Owl City—Fireflies (A cappella transcription)

[MsJvans]

love it!!!!



[heikenestler]

I love it! I cannot access your website, though, makes me very sad :( 'Server not found' it says...

[ghiman100]

better than the original.

[ha0hahaha0ha]

The whislin was kinda annoying though :/

[jimlapbap]

@ha0hahaha0ha The newer version doesn't have it

[TheAlmostMadHatter]

You should do lessons on how to transcribe :D

[jimlapbap]

@TheAlmostMadHatter

Step 1: Take music theory and ear training.

Step 2: Prepare for a couple hours of tedium

Step 3: Pick out melody.

Step 4: pick out bass line.

Step 5: Pick out middle stuff.

Step 6: Use music theory knowledge to piece together the parts.

[352awesomeness]

i thought i was listening to the radio for a minute

[kidgetsowned]

does anyone know how to have 4 or 5 videos like this at once? i wana make videos like this

[jimlapbap]

@kidgetsowned I use Final Cut Express (Mac).

[DarksideChaotix]

Talent.

[marcopride90911]

Thiz iz awezome :D

[MsNikkiPixi]

Ahh I love you ! :D This is so cute !

[alexsilkwood]

LOve it!

[PrinceBoofly]

;D I'm adding this to my mp3.

[ntensejuggalette]

omg im actually verry impressed

[GakkiSai]

Rather enjoyable.

[alik9123]

Totally just posted this link on my facebook! You are so amazing at this... There are things in the songs you do that I don't even realize are there until I see the ten different faces of you singing different parts..., :) Kudos!!!

[CadenceButterfly]

I don't understand why people are making rude comments about unnecessary things :)  Sure, you sounded a bit like you were struggling to hit those notes at times, but A for effort with your singing. Like you said, you're a composer not a singer. But your background effects were fantastic, and overall sound was great. Good job. Sub!

[SethHisoka]

THIS IS THE ONLY VERSION OF FIREFLIES.

EVER.

*HUGS SCREEN*

[jimlapbap]

@SethHisoka Wrong notes/chords and all, or does that by definition make all the OTHER ones incorrect?

[SethHisoka]

@jimlapbap Yes, it does, by definition, make all others incorrect. Its rawness fits with the spirit of the song better than the electronic nonsense, because it is a song about abstract thoughts and nature lulling a person to sleep. And Sleep is such a fickle, raw thing.

In case you haven't noticed, I'm a bit anal about styles matching the lyrics and their spirit. I am so sorry about that. I'm afraid it's a terminal addiction.

[fnoogernooger]

@jimlapbap Yes.

[halfeb]

Curse you! Now I listen to this more then the origional song >.<

[AustraliaFrance]

j'adore , j'adore BRAVO !!!!!!!! BRAVO !!!!!!!

[laraymo123]

The actualy music part of it is amazing, but the lyrics are lacking. Good vid' tho.

[utastud09]

Pretty good man! Sorry low life losers got to bash a man who wants to put his face on the tube.

[kingelmo90king]

dont lisson to the fags saying bad stuff this is awsome

[SylvioLogic]

@jimlapbap - very nice!

[JansRox]

wear sunscreen pleaseee

[jimlapbap]

@JansRox I'm really that pink/red naturally. The curse of being a natural blond. I suppose I should wear makeup?

[JansRox]

@jimlapbap haha no, you are good without lol

so... do you wear sunscreen???I dont think so!!!

[jvmorrow]

@JansRox quiet fat bitch

[JansRox]

@jvmorrow hahahaha

[asdolfhitler]

w00t! you are on the melodyne homepage!

[lilvampiregirl14]

21 people are HATERS WHO LOVE JUSTIN BEIBER

[jesperfun]

OMG AWESOME

[VirgilMaro]

Sounds like Antares Autotune vomited.

[jimlapbap]

@VirgilMaro Just like the original Owl City track! (And technically, it's Celemony Melodyne vomiting.)

[VirgilMaro]

@jimlapbap Yeah, Melodyne is superior. It doesn't have to sound like autotune though. If that makes any sense.

[danceforevergirl]

' Hey guys wanna see something amazinggg!!!?!!!'

friend: 'what? what is it?!'

Me: 'This!!'

Both if us: 'AMAZING BEATBOXING SKILLS!!'

Haha we're all about the beatboxing :D

[amilcarmaund]

amazing

[zachXbellXrox]

I like the Harmonic Minor Version better. :)

[arakami]

@zachXbellXrox Man, you are just the coolest thing on earth! Because you like the Harmonic Version better! You are one special person, because unlike everyone else appreciating this video and giving good feedback, you like the Harmonic Minor version better, good for you, and keep on trucking, you rebel! :)

[zachXbellXrox]

@arakami Ha ha. I'm not meaning to be a rebel. It just pleases my ear more than the original. :)

[arakami]

@zachXbellXrox Thank you for being a good sport.

[ladislas59]

very good

[pinkelephants12]

this is something quite special..

[SOLCalMusic]

I gotta admit that i found the first 30 seconds painful... then realized i was over 2 minutes in and really enjoying it!! Great job!!

[SAHacksaw]

Well done

[lauramay1234]

Good job :)

[ThatNiNiChick]

This is awesome. Almost sounds cooler than the original. :P

[CRAIGOLEARYoz]

would you like to arrange an original piece??

[ladyanissina1]

Omg this sooo awesome

[Berliner79]

great

[rudyjil]

great job bro! I am waiting for someone with you talent to do thata song from Nsync "I thought she knew" let me know if that is possible

[Berliner79]

all i can say is WOW 5 Stars ;-)

[JakenJragin]

A technical achievement i know i couldn't achieve in while. Luvly video ^_^

[ClockworkTheory]

@jimlapbap Melodyne is a great piece of technology. My top choice, it has a MUCH better logarithm than Autotune and localizes the fomrants a lot more accurately

[AwesomeOpossums]

Nice acapella man, keep it up. The parts sound great.

[stalkerpro]

nice ! but change your hairstyle !

[JonnoTheBFG]

Brilliant!!! And to think you transcribe it by ear as well!! Well done my friend!! I'm about to email you about the sheet music ; D.

[Yiazy]

Well done :)

[annielynk3]

SSSSOOOOOO COOL!

I LOVED! <3

[MegaGamer8181]

not bad, thought you should have sang with les high voice.

[MrTheknown]

I have to say this video is great. The best thing I have ever seen. I love the beatboxing part. In matter of fact I learned how to beatbox this song just by waching this video. Good Job. Keep it up. :)

[UncleHumjaba]

@jimlapbap D'oh! I have that... Haven't used it much yet. Seems pretty neat though.

[UncleHumjaba]

What do you use for the pitch correction?

[fnoogernooger]

What kind of microphone did you use, and how much did it cost?

[callecross2]

amazing!!!



[hegroves]

This is absolute genius, probably my favourite piece you've ever covered. Fantastic! And I was just beginning to get really sick of this song (after going through a phase of enjoying it in the background whilst I studied) but you've pulled me back. I will no longer be listening to the original in the background, but this version XD

[MissAngelFace121]

you had a lot of time on your hands

[jimlapbap]

@MissAngelFace121 I did this all in about 1 day.

[nightfrogofanime99]

@jimlapbap thats good time :D

[Fishburn]

Hey, if you dont mind, what program did you use to put all of this together?

[korliekwak]

It's so amazing. Peace for you!

[TheBrawlers245]

you can whistle that long and mess ups!

[mrtyles]

yaaah!

[GenuineProductions09]

Mark Harmon?

[tyran424]

wow

[williamstierle]

This work is awesome.. Keep contributing to the world your talent.

Warm Regards, Bill

[Lingbomicmar]

nice!XD

[IWannabeJew]

I think you might be the first male music-maker on YouTube that I've subscribed to in 3 or 4 years.

[jimlapbap]

@IWannabeJew Thanks!

Does this mean that before now you have subscribed to a lot of females, non-music-makers, and people not on YouTube?

[IWannabeJew]

@jimlapbap Yes, and even female music-makers on YouTube!

[GannondorkVBA]

@IWannabeJew If you haven't already subscribed, MysteryGuitarMan is quite a popular one and regularly makes videos.

[anorielrose]

Incredible! :D I love that there are people out there like you that enjoy spending their time making wonderful music like this. <3 It's such a gift to the rest of us! =P

[thekaiserchief]

fucking awesome !!!!!!!!!!!

[loser23jtw]

Don't worry about all the hate, regardless of how your voice sounds, this would have taken a long time to prepare and some people apparently can't appreciate the work you put into it.

I love it, great job.

[painfulsoap]

burn

[will271987]

What is with all the hate? This is effing AMAZING!

[emajekral]

Very cool. You do what I only dream of. :)

[meggie16705]

this is awesome ! We're singing it in Choir this year and we have the same parts =)

[chillaxxgirl]

brilliant!

[galen2709]

Haha, I literally watched the percussion one on the bottom right for the whole thing....

[estlib]

you're the first one i see to use whistling in an acapella video like this! ME LIKEY

[ThePotterman10]

Try sucking IN at 0:27 :It makes the sound less... Spitty.

[Hugger28]

Great!!!! =D

Me gusta mucho tu versión! ;)

Congratullations!

[YaoiVixenBoi]

Very nice work.

[reebocken]

llol :D All too light my friend.. pretty nice anyway

[Zisaar]

this is awesome. good work!!

[KennyIsWeird]

Good video

[purpleblake]

To bad you cant hit the right courds and record without autotuning

[jimlapbap]

@purpleblake You should leave the same comment for the original.

[SethHisoka]

@jimlapbap ...ZING!

This cover is amazing, more so than the original. I've been listening to this version every single day, at least twice a day, ever since I found it. I heard the original playing in the mall and instantly thought back to this one.

[KennyIsWeird]

@purpleblake hey you do a Cappela then you can judge

[painfulsoap]

@purpleblake he burned you lol

[Epiphone21Age]

cool.but why you seem so sad when you're singing?

[UwahX]

Hey, great!

Didn't think, that you've such a gentle voice!

Not bad.. ^^ I'm really astonished!

Greetz

UwahX

[NATHAN329]

Very cool! I'm arranging Fireflies for Percussion ensemble right now.

Just, watch the 2nd chord of the first bridge/chorus. You have an inverted chord where it shouldn't be... but I get what you're going for. Nice job! :)

[jimlapbap]

@NATHAN329 Hence point #7: "7. For the absolute Owl City sticklers, I did miss a few things." This was corrected in the sheet music version.

Actually, I also missed a few chords (I sung a C minor when the actual chord is an E-flat), but gimme a break, I transcribed, arranged and recorded this in a 24 hour time span ;-).

[VmwV]

good job *thumbs up*

[KoreDLuxe]

OMGGGGG

Congratulations...

this of congratulations...

too much!

[renzopogie]

your the best

[sydney0929]

wow :)

amazing cover

[MidDayxRushHour]

this was so awesome. you're my new hero :]

[freya38]

cute!!

[anatomyofluke]

Why do you sound like a robot?

[jimlapbap]

@anatomyofluke I use Melodyne, a pitch correction software. (Also, because Adam Young's singing also sounds "robot"ish in the original ;-) ).

[jesusjulian93]

bien

[emishadows88]

you surprised me

[atavener]

That's brilliant but I was just thinking I wonder if anyones done a fireflies acapella and if I could make a video on it! You beat me lol. I'm sure yours would have always been better though :D

[DJochix]

Your voice is a little bit too high.

[TheNoName1993]

Wow..

Nice !!! o.O

[Page598]

DAMM THAT GOOD!

[athsuka]

UR SO WHITE!!

i get distracted =P

[jimlapbap]

You could always close your eyes....

[renzopogie]

@jimlapbap haha your right perhaps... its cool

[greenfordgirl99]

@athsuka LMAO!!!!!

[JonathansGurl91]

this is awesome!! O_O

[Beast100]

VERY good !, quite creative

[Lowkkie]

Génial ! :D

[ProMace]

AB-SO-LUTE-LY FAN-TAS-TIC arrangement!!!

Owl City and you clearly prove that being able to sing is only part of the equation. You need to bring everything together to get the job done. Which is why ' Fireflies' is already my favourite track of 2010. :-D

[jetwhite]

yeah this is REALLY epic!

[electricalstar]

Oh wow, that was FANTASTIC!! you did a wonderful job :)

[BLACKONROCKS]

nice

[Lucky2925]

one word HILARIOUS!!!!!!!!!

[canterwind]

sick. do you need to like buy the rights to do this version? cuz' my choir wants to do this

[IntrospectiveSmiley]

@canterwind

not if you're going to post it on youtube, or not make any money from it

[jimlapbap]

Basically the rules are if you (or anyone else) do NOT make money. That means concerts where admission is charged, because that means it's a venue where the copyright holder (Owl City) can claim royalties.

RIght now, it's a notational mess. Next week is Spring Break for me, so there's a chance.

[Lucky2925]

haha qwoop

[Treetop64]

Dood, Clean your room! XD

Seriously, that is great stuff.

5*

[X33Dusk]

1:32 ftw! =D

[babycorau]

AMAZING man!

[wwwsaatwcom]

AMAZING.

I LOVE THIS SONG AND Am A MAJOR FRUVOUS FAN!!!Your Awesome!!!

[addeex1]

omg maaaan this was FUCKING awesome!!!! Cool job 5/5 big stars!!!! :O

[MUERTOLOCO]

i wonder if this is gay...but yea its good shit

[apselDJ]

A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!

[LKJslain]

Absolutely AMAZING Wes.

[ThatAdamGuy]

Just wanted to thank you for sharing this. I think you did a neat job keeping the essence of the song and making it fun to listen to.

If you have a chance sometime, I'd love to learn more about the hardware and software tools you use for the filming, recording, EQ'ing, etc. Feel free to drop me a note personally about this if you feel like it, or add some details to your notes. Thanks again!

[jimlapbap]

I do have two sets of videos that's simply me filming myself ("An Hour With Moogie" and "Another Hour With Moogie") where I just make a video off the top of my head.

[ThatAdamGuy]

@jimlapbap ah, very cool. Good to know, and thank you for the reply. Will check those out.

[dirkbaab]

Yeah right: critisize him, tell him he's shit...

DO IT BETTER THEN!!!!!

Anyone has any idea how much time he must have invested to do that thing right??? For me personally, that's one of the BEST!

Very well done!!!!!

Cheers from Germany ;-))))

[iampurrplekat]

Personally I like the falsetto. But that's just me.

[yaruk45]

I have to admit everything is perfect except for the main voice!!! It just sound so wrong. I definitely didn't like the falsetto sorry :/

[jimlapbap]

see comments made to "Hellraiserc"

[georgieboy360]

wow. incredible. best cover ive heard of this song ever. great job.

[Hellraiserc13]

dude everythings great but just the lead vocals in falsetto

[jimlapbap]

That would be because I'm a baritone.

[Hellraiserc13]

@jimlapbap im a baritone and i can sing that just fine

[jimlapbap]

I can sing an F and G in full voice too, just not for the few hours it took me to record the video. It also goes up to a B-flat. So, instead of singing over the break, I went with falsetto.

If you'd like to sing the melody in full voice, record yourself singing it, send it to me, and I'll put it in a new video.

[14karaoke]

love it!!

it is soo cool!

[barisax7411]

nicely done.. I particularly like your beatboxing!

[himynameisadam12]

haha this is awesome. love it

[Lesliecobb09]

This is freaking amazing...I hate this song but you made it worth listening to hahaha

[jimlapbap]

Interesting, because I changed no notes and tried to mimic the original as much as possible.

Any other songs you hate that I should try?

[Lesliecobb09]

you just made it interesting...hmmm....i definitely think you should try to make ANYTHING by Justin Timberlake bearable enough so that i don't want to cut off my ears with a wooden spoon

[DrBjamin]

Fucking brilliant... but you're right.. you're no singer :) Good job on the arrangement!

[KELSCAIJORD]

u must of got and A in music

[thebestbaseballguy]

Hey, I was wondering how you set up this video. I would love to do the same thing, but with musical instraments. I have Windows Movie Maker on an XP operating system. Any suggestions?

[jimlapbap]

Sorry, I don't know, I use a Mac. There are probably different terms all over the place (there are even different terms among PROGRAMS).

[AndrewDeLong]

@thebestbaseballguy

Yeah, I have a suggestion. If you have movie maker ON ANY operating system...forget about using it. Instead, torrent (or buy if you have a decent chunk of money) some adobe editing software. Premier Pro is a good starting point. Next you might want to get Adobe Sound Booth. For musical editing, Sony Acid is always a must. Then for final production, you might consider getting Adobe After Effects. All of these make a PC edit like a Super Mac!

Hope this helps,

~Andy~

[meshumekha]

Haha, Mac.

[AndrewDeLong]

@meshumekha

Lol, I know. But really, with Adobe programs, editing at or above the level of a Mac is easily doable on a PC. Now, that doesn't mean that everything else is like a Mac of course, but, well, you get my point. Personally, I'm an Adobe whore.

[icekohl92]

easily comparable to the original track! amazing dude!

[JaydonTWhistler]

making me get a smile.. lol the last Mimzey