Lauren Reacts! *Stunning!* Sound of Silence: Pentatonix

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#America #Americans #Learn #acapella #pentatonixreaction

[davephillips]

They are very good at word painting in their music, loved that!! 5 extremely talented vocalists their.

[Gwennedd]

Nice to find a new reactor to some Pentatonix. Love that you really enjoyed this piece. You picked up on quite a bit of their unusual arrangement, especially Matt's part. Matt at the time was pretty new to the group ( he joined in 2018 after Avi Kaplan quit for personal reasons), so this was his introduction to the group's fans and other listeners. I hope that you do a great deal more PTX, so I'm subscribing for that.

[vidsorama]

Thank you for reacting to this beautiful Pentatonix video. They are amazing. I hope that you will feel better soon.

[TheInkdNrd]

When listening to each most notable version, the most common agreement about the emotions provoked & the choices made, are as such;
Simon & Garfunkel- Warned us
Disturbed - Got angry we didn't heed the warning
Pentatonix- Have hope we will still prevail
Btw, Matt is a bass, not a tenor. He replaced Avi's basso-profundo with a lyrical-bass. They all just have crazy range & chameleon-like abilities lol

[margretrosenberg]

The members of #Pentatonix. In this song:

• First verse, tall blond guy: Scott Hoying, lyric baritone. In describing a man's vocal range, "lyric" means that the actual range exceeds the nominal range. In Scott's case, he sings everywhere from fairly low in a normal bass range through a normal tenor range, with an excellent falsetto on top. In live performances Scott typically takes over the bass harmony line when their bass has a solo.
• Second verse, dark haired guy next to Scott: Mitch Grassi (pronounced Grah'-see, emphasis on the first syllable), contratenor. Mitch has a range of just over 6 octaves, but he's most comfortable in his higher registers. He switches between chest voice, mixed voice, and head voice seamlessly, and is known for his ethereal high solos. Everyone in Pentatonix says he has the best voice of any of them.
• Third verse, black guy in a white jacket on the far left: Matt Sallee (pronounced Suh-lee', emphasis on the second syllable), lyric bass. In addition to being the newest member of Pentatonix (more about that later) Matt is also the youngest member, and I'm told that bass voices improve with age. It's hard to be certain just what Matt's range is right now, because it seems to be growing on a daily basis.
• Fourth verse, the only woman in Pentatonix: Kirstin (also called Kirstie, which rhymes with thirsty) Maldonado, alto and soprano. Kirstin sings anywhere from a low alto (though not contralto, which is the female equivalent of baritone) through coloratura soprano, the highest female range. And she has whistle notes on top of that which are off the charts. Lately Pentatonix has begun referring to her as an "alto soprano."
• The fifth member of Pentatonix is the black guy on the right: Kevin Olusola (pronounced Oh-loosh"-oh-luh', primary emphasis on the second syllable, secondary emphasis on the fourth syllable), beatboxer extraordinaire. Kevin is generally too busy being the entire percussion section to sing, but when he does sing he has a lovely tenor voice that occasionally dips into the uppermost reaches of baritone, and he's known for the beauty of his falsetto. (Did you notice those high, single syllable notes in the harmonies? Those are called "bell tones"; Pentatonix uses them a lot, generally to substitute for a piano. In this song, as in most of their songs using bell tones, Kevin was providing many of the bell tones, at the same time as he was handling all the percussion. Yes, Kevin is *that* good.) Kevin has perfect pitch. He began piano lessons at age 4, cello at age 6, and alto saxophone at age 10. He beatboxes while playing the cello, a technique he calls "celloboxing." He performed at Carnegie Hall twice when he was a teenager, once on the cello and once on the saxophone. He graduated from Yale in 2011 with a pre-med major and had been accepted to Yale Medical School before he decided to become a professional beatboxer instead of a brilliant surgeon. He speaks five languages fluently: English, French, Spanish, German, and Mandarin Chinese. He's one of the kindest people in the world, and when he laughs he makes the whole planet seem like a brighter place.



The appearance of Mitch and Kirstin tends to vary greatly from one video to another, so people will frequently think they see someone new in Pentatonix when it's really Kirstin or Mitch. With these two, go by their voices, not their appearance; their voices don't lie. To be clear: Avi is the *only* member who's left Pentatonix and Matt is the *only* member who joined later.

[margretrosenberg]

"Sound of Silence" was originally sung by Simon and Garfunkel, an American folk rock duo in the 1960s. It was written by Paul Simon, and they first released it in October, 1964. In the 60 years since then, it has been covered by numerous bands and singers, including, as you know, both Disturbed and #Pentatonix. Disturbed released their cover first; in many ways Pentatonix's version is a response to Disturbed.

There has been much speculation about the meaning of "Sound of Silence." Because it was released shortly after President Kennedy's assassination, many people thought it was about that. Some people think that Paul Simon foresaw the internet. Some people think it's set in the aftermath of a global catastrophe, either nuclear war or climate change; this is apparently the view of Disturbed. But Paul Simon did talk about this, and here's what he had to say:

"…we have people unable to touch other people, unable to love other people. This is a song about the inability to communicate."

However, since so many people hear the song as a warning of planetary disaster, the best version comparison I've heard goes like this: Simon and Garfunkel warned us. Disturbed is angry that we didn't heed the warning. And Pentatonix says that it isn't too late - we can still save the planet if we're willing to make the effort.

Is Pentatonix right? I don't know. But I'm *certain* that if we just give up we lose, so I'm with Pentatonix on this one. If they're wrong and it's already too late, at least we'll go down fighting for our planet, and that beats the heck out of the only other option I see, writing an angry suicide note.

[mel]

Mitch (who did the “cobblestone” verse) is known for his perfectly clear pronunciations. Actually I think all the members of PTX sing with such clear vocals that I’ve learned the true lyrics to many of their covers. 😅

[annmoomau]

in regards to #PTX touring, it almost never stops. They just finished another Christmas tour just before singing the National Anthem on Christmas day for an NFL game in Houston.

[bill.godwin-austen]

You noted the way they changed up the melody a little. Towards the end of Matt's solo (the guy in the white jacket), Mitch (the smaller tenor who sang second) actually picks up the melody from him mid-line, and Matt switches to the lower harmony to lead into his big bass drop. You commented about loving the tenor when Matt began his verse... he's actually the bass (as he showed later), but has pretty amazing range. All of them have very wide ranges, so they can often pick up each other's parts during transitions, and Scott (the baritone who opened the song) takes over the bass line when the actual bass is taking lead.

[bethhamlet]

I love the reaction when Matt drops those two full octaves like it ain't no thing.

[dwfarr]

Hope you feel better soon. Subscribed for more Pentatonix. You are one of the few reactors to catch that downward run.
Scott calls Kirstin an alto-soprano.
Recommend their live performance video of Kiss From A Rose.

[recliningbuddha]

Hard to believe that that was a cappella; those drum notes are so powerful.
Get well soon. Best PTX songs: Cheerleader, Papaoutai (feat. Lindsey Stirling), Evolution of Music, Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.

[margretrosenberg]

Where #Pentatonix came from:

Kirstin, Mitch, and Scott all grew up in Arlington, Texas. All of them were involved with community musical theater as children, and Mitch met both Scott and Kirstin there (separately) when they were still pre-teens, and became friends with each of them. However, Scott and Kirstin didn't meet each other until they were fourteen and in the same high school class. All three were choir geeks (duh), and they quickly became best friends in high school. And if you're wondering what was in the water in Arlington in the early 1990s that three such remarkably talented people should all be born in such proximity, you aren't the only one.

There was some kind of singing contest to meet the stars of _Glee, _ and the three of them wanted to enter, so they formed a trio which they named "The Trio." (I know; not very imaginative. They're somewhat better with that now.) They lost the contest, but they kept The Trio together anyway; they performed at school functions and occasionally on local television. Pentaholics still refer to these three as "the trio, " and the trio is the heart of Pentatonix.

Kirstin and Scott were a year ahead of Mitch; they graduated in 2010, when Mitch was still in eleventh grade, and both went away for their freshman year of college. Kirstin went to the University of Oklahoma (with a full ride scholarship!), and Scott went to the University of Southern Califonia.

Scott is a very outgoing person, so he immediately began looking around for extracurricular activities where he could meet people and make new friends, and he found an award-winning amateur a cappella group named SoCal VoCals, which he joined. While there he met a former member named Ben Bram, who at the time was a coach on NBC's a cappella competition show named _"The Sing-Off."_ A cappella groups would audition for the show, and those that passed appeared throughout the season. There was a panel of three judges, all professional musicians, who would critique each performance. Along the way some groups would be eliminated, narrowing the field, and at the end of the season viewers would be invited to vote on a winner. The winning group would receive $200, 000 and a recording contract with Epic, a minor subsidiary of Sony, the show's sponsor.

Scott was intrigued. He thought The Trio could be competitive, and if they could get a recording contract they could have a career doing what they most loved, with the people they most loved. So he talked to Kirstin, who thought his idea had promise, and at the end of their first year of college the two of them headed back to Arlington to be there for Mitch's graduation and to talk with Mitch about Scott's idea.

Meanwhile, back in Arlington Mitch had been having a very difficult year. His best friends weren't there, and as an out-of-the-closet young gay man with an unusually high voice he was being seriously bullied. And unfortunately, since the bullying was ostensibly for his voice he was quickly developing the notion that there was something wrong with his voice and that no one would want to hear him sing. So when Scott presented his idea Mitch was on board; it was a way to get away from the bullies. He had doubts about his ability to carry his weight in the group, because of the bullying, but he was willing to try, and if Scott and Kirstin said they could win, well, maybe they could.

So with everyone agreed, Scott called Ben Bram to find out how to arrange for an audition, and this is where they met their first setback. _The Sing-Off_ had a size requirement; the minimum size allowed was five. The Trio needed two new members and a new name. They were stumped.

Ben suggested that they'd profit from adding a rhythm section: a bass and a beatboxer, and he knew the perfect person to recommend for the bass, a guy named Avi Kaplan. They talked to Avi, and he was very interested, so that took care of the bass, but where to find the beatboxer? Ben didn't have any suggestions. So in desperation they typed "beatboxer" into a YouTube search box and the first hit they got was a black guy playing a classical piece on the cello and beatboxing at the same time. And all of them said, "Wow! He's the one! How can we get in touch with him?"

They were in luck. At the time YouTube had something called YouTube messages, which would allow private messages between members (now discontinued), so they sent Kevin a private message: "Hey! We really love your stuff, and we wonder if you'd be interested in flying across the country to join four strangers to audition for an a cappella competition show on television?" And Kevin messaged them back: "Normally I'd be there in a heart beat; I love a cappella and have been in a cappella groups before. But right now I'm studying for my final exams for my pre-med major from Yale." Oh. That sounded pretty definite; better keep looking. So they kept looking, and they found someone, but he was no Kevin Olusola. Oh well; you work with what you have.

And two weeks later Kevin messaged them again: "Good news! I just graduated. If the gig's still open I can fly out." He arrived the day before their audition. Mitch had to skip his graduation ceremony to attend the audition. But even with just a day of rehearsal they still passed the audition; they were in.

Oh, yes, the name. Pentatonix is named for the pentatonic scale, which has five (penta) tones just as Pentatonix has five (Penta) singers. In other words, it's a fancier way of saying they're now "The Quintet." 😂

Pentatonix appeared throughout season three of _The Sing-Off, _ and eventually won. (Just FYI, Home Free also got their start on _The Sing-Off;_ they won season 4.) All those performances are available on YouTube and are well worth watching, preferably in order so you can see how they grew throughout the season. Some of them are as good as anything they've done since (which is saying a lot) and are only available in those old videos. (Note: If you decide to react to these, be sure and watch the versions that contain the show's introduction of Pentatonix just before the performance, and the judges' critiques of the performance, and any comments Pentatonix made backstage.)

So, they'd won _The Sing-Off, _ complete with recording contract. Time to move to California permanently and begin recording. And a week later Epic reneged on the contract, saying that they didn't know how to market a cappella. But at this point Pentatonix weren't willing to give up; they *wanted* that career they'd been working toward. So they pooled their winnings and lived frugally. The four men shared two apartments, to cut down on expenses. They arranged music and rehearsed every day, and when they had a song ready they used their iPhones to record themselves anywhere they could find good acoustics, and sometimes in places with acoustics that were just okay. And they posted to YouTube. Their fans from _The Sing-Off_ quickly found them there, and subscribed, and they began to get more views and more subscribers, and to pick up a few patrons. In fact, they were going viral. And Sony noticed, and approached them with an offer: Perhaps Pentatonix would like a recording contract with Madison Gate, another minor subsidiary? Hmmm. 🤔 Would they like a recording contract? Might have to think about that, for a second or two. Darn right they'd like a recording contract!

And then came "Daft Punk" (AKA "Daft Punk Medley" or "Daft Punk Mix"), and Pentatonix won their first Grammy. And again, Sony took notice, and approached Pentatonix: "We've been thinking about it and we believe you might find a better fit with our flagship label, RCA. Are you interested?" They've been with RCA ever since, though I believe they just signed with a new publisher, Republic Records. They go on tours world wide and perform to sold-out venues. They put out at *least* one album a year, frequently more (though it looks like they aren't putting out an album in 2024; I think they've run out of Christmas songs). One album has gone Gold and one has gone Platinum twice. They have three Grammys and recently received a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame. And they are the only a cappella band to have won so much as *one* Grammy, or to be represented on the Walk of Fame.

The most important part of this story is the fact that Pentatonix began with The Trio, three best friends so close to one another that they might as well be family. And from the very beginning, everyone who has joined with them to form Pentatonix has been incorporated into that family-of-choice. As a family, Pentatonix takes care of all its members. One of the things this means is that everyone gets time in the spotlight.

Pentatonix has no lead singer. Yes, some songs call for a lead, and when that happens Pentatonix chooses the member whose voice best suits the song. This is one way that everyone gets time in the spotlight, and it means that no one is burdened with having to always be the lead. And when songs don't require a lead, Pentatonix frequently has each member solo on one or more verses. The members of Pentatonix are able to set their egos aside because each of them is already receiving as much acclaim as any healthy ego could need. And that leaves them free to concentrate on taking care of both the people they love and the music they love.

This focus on doing whatever is best for the music is, in my opinion, *the* thing that makes Pentatonix greater than the sum of its parts. And their focus on caring for one another is the reason we like them as people, not just as singers.

[daleenengelbrecht]

PLEASE READ THE COMMENTS OF MARGARET HERE. A LOT OF INFO. WE ABSOLUTELY LOVE OUR PENTATONIX. THEY ARE STUNNING INDEED. GREETINGS FROM SOUTH AFRICA

[reboss]

Very well done reaction. Please give us more PTX!!

[SuzyBarnett-le]

Yes, they are amazing! Sub for more PTX

[margretrosenberg]

Subscribed.

If you decide to continue down this rabbit hole you can expect a *lot* of new subscriptions; #Pentatonix fans are enthusiastic about reaction videos to anything our favorite band puts out.

Some useful terminology:
• it's "Pentatonix, " not *"the* Pentatonix"
• pentaholic = Pentatonix fan
• PTX = abbreviation for Pentatonix – extremely useful in searches
• the trio = Kirstin, Mitch, and Scott
• Mitch slap = what you get the first time you realize how incredible Mitch's voice is.
• Avi-lanche = like a Mitch slap, except with Avi instead of Mitch.
• KO = like a Mitch slap or Avi-lanche, except with Kevin Olusola.
• Matt attack = like a Mitch slap, Avi-lanche, or KO, except with Matt.
• Great Scott! (or ButterScott) = like a Mitch slap, Avi-lanche, KO, or Matt attack, except with Scott.
• Unfortunately, we haven't been able to come up with a good name for what Kirstin does to us. 😔
(Note: You never become immune to Mitch slaps, Avi-lanches, KOs, Matt attacks, Great Scotts, or the similar things that Kirstin does. They always have the ability to surprise us.)

You can't go wrong listening to anything Pentatonix has released; it's all gorgeous. But all pentaholics have our own personal favorites that we like to recommend. Since I don't know what Pentatonix songs you've already heard some of these may be unneeded, but these are some of my favorites:

• "Hallelujah" (the official video, with Avi)
• "Imagine" (the official video)
• "The Prayer"
• "Bohemian Rhapsody" (the official video)
• "Run To You" (an original, written by Avi and Kevin)
• "Happy Now" (another original)
• "Daft Punk Medley" (their first Grammy winner)
• "O Come All Ye Faithful"
• "Pure Imagination / Christmas Time is Here"
• "Kiss From a Rose"
• "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch"
• "The Lucky Ones" (an original, written by Scott)
• "Thank You" (an original, written by Scott and his then fiancé, now husband, Mark Manio Hoying, shortly after the end of COVID lockdown, about how much easier it was to get through that time because they were together)

[smithpauld]

OK. The bell tones at the start of verse two. Please listen to Paul Simon’s guitar in the original. They give credit where credit is due.

[jessicajones]

Welcome to PTX family. Subbed for more reactions. Will recommend Hallelujah next... their latest live performance if not their studio version is just as amazing.

[marcgarrett]

That world tour was interrupted by 19.