Rick Beato

[stevie]

Like many of you, I've been following a number of music educators on YouTube - some of them, like Aimy Nolte and Adam Neely have been mentioned on here. But Rick Beato's latest video, in my opinion, is  in a class by itself. Not to mention hilarious in places. 

 

 

Once you've watched this, I suggest you have a look at this cover:  

Then look up Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil and be astonished at the brilliance of this songwriting team. Just as a taster, they also wrote the world's most played song, You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling. My admiration knows no bounds.

 

Edited August 18, 2021 by stevie
Fixed link for second vid

[DiMarco]

I don't know. I used to be a fan but unsubscribed.
Rick kinda repeats the same stuff over and over plus his "what makes this song great" doesn't appear to actually display what makes those songs great.

 

[stevie]

His output is prodigious and I don't agree that all the songs he thinks are great really are great. although some of them are. But just check out the video I linked to. I'd be astonished if you didn't like it.

[nilebodgers]

8 hours ago, stevie said:

His output is prodigious and I don't agree that all the songs he thinks are great really are great. although some of them are. But just check out the video I linked to. I'd be astonished if you didn't like it.

I was going to post a link to that myself. It’s a funny story especially the “we are jazzmen, we’ve got this” confidence of not writing a chart and then getting their donkeys handed to them when they forget the changes.

[wateroftyne]

8 hours ago, DiMarco said:

I don't know. I used to be a fan but unsubscribed.
Rick kinda repeats the same stuff over and over plus his "what makes this song great" doesn't appear to actually display what makes those songs great.

 

The content of those videos has moved on over the years (how can you explain what makes a song great to someone who doesn’t think the song is great?) - they’re just song teardowns, and I find them compelling.

I like Rick.

[Beneath It All]

Don't mind Rick in small doses - a sort of jack of all trades I guess....Super song like many Mendes songs are, but certainly not complex to anyone with 'ears'... If I didn't know this tune, I could quite happily busk it, but maybe not Bohemian Rhapsody or Sylvia[Focus] for example;         p.s.    Mendes 'Oceano' album is well worth a listen with many top players involved....

[Ceebass]

On 26/06/2021 at 23:22, stevie said:

His output is prodigious and I don't agree that all the songs he thinks are great really are great. although some of them are. But just check out the video I linked to. I'd be astonished if you didn't like it.

I'm a bit on the fence too. I really love his playing and musical ideas, but I find his approach to education can be lacking in insight or subtlety. This video is a good example- it seems like most of the script is 'then it's this chord then this chord and then it changes key and I'mlikewhaaaaaaaaat!' 

[Guest]

17 hours ago, Beneath It All said:

Don't mind Rick in small doses - a sort of jack of all trades I guess....Super song like many Mendes songs are, but certainly not complex to anyone with 'ears'... If I didn't know this tune, I could quite happily busk it, but maybe not Bohemian Rhapsody or Sylvia[Focus] for example;         p.s.    Mendes 'Oceano' album is well worth a listen with many top players involved....

I cannot agree with any of that. The problem with that song is that there are many different modulations, some are similar and some are different, and from a lot of experience playing easy to fiendishly difficult music, the songs that drift around like this are the easiest ones to get lost in.

I think Rick is fantastic and has amazing and varied knowledge across a wide range of musical topics. Sure, he’s no expert keyboard player, drummer, or singer but nevertheless he has quite an ear, a wide musical palette and has clearly gone and done it over many years rather than just sitting on a forum criticising others output. He was also originally a bass player. If that’s what you class as a jack of all trades, then I’m quite happy with that level.

I’ll be looking forward to your much better YT channel - coming soon, is it?

[wateroftyne]

Rick’s fab. His enthusiasm is infectious.

[Muzz]

I only subscribe to one YouTuber's output, and it's Rick's. His breakdown of More Than A Feeling is worth it for that alone...

[Beneath It All]

1 hour ago, FDC484950 said:

I cannot agree with any of that. The problem with that song is that there are many different modulations, some are similar and some are different, and from a lot of experience playing easy to fiendishly difficult music, the songs that drift around like this are the easiest ones to get lost in.

I think Rick is fantastic and has amazing and varied knowledge across a wide range of musical topics. Sure, he’s no expert keyboard player, drummer, or singer but nevertheless he has quite an ear, a wide musical palette and has clearly gone and done it over many years rather than just sitting on a forum criticising others output. He was also originally a bass player. If that’s what you class as a jack of all trades, then I’m quite happy with that level.

I’ll be looking forward to your much better YT channel - coming soon, is it?

 

[louisthebass]

On 27/06/2021 at 07:51, wateroftyne said:

The content of those videos has moved on over the years (how can you explain what makes a song great to someone who doesn’t think the song is great?) - they’re just song teardowns, and I find them compelling.

I like Rick.

This - I think Rick is the best YouTuber out there. The guy knows his stuff extremely well, and while I don't agree with some of his WMTSG videos (horses for courses), there's always something to be learned about chord voicings, melody, arrangements and production. 

What I also like is that he's not just "a rock guy" - he looks at other styles of music in a very insightful way. 

[wateroftyne]

10 minutes ago, louisthebass said:

What I also like is that he's not just "a rock guy" - he looks at other styles of music in a very insightful way. 

...and Joni asked him out to lunch, so he's basically better than any of us at anything.

[Beneath It All]

22 hours ago, FDC484950 said:

I cannot agree with any of that. The problem with that song is that there are many different modulations, some are similar and some are different, and from a lot of experience playing easy to fiendishly difficult music, the songs that drift around like this are the easiest ones to get lost in.

I think Rick is fantastic and has amazing and varied knowledge across a wide range of musical topics. Sure, he’s no expert keyboard player, drummer, or singer but nevertheless he has quite an ear, a wide musical palette and has clearly gone and done it over many years rather than just sitting on a forum criticising others output. He was also originally a bass player. If that’s what you class as a jack of all trades, then I’m quite happy with that level.

I’ll be looking forward to your much better YT channel - coming soon, is it?

Your'e quite entitled to disagree with anything you want to;  I DON'T find the song to be complex..Neither did I criticise - 'jack of all trades' = competent in many areas;  I also pointed-out that I don't mind Rick in small doses, so what's your problem?

[gjones]

The video reminded me of the worst gig I ever did, which was a last minute dep for a wedding (I don't do weddings) where none of the musicians in the band had ever met before.

We had to play for 3 hours, as the bride and groom hadn't booked a DJ, we soon ran out of songs we all knew.

I realised that if I didn't know a song, there was no point guessing the chords and messing it up, so I just turned my volume down and mimed along to the music, with a cheesy grin on my face.

After a while I realised the guitarist and the keyboard player were doing the same........ 🤣🤣🤣

After a nightmare of a gig, at the end of the night the bride and groom came up and thanked us for contributing to a wonderful night ?????

They hadn't noticed we hadn't a clue what we were doing.

I felt guilty taking their money.

 

[kwmlondon]

On 29/06/2021 at 16:49, wateroftyne said:

...and Joni asked him out to lunch, so he's basically better than any of us at anything.

Yep. 

 

Also, check out his breakdown of Mayor Of Simpleton by XTC. His love for the song, the band and his understanding of what they are doing musically really inspired me to learn the bassline (try to learn the bassline...) AND the band share the track files with him so he's actually able to dive into the instruments one-by-one. A really excellent video, one of his best IMO.

 

[TimR]

On 26/06/2021 at 23:22, stevie said:

I don't agree that all the songs he thinks are great really are great.

 

I think he's said that he doesn't pick them because he likes them, just because they're noteworthy classics which are by definition 'greats'.

[Waddycall]

I really like Rick Beatos videos. They’re fun, interesting, informative and he’s not constantly trying to sell you something  or promoting his own content all the time. The WMTSG on Rocketman was my favourite.

[kwmlondon]

On 22/12/2021 at 06:59, Waddycall said:

I really like Rick Beatos videos. They’re fun, interesting, informative and he’s not constantly trying to sell you something  or promoting his own content all the time. The WMTSG on Rocketman was my favourite.

He’s hit and miss, but that’s fine- I’d rather someone go for it and take a few risks. I don’t buy into some of his clic-bait videos but he is an exceptionally good musician and producer and well worth listening to.