THIS is actually an artistic disgrace. Why do it?! (Rant alert!)
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- čas přidán 1. 06. 2024
- Tonight we're taking a look at Eric Clapton performing Layla live back in 2015! But something else caught my attention!
ORIGINAL VIDEO - • Eric Clapton - Layla (...
TIME STAMPS -
0:00 Intro
0:42 Performance
3:02 Analysis Start
3:23 Fret Buzz for Style!
6:24 Transition into Main Riff
7:57 Intro Lead (Part 2)
9:50 The Vocal (and... Auto-Tune Rant!)
15:48 Eric's Barre Chord Technique
19:06 Performance (Second Half)
21:16 Lead Subtlety
22:16 The Final Insult!
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I hate auto-tune. I expect an AI to sing perfect notes. I expect humans to be imperfect. That's generally what makes all the performers voices unique.
Correct, analog players is what is important, not if your pedal is analog.
Yes! But I would substitute "expressive" for "imperfect."
Fred
You hate, badly done auto-tune. If it's done right, you'd never know, unless the original performance was so bad you had to tune nearly every word. Eric Clapton has NEVER to my knowledge given a performance that would warrant such a thing. But I agree with you, I hate that "is this a person or a keyboard demo" vocal sound your get from overuse of auto-tune.
@@ffggddss What is frequently inspiring about art, is the human striving for unattainable perfection.
That is the nobility in it: that is why it is admirable, that is why it is inspiring. To reach for something that exceeds the artist's grasp is to exercise, honor and acknowledge the divine aspect of the artists' nature.
Auto tune destroys what's great about Blues and Rock. Never the same way twice. Perfection is in the mistakes.
Agreed!! Creative control is worth everything. Eric Clapton having his voice altered by the record company is outrageous. Older artists whose voices have changed need to be heard as they are, like Johnny Cash when he sang “Hurt.” I would love to hear what he really brought to this version from his lifelong musicality and maturity, the same way he brought it to the guitar playing in the performance. Autotune kills interpretation.
Autotune can actually be a real artistic tool imo, but the way Melodyne and other pitch correction tools are used especially with older artists (E.G. The Who's "WHO" album, The Beach Boys' releases and some of their their solo work post 2010ish, and Queen's live releases) usually sounds awful. I don't believe the technology can possibly handle a voice's subharmonics in a way that doesn't dip into the uncanny valley in human perception.
I so agree that auto tune is interfering with he voice and essentially life of the artist. Look up the Japanese aesthetic of an imperfection in any art as a needed value. It says something about us. Auto tune tech is a commodity driven value but not one of meaning.
@@swarkamal Wabi Sabi, is as 'blues' as it gets.
Robert Plant doesn't pretend his voice is what it was 45 years ago, so he rearranges parts to fit within the range he still has. That is called artistic integrity.
A lot of older artists never had vocal coaching so they didn't realise that there's stuff you need to do DAILY to keep your voice. A lot smoked, or vaped etc. NOOO! I'm 73, I take very good care of my voice and as a result of what I have learned I'm singing better now than I did in my 20s, AND more range, as I've had a bunch of coaching. My last singing teacher told me his Dad sang professionally into his 90s! There are things in the ageing process that would spoil your voice of course, but I still think people don't know how to maintain it. Gentle singing every day is a good start, hydration, and please, artists whose career was built on Throat Voice, they're the ones who go down first. As for the fret buzz, OMG doesn't Eric have a guitar tech????
Imagine if someone went smoothing out the lines in an artist's paintings or sanding down their sculptures, just because they feel it makes them more pleasing to the eye.
Changing Picasso's paintings to be more symmetrical. 😲😭
sharpen up Van Gogh's sunflowers a bit. It's a bit blurry, isn't it?
True! Mona Lisa’s smile shouldn’t be ambiguous, we must Photoshop it!
I think that is actually, in a way, exactly what is going on. The rise of DAW software introduced a strong visual element to recording and mixing for the first time. I've seen it happen many times with mix engineers who just can't stand it when the transients of say a live drum take don't sit perfectly on the time grid, or when certain notes are a cent or two off the exact pitch. Despite the take already sounding fantastic and full of energy when you ignore the visual element.
There’s nothing wrong with his original voice
Reminds me of when Jimmy Page was putting together the live Zep release "How the West Was Won". A young producer was in the booth with Page and remarked how Bonham missed a beat and he was going to "fix it". Page flipped and told him to leave it alone! Saying "If he dropped a beat, it's because he meant to!"
Great album
Yes, there are mistakes on every Zep album, some more obvious than others.
It's what happens when humans make music. The humanity adds to the experience.
@@fredjones7425 I heard Down By The Seaside probably a hundred times and never noticed a mistake until a musician friend of mine pointed out where Page missed a chord completely around 4:40.
@@redpine8665 Im obsessed with Zeppelin and I can tell you there are genuine mistakes all over the place. And I'm not going to pull any of that 'bUT ThE miStaKEs maKe iT beTteR' it's that they just don't matter, and fixing them wouldn't make the song any better.
On top of that, changing even the most minor of details would INSTANTLY stand out to anyone even moderately familiar with their songs because they're so ubiquitous.
'If it ain't broken, fix it' is the modern day mantra. If somebody needs auto-tuning, then they shouldn't be singing in the first place.
Thank you!
Eric Clapton was nearly 70 yrs old when he did that, and has been playing for a lot more years than you have been alive.
Who the F#@k do you think you are that you can critique a music legend. If he wants to use auto tune so what. Go back to mummys basement and keep practicing.
That's only half true....um... nobody sings "on the line" , Tom Petty for instance, people may say he's not a great singer or Dylan, or a million others who aren't Whitney but, I'm not sure why this is now industry standard, there are a million people who are flat on all of our favorite records....i dont know what happened, why pitch correction is "needed"
@@foxholiday4308 I agree totally. Petty and Dylan are definitely 2 of my favorite artists, and this is subjective I know, just a matter of taste but the power ballads of Streisand and Whitney et al never were my thing, possibly because when they did duets with other singers it always sounded like a competition and sort of pointless IMO, just me. But definitely, autotune, pitch correction very bad thing and here, desecration.
@@EvelynBaron yeah Whitney isn't really my thing either, but I can definitely appreciate the almost pitch perfect performances she gave, probably as close to being on the line as you can get, Mariah too...or Celine but if they came out today they would be pitch corrected and really I don't understand why, when cher did it was an effect it wasn't to fix a voice, it's all the imperfections that make music magical
Fil, you just can't contain your appreciation for the talent of other artists. I love watching you light up when you hear something. Thanks for great contributions.
Isn’t he a doll as he listens?? Every video; he loves music and what he does!!
I love seeing his passion. Even if I don't understand the technicalities myself.
Totally agree with you! I just love watching him through these performance analyses. He has such an appreciation for music of all genres and any age! And, he has an impossibly lovely smile. A joy to watch.
@@michellefederico4510 I agree with you 100%!!
Fil I love the smile that breaks through as you watch something you really like, or when the video gives you an excellent example of what you want to emphasize. Keep on smiling!!!
Gay.
@CrankCase08 what is THAT suppose to mean? And what bearing does it have on my comment? Perhaps you've aptly named yourself.
He really does have good taste in music
@CrankCase08 Judgmental jerk.
Nothing wrong with gay, fyi.
Yep your right that smile
Clapton has always been a blues singer. Who the hell would decide to auto tune a blues singer? It's all about the nuance and the notes between the notes. I wonder if this footage is available without the auto tune?
You’re spot on here Fil, Autotune is the modern soul vacuum, sucking the humanity from music one “correction” at a time. Such a drag….
Its blues for goodness sake!
Eric Clapton is the 20th century soul vacuum, sucking the humanity from music one album at a time.
@@carlmarks8170 So true, has the heart of a business man, not a blues man!
I hate it because it ruins a great concert or singer for me.
When people play the organ they're playing an autotuned instrument. I don't mind autotune at all.
As a singer, I'd be positively livid if I was autotuned by some tech. The entire artistry of a vocalist is in the "life" of the voice. The grace and emotion is in the hints of dissonance. Tragic abuse.
I’m not a fan of dissonance. I think that auto tune creates dissonance, when I hear its mechanical artifacts.
I just can't get into this version of Layla. I was 16 in 1970 when Layla came out and I freaking loved it, it was a great time in my life and the song brings back so many good memories. I still listen to it often, never gets old, but this new version bores me to tears...snore. Thanks for the video Fil!
Agreed. That acoustic version sounds lame to me. It lacks that edge.
In fact, almost _all_ acoustic versions of rock songs are kind of weak.
I also agree. The original version was full of intensity and angst that corresponded to my teenage imagination. The one band I thought did unplugged versions really well was Nirvana.
If there wasn't the original Layla and this version had come out I don't think it would have been considered anything more than a boring filler song.
You don't say anything about the _original_ acoustic version, though. What do you think about it?
*MrClassicmetal* says that almost all acoustic versions of rock songs sound weak to him --- do you agree? My recollection is that the MTV Unplugged version of Layla was _apparently_ almost universally appreciated.
The Unplugged version was the first one that I heard, but after many years of listening to it _and_ the original, I honestly believe that the Unplugged version is a better rendition of the song --- just like I believe that the Carnes version of Bette Davis Eyes is superior to the original.
@@bricaaron3978 Although the one in this video is even worse, I never quite understood the popularity of the original acoustic cover either.
One guy who did play great acoustic _covers_ of popular songs is José Feliciano. Because he's a fantastic guitarist, and he his playing was adventurous.
But in general acoustic renditions of popular songs are lacking. It all sounds so safe and generic. It's not much different from elevator music.
You are the most polite “ranter” on earth. Love it!
This is why I am a subscriber. You are a class act in your picking apart a song without ripping into the artists. Well done.
Thanks!
Exactly!
Another excellent analysis on how Auto Tune has killed the feeling from the original human voice that was recorded on the night of this performance. also love the little details you point out that we might have overlooked. thanks Fil. 😊
Cher
That is really pretty scary when you think about it, we may all become deaf to the shades of expression we use!
I blame Cher for popularising this awful fad.
I felt the same when cd's first came out to replace vinyl lps, lost some feeling in the music...
One of the Spice Girls did a Solo album. I read a review where they said it was auto-tuned so much she sounded like a dalek! Some people shouldn’t be allowed into a studio!
Someone literally heard a blue note and thought "WE SHOULD TUNE THAT"
The irony being it was probably Eric who wanted to auto-fix it. Try being 70+ years old and getting up in front of a bunch of people to perform a classic, then tell me you wouldn't entertain the idea of auto-tune. Even if Eric doesn't do all of the production and editing, he certainly would be the one who made that call, or at least he gave it the ok after it was done. Most artists do it now a days, but you just can't always tell, like you can here, which actually adds to my point. You see, the worse the performance, the more obvious the auto-tune becomes detectable. And conversely the better the vocals were originally, the less obvious it becomes. See how that works?
@@Rick-the-Swift People managed for thousands of years without autotune.
@@Dekoherence-ii8pw People also lived in caves and huts thousands of years before autotune. See how that works? Nothing against caves, huts, or autotune. Just sayin 💆♂
I can`t put into words how much I admire your knowledge, talent, attitude, kindness, and professionalism. It must be such a joy to have you as a teacher.
@First Last
Doesn`t one need adverbs to describe someone or something ?!
But what can I say? Of course, you are right My comment is a contradiction in itself. I was aware of that while writing it... LOL
...just take it !
Isn’t Fil the BEST?? I learn so much.
And his joyful smile as he listens speaks to his love of music.
@@lechat8533, One needs _adjectives_ to describe something. Your original comment is fine. I don’t know what the (now deleted) reply was, but it probably wasn’t necessary.
Can't you?
I despise auto-tune, it's a deception that strips emotion from the performance. Eric's style has always been blues-based and is cathartic, passionate and emotional at it's best (it's supposed to be raw & dirty). I just bet a young person with no understanding of this type of music overdid auto-tune when it shouldn't have been used at all. Shame on Eric for not being more involved in the post production.
Either Eric was directly involved in the decision to use auto-tune, or he gave it the ok after hearing the "corrections", or perhaps he's like our president and probably too old to change his own diapers, let alone be throwing concerts. I'll leave it up to you, but those are your only 3 choices. And who can blame him? Especially when he sees so many other old has-been rockers getting heckled in the CZcams comments for taking too many drugs, booze, and smoke in their younger days. These cats can't win, I tell ya😼
Eric doesn’t need auto tune. Snapping the notes inhibits his trailing voice that is soulful. He sounds more like Randy Newman instead of himself. Not necessary.
He doesn't sound anything close to Randy Newman.
@@lemonnlimelight2760 He does on autotune. I like Randy Newman, he’s a talented pianist, vocalist, and great songwriter, but Eric Clapton doesn’t need auto tune even if it is popular.
People don't use it because they "need" it. I agree it was horribly used, though.
Indeed. The beauty of a live performance is in the imperfection. I don't like any perfection if it can be helped, even in the studio, but particularly in a live setting I want to hear the actual performance as it was and not someone else's interpretation of how it should have been. To me some of the greatest moments in music come from the "mistakes". It gives the music its character that pulls you in.
Nothing wrong with perfection is a long as its natural because the performance was actually perfect and not made perfect after the fact .
It's not even another person's interpretation of how it should've been. It's a bloody machines.
Neil? Is that you? 😂 Anyway, great comment!
Absolutely agree with you. The point is to hear as much of the artist as possible and it's often the slipping onto and off the notes that adds the spice.
Hey Fil,
Your musical analyses are both enlightening and by turns hilarious! Your genuine respect for those artists you review is quite obvious, so when you have to offer criticism of choices, technique or production, your comments are always rife with love, humanity and respect! Watching you juggle both appreciation and disgust is a thing of beauty! Stay the course young man…
In regard to the whole “auto tune” and pitch correction business, I still think that “Dark Forces” are at work here, trying to suck all of the joy and spiritual nourishment out of our music!
But they didn’t reckon on you, Fil! Keep on doing what you do so well, and the forces of nescience and entropy don’t stand a chance!
- Namaste, Glenn
Well said 👍🏼
Agreed
I agree with Glenn wholeheartedly, Fil's passion for the art and respect for the artist both shine through in this analysis.
I don't understand who it is in the music industry believes running auto tune software against Eric Clapton performing "Layla" live at the Royal Albert Hall is a good idea.
Glenn, well done!! The dark forces have come after us through every avenue of human existence. But when they changed the "A" tuning standard from 432 hz, a frequency which is in harmony w humans, and Nature, to 440, a frequency which is DISSONANT to humans and Nature, that really sealed it. Evil. We need to go back to tuning that is life-affirming, not threatening us.
Wow! You know this guy!
"Why do it", is spot on, Phil! I'm surprised that Clapton himself would be okay with using autotune in the first place. It seems so counterintuitive to what his music has evoked over the years including emotion, improvisation, and authenticity.
Eric likely had no knowledge of or involvement in the post-production done by someone for You Tube.
I can’t believe he’d knowingly allow that
@@markmiller6402I can't believe you can't believe that.
@@seansinger640 believe it😂😂
Maybe it's part of the contract. Most music companies own the musicians.
Damn. Once you hear it you can’t stop hearing it! As you say, this is not an artist that needs auto tune and it’s the tiny imperfections that give everything character. Can’t even begin to imagine how angry I would feel if someone applied this to my performance without asking!
He is not my favorite voice, but AutoTune ruins it for some performers.
Clapton sucks
so much autotune in music. Once your ear learns how to spot it, you can hear it in song after song by 100s of artists
I would argue that he wasn’t just asked, but that he gave the go 😉 maybe it was the artist after all who decided and is not in line with self-acclaimed „purists“. Just a thought …
If they did it without my knowledge, absolutely. That's unacceptable.
But are we really imagining he didn't have the final word on the entire production process for this? If it sucks, it's on him, and the piss poor job the hack engineer did implementing the "pitch correction." This tuning job the audio equivalent of using a chainsaw where a butter knife would do, if the person had never used a chainsaw before and also had late-stage Parkinson's.
I absolutely love your work Fil. Autotune has its place. When Cher used it, it worked. It was artistic license. But when it's used to deceive, there's a problem. Thank you, thank you, thank you..... for calling it out. I think it's disgraceful that it's used against artists such as Art Garfunkel and Eric. Keep doing what you do. Your reviews are spot on.
Cher was using it as a sort of vocoder effect, too. Not as many do, to cover the fact that they couldn't carry a tune in a bucket.
It worked for Cher because that type of pop music isn’t about being taken seriously, so it doesn’t really need subtlety and humanity. Genres like rock and the blues require a lot more of the human element to be appealing. It enhances the pop music while poisoning the unpredictable artistic stuff.
Brilliant analysis, FIL!! Love Eric. Saw him live in the early 80s at SPAC (Saratoga Performing Arts Center) in upstate NY. He was fabulous!!! Unfortunately, it started raining, so my husband, the carpenter, ran to our truck, got a 100-foot roll of plastic sheeting, and it was unrolled over the entire crowd on the grassy hill surrounding the covered stage. Soon the area beneath the plastic was filled w pot smoke as the rain poured down on the plastic above us... And I can still hear the sounds of Layla overriding the noise of the rain as we fell under Eric's spell. They don't make nights like that anymore!!! Much love from Vermont, Fil!
That’s a great story!
Did he play “let it rain” too?
There's a Layla I'd like to hear. Thanks for evoking it for us.
I hate auto-tune. I like the real thing, and Eric is perfect just the way he is. Who the heck thought they could or should improve his voice for public consumption??? Clapton fans will love him even if suddenly croaked like a frog. My favorite EC song is 'River Of Tears'. Every time I hear it, you have to mop me up off the floor. As always, you're adorable! LOVE THE HAIR!!
Speaking of croaking like a frog, I wonder what autotune would make of Bob Dylan. Can you autotune frying eggs?
@@Ubu987 HAHAHA!!!!!
@@Ubu987 I like your perceptive description of Dylan's voice sounding like frying eggs.
Hard for me to pick a favorite Clapton song but as far as the vocals go, every time he sings, "I don't wanna fade away", from the song "Bell Bottom Blues" I tear up.
@@coinraker6497 When I was in HS, Bell Bottom Blues was my favorite from EC.
THIS IS SUCH A MEANINGFUL VIDEO AND DISCUSSION (just check out the fantastic comments). As someone who is a musician and is living in the tech glamor capital of the Silicon Valley. I think this subject is one of THE most important discussions we can have today. What is it to be human? The hubris and lack of any humility in the field of tech and in this case recording of artisic expression, is astonishing. As you said here. WHO ARE THEY TO THINK THEY CAN OR SHOULD ALTER A PERFORMANCE? Their pocketbooks are full and their sense of power in society is taken for granted now for no real reason but to create momentary baubles for the consumer. Is our purpose in being human to sit back and simply purchase "perfect" THINGS or to participate in the profound gift of the creative process? Learn from it. Grow from it. Feel it. And most importantly to 23:26 cultivate discernment.
Preach!👍🏼
I do appreciate that as an artist he has every right to reinterpret his music, but I do love the early Layla much better! I was young back then too, so it speaks to my heart more. I don’t play instruments so I can’t follow some of what you are sharing musically but my old self is totally in love with the electric guitar!!❤️
I really dislike this version. I can't discuss it rationally. I appreciate your insights and respectful analysis. I'll refrain from saying [edit: further] what I feel about this rendition.
Scott from Baltimore....Agree.. I love Layla. But this is my least favorite version.
Never loved this version either. The rock/electric version is just sublime and as they say don’t mess w perfection….
In the title it says: "Why do it?"......I agree......why do this version at all? It's disgraceful imo and I turn off the radio if I hear it. Yes, I'm a Clapton fan, but this re-make of an epic song has as much impact as a wet bus ticket!
I agree. I was expecting the version I listened to in the early 1980s. What the heck is this?
I was 15 when the original came out, I could listen to it for hours and never get bored. Seen him twice and if you listen to his days in Cream on vinyl his true voice shines through.
I just miss that PUNCH that Cream had so much 🙏🙏 Music not always used to be something to be listened "in the background"... I fucking hate that... I'm not old enough to need Morphine just yet 🤣🤣🤣
@@FeelingShred it was my elder brother that first had a Cream LP, I listened to it and after a few plays all the small nuances just built up to a great sound. I know I sound like my father back in the day, but there does seem to be a lack of musicians that better those from earlier days. Having said that I enjoy listening to Linkin Park ( Chester, sadly missed ), Stains and Foo fighters to name a few.
That's because Eric had an absolute Genius musician in the Band to carry him in Jack Bruce, virtuoso Bass player, superb Vocalist and good Songwriter, Ginger was also a pretty handy Drummer.
@@wayneelliott7011 Correct! Jack Bruce is the man by Cream by far.Ginger not bad....Clapton has no skill to play guitar on high music level and he is the most overrated man in rockmusic history. Feeling? Oh yes...but you must have just a little bit skill...Slow hand? I must laughing...Its strange how some people have a carisma and iMO there is no reason for that...
"Buzzin Beenote" was one of my favourite blues guitarists ! Great analysis, Fil !
Eric Clapton is one of my favorits love when he plays and sings blues
You are SO GOOD! You mentioned the sitar and I thought NO ONE is going to notice that because it's so obscure! Since the song is an Arabic story that also has a somewhat mirror image with Patty I heard what I thought was EC making a guitar sound like a sitar to put a backstop to the Arabic story. And you - YOU! - made mention of the sitar! I am so impressed! On a side note - I think the original backing guitarist on the MTV acoustic original (Andy Fairweather Lowe) is one of the GREATEST guitarist of all time!!
I took that intro as a homage to George Harrison. It is a sitar sound over the buzzing or droning bass note. After all, both men loved the woman the song was written to honor. He is honoring his friend. Probably one of the most moving parts in this entire performance.
Dude your comment just blew my mind. Thanks!
To set record straight, Eric is a backstabbing wife stealing man, not a friend, never. People love same person all the time, only people like Eric does what he did to George.
Yes, I thought that same thing exactly!
Great observation - even if he didn't do it consciously it's there.
(Not saying it wasn't deliberate - it may well have been)
Would love Fil to look at that song. Remember thinking "you can't do that"
I really love how knowledgeable you are about all facets of these performances, and how you truly seem to enjoy what you're doing - your smile says it all.
I also appreciate your talking about the autotuning and how you express your ideas about it sometimes taking away from the wonderful human nature of the music. I am only a listener and was aware of autotune but just felt like it was another tool that is used sometimes, which it is - but there is a bit of a controversy beyond the obvious one, which I never guessed.
Thanks for your love and advocation for good music - it can only lead to good, IMO.
Good call-out, Phil. There's a reason they call it "Live" it includes all the freedom the musician/singer enjoys. The imperfections are what makes it special and to recall later in life. I had a huge problem with him taking an iconic high energy, foot-stomping song into a Joni Mitchell snooze ballad...Cheers, mate for another goodie! 🍻
I once played 3 Joni songs (I only knew woodstock, had to learn the two others) in a row at a coffeehouse because my buddy Luca was there and he felt the passionately as you did about her dragged out songs. Except I played the songs much faster in a bluegrass/Balkan style and he actually liked them begrudgingly.
My impression is that Phil is lamenting not just the absence of "imperfections," but the removal of deliberate bends and vibrato in the vocal notes that autotune flattens, sterilizing the performance. Have to admit, I would never have heard the autotune without Phil pointing it out. It surprises me that the use of autotune has apparently been done without Eric's consent or awareness.
Eric just keeps making the Layla song better and better since the original version with Dwayne Allman.The song now captures all the charm of a hostage video.
Best comment yet
Lmao smh
A very spot on, welcomed, and appropriate rant! Thank you. Autotune is like fingernails on a chalkboard. It is like telling a chef to microwave a frozen dinner for a formal banquet. I seriously doubt this was sanctioned by EC. It is amazing how often artists do not have control - even when producing studio recordings. I'm sure Fil can relate to this. Thanks for your channel, Fil.
AutoTune and AutoCorrect for computers are way past being annoying.
@@richardmindemann6935,
Autocorrect has made more work for me, when typing something. I hate it as much as my ears hate hearing auto tune.
@@richardmindemann6935Every time they invent some new digital gimmick that does the work for us, another skill goes out the window.
@@SuziQ. oh god me too.
I have been learning so many things since I started watching your video's !
I know very little about music, but I do enjoy watching someone explain the technical aspects of music, thanks Fil for making these videos.
The original is my favorite. Was my favorite song 1973 I think I was 14. I’d listen to radio for hours waiting for them to play it and fall asleep but it when it came on It would wake me. I wore out the LP, eight track and cassette. Now I’ve worn out the CD. 😜. Sure love being able to hear it anytime online. Love Eric Clapton. Lucky I saw him in Dallas TX in the eighties with “the British are coming” concert. Once in a lifetime gathering of musicians.
Same here. Always ticked me off if the radio stations would cut off the last note!
I was 14 when I first heard it and its been one of my favorites ever since. I know a lot of people love the newer version and I appreciate it, but at the same time I just dont like it at all. To me its just dont even come close to the original song. Thats my honest opinion.
I was 17. And i did the exact same thing. Lay awake for hours waiting for Layla to come on in bed. The DJ would say in the next hour we have so and so ...and Lyla. Id wait the whhole time for Layla. I bought a double album for that song!! Amazing to hear someone did the same thing. My all time favorite song. I hate the butchering and bastardizing acoustic version
@@phil36135 Both the MTV Unplugged version and this one lack the raw passion of the original.
Your enthusiasm keeps me coming back. When you listen to a performance you can't help smiling. It's infectious. Eric deserves better post production than "auto ruin"
Phil, you always seem to be truly enjoying watching these artists perform. You're always positive in your comments. I for one would like for you to analyze a song you hate. There has to be at least one. Myself, I appreciate any expression through music. Its an artistic impression of self, so as such cant be judged by others. That being said, i never got into rap or hip hop. But I've listened to it on occasion. Many might not care for Bands like Captain Beefheart, Coven, The Shaggs. All examples of obscure off the wall music. Oddly enough, I was a fan of them.
thank you for saying this, i've always thought so. love your channel, carry on!
You and Rick Beato really opened my eyes to how Autotune and Protools have RUINED music.
I'd argue that protools is the far worse culprit.
Protools just records. It doesn't ruin music. The engineers do. Protools is just a recorder.
Some music, but as a whole music is certainly not ruined in my opinion.
A digital audio workstation is for tracking, editing, processing and mixing multiple tracks. It doesn't do anything the engineer/producer doesn't want it to do, it doesn't force anyone to make any specific artistic or technical decisions. I don't get this silly pseudo-wisdom people keep parrotting. Back in the day you did the same things except waste a shitload of expensive tape, run a plethora of hardware processing/fx units through a console and being significantly slower and less environment-friendly in the process. Nobody forces anyone to use autotune.
@@CasperLD I understand what you mean by this. It's a bittersweet relationship. On one hand DAWs have revolutionized the recording process making it easier and less expensive for most anyone to record. On the other hand DAWs led to VSTs and the like which auto tune is one of. It created a sort of perfectionists mindset with the listeners and the engineers also (though engineers arguably have always been that way) so if you're the type that likes raw "imperfect" music the days of pure analog or even ADAT was the golden era.
However, you can actually achieve a raw "imperfect" recording digitally today if you want it and much easier. You just don't over engineer it and record it as live as possible.
this version fails for the simple reason, as i'm sure someone else must have pointed out, that it completely lacks the pain, the anguish, the trainwreck of emotions involved in the loss of a meaningful relationship. this version shows the pain of losing a penny from a hole in your pocket.
The rhythm seems to be too "cheerful" for the pain to be expressed. Sounds more like "The Teddy Bears' Picnic" than a song about the pain of the end of a relationship.
Great way of putting it. I'm calling it the "dad" version. Its a real pipe and slippers nothing.
@@Queen-of-Swords That isn't fair on dads!! 😄
I think that this criticism fails to accept that this is the original artist's mature version of his original song, one in which the beauty and power of the music remain while the pain and poignancy are no longer as relevant as they were decades ago. In the same way Cream's version of "Crossroads" at the 2005 Reunion Concert doesn't replicate the intensity and overdrive of the "Wheels of Fire" recording yet it retains the sheer essence and enjoyment of the music. It really is a form of ageism to judge the later versions through the lens of the originals. I saw Cream in the '60s and enjoy the original recordings as much as I ever did but I also appreciate the evolution of an artist's experience of their own music.
@@coinneachmaclellan3121 Interesting way to look at it.
These days, auto-tune is often used as an effect for a certain sound on the vocals as opposed to making the vocals perfect pitch. I don't have an issue with auto-tune when used as an effect for a different vocal sound, just like I have no issues with using chorus, harmonizers, delays, reverbs, and other effects on vocals, or any other instrument...
I had never heard of auto tune before watching your videos. Thank you for your informative and completely engaging videos! My rock 'n roll fandom goes back to the 60's, including of course Eric Clapton. I was wondering, Fil, if you have done or could do an anslysis of Grace Slick singing White Rabbit? I heard it the other day, and recalled what a powerhouse her voice was.
Yes, yes!! I’m a peer
Eric should have it in every contract to NOT auto tune him. I'd rather here an authentic CRACK in his voice than to altar it!! He's a professional!! He knows exactly how to recover from not nailing a note IF it ever happens!!!
I doubt anyone forced him. Was most likely requested by him. He’s getting old, and a lot of singers who now are in their 70’s use autotune.
@@Psykel Robert Plant is about 82? , and he still doesn't rely on autotune
@@godetonter4764 Robert Plant is 74, thus younger than Clapton. There’s also been some debate on him using autotune with Allison Krause. Even if he’s not using autotune, that’s one single example. Lots of old rock guys use it because they simply can’t hit the notes anymore.
I'm not sure you get to be the musician that Clapton is by worrying about anything other than your personal performance. I know plenty of performers (heck I'm on of em') who considers themselves a GUITARIST who also sings. If I flub a line in the lyrics I laugh it off, but if I tank a solo I am really very angry with myself. Assuming he heard this, maybe it's just not that important to him. I mean he can hear Eric Clapton play guitar and sing whenever he wants!
@@PsykelOf course he knows.
Each of Eric's performances of Layla is like telling and retelling and retelling a compelling story again and again, each time different according to his mood and memory 😍 He's directing his art, we don't question.
@@JackFalltrades real life for him....
@@JackFalltrades I'd question the validity of such a brief love but I'm not a singer.
@@voulafisentzidis8830 It only takes a few seconds to change the entire planet. A few years with a woman impacting the rest of his life is not that strange. Someone can break their back as a child in less than a second, but live with it for 70 + years
@@godetonter4764 I agree with your sentiment. But I'd still question one's ability to love without fidelity.
@@voulafisentzidis8830wow, how could you possibly know? You couldn’t.
I do agree that this was a bad decision. It's not a studio recording, I expect more from a performance, and one from a legend to boot. This was a great video, and your channel seems pretty cool.
Yes, watching the video and listening to audio 'feels' incongruous - the whole vocal track sounds 'dubbed' on top of the video - which I guess in one sense it is...? It makes it rather lifeless to me.
I have a cheap Gomez semi-acoustic Spanish guitar that I could buy very cheap cause the guy from the store said there was a manufacturing issue with it... But this manufacturer issue turned out to be the first 4-5 frets buzzing (cause especially the lower strings touched the next fret when played a bit louder)....... And I absolutely love that about that guitar! 😉
Over the years, James Taylor has also changed how he performs many of his songs. "You've got a Friend" and "Shower the People" are the first two that come to mind. Yes, such talent that can perform a song solo with his guitar, with a band backing him, as a duet, and with backup singers. And they all sound quite different, but all great. I am not as familiar with Clapton's work, but this is such a soft song, un-reminiscent of the 1970's-80's Clapton that I knew, but still a great song.
To paraphrase Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Saturday Night Special", we should "dump 'auto-tune equipment' to the bottom of the sea." Let us appreciate who Clapton is now - so what if he misses a few notes at the age of 70! Would much rather the real thing than some sanitized version.
Thanks for your video.
This is sad... there should be an 11th commandment:
🎸Thou shalt not auto-tune Eric Clapton! 🎸
Auto-tune is a soul-sucking vampire. Side note: As a professional dancer who has judged dance performances, I have always given more points to a dancer who has made missteps but has incredible passion and expression over a dancer who is technically perfect but can't make me feel his/her performance. I feel the same about vocal performances; I'd much rather hear someone hit wrong notes, screw up the lyrics, anything, because I know they are feeling the performance and giving us all their love and passion! That being said, I have never been a fan of the unplugged version of Layla. The original version gives me the feels 100% and, for me, has so much more passion (with Eric's growls and gravel!)...it will always be my favourite version💜. Thanks for another great analysis Fil!
I dont like what has happened to music ,i record in real time i dint cut or paste or voice tune,, i record the instruments from begining to end ,,music has been made squeaky clean sanitised boring and sterile ,listen to the charts all music is done on a computer every thing made perfect through tech
'Perfect' is not music. It should have real feel and flexibility. Many great songs have players who play behind the beat, or ahead of it, and adjust the tempo as the song requires. No button pushing idiot, who has probably never played a note, should be interfering with the performers art.
And, if the singer can't sing without it, make room for someone who can!
As a classically trained musician I’m blown away by your knowledge and technique
I’m glad you used the term “artistic” rather than “artist’s” as I want to believe that Clapton did not condone auto tune.
And, Fil, I compliment you on your appreciation of Clapton’s evolution,, breadth, variability, adaptability & subtleties.
BTW,, I bar with my little finger too, as I have been cursed with stubby fingers dooming me from the start; still playing guitar is a joy & Clapton always an inspiration.
The more familiarity I develop with CZcams, the more I become convinced that this is the finest educational channel on it. Period. For accuracy, comprehensiveness, impartiality, positivity. The. Best. Thanks, Fil! 🏆
And he can sing Child in Time identical to Ian Gillan just for demonstration purposes
@@godetonter4764
He's a charming, genial, intelligent young man. I'm never surprised at anything he accomplishes. 👏
It’s obvious that a great song can have a lot of different lives. Too bad that Eric’s voice hasn’t been allowed have a different life also.
Until mentioned, I was thinking how well Eric's Quality was. Fil's right; if they would have just let it alone.
Eric admitted he never liked his singing voice, claiming he sounded like a 16-year-old boy from Surbiton. His exact words: "I hate my singing. I don't like the way I sing. It all sounds like I'm 16 years old from Surbiton. I do my best to try and feel it. You know, when I watch Ray Charles sing, I think 'That's it, that's how it's done.'"
True, it’s a good thing EC could play well, as his voice has always been weak & sounds to me as if he’s always straining to sing. EC didn’t sing until Delaney Bramlett of Delaney, Bonnie & Friends encouraged him to sing.
Too many Ferrari's. :0/
@@ClassicTVMan1981X But after he broke his nose... :0!
A little Rick Beato before popping over to see where Fil has added much appreciated value to music. Always a trip... Thank you.
I did a show last night in Nashville and there were a couple songs we play totally off the grid, no Pro Tools & click track. What a glorious feeling to play music unencumbered by the evil forces of the digital age. As always, love what you do!
Very interesting. Beyond the horrors of autotuning, I appreciate your consistent underscoring of the subtle ways of playing notes (voclas and instrument), and imparting feeling and personal style that makes for a unique and special sound.
I would like to tip my hat to Michelle John and Sharon White, the backup singers here! Even with auto-tune, they sounded lovely to me. Thanks for this one, it was awesome to see you playing again!
Thanks!
Agreed, regarding Fil getting back in the geetar drivers seat. Have missed that immensely
Mr. Fil, I'm so glad to speak with you once again. I'm wondering whether or not you have dissected the studio version done with Derek and the Dominos? I certainly would love to see that reaction.
I'm about 5 mins in...before you mentioned the buzzing D string and the sitar like tone, I was feeling some John McLaughlin in his introspective noodling. Very Shakti era.
Incidentally, McLaughlin praised Clapton for his soulful articulation. Not a hugely virtuoso technician like McLaughlin but the way he digs into the notes he chooses makes Clapton an expressive player - particularly during his Cream era of course. He was lit back then.
Great video again Fil. Love the breakdowns for us!😊🥂⭐🎶🎸
My favorite version of Layla is the jazz version that he did with Wynton Marsalis. It's really incredible.
Haven't heard that yet! I'll be checking it out!👍👍Thanks!😊
That is GOOOOD STUFF! Thank you again for mentioning it!
🤗💖 Here's a link in case anybody else wants to check it out-
czcams.com/video/RvNIivHdy0Q/video.html
Saw it, and saw Eric intimidated by the great Winton.
@@michaelgreenberg106 Many rock players (including Eric) admit to being a bit intimidated by jazz players like Wynton. That was certainly not my main takeaway from this performance, though.
Yes, the version with Wynton's New Orlean jazz guys was amazing. Eric said the arrangement was not his idea. It's a great version. Much more bluesy and emotional. Thanks for bringing that incredible version up.
Would be nice if we could get access to the pre-autotuned audio...
In any case, I personally can't let go of my love of the original, Derek & the Dominoes recording (which was also Eric, of course!).
It perfectly encapsulates the scream of youth; the wrenching emotion, that *IS* rock music!
At the same time, there's something important that this song has to say, even in its subdued version. When not ruined by the travesty of Autotune, that is.
Fred
Better version than original despite auto-tweaking. More laid-back swing like J. J. Cale. And lacking that horrible slide guitar extended coda with Duane Allman that followed Clapton signing out of his range for greater pop appeal. Clapton early days was known for his finger-style acoustic guitar. Agreed; he is the total package. Btw, I saw Cream during late 1960s but never Clapton solo.
I dont know about auto tune and pitch correction, I wish it didnt exist.
I prefer to listen to the natural voice of the singers, mistakes and all. That's what makes them unique. To me, if you perfect a voice, you're taking away the singers emotions that he/she is trying to portray in their song. Eric Clapton's voice didnt need any help from auto tune, hes "perfect" in his own way. It was another awesome analysis! 🙂
Thanks!
Auto tune is an insult. To the singer and our ears 😁
True. why use autotune if Eric Clapton is a great singer? I understand if there's some good reasons why some artists in hip hop and pop music use autotune and of course, pop music and hip hop music back in my childhood years still make sense, it's just that if too much autotune, like heavily autotuned, then it's not good, like too much junk food:(
As the saying goes: "The fad that won't fade away!"
It may not be an insult to those who make millions, but still need this gimmick.
It's just fixing his out of tune singing.
Maybe we can see this performance without auto-tune
@@Markothunder
Great Singer..
Hate auto tune, just not necessery... I do not expect humans to be perfect... Eric does not need auto tune...
Wow. I did not hear it (....until now) Greets from germany.... great stuff you do !
I never really liked the "unplugged" soft-rock version of "Layla." I guess it's because there's such a verve and breathlessness to the original and Duane Allman's lead guitar going into and under the verse vocal was such a brilliant idea and carries so much class. Most all rock fans know the story behind the song so I won't spell it out, but the immediacy of the romantic situation at the time the song was recorded makes me feel like Clapton doing it in its original feel in subsequent live performances even pales in comparison. By comparison, this version just seems smarmy and forced.
I agree wholeheartedly. I think if this had been the version Pattie first heard she would have stayed with George (I jest, of course) The urgency of the original Layla is just not there. The unplugged version is played like there is no history to this song. Sorry Eric...
We all have our own tastes - some think it's soulful, I think the complete opposite - for me it lacks soul. It just kind of drags. Listen to the singing in the slow version, then the original. NO comparison whatsoever. He's singing his heart and soul out in the original, in the other one he's barely singing. Same kind of thing musically. It's an OK thing to play around the campfire, that's about it.
I agree and have always felt the same.Unplugging and milking the tune for another lifetime.But,that’s what tunes are for.
I just shrug and consider them two very different songs even if they have the same name and words. I don't love the later version, but I don't really hate it either, and if you're allowed to cover someone else's tune and "improve" it, I suppose you're equally welcome to "cover" your own tune in an entirely new way!
Now if you want smarmy and forced... that's what Tears In Heaven became quite quickly, even if it was in earnest to start with.
@@NoviJimB gee golly, when he sang it all those years ago, the pain of the relationship was pretty fresh, perhaps years later the angst ain't so strong. Could explain the difference in intensity.
The buzzing here is a result of super light gauge strings and super close action. A trademark of his and the opposite of SRV and his sound from super heavy strings and a bit higher string action. Love em both!
I wasn't a fan a of this version when it came out in the 90s and sadly, my opinion hasn't changed all that much. My first real desire to play guitar was hearing that opening riff of the original in '71 (albeit Duane's riff!) and I still rank it as one of the best tunes Clapton ever did. All that said, you are spot on - whoever thought they could improve this performance by jamming it through a computer plug-in obviously doesn't understand what makes great music great. It is especially painful for old guys like me who grew up in an age of analog recording where NOTHING was auto-tuned - it stands out like the proverbial "turd in the punch bowl" - and I think that analogy fits quite nicely actually. For the love of God, please stop ruining these live performances with a wildly misguided quest for perfection - the fact that it's not perfect is what makes it perfect! 😁😁
Agree 1,000,000%! What a bummer that someone thought this was the call. Saw him live on the Journeyman tour, one of the best concerts I’ve seen!
I never readjusted to Clapton after the first solo album. I loved Layla when it came out. But it wasn't the same after Duane Alman passed away. I had friends from the South who never recovered!
This was a fine analysis and I subscribed.
Thanks!
Allman. Sorry
Helll Cynthia how are you doing ☺
One of my cherished items I own, is an autographed photo of Duane, playing the bird slide at the end of Layla.
I've beena fan of Clapton since the Cream days. I'm getting much better recognizing auto tune, it's a shame somebody thinks they know better, in reality they need to leave these amazing performances alone. Thanks Fil I've learned so much from you
Thanks Fil...enjoyed this as always...do you think pub bands will be autotuned in the future too? Totally takes the human element out of it..the emotion.. what seperates an artist from another..maybe record makers want to make all artists sound boringly samey?
Give me knopfler, van Morrison, chris rea etc where you feel the human communicating..perfection does not mean its better ..autotune (and VAR ) are taking peoples pleasure away..why tinker 😢
I like this host. So articulate. Very knowledgeable. Very admirable
Really great analysis Fil. I am not a music pro so I can't tell what auto tune sounds like. To me his vocal just sounds a little 'odd'. I thought that the backing singers were too high in the mix when they were singing in tandem with Eric. That aside it's a great version of the classic.
It's a shame that auto tune has become such a thing. Why even both to practice to sing? Everyone wants perfection and that's not what music is all about. Great video! Cheers!
It could be argued that the lack of perfection... is perfection ;-)
"It's a shame that lots of people uses electric guitars nowadays"
People in the 40s
I cringe when I hear it so obviously being used on recordings played on the radio (other people's radios usually), especially so when the vocals are so bad that even AutoTune can't keep up!
Where is your data?
@@blackpilledchad1927Now if it was an auto tuning guitar in the 40's, I could see your point. 😁
Love your brutal honesty, and you’re right, how dare someone think they know better how he should sound!
I will just bring my water colors to the museum and just do some touch up on that imperfect Mona Lisa. Pretty sure I can make it better.
Like the woman in Spain a few years ago and her 'restoration' of the painting of Jesus.
Great analysis! I would love to see you do Outside Woman Blues, from the Cream Reunion. Eric's playing on that is so freakin good.
Very shrewd, on-point review. It's not a "rant" but rather speaking truth to commerce, art to artifice. Best damn review on a Wing, Prayer and Pegasus since your wonderful reappraisal of Prince, on that live show during which he dispensed with the razz-matazz showmanship and focused on ferocious blues-rock guitar playing because he felt it, because it was his to make it clear just what he could do, and he let the Barnum and Bailey go and got down to what a great guitarist he really always was. Your review matched perfectly that moment of Prince's clarity. So does this one: Great, knowing, knowledgeable review that matters--because the music, above all else, matters.
7:58 that smile!! Keep support humans being human!!
Great info. Love you videos. Thanks
It's the subtleties in any instrument that makes it unique. Auto Tune strips the feel right out of everything. It's quite a gift to know how to be so versatile in performing a song. This gives you new flavors to enjoy. I actually like his version of Layla because it's more soulful. The original doesn't do it for me.
I agree, but they're all "his versions." He wrote it.
As Fil stated, this is the original as the hit song was a later version!
I love the original and the slow one, both great..especially the one in goodfellows
I prefer too ,it’s beautifully soulful and the backing singers are wonderful.
...I REEEALLY ENJOY it when artists are playing in a manner that they, themselves ENJOY!💖🎶
(I could go ON & ON😄 but instead I'll jump back into your video share!)
Hello Robyn 👋 how are you
Wow, hard to believe it's been 46 and 47 years since the two times I saw him in concert at the Forum in Inglewood. Feels almost like yesterday. I remember how the audience (and I) erupted when they did Layla. Yea, much better 'plugged in'. For some reason I just can't get into it unplugged, the energy isn't there. Yea, I know, he's older, heck so am I, I get that. But something is just missing... I keep hearing Jethro Tull "When you're too old old old to rock and roll roll roll, but too young to die..."
In classical guitar we use our second, third and fourth finger for sliding the A chord up the fretboard with the index finger playing the bass note. Frees up the fingers to play lead.
Excellent analysis of Eric’s wonderful guitar work. I remember reading that Eric wanted to devote himself to being a better singer not long after Cream disbanded. He wanted to get beyond his reputation as a guitar god and become more of a songwriter. I believe it also influenced his decision to use the Strat as his main guitar.
This is ridiculous. I hate autotune. Good singers don't need it. If someone needs autotune to be good enough for a recording, maybe they shouldn't be a singer. Let the people who can actually sing well get famous, and then don't try to dehumanize them into a robotic sound!
What a retrdd perspective! Zero creaitvity! You are not an artist.
Stars 🌟 are chosen by bloodlines and talent isn't necessary
I've hated the computer/robotic sound for years, before I ever had a clue what the heck it was. Hate it even more now that I do know what it is!
@@kellyhoward6941 ok boomer. This comment section is full of boomers who are stuck in time.
@@Woodsaras if autotune and click tracks had been used in the 60’s and 70’s, Boomers would not only defend but also extoll it.
Great breakdown. I never noticed the auto tune before. Definitely a "Thanks, I hate it" situation.
Great breakdown as always 🙂 Only thing ... Are you absolutely sure that drone is comming purely from the guitar ? Sounds to me like it would be very hard to do that live on an acoustic guitar without some smart effect. I arent a guitarist and havn't analyzed it methodically if he actually avoids using that string when he improvises over it. I could be wrong but I suspect it's a synth effect added from the keyboard player. I have listened to both the original video and and un edited version filmed from the crowd. The sound is less stellar on the video taken from the crowd as the clean sound on This video but even the backing os more in the background the drone is still reasonable clear on the un edited version and the performance of Layla is really laid back and quiet compared to the other tracks from the live set, so it doesn't sound like its some kind of local feedback that he is getting, but again I might be wrong 😊
I've been told that on the Derek and the Dominos version, all the instruments tuned to an out-of-tune piano it cost too much to get the piano tuned. So maybe the "autotune" people should recognize that talent is talent. Yes, I heard this right away. Ridiculous. Great to see you back to the guitar, Fil! Glad you are feeling much better - long recovery!
that's right ! Eric Clapton has a good enough voice to sing with that he doesn't even need any so called "Autotune" ! I say just leave his voice alone and let him be himself and let him musicaly express himself in his own way ! As he is an absolute legend and a great entertainer and he has been through alot of hard times and i would like to congratulate him on his achievements. I have a decent great performance of "Layla" by Eric Clapton played live on my ipod which has NOT been autotuned ! I repeat has NO AUTOTUNE ! and i am proud of it too ! you just get to hear Eric's natural smooth voice come through !
Hey Phil, your videos are great keep them up. Question: Is that a Maton guitar you’re using??
Yes!
@Wings of Pegasus Brilliant Australian made acoustic guitars man! Love it! If you haven’t already, check out Cole Clark guitars also.
I wonder why I keep coming back to Phil and Wings of Pegasus. I've given away all my guitars, I no longer play music, I hardly even play music through speakers. I've become a hermit. Yet here I am.
I remember in a piano tuning workshop, we often observed that a piano that had been tuned by man (or woman) had a warmer feel than one that had been tuned electronically. Something like that seems to be going on here. It's as if the tiny micro-mistakes (if that's what they are) add up to something we can relate to? We're all imperfect.
So why am I still subscribed to Wings of Pegasus? Maybe it's Phil's obvious enjoyment of the music; his expressive demeanour and appreciation. Always fair with his comments; a peaceful oasis away from politics. Thanks Phil.