New Beck Album To Be Released Only As Sheet Music

[Lobotroth]

Beck Hansen’s Song Reader, the follow-up to the man’s Grammy-nominated Modern Guilt, will only be available as sheet music

The songs here are as unfailingly exciting as you’d expect from their author, but if you want to hear “Do We? We Do,” or “Don’t Act Like Your Heart Isn’t Hard,” bringing them to life depends on you.

http://stereogum.com/1118921/new-beck-album-song-reader-only-available-as-sheet-music/top-stories/

So basically if you want to hear the album you'll have to watch a bunch of YouTube videos (that is assuming you are unable to read sheet music).

[troutman]

Those wacky Scientologists!

[Lobotroth]

I thought this was a pretty good comment:

Anyone wanna come over for dinner tomorrow?

I'm serving recipe cards.

[rubecube]

Beck is pretty much the original hipster doofus. This doesn't surprise me.

[Komskies]

I'm not familiar with this Beck guy, but he sounds like a real dick.

[Reaper]

The level of pretentiousness is staggering.

[Lobotroth]

It's a really bad idea the more I think about it. Are you supposed to get a band together to play the songs or are they supposed to be played by one person? I'm assuming there are lyrics, so if you are a trumpet player how can you play your instrument and sing at the same time? Just release the album normally and let people who are keen provide some cover versions.

EDIT - It's kind of smug too.

Just found this comment that kind of backs up what I'm saying. If you're a fan of the music you'll cover it:

I have included and probably always will include Beck as one of my favorite 3 artists. I plan to sit down and learn some of these songs and enjoy doing it. I do not plan to take video or share my attempts.

I think it is an entertaining, interactive way to engage your fans with your music. I would be disappointed if no physical version of Beck’s recordings of the songs were released, though.

[undercoverbrother]

why why why....

[Sliver]

What a tit.

[Jbo]

He was terrible at Sasquatch this year.

[troutman]

I wish every album came with the sheet music.

[Lobotroth]

I wish every album came with the sheet music.

I wish every album came with music.

[REDVAN]

I wish every album came with the sheet music.

Agreed.

I wish every album came with music.

Generally, I would consider sheet music (with no music) to be sheet music. So basically, Beck is composing some music and not playing it so calling this an "album" is somewhat incorrect to me.

[Bigtime]

Why is something like this so upsetting to people when it is coming from Beck? I barely follow him and reading this didn't surprise me at all, plus he was awesome in Futurama. So he can do what he wants.

[Northendzone]

Can I download this as a PDF?

[FlamesAddiction]

I think it would be a neat idea to do for maybe one song of an album.

[Yasa]

I think it's dumb, but whatever. All that means is I won't buy it. It's not like Beck owes me music. I'm sure he'll play them during his next tour so you can hear them live there.

[MarchHare]

It's painfully obvious this is a huge marketing gimmick and Beck is going to release a recording of this album in a few months.

[blankall]

It's painfully obvious this is a huge marketing gimmick and Beck is going to release a recording of this album in a few months.

Yup. Clearly directed at encouraging a bunch of youtube interpretations of his music by fans. I can see the mashups now.

[FlamesAddiction]

Beck is pretty much the original hipster doofus. This doesn't surprise me.

Actually, the Beatles were the original hipster dufae... but I digress.

[drhu22]

Actually, the Beatles were the original hipster dufae... but I digress.

dufae?....really??
ya learn something new every day!
:whistle:

[Fire in the disco]

http://stereogum.com/1118921/new-beck-album-song-reader-only-available-as-sheet-music/top-stories/

So basically if you want to hear the album you'll have to watch a bunch of YouTube videos (that is assuming you are unable to read sheet music).


This is awesome news! Modern Guilt was one of the best albums of the last decade, wherein Beck incorporated a full band in the recording studio and it worked.

Cant wait to hear the new album!

[calumniate]

I think this is great. It must mean that he can read and write sheet music? That's a step above a lot of other rock and rollers. I'm sure he's put some effort into it - if you have a chance to see him live don't pass it up. Look forward to hearing the renditions!

[HPLovecraft]

The lengths the industry will go to to stop piracy . . .

[calumniate]

The lengths the industry will go to to stop piracy . . .

You're saying it's harder to pirate sheet music than music files? It's all data.. not sure what you're getting at.

[saskflames69]

That's clever. Just for the hell of it, I would like to see today's crap in sheet music form. Would that even be possible? It's all wub-wubs, synth, drums and auto-tune.

[calumniate]

Well maybe..

71hNl_skTZQ

[Igottago]

Not sure why people are all bent out of shape over this. God forbid an artist try to do something experimental rather than the traditional format. Seems like a one off idea, I doubt beck is thinking this is the way to release all of his albums in the future.

I also love how anything alternative these days gets dubbed as hipster. Basically some people think there are 2 categories of people these days. Normal, and hipster. The funny thing is without the hipsters we'd have no good music or films.

[troutman]

That's clever. Just for the hell of it, I would like to see today's crap in sheet music form. Would that even be possible? It's all wub-wubs, synth, drums and auto-tune.

People would be surprised to see that many "master-works" share the same formula as "simple pop songs". For example, No Woman No Cry, Don't Stop Believing and Poker Face, all have the same basic chord structure.

I - V - vi - IV

http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2010/11/axis-of-awesome-4-four-chord-song-with-song-titles/

Melody, tempo, rhythm, etc makes these songs sound different, but the core is the same.

[ricosuave]

came across this

http://www.beck.com/recordclub/

not sure how I feel about it

[calumniate]

Skip Spence was such a strange guy.. thanks for posting this

[sworkhard]

People would be surprised to see that many "master-works" share the same formula as "simple pop songs". For example, No Woman No Cry, Don't Stop Believing and Poker Face, all have the same basic chord structure.

I - V - vi - IV

http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2010/11/axis-of-awesome-4-four-chord-song-with-song-titles/

Melody, tempo, rhythm, etc makes these songs sound different, but the core is the same.

The common source in those songs is they are all based on the Pachelbel's Cannon in D. I never noticed until it was mentioned in the article you linked (I had seen the song before)

[calumniate]

It's funny too how recognizable songs can be within a bar or two:

2NSsL4SIlKc

[You Need a Thneed]

The common source in those songs is they are all based on the Pachelbel's Cannon in D. I never noticed until it was mentioned in the article you linked (I had seen the song before)

Canon in D isn't I - V - VI - IV

Canon in D is I - V - VI - III - IV - I - IV - V

[sworkhard]

Canon in D isn't I - V - VI - IV

Canon in D is I - V - VI - III - IV - I - IV - V

I guess the article was wrong then.

I thought the 1st 4 chords in the Canon in D had the same progression but I guess not.

[polak]

It's funny too how recognizable songs can be within a bar or two:

2NSsL4SIlKc

Although what you're saying is true, that video isn't a great example. They're not even staying in the same key. They just transition to the next song when they hit a note that they both share.

[Traditional_Ale]

Axis Of Awesome has it nailed.

[afc wimbledon]

The lengths the industry will go to to stop piracy . . .

Will the sheets come with a skull and crossbones sticker claiming 'xeroxing is killing the music industry!'?

seriously though I think this is just Becks ironic comment on the lengths bands go to be hipper by releasing albums on 4 45rpm 12" platters and the like.

[Stay Golden]

Will the album also come with a do it your self Devils haircut kit and a collectors photo of a Truck driver Belly flopping' naked In a pool of yellow sweat Screaming' jackass with a wet cigarette. :blink: