Elements of Psychedelic Rock You Can’t Afford to Miss
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Psychedelic rock is a genre of rock music that is inspired, or influenced by, psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It often uses new recording techniques and effects and draws on non-Western sources such as the raga drone of Indian classical music.
The Beatles-Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
The Beatles-Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is a psychedelic rock album that was released in 1967. This album is considered to be one of the most influential albums of all time. It’s no surprise that the album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998.
The album’s cover art
One of the most iconic and recognizable album covers of all time, the cover art for Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band was designed by Peter Blake and Jann Haworth, with contributions from Paul McCartney. The central figure is a collage of life-sized waxwork models of the Beatles dressed in psychedelic clothing, surrounded by a crowd of celebrities and other figures from history.
The album was originally released in mono and stereo versions, with slightly different artwork for each. The mono version featured a single waxwork figure of McCartney, while the stereo version featured a group of four waxwork figures.
The album cover quickly became an icon of the psychedelic era, and has been hailed as one of the greatest pieces of album cover art ever created.
The album’s use of sound effects
The album features a number of innovative sound effects that were created using various pieces of studio equipment, including reversing the tapes and using vari-speed recording. These sound effects are often used to create a sense of disorientation or to provide an otherworldly feel. The most famous example is the “backward message” at the end of “A Day in the Life,” which was achieved by playing the tape backwards. Other examples include the “sitar-like” sound on “Within You Without You” and the robotic voice on “Robot.”
The album’s use of studio techniques
The album makes use of many studio techniques that were innovative at the time, and had not been used on a pop album to that extent. These include automatic double tracking, which creates an echo effect; sympathetic resonance, which amplifies specific frequencies; and vari-speed, which slows down or speeds up tape recording.
In addition to these technical innovations, the album also made use of more traditional psychedelic elements such as drug references, altered states of consciousness, and surrealistic imagery.
The Beach Boys-Pet Sounds
The Beach Boys are considered by many to be one of the most influential bands of all time. They have produced some of the most iconic songs in popular music history. One of their most famous albums is “Pet Sounds.” “Pet Sounds” is a psychedelic rock album that was released in 1966.
The album’s use of reverb
An important component of the “wall of sound” that characterizes much of Pet Sounds is its liberal use of reverb. Reverb is an effect that gives the impression that a sound is echoing in a space, and it was used extensively on the album to give the listener a sense of being enveloped by the music. This was especially effective on tracks like “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” which features cascading vocal harmonies that seem to linger in the air. It’s also used to great effect on “God Only Knows,” where Brian Wilson’s lead vocal is paired with an ethereal-sounding string section. While reverb had been used sparingly on previous Beach Boys records, Pet Sounds marks the first time it was used so prominently in pop music.
The album’s use of tape loops
The album’s use of tape loops was a highly innovative technique for its time. The Beach Boys made use of silver IAM and Agfa 468 tape machines to loop various sounds, such as animal noises, furniture being moved, and the sound of the waves crashing on the shore. This created an eerie, otherworldly atmosphere that added to the album’s trippy vibe.
The album’s use of sound collages
The album’s use of sound collages was inspired by the Beatles’ use of the technique on Revolver (1966). The Beach Boys created their sound collages by splicing together various takes of instrumental tracks, which were then combined with lead and backing vocals. The result was a more psychedelic sound that was unlike anything the Beach Boys had done before.
The sound collages on Pet Sounds are some of the most innovative and influential moments on the album. They are responsible for creating the unique atmosphere that makes the album so special. Here are some of the most notable examples:
-The opening track, “Wouldn’t It Be Nice”, features a sound collage of just under a minute in length. It includes snippets of dialogue from movies, as well as isolated instrument tracks andOcean sounds . This collage sets the tone for the entire album and establishes the Beach Boys’ new direction.
-The track “Sloop John B” features a short sound collage at the beginning which includes snippets of dialogue from movies and television shows. This is followed by a longer collage duringthe instrumental break , which again features movie dialogue and isolated instrument tracks.
-The track “God Only Knows” features a sound collage duringthe instrumental break , which includes snippets of laughter, footsteps, ocean sounds, and film dialogue. This collage creates a sense of childlike innocence and wonder that is central to the theme of the song.
-The track “Pet Sounds” features a short sound collage at the beginning, which includes snippets of laughter and footsteps. This is followed by a longer collage duringthe instrumental break , which again featuresmovie dialogue and isolated instrument tracks. The effect is eerie and otherworldly, perfectly capturing the feeling of paranoia that is central to the song’s lyrics.
Pink Floyd-The Piper at the Gates of Dawn
It would be a mistake to write about Psychedelic rock and not include Pink Floyd’s debut album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn. The album is a perfect example of the band’s early Psychedelic sound. It features a combination of Syd Barrett’s original songs, and traditional Psychedelic rock sound.
The album’s use of feedback
feedback is often thought of as an undesirable by-product of electric guitar amplification, but on The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, it is harnessed and used as an integral part of the music. From the searing feedback intro of “Lucifer Sam” to the pulsating feedback outro of “Take Up Thy Stethoscope and Walk”, Pink Floyd uses feedback to create an otherworldly atmosphere that is uniquely their own.
The album’s use of sound effects
Many of the tracks on Pink Floyd’s debut album “The Piper at the Gates of Dawn” make use of sound effects to create a psychedelic atmosphere. The song “Interstellar Overdrive”, for example, features heavily distorted guitars and sound effects that were achieved by running the tapes of the recordings through a Leslie speaker. This song also features backwards vocals, which were created by playing the tapes of the recordings in reverse. Other tracks on the album, such as “Lucifer Sam” and “The Gnome”, make use of sound effects such as reverberation and echo to create a sense of space and distance.
The album’s use of extended jamming
While the album is generally categorized as psychedelic rock, many of its songs also venture into other genres, including folk (“Astronomy Domine”), electronica (“Interstellar Overdrive”), baroque pop (“The Gnome”), and proto-prog (“Take Up Thy Stethoscope and Walk”). These diverse influences, combined with the band’s experimental approach, create a unique and innovative sound.
One of the most distinctive elements of the album is its use of extended jamming. Several of the tracks are much longer than the standard pop song, giving the band ample opportunity to explore their sound. This improvisational approach would become a hallmark of Pink Floyd’s style, and would be further developed on their subsequent albums.
