How do you describe the Everly Brothers' harmony in musical terms?

[Dennis S]

I have read they sing in "parallel thirds", but when I try that out on a guitar, after the first notes, it immediately jumps track and there is nothing parallel about it. Can anyone explain this?


From http://library.thinkquest.org/3343/web-d...ssary.html:

parallelism
When two notes are a certain distance apart and move the same interval at the same time in the same direction. A parallel third, for instance, would be when two notes are a third apart (C and E, for example), and they move, say, a step upward.

[BernDog]

Moving in parallel thirds could be their defining sound (never analyzed it myself, so, i'm just going with that for the sake of argument). That would mean that it would be a common device in their harmonies. As you found out, though, it becomes ridiculous when used exclusively, and probably wouldn't consistently even fit the chord structure. Something similar could be said about the horn sound used by Chicago being defined as trumpet and trombone moving parallelly in octaves. They don't always, though.

Edit: regarding the thirds, you also need to make sure the thirds are thirds within the key, not just the interval of a major third. Sometimes it would be major thirds, sometimes minor.

[haikuman]

Really Good ~!~

[haikuman]

I would like to change my answer.....[spoiler]
really really really fucking good ~!~
[/spoiler]

[Kate]

I can't explain it but I still think they have the sweetest harmony. I was just listening today.

Kate

[deckeda]

Kate wrote:
I can't explain it but I still think they have the sweetest harmony. I was just listening today.

Kate

There's something about family vocal harmony that truly is special. Maybe the distance between the notes is "more exact" and creates a more perfect harmonic interval.

[Black]

Bee-Gee-esque!!

Seriously, I think deck is on to something-- when the voices are matched genetically it's a whole 'nuther world.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKssTp0hHm4&feature=related

[Jimmypoo]

Yes... that would explain Mamas & Papas, Beatles on Abbey Road (9 part harmony on "Because" ), and many others before the advent of digital pitch bending.

It's otherwise just practice from a very young age.

[Dennis S]

The Everly Brothers started with their dad. I wonder if they just dropped his lead part out and each kept singing a little above and below the melody.

[Rolando]

Jimmypoo wrote:
Yes... that would explain Mamas & Papas, Beatles on Abbey Road (9 part harmony on "Because" ), and many others before the advent of digital pitch bending.

It's otherwise just practice from a very young age.

Listen to earlier 3 part harmonies on
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uVRIAinA3E
or two part harmonies on
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ay8y8MctiOw