blog 2.1: videos

I chose to compare a cover, done by Seether, of Heart-Shaped Box; originally performed by Nirvana. This is one of my favorite songs performed by two of my favorite bands. The first difference I noticed was the timbre. The lyrics sung by Seether are softer and smoother than those sung by Nirvana.  Their singer also articulates the lyrics more than in the Nirvana version. Nirvana’s tone tends to be slightly harsher than Seether’s, however Nirvana’s vocalist has a broader vocal range. At the very end of the Nirvana version, Nirvana’s pitch is slightly higher, but for the most part, they are very similar. The organizations of both versions are similar. However, the Nirvana version is more chaotic. The vocals cover a much broader range creating a stressful feeling in the song. The Seether version has a longer intro than the other version. The intro builds up to the beginning of the song slowly and the guitar sounds mellow. Nirvana’s guitar has a more “metallic” sound at the beginning and there seems to be more bass. The intro is straightforward and more pronounced. The guitar solo played by Seether is more dramatic than the Nirvana solo. The solo begins at a medium volume and then gradually grows, building tension. The solo progresses to the climax of the song, followed by the release, which is established with a slight diminuendo. The Nirvana version also has an intense guitar solo, but the timbre of the guitar is different. They might have used a different type of guitar. The overall tonality of the Nirvana version is brighter and raspier. The Nirvana version of Heart-Shaped Box had less improved sections than the one performed by Seether. Seether adds a few guitar swells throughout the arrangement. Seether emphasizes the “hey wait” section of the song a little differently than Nirvana. Nirvana emphasizes the lyrics more making them more dramatic. Seether’s lyrics keep the mellow mood for most of the song. Seether adds an intense scream to the lyrics, making the song suit the bands personality. I like the guitar lines in both of the copies of the song, but in my opinion, Nirvana’s guitar layer suites the song slightly better than Seether’s. The “metallic” sound of the strings helps implement the emotions the band is hoping the audience is getting from the music. Like I said before, Seether’s sound is much more mellow. The guitar sound is darker and the pitch is lower. The lower pitch automatically makes the song sound laid back. This creates darker emotions while listening to the song. I love the different timbre of both versions of Heart-Shaped Box. I think the different timbre Seether uses pairs well with the vocals. It is much calmer than the original song.  Nirvana builds up more tension using a different type of timbre. The higher pitch makes the song sound more intense. They also use more dynamic contrast than Seether, helping create a contrast in emotions. The more emotions there are in a piece, the more engaged the listener will be.