Understanding King Gizzard's Microtonal Music

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Background music:
Leave it alone - Underbelly
Buckeye Bonzai - Vans in japan
Sunset Strut - Dan Lebowitz
Fynestlyk - Noir Et Blanc Vie
Hippo - Dyalla

Discovery Hit by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons

Video info:
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard are an Australian rock band formed in 2010 in Melbourne. The band currently consists of Stu Mackenzie, Ambrose Kenny-Smith, Cook Craig, Joey Walker, Lucas Harwood, and Michael Cavanagh. The band also notably featured the second drummer and percussionist Eric Moore until he decided to quit the band last year Film clip of each member. The band has a reputation for exploring and experimenting with multiple genres. Covering everything from prog rock and garage rock to heavy metal and blues. Have 4 different icons, four words and four sound effects pop in and out to represent these styles. To this date they’re one of the most prolific contemporary bands having released 17 albums in their 11 year short career.

In this video we’ll take a look at 3 things. First i’ll try to explain what microtonal music is. Secondly we’ll look at how they use microtones in their guitar riffs. Lastly i’ll describe what it’s like to actually play one of these things. This is King Gizzard’s microtonal music.

Timecodes
0:00 - Intro
1:51 - Microtonal music explained
8:33 - How i got my microtonal guitar
10:49 - The friendly fender frankenstein
11:37 - Sleep Drifter
15:03 - Automation
16:51 - O.N.E.
20:15 - End screens

[LieLikesMusic]

Thanks for suggesting King Gizzard. What band or artist should be next? 🎸🎶

[paice]

They went Turkey to learn about microtones, and sleep drifter is actually a version of song called 'Kara Toprak' by Aşık Veysel (Tradititonal Turkish Musician)
If you are up to microtonal music, you can look for some scales called 'Makam' in Turkish Music which (Hicaz, Hüseyni, Segâh etc.)

[Faustdb]

Its not rocket science people, King Gizzard is just paying an homage to turkish folk/anatolian rock and also experimenting with it. The guitars are fretted in the same way as the turkish string instrument saz and you can find many riffs and melodies they use in old turkish folk songs. That being said, i worship King Gizzard as a Turk because of how insanely fresh and creative their mixture of this old style with garage rock is. Cant get enough of it. It took an Australian band to make anatolian rock cool again.

[miguel-vocb]

Love how the drummer also included the wallet on the snare

[Goodvibesyeetus]

i’m a simple man i see King Gizzy and i clicky

[bennyioa]

This is literally the best band ever
- A completely unbiased Australian

[hollowman]

My favorite band that release albums like their actual lives depend on it

[hantyumitheconfusedcybrg]

The tuning that king gizz use is: C# F# C# F# B E, i also built a microtonal guitar, the "HYBRID MICROTONAL MILKSHAKE", damn good video btw :)

[emilianomartinez]

"we dont have names for these modes"
maqams: *sad quarter tones*

[rainardzulfanp]

Probably the best rock band available right now

[omerkahraman]

I think KG&LW influenced by traditional turkish music if you listen Sadık Yarim Kara Toprak by Aşık Veysel you can hear sleep drifter riff

[TheVanillaQueen]

KG's microtonal music is probably my favorite out of their discography alongside Polygondwanaland. L.W. might just be their best yet.

[The.RavenTV]

Nice work Lie, but how is it possible not to mention the Arabic/Turkish scales (maqams). Or at least any of the microtonal instruments that have been there since forever, like Oud or Saz (Baglama) for example. And btw KGLW is so inspired by folk Middle-Eastern music! Just wanted to clear this out.

[draganapasti_]

Microtonal instruments are so impressive producing those captivating low & slow vibrating frequencies. Microtonality is wondrous as opens up space for endless explorations, experimentations & unexpected fusion of so many different styles. It’s a core of Gizzard’s creativity. Sounds so revolutionary. 🎸 🎹 🎷

[DOGSPAWN]

A note on tunings - as others have pointed out, Joey and Stu have used C# F# C# F# B E from FMB through KGLW. In the FMB-era days, Cook and Lucas used a standard tuned guitar/bass with a different fret system to the others. As of 2021, Cook seems to have adopted the C# F# C# F# B E tuning and fret system and Lucas has begun to use a custom built 5-string bass (still in standard) but with an entirely different fret system, including half/fifth frets !!

[maxadrums]

Fantastic video! Thoroughly enjoyed it. Thanks for having me be a part of it!
Also.. 17:10 😂

[frusciante]

Finally!!! I've been waiting on this for over a year.

[MartinPEngebraaten]

Thanks for having me! Great video as always man 😃

[DtrainTheGreat]

When you are talking about the history of microtones I was shocked that you did not include their use in Eastern music. Microtones are extremely prevalent in Middle Eastern, Asian, and other music and the fact that you did not mention this seems like a huge oversight. You even say that it gives KGatLW's music a middle eastern feel and still focused on western music somehow.

[jbasti]

Can you please do a video on the band Slint? Their second album Spiderland celebrated its 30-year anniversary a few days ago and despite only having 2 albums, they've become a massively influential band for a variety of genres.