Michael McDonald's home studio and solo

[Marko in Boston]

I hope everyone is safe and healthy. I came across this and enjoyed seeing his gear as well as watching him perform. Passing it along if you have not seen it yet. Good stuff.

 

 

[video:youtube]

[zxcvbnm098]

He's so darn good and soulful......I've been a fan for ages. Thanks...

[BluesKeys]

THAT is Blue eyed soul if you didn't know!!! If I could only sing half as good!!!

[stoken6]

Loved it. McDonald is always modest about his keyboard playing abilities, but man that's a fine performance - solid, groovin' and tight.

 

Am I right that he dropped What A Fool Believes by just a semitone? (Bbm to Am in the verse - although I seem to remember that song is a "what key is it in" exemplar)

 

Cheers, Mike.

[MAJUSCULE]

Yep, loved this.

[Moonglow]

Man that was good. Especially enjoyed the first tune. Some beautiful cord voicings, and a moving, heartfelt performance. Thanks for sharing.

[cassdad]

My Rant re the need to use the "originally recorded key"

 

Yup, he dropped the tunes ½ step and a whole step, respectively. Which is exactly my point! First, we're all getting older, and my opinion is that it is better to preserve the soulfulness and tonal quality of the vocal at a lower key, if needed, than to try to be "true to the original recording". Frankly, I am SO sick and tired of those who believe that "if you can't sing and perform the song in the originally recorded key, then you have no business performing it". Pockycock. BS. I've seen many a performer perform their "hit" song in a lower key than originally recorded. I understand, that for some songs, the "key" does critically change the tonality of the song. But most of the time, if not having heard the song recently in the original key, I'd guess that most would not even notice that the key is lower, and would really appreciate the performer singing in a key which projects the richness and perfect pitch of their voice in the lower key, rather than having to listen to them trying to sing it in the higher original key, and sounding like screaming banshee wolves, their voices cracking and struggling for the right pitch. My 2 cents.

[felis]

Thanks Mike.

[hardware]

Nice.

Watched him when I was 10 years old.

We watched through the windows at St.Judes Teen Night.

The Guild and another group from Ferguson, MO. (St.Louis)

[Outkaster]

My Rant re the need to use the "originally recorded key"

 

Yup, he dropped the tunes ½ step and a whole step, respectively. Which is exactly my point! First, we're all getting older, and my opinion is that it is better to preserve the soulfulness and tonal quality of the vocal at a lower key, if needed, than to try to be "true to the original recording". Frankly, I am SO sick and tired of those who believe that "if you can't sing and perform the song in the originally recorded key, then you have no business performing it". Pockycock. BS. I've seen many a performer perform their "hit" song in a lower key than originally recorded. I understand, that for some songs, the "key" does critically change the tonality of the song. But most of the time, if not having heard the song recently in the original key, I'd guess that most would not even notice that the key is lower, and would really appreciate the performer singing in a key which projects the richness and perfect pitch of their voice in the lower key, rather than having to listen to them trying to sing it in the higher original key, and sounding like screaming banshee wolves, their voices cracking and struggling for the right pitch. My 2 cents.

 

 

Sometimes that transposed key doesn't sound as rich or it changes the song completely. I think it's not so much that you can't do it but it doesn't sound as good.

[mate stubb]

You know what's worse than dropping the tune a step or two so your singer can hit the melody?

 

NOT dropping the tune because, well, guitar players - and then the lead singer sings the melody AN OCTAVE DOWN.

 

Ask me how I know.

[MAJUSCULE]

You know what's worse than dropping the tune a step or two so your singer can hit the melody?

 

NOT dropping the tune because, well, guitar players - and then the lead singer sings the melody AN OCTAVE DOWN.

 

Ask me how I know.

 

OMFG

[MathOfInsects]

He is just so spectacularly talented it's almost infuriating. This was beautiful. His sense of rhythm is so satisfying.

 

But can I say? There it was again--Piano+Strings! Chuckling here. So much soul, then topped with cheese!

 

Anyway. Thanks for posting. He's a treasure.

[jazzpiano88]

He is just so spectacularly talented it's almost infuriating. This was beautiful. His sense of rhythm is so satisfying.

 

But can I say? There it was again--Piano+Strings! Chuckling here. So much soul, then topped with cheese!

 

Anyway. Thanks for posting. He's a treasure.

I love the Gospel Ode to Joy at the beginning. (I used to freak out the Church playing it like that during offertory )

He is such a treasure. One of my biggest influences as a teenager copping "It keeps you Running" and "Takin it to the Streets" while trying to make sense out of Romantic Warrior, Heavy Weather and Bright Size Life at the same time.

 

I would have chosen the more mellow Seattle Strings to complement the piano. It's a lot more subtle and recreates that Lyle Mays non-cheeze-whiz esthetic.

[video:youtube]

[MAJUSCULE]

He is just so spectacularly talented it's almost infuriating. This was beautiful. His sense of rhythm is so satisfying.

 

But can I say? There it was again--Piano+Strings! Chuckling here. So much soul, then topped with cheese!

 

Anyway. Thanks for posting. He's a treasure.

 

It's the sound, but you can't say his gear is out of date. He's clearly choosing it. If it ain't broke...

[drawback]

Being a mere week older than MM myself, I get it, and I do it. Ah, to have the luxury of a string section behind my piano was one of those things I'd dream about. Prehistory yes, but context is everything.

[MikeT156]

MM can still sing, whats more, he still has a FULL HEAD OF HAIR!

We all have to admit, we're suckers for the new equipment that is always in TUNE, Piano and String patch makes life easier than it use to be back in the dark ages.

 

 

Mike T.

[Canoehead]

I wondered what he"d been doing since selling the Star Wars franchise to Disney. ð

Seriously, I really enjoyed that. Thanks for posting.

 

Cheers,

Gord

[elsongs]

Saw Michael McDonald last summer at the Hollywood Bowl! He seemed to be fond of re-arranging most of his repertoire. The different feel was way more noticeable than the key change.

 

As for his gear, isn't he a Yamaha endorsee? At the show he played a Yamaha grand and a Reface CS on top (which he hardly touched).

 

Anyone notice the Behringer Pro-1?

[Doerfler]

Anyone notice the Behringer Pro-1?

 

How can anyone not notice? It's front and center in the video.

[MAJUSCULE]

He's also got a Roland VK-8m to his left there. But every other keyboard is a Yamaha, including the two Refaces (white CS just below the Pro-1).

[MAJUSCULE]

Oh, and the Hammond, I guess.

[BRW]

Regarding the "piano and strings" discussion - I'm pretty sure he's just fond of using a Montage preset which has the option of "morphing" the Seattle Sections strings behind a grand piano sound via the SuperKnob...

 

(Talking in general, not dissing MM: ) I understand the context and the history, but personally I never dug the sound either and also consider it kind of cheesy because even when most people used to play and love it back in the day, it sounded "fake" if you know what I mean. I mean, obviously it was exactly that - but most people play the sound like they are playing a piano sound, ramming the pedal etc., usually making the strings all mushy and indistinct.

[Jazzmammal]

Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan but I think he's the best mumbler in the business. You can understand the words in these old vids but all of his famous stuff like this new vid? If you didn't know the song already you can't tell what the lyric is, he literally could be singing about a sick cat. Admittedly, a very soulful sick cat.

 

Bob

[MikeT156]

So what about the SONG? Matters of the Heart. If I were a betting man, I would venture a wild guess that it was written by a man that was absolutely shattered with the LOSS of a woman that he planned to spend the rest of his life with, but she's gone.

 

Does a broken heart ever heal? We can try to dismiss the pain over time, but we always remember the "Good times" we had with a special lady who left, for whatever reason.