LamVamRamYamHamOm]

guy

[bikutorusan]

This was surely a treat, but was it just a treat or was there a theory to be shown or some type of message to be conveyed through the performance? Very curious about this guy, I am. :)

[silentsmokeNIN]

the theory is shown better in the second song. it's some theory on how you can basically hack peoples brains with music. neuroscience type of shit.

[bikutorusan]

@silentsmokeNIN I watched the second song too, but I must not get it. Would you be able to give me a hint or the gist of it?

[WoWanate]

Ha, this guy is a hell of a character. I wish I could meet him

[nolobede]

Spelt is a wheat grain

[laserspatula]

holy moly poor plate captain can't even express himself without been berated, surely its easy to understand how this could be somewhat uncomfortable to watch and unpleasant to hear, it certainly wouldn't be to everyone's taste.

[Dehydratedbeats]

close your eyes and hear, don't listen.

[fatsomamacheese]

you're stupid platecaptain, more like fakecaptain LOL!

[djcarlosf]

he actually does have perfect pitch. one in a million.

[merederem]

@djcarlosf lots of people are perfect pitch...

what he's known for is his range of four octaves

[chrisfluper]

can he speak...lol

[theacorpse]

Will you marry me Bobby ?

[ren8585]

he sounds like dokaka haha.not his best performance

[Wcredneck54]

A freakin unbelievable vocal performance. His aural theory, and music theory amazing; and he's improvising! Does anyone know if he has perfect pitch or not. To do the things he does I would almost think he would have to.

[davidp060]

He doesn't, but he has really good relative pitch.

[firulaisjj]

to do that you don't need perfect pitch.

Relative pitch is the one that helps u to do things like these.

[angrykoopa]

Incredible vocal performance, but the people commenting below me need to shut the fuck up

[lilackey]

In 1'18 Bobby sings my name ("lila")! Five stars *****

[hill8203]

internet tough guy trying to shut me up grow up and move out of ur step moms basement

[shanna1950]

awesome

[Fiawoo]

LOL He is speaking in tongues! 1:30

[ScreechRAPS]

lmao

[SullivanStreet1]

inspiring!

and intimidating for a singer...

but incredible all the same

[thelipstickfemme]

Brilliant. What a musical gift.

[o4fcuksake]

Hope he recycled all those plastic water bottles !!!

[Id0ia]

me encanta este tío!! es un verdadero genio... y parece tan simpático y sencillo... me encantaría conocerlo!

esta improvisación es espectacular. chapó!

[hill8203]

i really believe this man is a phenon his vocal talents r not matched by any1 thats not an opinion im a realistic person so im not exaggerating when i say his talent effects my life " i wish it would effect my spelling" i suck at it

[MrJelle18]

The verb is spellt affect, not effect.

[hill8203]

your book smart ill bet can u change a tire i cant spell for shit but i can build your house or i can build a bridge just like the ones you cross every day to get to your 7th grade class that teach

when is reduced to its simplest means do people want protection from the elements or someone that can spell affect DONT call me out be carefull my anger may affect u

[MrJelle18]

On the contrary, I've helped build a house or two myself and I'm the go-to guy when it comes to fixing anything broken or setting up anything that needs assembly. I'm not gonna say I can build a house or a bridge by myself, but I don't need to be awesome at everything. I do, however, not like to limit myself.

Learn that you don't have to CHOOSE between being able to spell and being able to use your hands. Other people don't. Besides, I only said that because you brought up spelling anyway. =P

[Tamadrummer006]

Shut the fuck up. This is in no way relevant to the video.

[hill8203]

i can write NEthing i want this is not nazi germany. i can even write about how ur real mom swallows jizm .

if u want relevant....than contact the board of health and tell them about the mold growing in the darkest corner of ur room

[bhartley63]

its also "spelled" not "spellt" ...

[MrJelle18]

That was a typo, was meant to be "spelt" which is actually correct.

[bigchimp]

lol...oh, so you're British then. good one.

[MrJelle18]

Nope, just know my English.

[wy2blessed]

Lord help us avoid the pitfall of not recognizing transcendant genius right here among us. To be alive while this man is here is a special treat!

[Janusha]

Ive seen him before. This man is made of rythm. A true musician.

[seanjo]

At a few times during this I think he was channeling Ella Fitzgerald

[andy435]

sounds like a bit of djembe in there at the start... ish...

thats was animal!! i wonder what it'd be like being him for a day... fuckin trippy

[BarbaraTiradentes]

He's a genious. I love this guy...

[MwM4president]

@BarbaraTiradentes too bad you spelled genius wrong