# No one's watching "Soundbreaking" on PBS? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 16, 2016, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-ones-watching-soundbreaking-on-pbs/772135 "2016-11-16T07:17:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HyacinthBucket](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hyacinthbucket/32/3063_2.png) [@HyacinthBucket](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HyacinthBucket)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2016, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-ones-watching-soundbreaking-on-pbs/772135/1 "2016-11-16T07:17:39Z")
With so many musicians and other Dopers with a strong interest in Rock, Pop and almost every other genre of music posting here in the CS forum, I’m really surprised that no one has had any comments on this series, which I’ve found really interesting even though I don’t have any musical experience or training. So although I can’t contribute anything I was hoping some of our regular posters would. [http://www.pbs.org/show/soundbreaking/](http://www.pbs.org/show/soundbreaking/) Any thoughts? Criticisms? Personal experiences? Or is it just not holding anyone’s interest? ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2016, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-ones-watching-soundbreaking-on-pbs/772135/2 "2016-11-16T10:49:31Z")
Wow! No clue. Will DVR it. Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2016, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-ones-watching-soundbreaking-on-pbs/772135/3 "2016-11-16T12:14:22Z")
I’ve been watching it. People don’t realize how much goes into a song or how much influence a producer has. Some of the most iconic music was created by changes made by music producers and studio musicians brought in to tweak the sound. ---
**Author:** ![HyacinthBucket](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hyacinthbucket/32/3063_2.png) [@HyacinthBucket](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HyacinthBucket)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2016, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-ones-watching-soundbreaking-on-pbs/772135/4 "2016-11-16T13:07:04Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > I’ve been watching it. People don’t realize how much goes into a song or how much influence a producer has. Some of the most iconic music was created by changes made by music producers and studio musicians brought in to tweak the sound. I’ve especially enjoyed seeing and hearing just how much George Martin changed and expanded the Beatles’ music, since it’s something my generation was able to experience as it happened. And the input from so many people in the industry has been fascinating. Looking forward to the rest of it, or maybe I’ll just binge-watch on the PBS site. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2016, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-ones-watching-soundbreaking-on-pbs/772135/5 "2016-11-16T13:09:55Z")
Thanks for the heads-up! I started a thread, oh about 10 years ago, about [whether the Producer is the true “genius” behind many of today’s popular songs](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=363217). (Looking it up, it _was_ 10 years ago!) Anyway, glad to have learned about this. ---
**Author:** ![HyacinthBucket](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hyacinthbucket/32/3063_2.png) [@HyacinthBucket](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HyacinthBucket)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2016, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-ones-watching-soundbreaking-on-pbs/772135/6 "2016-11-16T13:56:59Z")
It surprised me to learn that multi-tracking went all the way back to the early 1950s. Last night’s episode had an old Omnibus clip (with a very young Alistair Cooke) where Les Paul and Mary Ford showed how they created the effect with just a tape recorder. A longer version of it is here [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/rITJyZVTfy4/hqdefault.jpg "Les Paul & Mary Ford on Omnibus (7min version with jokes)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rITJyZVTfy4) ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2016, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-ones-watching-soundbreaking-on-pbs/772135/7 "2016-11-16T13:57:59Z")
We watched the first episode last night and were wowed. Set up the DVR to record the rest. (And there are several more episodes coming.) A really great episode. The highlight for me was the transition from _Psycho_ theme to _Eleanor Rigby_. Had to go back and replay that. Also liked the story arc of Johnny Cash ending up with a producer who was a big admirer of the old Sun Studio style and giving The Man in Black a fitting and apt finale to his career. (One thing not mentioned regarding Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty and _Free Fallin’_ was how Lynne had a protracted fight with the label. The label thought it wasn’t a suitable song and was going to leave it off the album. _Free Fallin’_!) ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2016, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-ones-watching-soundbreaking-on-pbs/772135/8 "2016-11-16T15:15:57Z")
I’d not heard of this, either. Thank you for the heads-up! ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2016, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-ones-watching-soundbreaking-on-pbs/772135/9 "2016-11-16T17:13:40Z")
I have the DVR set to record the first two episodes, but I didn’t want to fill it up so I stopped there. I see episode 3 is Adele as “The Human Instrument”. Can you post your thoughts on this so I can see if it’s worth watching too? ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2016, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-ones-watching-soundbreaking-on-pbs/772135/10 "2016-11-16T17:27:44Z")
Much deja vu: I had just seen clips of The Beatles and George Martin in the studio, in the excellent documentary: Eight Days a Week (The Beatles Touring Years). And I’ve now seen the story of Brian Wilson and Pet Sounds in 3 places: the Brian Wilson biopic Love and Mercy, the documentary The Wrecking Crew, and now here. But it’s a great story and bears repeating. ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2016, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-ones-watching-soundbreaking-on-pbs/772135/11 "2016-11-16T17:41:58Z")
I didn’t know about it! Thank you! Love your username, Mrs. Bouquet. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2016, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-ones-watching-soundbreaking-on-pbs/772135/12 "2016-11-16T18:19:52Z")
My thoughtful wife noticed this for me. I watched the first episode, and DVR’d the rest (I work nights). I generally liked the first episode. It says something that I had no complaints about it. 🙂 I’ll probably binge the rest of if when I get off work Friday morning. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2016, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-ones-watching-soundbreaking-on-pbs/772135/13 "2016-11-16T23:57:47Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > We watched the first episode last night and were wowed. Set up the DVR to record the rest. (And there are several more episodes coming.) > > A really great episode. The highlight for me was the transition from _Psycho_ theme to _Eleanor Rigby_. Had to go back and replay that. I did the same thing. > [@ftg](#): > > Also liked the story arc of Johnny Cash ending up with a producer who was a big admirer of the old Sun Studio style and giving The Man in Black a fitting and apt finale to his career. I can remember where I was when I heard Kennedy was shot, the first space shuttle disaster, and the first time I heard “Personal Jesus”. I was laid off and drowning my sorrows in a bar. When I heard it I said “WTH, is that Johhny Cash”? I actually cried when I heard “Hurt”. > [@ftg](#): > > (One thing not mentioned regarding Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty and _Free Fallin’_ was how Lynne had a protracted fight with the label. The label thought it wasn’t a suitable song and was going to leave it off the album. _Free Fallin’_!) Even Petty intimated it was a nothing song. Lynne suggested he drop the last note in the rift. Petty then made up the opening lyrics as a lark and his producer looked at him and said “free falling”. I LOVE music. LOVE it. This series is wonderful. I had no Idea that the first Boston album was all done in Tom Scholz’s basement. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2016, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-ones-watching-soundbreaking-on-pbs/772135/14 "2016-11-17T01:19:27Z")
Here’s a list of episodes if anyone wants to keep track of where they are. Episode 1 – The Art of Recording Episode 2 – Painting with Sound Episode 3 – the Human Instrument Episode 4 – Going Electric Episode 5 – Four on the Floor Episode 6 – The World is Yours Episode 7 – Sound and Vision Episode 8 – I Am My Music ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2016, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-ones-watching-soundbreaking-on-pbs/772135/15 "2016-11-17T01:33:36Z")
I look forward to digging in. If you haven’t seen **Tom Dowd: The Language of Music** , you owe it to yourself. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2016, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-ones-watching-soundbreaking-on-pbs/772135/16 "2016-11-17T02:42:47Z")
I have been involved in music production for over 25 years. I have been a live engineer, a recording engineer, a songwriter, a musician and, for my own material, a producer. And I think that what I saw in Episode 1 was excellent. Thank you very much for posting about this, **HyacinthBucket**. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2016, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-ones-watching-soundbreaking-on-pbs/772135/17 "2016-11-17T02:51:01Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > Here’s a list of episodes if anyone wants to keep track of where they are. > > Episode 1 – The Art of Recording > Episode 2 – Painting with Sound > Episode 3 – the Human Instrument > Episode 4 – Going Electric > Episode 5 – Four on the Floor > Episode 6 – The World is Yours > Episode 7 – Sound and Vision > Episode 8 – I Am My Music I’m liking this show, but my DVR has the episodes all labeled wrong. I watched (what I now know is Ep.1) and it said it was Ep. 2. I figured I missed one, and I look today, and it recorded “Painting with Sound” and it is labeled Ep. 9! Oh well. As long as I get to see them all. Great stuff. I always thought I’d have made a great Engineer or Producer. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2016, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-ones-watching-soundbreaking-on-pbs/772135/18 "2016-11-17T05:19:26Z")
Just finished Episode 2. It was similarly excellent, but I was disappointed that they didn’t mention Frank Zappa when discussing early multi-track recordings. Oh well, only so much they can fit into 53 minutes or so, I guess. If the first two episodes are any indication, **WordMan** will love this not only for the content but because they feature Jeff Beck in the interview segments here and there. ---
**Author:** ![Chicken\_Fingers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Chicken\_Fingers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chicken_Fingers)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2016, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-ones-watching-soundbreaking-on-pbs/772135/19 "2016-11-17T06:04:42Z")
Been too busy to watch the entire shows, but the bits I’ve caught have been really interesting, so I’m going to make a point to watch it. Glad you brought it up here. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2016, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-ones-watching-soundbreaking-on-pbs/772135/20 "2016-11-17T11:10:55Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Just finished Episode 2. It was similarly excellent, but I was disappointed that they didn’t mention Frank Zappa when discussing early multi-track recordings. Oh well, only so much they can fit into 53 minutes or so, I guess. > > If the first two episodes are any indication, **WordMan** will love this not only for the content but because they feature Jeff Beck in the interview segments here and there. Oh yeah, I saw his name and squee’d a bit ;). More importantly is Neneh Cherry. My friend and former bandmate co-wrote and produced Raw Like Sushi and she is being featured in a series about studio production. I have reached out to him to see if he’d heard of it. But if she’s talking, and that’s her biggest hit, well, that’s pretty cool. I will get to these over Thanksgiving. After the election, in order to unplug for a bit, I committed to rereading a favorite “physics and philosophy” type book that I love - _Why Does the World Exist?_ by Jim Holt. Finishing that first - so good. Then, onto Soundbreaking. Hearing the reference to Psycho and Eleanor Rigby’s strings bodes well. Nice way to put what Martin and the lads were doing in context - it was cited in other Beatles in the Studio deep stuff I’ve read and seen. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-ones-watching-soundbreaking-on-pbs/772135.md?page=2)