https://soundcloud.com/mark_hayes/revolution-9-2

“Revolution 9.2”

OK, there is a track on the Beatles’ 1968 White Album titled “Revolution 9”, a sound collage created primarily by John Lennon (and largely against the wishes of everyone involved, except Yoko Ono.)

It was, against all odds, sequenced by Eiko & Nobuo Takenaka in 1996.

Tonight I fed the Takenaka MIDI into Band-in-a-Box, instructing it to chord-analyze then perform the piece in a jazzy style.

I did NOTHING else.

===> This is STRAIGHT out of Band-in-a-Box!! <===

I stand in awe of the combination of this amazing sequence and this amazing software.

****** Song Summary *************
Style is _SJAZBL2.STY
RealTracks in style: 908:Bass, Electric, SmoothBallad Ev16 065
RealTracks in style: 910:Piano, Electric, Rhythm SmoothBallad Ev16 065
RealTracks in style: 1072:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm SmoothJazzBallad Ev16 065
RealDrums in Style: SmoothJazzBallad^1-a:Sidestick, HiHat , b:Snare, Ride
*******************

I LOVE Rev #9...have done since I 1st heard it.
The transciptionists certainly heard a lot of melody in the murk OR there was quite a bit of borrowed melody in the concrete of the original.
I reckon you should do a mono mix...rev 9 isn't quite as startling in mono as in stereo BUT it sounds great.

This is rather like the 1st couple of Wendy Carlos' Moog albums run-amuck .... it really gets back to the original around the 3.50 mark.

I enjoyed it in a weird way.

9.2, 9.2, 9.2.....

I gotta say, you certainly are using BB in unique and creative ways.

On this, I'd never have guessed the roots of the music. Now I need to go listen to 9.0

THAT IS ABSOLUTELY WILD, Mark! (sorry for shouting) I bet that's just the way Lennon heard it. 9.2 Great title. I tried repeating 'Number 9, member 9, number 9" throughout, but it still didn't sound anything like the original. "Block that kick. Hold that line" did a bit better. What a great use of the software. Wonder what it would sound like if you played it backwards. You most likely read Lewisohn's book on the sessions. Lennon was genius in the strangest ways. Great idea, man, and an astounding result.

Hee hee, yah, this is some crazy acorns here. I keep wondering what I'd look like to someone watching me listen to this stuff.

Don't try too hard listening for your favorite lyrics, like "he hit a light pole and we better take him to see a surgeon". We do get a few old favorites mentioned ("block that kick" etc.) but for the most part this is karaoke. =8^)

PS – I would normally not post something like this, "instant pop song from found MIDI file", but this was just so remarkable, I specifically chose not to do anything at all, to SHOWCASE what happens all on its own. Thanks for listening.

By the way, can anyone name the identifiable melodies in this? I cannot, but I know they are there, two or three quite prominently and memorably.

Well, The Beatles were my favorite rock band but they also did a lot of weird stuff like revolution 9 that I wasn't too keen on. As an experiment, this is interesting.

Cheers

Mike B.

Great re-tooling of a quirky piece.

Well done.

moto

Does anyone know George Harrison's album "Wonderwall Music"? It has been said that he was ahead of John Lennon in experimenting with sound collage, especially in "Dream Scene".