Bridges in the Sky chants or not?

[d-tailer]

I expect to cop some flak over this suggestion as BITS is so popular - but no worries.
For starters I think the song is freakin awesome and makes a great opener for the LALP concert.
The 3 chants at the start add to the live atmosphere, but I'm wondering if they bug anyone on the ADTOE recording.
I've made a version with the first 32 secs trimmed and faded up from that point for a bit of variety and it sounds OK (IMO) with single chants near the start and finish of the track.
So I wouldn't mind some (-or+) feedback - preferably if you've tried the edit.

[Cable]

I never really minded them. It bugged me more that they changed the title of the song actually!

[Ben_Jamin]

I never really minded them. It bugged me more that they changed the title of the song actually!

Same here.


The Shaman sounds are great.

[BlobVanDam]

I remember when the album came out, plenty of people found the intro annoying, so you're certainly not alone.
Personally, I love it, and don't know what the problem is. Each to their own!

[Tom Bombadil]

First time I listened to it I thought it was some kind of weird joke, but over time its just become a normal part of the song. I play it for other people and they're always like "what the hell is that?" and I don't even notice anymore.

[Orbert]

It bothered me the first time I heard it, and has bothered me every time since.  To me, it just sounds like a long, drawn out, belch.  Once the song starts, I forget about it, and the song is great, then he comes back at the end with another long belch and totally takes me out of the moment.  Too bad, too, because it's otherwise a great track.

[TheGreatPretender]

I really like them, actually, but sometimes I do wish the music would get going a little quicker.

[hefdaddy42]

I don't like them very much, but the song itself is so awesome that I find it easy to forgive.

[Tis BOOLsheet]

On the disc it's not necessary but it certainly made for an awesome moment live!

[Jaq]

"PROG! THE OPEN MINDED GENRE!"

"ugh wtf get that throat singing out of here."

[Orbert]

I'm open minded.  I just don't like the sound of it.  Being a prog fan means I have to like everything, even if it sounds like someone belching?

[erik16]

Do not mind them. There's however one other thing that at times disturbs me. It's the "Agnus Dei" choral sounds after the shaman belching. To me it seems very odd to put shamanistic and Catholic elements together, especially if the song is about achieveing spiritual cleansing through healing waters (Ayahuasca magic?). On the other hand I really like the choral sounds, much more than the belching, tho I have nothing against it, since it works in the context of the song.

[Zook]

They were goofy at first, but they don't bother me anymore.

[King Postwhore]

I like them a lot but I know my wife hates them with a passion.

[?]

They were goofy at first, but they don't bother me anymore.

[Flacracker]

They are a great way to not introduce and instantly turn off people listening to Dream Theater for the first time.

[King Postwhore]

They are a great way to not introduce and instantly turn off people listening to Dream Theater for the first time.

So don't let it be the first song you play for them.

[Jaffa]

I don't mind the chants in the context of the album, but I do have an edited version for when I just feel like listening to the song by itself. 

[rumborak]

The only thing I didn't like about them was that James clearly couldn't perform them. One of the very few canned vocal performances.

[puppyonacid]

Do not mind them. There's however one other thing that at times disturbs me. It's the "Agnus Dei" choral sounds after the shaman belching. To me it seems very odd to put shamanistic and Catholic elements together, especially if the song is about achieveing spiritual cleansing through healing waters (Ayahuasca magic?). On the other hand I really like the choral sounds, much more than the belching, tho I have nothing against it, since it works in the context of the song.

I picked up on the contrast there also and I think it could be deliberate. JP is a catholic and isn't Voices about his struggle with Catholicism? BITS is more about spiritual enlightenment so I think the intro is just to highlight that contrast.

[?]

The only thing I didn't like about them was that James clearly couldn't perform them. One of the very few canned vocal performances.

JP is a catholic and isn't Voices about his struggle with Catholicism?

It's about mental illness, but JP added some religious imagery to make the lyrics more vivid.

[nightmare_cinema]

It's delayed gratification, the way the guitar comes in is one of my favourite openers on the CD (joint with Breaking All Illusions) and made all the more powerful by having to wait 1 minute and 45 seconds for it.

[The Letter M]

It's delayed gratification, the way the guitar comes in is one of my favourite openers on the CD (joint with Breaking All Illusions) and made all the more powerful by having to wait 1 minute and 45 seconds for it.

Pretty much this - there's a sense of greater satisfaction from having to wait, the build-up and the anticipation is always so fun!

-Marc.

[Enalya]

I actually love them, it brings me into the story and atmosphere. It makes the fast part that suddenly bashes in more thrilling, too. Now you can really wait for that in excitement (what's said above)

[davidolson22]

I've listened to that album about 20 times, but all I can remember from that songs is the chants. The rest of the song never struck a chord with me. So you can definitely put me in the camp of not being bothered by them.

I'd actually like them to try more experimental instrumentation/styles like that.

[Outcrier]

I never really minded them.

[Rodni Demental]

Wow.. When ADTOE came out and I heard Gregorian chants in this song I was blown away. It was actually stand out moment for me on the first listen as I've liked that kind of thing in the past and I found the chord progressions very interesting.

As for the 'Shamans' throat singing, I was never fussed about, although I feel it has it's place in this song, and it's a cool touch I guess. I've had some friends have less than accepting reactions to the throat singing though but I think that was more because it's not exactly something that people are used to hearing, it's a bit too outside the norm for some. 

[d-tailer]

I guess most of you realized I was only referring to the 3 Shaman's chants/belches at the start and not the choral singing which effectively builds up to the high intensity of the song. Interesting to learn some of the background to the lyrics.

[Kilgore Trout]

Wow.. When ADTOE came out and I heard Gregorian chants in this song I was blown away.

There are no Gregorian chants in this song.

The way people talk about throat singing here is really contemptuous. It tells more about the lack of musical knowledge and of open-mindedness of some than anything about the chants themselves. (not that anyone has to like them)

[puppyonacid]

Wow.. When ADTOE came out and I heard Gregorian chants in this song I was blown away.

There are no Gregorian chants in this song.

The way people talk about throat singing here is really contemptuous. It tells more about the lack of musical knowledge and of open-mindedness of some than anything about the chants themselves. (not that anyone has to like them)

Bit OTT there buddy. Throat singing isn't something widely used in the west as a form of musical expression. It's a weird sound and impressive the way that those that can do it can sing two notes at once. I'd never call myself narrow minded but the first I heard about "throat singing" was in an episode of Frasier.

[ZKX-2099]

I was just disapointed to find out it wasn't John Myung doing them.

[Rodni Demental]

Wow.. When ADTOE came out and I heard Gregorian chants in this song I was blown away.

There are no Gregorian chants in this song.

Well no, they're not literally 'Gregorian' chants so to speak, but it sure as hell sounds like one, and it's certainly what I'd make mention of as a reference. James even calls them Gregorian vocals in the tracklist interview for ADTOE so.. I'm gonna keep calling them Gregorian chants.

Not to be confused with the Shaman chant obviously.

[CrimsonSunrise]

I think they're awesome...

Love the Eagle/Hawk screech too ... really paints the scene for me for the song.

[theseoafs]

Well no, they're not literally 'Gregorian' chants so to speak, but it sure as hell sounds like one

No, it really doesn't at all.  It's just a choir patch.

[Lucidity]

I love them. Very eery and atmospheric, and set the stage perfectly for the crunching guitar riff intro.