Added: 1 year ago
From: MikeLombardoMusic
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  • Awesome. come write w/ me. 18below.com.

  • sdjhfjshfjfh your eyes ae amazigggg<3 and um I love this it helped me a lot. (:

  • I watched this twice, both to absorb more information, and because the first time, I was watching the lava lamp in the background.

  • please keep doing these they are really interesting

  • Another interesting technique is a sort of anti-prosody, where the music contradicts the words. For example, "I'm Not That Girl" from Wicked. The lyrics are resigned and seem to say that she has accepted the situation, but all the chords as broken and unfinished, and the song doesn't end on the home note. So, no matter what she says in the lyrics, this is *not* over.

  • Can you explain to me the probable metaphor depicted through the very last line of the bridge in Gravity? She's singing "keeping me down," but 'down' is the highest note in the song. I guess I'm just missing it.

  • I couldn't find the word for what he says, but it's not always the same thing. What he's describing is how the melody matches the theme of the song. In the song Breathe, it doesn't sound like she breathes until the melody where there is lots of room to breathe. For the song Gravity, the melody for the chorus has a downward shape to it. Watch the video again and listen to exactly what he says and then exactly to the music.

  • Skip-the-BS button 1:14

  • KEEP THIS GOING MEN ITS NICE !

  • The lava lamp distracts me during every jump cut. haha

    Otherwise, this was an incredibly interesting video.

  • Really interesting video.

  • I noticed this in the second verse of Fireflies by Owl City. "Above my head" goes from up to down, and "beneath my bed" goes from down to up...

  • I LOVE U AND UR MUSIC SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE COME TO TORONTO!!! WE LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!! :):):):):) UR THE ONE OF THE REASONS I KEEP CONTINUING MY DREAM OF BECOMING A MUSICIAN ON THE PIANO!!!! (well not as my whole career just as i am still in school):) anywho i loved the inception part lol this whole video is awesome PLZ COME TO TORONTO! once again i demanded u and sent it to over 100 ppl on eventful....:)

  • youre really talented and cute :)

  • this is cool. you're cool.

  • Your lava lamp kept distracting me...but good video! <3

  • How much is the Philadelphia show cost to attend?

  • Both this and your previous video on rhymes are fantastic and educational, thank you so much for sharing!

  • Also worth saying about Sara Bareilles' Gravity is that the highest note in the song is on the word "down," and it's one of the best uses of... what shall we call it? Inverse prosity? Why not! One of the best uses of inverse prosity, ever.

  • WOAH! Haha I watched this video the other day and thought it was really cool, and then just yesterday I was watching this dance routine and it was to this really beautiful piece of music and I was like "man, I want to learn that." So now I'm sitting here with my uke, learning the song, and I'm like "This is some sweet prosity... Wait a minute, this is starting to sound really familiar." Turns out the song is Sara Bareilles' Gravity, and I just didn't make the connection. Yay for serendipity!

  • :O Oh my gosh, thank you, Mike!! I've been wanting to learn more about music writing, and just music in general. I was going to take a class in college but it filled up too fast to take this semester and I was really bummed about it... thank you so much for doing this!!!

  • LAVA LAMP

  • I really really would like if you came to Boston. :( Please come to Boston?

  • i just saw this video now because i've been out of the loop. and i'm so excited that Playlist LIVE finally replied to you and that you're going! Gonna be great meeting you there.

    -julian

  • "So today, we're going to talk about melody."

    I jolted a little when you said that, because my name is Melody. You'd think that after having this name for 17 years, and being surrounded by musical people for just as long, I would stop making that mistake. xD

  • I love Gravity. Whenever I get a new CD I play it on shuffle first and Gravity was the first song from Little Voice that I listened to. It's my favourite of all her songs because it really is so brilliant.

  • Ahh I always think of this video and the first one whenever I listen to music now. Really helpful and interesting.

  • I was distracted by your lava lamp....

    But I really enjoyed this video! Definitely subscribed to your second...no wait third channel.

  • I saw a quick flash of Craig's face!

  • I'm teaching my friend to play guitar, and as she has zero knowledge of musical theory, I recommended MusicTheoryChannel to her for if she's ever unclear about something. It looks really useful.

  • I love these little vids, I feel like I learn so much :)

  • I am loving the song writing series. Very awesome and informative.

  • Ohh, I love Sarah Bareilles and this makes me love her even more.  Thanks for sharing these tips and fun facts. :)

  • Love the last screen. Snazzy ;)

  • My teacher explaining theory = next to useless....

    MiLO explaining theory = SUPA WIN

  • If my best friend isn't having a baby, I will totally try to be there in the CT show!! :D

  • I like Nickelback... But, otherwise, great video...

  • Great example, "hallelujah." when it says "The minor fall the major lift." the music sounds lower on minor fall, then gets higher on major lift. Great lesson.

  • Also in Gravity when Sarah Bareilles sings "bring me down," "down" is the highest note. Would this be ironic prosody? Does that exist?

  • These videos are really interesting! I love how you explain deeper into the note structures (even though i still need to learn to actually read sheet music) I'll be subbing to your musictheory channel for sure :)

  • do you know where you're playing in philly? I might actually be able to come finally :)

  • @SarahBatya milkboy coffee. it's on the website

  • thanks so much for the songwriting vids (: make more please!

  • This was a really awesome and I hope you make more!

    Love the double intro and the lava lamp :)

  • Music Theory Channel!! Woot! :)

  • My latest song does this. in my first verse, the highest note is on the word "up" and the slowest part is when the song says "going way too slow"

  • Somebody's learning to use graphics... nice job.

  • I'm IN a music theory class, and i find these videos very refreshing. It helps me put all the stuff I'm learning in a context that I can apply easily, in songwriting, rather than keeping it locked in classical music, which, although enjoyable to listen to and play, is much more difficult and less rewarding for me to compose. So, thanks! :)

  • @hannahjoyhopes The traditional analysis that you're learning is incapable of describing our contemporary music accurately, but it's really important to understand how we got to where we are now.

  • I am literally a 15 minute drive from Playlist Live, but naturally my laptop decided to break just when I saved up enough money to go. *frustration*

  • @HallowsNotHorcruxes7 tickets are like $50. Just skimp out on the shitty antivirus software pack and come hang out with me instead

  • Mike, thank you for starting MTC, I am subscribing. :)

  • The song writing series is so cool! I never realised writing music was this hard, I now have great admiration to you and everyone else who does well, amazing :)

  • Now I know this, I respect song-writing a whole more than I did. I didn't know it was so complicated. Loved. It. Taaasss

  • ...And the lava lamp request was made a reality :D

  • Wheezy Waiter <3

  • No tour dates in england.

    *sigh*

  • i'm new to this channel, but i found you because of the song you sang for hayleyghoover the other day :) i really like your videos! love from germany

  • Big ass lava lamp.

  • I'm kind of sad that you didn't put in Sara Barielles video, it was so amazing. I love her.

    Also, I see that you had a lot of fun editing this video :-)

  • @DaniandJeff11 Yeah but her label's pretty aggressive about fingerprinting audio. Even though its use here is covered under Fair Use, the robot overlords don't know that.

  • It's really great you have 3 different channels, doing three different things, and still be one guy. It's like, magic!

  • These videos are so interesting, I had no idea there was so much involved in writing songs. Is this the sort of thing you're thinking about whenever you write, or does it ever just happen? It's kind of like all the linguistic analysis in English, you always wonder whether or not it is always thought through is in depth as it appears when analysed.

  • @iliveinmyhead To some degree. A truly masterful writer doesn't realize he's doing it. Throw a basketball at Michael Jordan. He'll catch it as a reflex. Maybe he didn't MEAN to catch it, but it's no accident.

  • I love that you used "Breathe" as an example, and oo Tom Petty. I'm commenting as I go, lol. It's cool how you're doing this series. Teaching us novices what's what. :P

  • The music theory channel is a great idea! Thank you so much for attempting it. Really looking forward to watching and learning. :D

  • I really like these music theory videos!

  • No shows are around me. Sadface. I want to go to playlist live so bad!

    I loved this video! Very educational!

    Also I want an entire video of you saying the word "tour".

  • You sir make excellent videos.

  • I like how in the last video, someone suggested you turn the lava lamp on and bam! Especially cool in a video in which you say, "I read all the comments..." :)

  • gravity is actually one of the most sincere, expressive relatable songs. very interesting to see the theory behind it. thanks!

  • Can we be best friends?

  • @HoboJam007 ok

  • I kept getting distracted by the lava lamp XD gosh I hate ADD...lmao

  • Really diggin' this songwriting series.

  • also! very classy outro/logo.

  • Let's play a game: see how many external clips Mike can use within one video.

    Round Two: see how many comments people have already made about the the clips

    Round Three: actually watch the video

  • BRUMMMM. (yay inception) oh and i can't wait to see you in Hamden. and you're a dork with all your amazing intros. and tom petty is beautiful, you boob.

  • so, was the mike and molly show canceled?

  • @rosieg925 yes

  • I think you should eventually do more videos on melody, because prosody sounded really interesting.

  • Honestly, you would come to Florida when I'm busy.

    /still bothered by that.

    Goddamn busy schedule.

  • So much goes into a song that I never thought of before. I so love learning.

  • I love the things I learn here. Prosody is awesome. Is there ever a case in which you would deliberately use... the opposite of prosody? As in, lyrics about gravity with a climbing melody? Would this detract from the song?

  • @quvious it can be used ironically, sure. Like accenting the *I* in I love you when the character is self-centered. I've seen that done.

  • distracting lava lamp is distracting…

  • The music learning channel is such a brilliant Idea.

    I play a range of instruments, however I never learnt to read the music, so you will be such a help.

    For that I thank you. This is very inspiring.

    Oh, and one day, please come to England.

  • I'm not sure why, but I couldn't stop watching the lava lamp for the whole video...

  • Hi!!!

    (only because you asked so nicely)

  • Will I get a high five if i drive down to hamden from montreal, because im seriously considering it!

  • @alliesong77 yeah!

  • no akron show!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­!!!! NNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO­OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO­OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO­OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!!!! U SAID THERE WAS GONNA BE AN ACTION SHOW

  • @ojman369 sometimes cancellations happen. it's part of the business.

  • Also, isn't the name for this terrace dynamics?

  • Only you would make a Double Rainbow reference and an Inception reference in the same video.

  • So I'm very excited for your new channel. I'm a college student, a music major, and about to take Theory for the first time...and I'm scared to death. Hopefully your new channel will calm those nerves!

  • This was an excellent video.

    I've "demanded" that you come to Birmingham, AL on Eventful, but I, alas, am the only one that has done so. Do you think you'll be coming to the south at all (besides to Orlando for Playlist Live)?

  • You're really great you know that? I would love to be your friend. 

  • @ilovetcpjg ok

  • I really hope I can get the time off work to go to Playlist Live!

  • I'm sorry, I didn't hear anything you just said. I was busy being in awe of the lava lamp in the background. *.*

  • Philly! Time to go make some rad t-shirts!

  • Thank you for turning on the lava lamp :D

  • Very, very cool. I know nothing about music (other than that I like certain song, bands, etc) so I will definitely be subscribing to your other channel.

  • this video is so youtubey

  • Oh yeah and remember when you recommended michael greenberg? (your ending song made me think of it) I actually bought it on an impulse buy and it's one of my favourite albums! I listen to it all the time.

    Interesting abou the melody, i had no idea about the gravity thing and the notes actually falling! Makes me think.

  • This stuff is really interesting! Wait, now I have to go through my songs not just to mess with internal rhyme, but also to check out melody? GODDAMNIT! lol, thanks mike.

  • Totally subscribing to your music theory channel. Sounds great!

  • Mike, I have always been terrible at music, and I am really looking forward to your music theory videos on your other channel. :)

    Also, prosody. Cool. Once again, I love it when words and music work together.

  • Oh, nevermind then. The website said they were all 18+.

  • @youflipmypancakes I asked DPC and they tell me it's all ages, so if it's not, yell at Craig.

  • @MikeLombardoMusic the sidebar does all-ages shows, it's one of the only places in the area that does. if the bands request all-ages, it's all-ages.

  • Mike you are so freaking cool :D!

  • Sadly the dates that you're around NY and PA are weekdays and I have school. I think this has happened a couple of times already. Which makes me excited that you're in the area, but I still can't get there. Oh well one day.

    The lava lamp was very distracting.

  • :( booo your show in baltimore is 18+ only.

    do you want to postpone it to may 17th?

  • @youflipmypancakes It is all ages.

  • "If your life had a face, I would kick it in the balls." Not actually being mean to you, just wanted to throw a Scott Pilgrim quote into your comment section.

  • I've been a musician for years, but I've still subscribed to your music theory channel cause I love your videos hahahahaha. :D

  • I LOVE THIS SERIES SO MUCH.

  • This music theory channel sounds AWESOME, I'm excited! Thank you!

  • Yay! I am finally going to meet you Mike!

  • Are there any clear examples of prosody in any of your songs?

  • @kelBellPirateFan Locked Out. Since he's just sitting on his front porch, the melody is stagnant and tonic-centric. The bridge goes to a new place as his mind wanders, and it sounds like comes back via modulation but it's actually exactly where it was before- it's supposed to sound like a key change to reflect his new attitude, but it's actually the original key, because he hasn't physically moved, either.

  • This is a really cool concept.

  • Your intro within an intro was stupid. It was too complicated for me and I didn't understand it. The acting was bland, and it just dragged on.

  • @JKellett2 I can't tell if you're being mean to me or making fun of Inception

  • GASP you have no idea how happy I am that you used Gravity by Sara Bareilles as an example of good songwriting

  • This was a really interesting video, Mike. Thank you!

  • The one in Hamden is during my Spring break so if I am not doing anything during spring break i shall be there!!!!!

  • I don't know music (and I was in band for 4 years...) but I like your music theory videos. Yay for learning stuff!

  • so mike... theres a good chance youve answered this already, but do you usually write the lyrics first or write the music first?

  • @shortstufk13 depends on the song

  • anyone else to able to take their eyes of the lava lamp? :)

    

  • love the double intro. and i really like this songwriting series.

  • @AlexanderCarpenter i really like you too alex.

  • This is so cool. Continually floored by my interest in these videos, considering I don't read music. Thanks, Mike!

  • I'm excited for the music theory channel! I've played the violin for 4 years in school, but I wasn't very focused when we were doing the basics. I think it will be helpful to just relearn a little from the beginning, because I've been wanting to learn to play a few other instruments...

  • The song "I've got friends in low places" is written about a bar called "The Oasis" in my town. Fun fact.

  • Also, can't decide if I should look at your face of the lava lamp.

  • That whole intro just BLEW MY MIND.

  • This is so funny! great video :D

  • I'm so excited for you guys to come to New York! My brain might explode from the awesome. And it's not even on a Friday night so I can actually come! (I'm Jewish.) THIS IS SO EXCITING.

    Also, I know some music theory because I take piano and voice lessons, but I'm really excited about your music theory channel because I've always wanted to really write songs but I've never felt that I could, so hopefully you can help me xD God knows if I want anyone to teach me how to write songs, it's you :)

  • I'm actually in a music theory class at my high school, and have started song writing, so i'm Super Pumped that you started this channel, thank you.

  • Lava laaaaamp. Also: We have the same floor lamp! I am fascinated by random things. :D Awesome video, btw.

  • You're coming to Baltimore on a Tuesday? Oh how I love the weekends (*incepting idea of coming to DC/Baltimore/Northern Virginia area on a weekend*)

    ... I'll try my hardest to come. Yes, that's what he said.

  • awkward laugh @ 1:00. best part

  • So this has just once again convinced me that Mike Lombardo is a wonderful human being. Clearly, you really care about what you do, which was never doubted of course, but it's still nice to be reminded :).

    By the way, LOVE the new channel idea :). As an oboe player, its always nice to have a refresher of those kinds of things. Gotta love those oboes. Ducks, they are.

  • You're coming to Baltimore yesssss

  • So I really like these videos. I know a little bit about music, but not that much. These make it more interesting to me. For example, my choir class is finally actually doing theory. I can look at sheet music and tell what each note is, but when I had to draw key signatures, I had issues. Yeah, that's about where I'm at. ...I have to resort to drawing out a piano and going wwhwwwh. ...yeah. It's time consuming.

  • I'll now have 2 AM stuck in my head for days...

    This is called Form Follows Function as well, at least that's what my English teacher drilled into my head. I know there is a true word for it. Anyone know? It's driving me nuts and Google is no help.

  • @hpobsessed21 prosody. (I said that in the video, right? I hope so...)

  • @MikeLombardoMusic Oh, you did. I know there's another word for it, at least that's what a teacher told me. Prosody is related to the rhythm, intonation, etc. I might be making the whole thing up in my head, but I thought there was a word that also included structure of the prose and other techniques specific to literature.

  • Woah that is so awesome. Thanks for sharing that insight with us, Mike! I'm definitely gonna check out that new channel.

  • You turned on the lava lamp!!! Yes that's all I took from this video.

    No I jest, brilliant as always :) also yay Anna nalick mention! I will definitely sub to music theory, I can read v basic treble clef (does that even make sense) from learning violin for a year but that will be fun methinks :)

  • Music theory channel? That's a really cool idea. Gonna check this out. :D

  • You're brilliant!!

    You know, if you ever wanna come to Iowa... :)

  • i cannot tell you how excited i am that your coming back to my town with WHEEZYWAITER!!! that is like a 568 pound block of awesome. made from chocolate. with candy canes.

  • the first 30 seconds of that video were just so good. you know how in a movie something happens and you're like OH I WISH THEY WOULD MAKE THAT JOKE!  and then they do, and it's awesome? that happened 3 times in 30 seconds.

  • @hshartman I wished you would make this comment, then you did.

  • Urgh y don't u come to uk! Also the song hallelujah is filled with those. "it goes like this the fourth the fith, the minor fall and the major lift" quite litteraly in the chord sequence

  • i think you should come somewhere near NC!!!!!!!!!!

  • I will do my absolute best to be there. So close to home :)

  • Baltimore. So close to D.C. but not close enoughhhh.

  • Thanks for sparing us the Nickleback. I like that you use examples from all different genres.

  • Nice double intro/within an intro?

  • I do most of my music by ear and feel, I haven't used sheet music in a very long time. Hopefully this'll help me get back into it! Hope the TSA sort their stuff out so you can come to England sometime.

  • OH MY GODRIC. So, we're singing solo songs in my musical theatre class and my song is "Nothing Can Stop Me Now" from The Roar Of The Greasepaint - The Smell Of The Crowd and I just realized that every single line in the song has notes staying even and then proceeding upward at a rapid rate.

  • Baltimore. I will be there. And I will bring (I should probably say "drag them along," but...) people with me. :D

  • @insertnamehereftw I've taught you well.

  • omg. this video was hilarious AND educational!

  • These songwriting videos are really interesting! I hope you make more. :)

  • I wanna learn music!

  • this is like the minor chord at the end of the progression in "i'll be watching you" right?