Ice9sFine said:

Marvin. Gaye.

Best example (in my opinion) EVER:

Condition of the Heart.

I CANNOT STAND the multi tracked vocal in 7. I hate that track solely becuase of it. i just wish he had sung it with a choir.

in recent years I think he has abadoned the excesses of multi tracking. the last really dense multi track was the greatest romance ever sold.

i much prefer a more organic, natural sound, with other, preferably female voices.

NO !!!!!

MARVIN GAYE IS !!!!

Condition of the Heart/For You/Most Beautiful Girl in the World/Sweet Baby/If I Was Your Girlfriend

sosgemini : shame on you

If you're not convinced by any of the above, check out the harmonies on any "Prefab Sprout" album. Seal/Queen rate as journeymen when compared to the likes of Prince/PaddyMcAloon when the art of musical (vocal + instrumental) composition is the topic of discussion.

sosgemini said:

Marvin Gaye is THE master of vocal multi-tracking, followed very closely by Stevie Wonder

daibhi said:

FalseSetto said:

Exactly. I mean Prince is my all-time favorite artist and I enjoy the way he does multitracked vocals, but let's be real here. The all-time BEST at it IMHO is Marvin Gaye.

sosgemini said:

I'll agree with sosgemini! Although I used to love Prince's vocal multitracking, it got tired quickly...now I cringe when a chorus erupts in a choir of Prince voices. It seems like a device he perefected then began applying to liberally. Some things don't need the garlic, you know.

Although the finished product is sleek, I'd sooner he try a little variation with what he's doing with it.

A vote for Marvin.

sosgemini said:

I'm totally with you on this one.

I would also go as far as to say that Princes multi tracking vocal is making him sound dated. It seems that because he can't be bothered to wait and get other vocalists in, he just chucks its down himself.

Often he could get a lot more power in a song by giving it more on the lead line, than worrying about 10 layers of himself.

Songs like Snows in April, Gold, Baby Knows benefit from him laying off the multi track.

Songs that would have sounded mighty different (and better) if he hadn't multi tracked: When I lay my hands on U, TGRES, I hate U.

Best example of the multi tracking working in his favour? Adore.

I don't know if this is considered multitracking but what about "Big Tall Wall"?

Ice9sFine said

I'm surprised her name hasn't appeared so far on this thread - when it comes to dense vocal multitracking nobody comes anywhere near Enya. Some of her stuff has hundreds of vocal tracks, and she claims to average about 20 harmony parts, each of which she then layers, on most songs. All that effort and she still induces catatonia. I'll take Prince's multitrack vocals anyday. Even 7.

calldapplwondery83 said:

OH that's a good one.

One of My Personal Favorites is Adore . The Multitracking Vocals at the end of this are quite simpley "Angelic". I also Dig "when 2 are in Love" .

Marvin and Stevie where there at the conception of technology as far as multitracking and vocal layering goes.

Marvin's Doo Whop days allowed him to have a field day in the studio.

Stevie's deep understanding of theory and chords is what makes him so raw when it comes to vocal layering.

Prince of course the crowd favorite, has the theory but most of all the balls to always try it different.

One thing you will notice is that in the 90's , music changed in the way the studios produced it.

Instead of Prince tracking the Chorus each time.. the beautiful art of sampling allowed everyone to do the chorus one time and then copy and paste it. So he was making alot of music quicker but you could hear some of the work sounding like samples. When someone starts off the song with the chorus , vocals only, 9 out of 10 they just sample it. Quick trick and pleasing to the composer.. but if you had been spoiled by the nice texture of vocal layering by doing each track by iteself... you can hear the difference.. One reason why The Greatest Romance didn't grab me as much, and another reason why I really appreciated the Rainbow Children..

good up until 1991.

Thunder was the beginning of the end. He's just relied on it way too much

One word: ADORE

He is the greatest at the multi tracking thing THE GREATEST, there are so many GOOD examples of it from Prince. A notable mention goes out 2 Michael Jackson on this as well.

But if u truly want spiritual Multi tracking listen 2 the Beach Boys especially there late 60s early 70s stuff

Yoda

Some folks on here don't like Prince multi-layering of voices? really? That's like saying I don't like his guiter playing or I don't like his lyrics. If u don't like it sorry u really aren't that big a fan. It's too damn elemental to who he is as an artist to not like. It's not just the fact that he does it. Its the genius way he does it. Wow u people are unbelievable. Especially the one particular mod. Are u really a prince fan? U seem to have way to many issues with him to actually be a fan. And yeah its nice when Prince mixes other peoples voices in the mix. But the thing is Prince is capable of being multiple people that is the essense of his genius. The ability to play all the parts as if it originated from several different minds. That's part of the magic. Damn u folk are really missing it lol.

One listen to the end of Love2the9s should tell you how masterful Prince is at this.

tricky99 said:

Teach us, oh wise one.

There are all sorts of people on this site you know, and some of them aren't Prince fans. So what ? Their opinions, likes and dislikes are just as valid as yours. Just because they don't get what you get doesn't mean they don't get it. Got it ?

tricky99 said:

I'm not a supporter of too much multitrack vocal. May I'm not a big fan?

Want to sit your Prince collection next to mine and see who the biggest fan is?

tricky99 said:

are you talking to me? so umm..go check out the one thread asking who is still spinning 3121 and then get back to me...

and why are you forcing your personal taste on others? if you like a certain aspect of princes music, good for you...i dont begrudge vainandy his appreciation for prince's upbeat funk music simply because he hates all the syrupy r&b and slow tempo tunes...vainandy has found what he appreciates...in my case i loath the multi-trak background vocals..but theres actually a lot more to prince then that...

sorry you cant see that..and sorry you have to resort to dismissing other's personal taste by labeling who can and can not be a fan...

SquirrelMeat said:

Great! ... another 'you're not a real fan' / 'I'm a bigger fan than u' thread.

I love these

Levi said:

I'm thowing down the gauntlet in jest . My collection fills a room, but it doesn't make me a bigger fan than someone with one album who totally loves its.

I just love it when:

A. People try to convince us there is set of rules about being a fan.

B. Say they are a huge fan and ask what album Controversy is on!

SquirrelMeat said:

fills a room??

now, what did you say your address was?

I have to reiterate my agreement with sosgemini that Seal is much better at the multitracking thing. At the very least I'd say that he does more interesting things and Seal seems to understand that less is more in the appropriate context. I can't remember whose comment characterized him as a journeyman in this regard but it was obviously someone who does not own a substantial body of his work because that was simply rubbish. His work in vocal layering is absolutely sterling everytime out of the box.

P is my favorite of all time but he might benefit from spinning a Seal disc or two.

I'm surprised SOS. Seal aint got shit on Prince. Neva

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

its not Seal thats due props but Trevor Horn....Trevor's vocal arrangments are awesome...


and your not going to even attempt to say that Prince is a better producer then Horn, are you?

sosgemini said:

Can you point me in the direction of Horn's work? Does he produce seal and if so, what would you put up as his crowning glory? Prince could benefit right about now from a collaboration in the production department but back in the day Prince could outproduce any and everyone