53videosPolyphonic
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Playlists · 16
All 16 playlists
- AV Companions · 8 videos
- Hit Record: An Incomplete History of the Music Video · 7 videos
- Axe to Grind: An Incomplete History of the Electric Guitar Solo · 7 videos
- Cover Stories · 4 videos
14:03How Coltrane Broke "My Favorite Things" (feat. Adam Neely)
456K viewsHow John Coltrane transformed My Favorite Things through modal jazz improvisation, with Adam Neely.
9:16A Brief History of Electric Guitar Distortion
1.5M viewsThe history and technology of electric guitar distortion.
7:53Deals with the Devil: A Brief Musical History
6.43M viewsThe history of 'deal with the devil' myths in music, from Tartini to Robert Johnson.
7:41Good Vibrations: The Beach Boys' Pop Masterpiece
940K viewsHow Brian Wilson built 'Good Vibrations' from modular recording sessions.
7:32How Flea Plays Bass
4.95M viewsFlea's bass technique and how it shaped the Red Hot Chili Peppers' sound.
7:30How Tool Used Math to Create "Lateralus"
2.21M viewsHow Tool built 'Lateralus' around the Fibonacci sequence.
9:17How the Talking Heads wrote "Once in a Lifetime"
849K viewsHow Talking Heads and Eno built 'Once in a Lifetime' from loops and improvisation.
10:41Kind of Blue: How Miles Davis Changed Jazz
1.04M viewsHow Miles Davis's Kind of Blue introduced modal jazz.
16:42Steely Dan: More Than Just a Band
3.04M viewsSteely Dan's studio approach, session players and harmony.
13:04Tangled Up in Blue: Deciphering a Bob Dylan Masterpiece
1.16M viewsA close reading of Dylan's 'Tangled Up in Blue' and its shifting perspective.
11:11Time Out: How Dave Brubeck Changed Jazz
448K viewsHow Dave Brubeck's Time Out brought odd time signatures into popular jazz.
13:26What Makes Jimi Hendrix Such a Good Guitarist
3.92M viewsHendrix's guitar technique, tone and use of effects.
9:44What Makes John Bonham Such a Good Drummer?
18.1M viewsWhat made John Bonham's drumming distinctive: groove, triplets, sound and recording.
11:39
7:32Yamaha DX7 - The Synthesizer that Defined the '80s
1.38M viewsHow the Yamaha DX7's FM synthesis worked and why it defined 1980s pop.
34:27The Untold History of Disco
498K viewsA 34-minute history of disco: its roots in Black and queer club culture, its sound and the backlash.
16:42What is the House of the Rising Sun?
3.43M viewsTraces House of the Rising Sun through folk tradition to the Animals' version.
12:07Why Scott Joplin Was America's First Pop Star
388K viewsScott Joplin's life, ragtime's musical features and its place in American popular music.
18:10The Man Who Invented Jazz
325K viewsThe story of Buddy Bolden and the murky origins of jazz in New Orleans.
8:09"L'Amour": A Musical Mystery
72.1K viewsA 8-minute video from Polyphonic's catalogue; the title names its topic.
4:35A Brief Hiatus (and other announcements)
26.3K viewsA 5-minute video from Polyphonic's catalogue; the title names its topic.
13:44A Brief History of Smashing Guitars
72.1K viewsA 14-minute video from Polyphonic's catalogue; the title names its topic.
9:25A Brief History of Transgender People in Popular Music
151K viewsA 9-minute video from Polyphonic's catalogue; the title names its topic.
18:09A Brief History of the Concept Album
307K viewsA 18-minute video from Polyphonic's catalogue; the title names its topic.
19:07A Love Letter to Pop Punk
319K viewsA 19-minute video from Polyphonic's catalogue; the title names its topic.
13:49Afroman's Hilarious Second Act
29.7K viewsA 14-minute video from Polyphonic's catalogue; the title names its topic.
20:35Albums that aren't "Albums"
93.6K viewsA 21-minute video from Polyphonic's catalogue; the title names its topic.
30:59An Incomplete History of the Concert Film
45.6K viewsA 31-minute video from Polyphonic's catalogue; the title names its topic.
9:01Any Colour You Like | The Dark Side of the Moon Project
167K viewsA 9-minute video from Polyphonic's catalogue; the title names its topic.
9:56Billie Jean: Michael Jackson's Crowning Moment
575K viewsA 10-minute video from Polyphonic's catalogue; the title names its topic.
6:25Black Lives Created Modern Music | Black Lives Matter
79.1K viewsA 6-minute video from Polyphonic's catalogue; the title names its topic.
7:55Black Sheep: The Story Behind Dewey Cox's Opus
137K viewsA 8-minute video from Polyphonic's catalogue; the title names its topic.
27:12Bo Burnham, Arcade Fire, and the Infinite Dread of the Internet
126K viewsA 27-minute video from Polyphonic's catalogue; the title names its topic.
49:53Bob Dylan's Unreleased Masterpiece
129K viewsA 50-minute video from Polyphonic's catalogue; the title names its topic.
18:24Bob Marley's Most Radical Moment
156K viewsA 18-minute video from Polyphonic's catalogue; the title names its topic.
14:07Brain Damage/Eclipse | The Dark Side of the Moon Project
188K viewsA 14-minute video from Polyphonic's catalogue; the title names its topic.