What kind of instrument do you think adds a lot to a songs vibe?

Submitted by ryuundo t3_yi1twd in Music

My example of an instrument that I like is the Fender Rhodes electric piano. On a lot of 70s soul and funk records, most famously Stevie Wonder, as well as later fusion jazz records, the Fender Rhodes adds the perfect soft and spacy sound to the song.

Here's some examples:

Stevie Wonder - You Are the Sunshine of My Life

Gil Scott Heron - A Very Precious Time

The Doors - Riders On The Storm

Ahmad Jamal - Eclipse (appears about a minute into the song)

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nullrecord t1_iugvzua wrote

Hammond organ with the Leslie speaker!

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ryuundo OP t1_iugwdto wrote

leslie speaker is that one speakers that adds the warbly effect that psychedelic bands do, right?

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nullrecord t1_iugwhfh wrote

Yes, because it’s rotating inside the cabinet. Very simple way of adding weird phase effects.

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Least-Carpenter-9943 t1_iuh0d93 wrote

There were other effects (chorus and phase shifting tricks a la the Uni-Vibe) that could be used to emulate the same/similar sound that pretty rapidly became popular simply because of how fragile the Leslie speakers were and how annoying they were to deal with particularly on stage.

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mapadofu t1_iui366o wrote

My understanding is that the Uni-Vibe was marketed as a “Leslie in a box”

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KD-Gur7 t1_iugz477 wrote

The saxophone adds a ton to music, every time it comes in, you can feel the room dim and a light smoke fill the air.

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jdmay101 t1_iuibxub wrote

This is the one - it doesn't add to a vibe, it pretty much becomes the vibe.

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mapadofu t1_iuhj2a7 wrote

Mellotron - it just evokes 70s psychedelic art rock

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bigdave44 t1_iugwutg wrote

Gretsch guitar

Pedal steel guitar

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Double_Jab_Jabroni t1_iuhmt8m wrote

Cello. Totally dominates the vibe of a song.

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DeadEyeMetal t1_iuhpuuj wrote

Totally cello. Most expressive instrument out there is for gentler emotions. Also does dramatic really well.

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rayrayxl3 t1_iuh44l4 wrote

I love a good horn section. 25 or 6 to 4 comes to mind as a good example.

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ccm596 t1_iuk7vhc wrote

Or Can't Take My Eyes Off of You

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chipdipmcgillicuddy t1_iuh01de wrote

Any instrument where you recognize it in the recording is good. That’s why I hate a decent amount of modern pop music because I can’t tell if they used any actual instruments other than a computer up to and including the vocals.

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Gargravars_Shoes t1_iuhn0mb wrote

Congas when you need a funky rhythm underneath the groove.

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DirectionNecessary82 t1_iuhyrfx wrote

I love violins and cellos in rock bands.

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Apnea53 t1_iuiind0 wrote

ELO brought it to the mainstream.

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DirectionNecessary82 t1_iuivj6i wrote

I think you'll find King Crimson was the first mainstream band to include a violinist as a regular member. KC was around for years before ELO.

It's a Beautiful Day's leader, David LaFlamme, was a violinist in the 60's, although they weren't a household name.

Ultravox and Roxy Music both had violinists as members too.

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Apnea53 t1_iujg9eu wrote

Even before that, “Yesterday”.

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dinoroo t1_iuha5cy wrote

I love the Harpsichord, I’m sure it’s actually just a keyboard, that Vampire Weekend seems to work into a lot of their songs.

Also can’t go wrong with a cello.

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_plantknuckles t1_iuhh4zs wrote

Pedal steel. Oof, so much expression. I've loved it for years and often felt it's the best thing country has going for it. For everyone else, check out Faye Webster.

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glittervector t1_iui5ny8 wrote

If you're not familiar, check out the song "Country Feedback" by R.E.M.

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zvcho t1_iugwrf7 wrote

Trumpets, violin, organ, saxophone… to name a few

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KamikazeWolf64 t1_iuh793r wrote

Gonna sound sorta standard here but the DX7 presets, specifically the electric piano is so soothing when done right, and the bass preset is badass.

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levatorpenis t1_iuhp3et wrote

I got a fever and the only cure is more cowbell

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apollofour20 t1_iuhwrrl wrote

I like rock music, but most of my favorite rock bands have jazzy drummers so drums for me.

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milk543 t1_iui11mz wrote

Steel guitar

Handpan

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JohnnyGFX t1_iui4qzq wrote

Banjo and violin. I really enjoy some good bluegrass, I guess.

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FreeQ t1_iuifer5 wrote

Percussion. Take a song like “Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough” by MJ. You may not notice the percussion the first or 20th listen. But take it away and the groove would suffer immensely

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vagabondvisions t1_iuige8g wrote

A well-played, somber accordion.

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YoshPMi t1_iujpis4 wrote

I came here for this. The accordion in ‘when I paint my masterpiece’ by the band inspired me on the spot to create my funeral playlist. I instantly knew I needed this song to help tell my story

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vagabondvisions t1_iuju85z wrote

I saw a young band playing live doing original music and one of the guys brought out an accordion. I thought they were going to do some kind of jokey polka thing and instead they launched into this dreamy ballad with the accordion, a slow drum, and light guitar.

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Altruistic_Profit_15 t1_iuh4ppl wrote

Ik it might seem basic, but piano, guitar, ukulele etc symbolise the intended emotions or perspectives the writer intended the listener to hear from.

Simple, honest, effective

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trashbotsam t1_iuhixpo wrote

Usually I find that instruments add a lot to the songs vibe, but sometimes I also notice that vocals add a lot of vibes to the song!

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roni1i t1_iuhjm9r wrote

Synthesizer, contrabass and drums.

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ilsenzasenso t1_iuhk3ri wrote

Bass for me

A great example of this is the new Polyphia album “Remeber that you will die”

It has a whole lotta different vibes, from sax, to Anomalie’s piano and also vocal

Is very different from past Polyphia’s album for those reasons, but what stands out the most, in my opinion, is the space they decided to give to the bass in this album

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Unholy_Dk80 t1_iuhm5ny wrote

As a musician, I really enjoy listening to alternate versions of songs, as well as isolated/backing tracks to really see the structure of a song and what makes it tick for me.

That being said, I think all instruments play their own part to make or break a song.

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uncle-anti t1_iuhnjar wrote

Moog Kitten. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

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hahaBANGBANG t1_iuhop6a wrote

How has no one said a Theremin. Such a distinct sound!

Songs like "Good Vibrations" or "Whole Lotta Love". Plus lots of others.

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powdered_dognut t1_iuhrcgw wrote

A blues dripping violin in Sugarcane Harris style

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Top-Contribution-356 t1_iuhupkk wrote

A clean guitar with a humbucker neck pickup with a chorus effect

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TallonZek t1_iuhv8o5 wrote

Not many songs with xylophones, only ones I can think of off the top of my head are Gone Daddy Gone - Violent Femmes, and Girls - Beastie Boys.

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idiotzrul t1_iuhx88i wrote

Bells. Chiming bells, church bells, gongs, whatever. Scientifically they do something to the brain.

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DeriBear t1_iuhyt4i wrote

Definitely cowbell

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glittervector t1_iui5jme wrote

Pedal Steel and Cello

Sometimes Banjo or Mandolin are good in pop music

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Yunofascar t1_iui5sll wrote

I don't listen to a lot of album music, my exposure to music is usually through video games. My favorite instruments to listen for are the violin and guitar for emotion. I usually prefer the guitar for general pieces (it can afford to be used more often in a game because it feels more subtle and less overbearing) whilst a violin is perfect for pulling at my heart strings and amplifying the climax of an emotional piece. Care that it isn't overused in these cases, though! Of course, I am aware both instruments have various other use cases.

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Whitworth t1_iui7hc5 wrote

Theramin, Moog synth, and Sitar.

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NakedSnack t1_iuicvuv wrote

Big fan of a tastefully deployed vibraphone, especially in Jazz etc.

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Tw0_F1st3r t1_iuifb1c wrote

I got a fevah! And the only cure....is more COWBELL

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MetricJester t1_iuih0mp wrote

Steel drum. Suddenly you are taken from wherever you are and placed right in the middle of the Niagara Grape and Wine Grand Parade.

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Apnea53 t1_iuiia3a wrote

What would Jethro Tull be without the flute?

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LongerThan4Hours t1_iuik72v wrote

If it’s got an upright bass goin thwa-bum-bum-bum I’m pretty much always on board.

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Ochib t1_iuimnjv wrote

Cowbell - Don't fear the reaper

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exoventure t1_iuin8tm wrote

I feel like every instruments adds a lot to music.

But I love the way standup bass sounds. It does a lot for jazz songs and it sounds so damn good. Honestly I enjoy guitar and only picked it cause rocksmith exists. I couldn't afford a teacher and guitars were small enough to play at my place. Especially since electric is quiet with headphones.

But if I grew up with more money and was given a choice to pick an instrument to be taught, probably standup bass or drums would be my thing.

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ryuundo OP t1_iuinip3 wrote

Scott LaFaro and Ron Carter for the win.

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BigTuna388 t1_iuip977 wrote

I’ve always been a fan of the vibraphone adding vibes to music.

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CurnanBarbarian t1_iuiurva wrote

Anyone who adds a sax to their music. Doesn't matter what genre, the saxophone just adds something badass to the music

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Evwanyx t1_iuiv5we wrote

The cello when combined with the violin can create such a contrast that makes most pieces sound far more harrowing and I love it

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easylisteningmuzak t1_iuixttm wrote

Idk why but what came to mind was the birotron b90 demo on youtube. Not a song but from what he plays, it just feels vintage, lofi like, and calm. Besides that, a sitar adds a lot a song that is supposed to be meditative and chill, and piano adds lot any jazz song.

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dadamax t1_iuizb8z wrote

Uilleann pipes

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Ordinary-Pirate2869 t1_iuiznps wrote

Piano, I pretty much love any rock song that has a piano accompanied with it.

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Teamrayray t1_iuj2yvn wrote

I'm a Polish American that grew up with a lot of Mexicans, in northern Ohio. My Grandparents owned and operated a rental hall. It was called the Dancers Choice Ranch. The music went from Polka to Mariachi nightly. So I'm a sucker for horns!

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Buckscience t1_iuj5jzv wrote

Baritone sax (a la Morphine-Cure for Pain, especially "Candy", at 11:43).

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JonayPS t1_iujb8mb wrote

Clavinet adds alot of the Funk to Funk songs.

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dangerous_strainer t1_iujnnmx wrote

Technically every instrument adds to a songs vibration, it's how music is made.

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