Your favourite song intro?
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Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Top 10s and lists
Forum Description: List all your favourites here
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=120137
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Topic: Your favourite song intro?
Posted By: Foxprog
Subject: Your favourite song intro?
Date Posted: May 21 2019 at 13:08
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What is your favourite intro in a song, I have a plenty of possibilities. At the moment i'm listening Appena un po' (first 45 seconds) and I just simply love the calm and mystery style of it :) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oekZP4wr2Y |
Replies:
Posted By: Finnforest
Date Posted: May 21 2019 at 13:48
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Technically not prog, but I love Nancy's intro to Crazy on You. It's called Silver Wheels. ------------- |
Posted By: Foxprog
Date Posted: May 21 2019 at 13:50
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That was a good one, never heard of it before |
Posted By: Finnforest
Date Posted: May 21 2019 at 14:45
Yep....even with that "Ovation sound"  Yours is no stranger to me. The Italians are the masters of atmosphere in my opinion. ------------- |
Foxprog wrote:Posted By: fredyair
Date Posted: May 21 2019 at 14:57
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Light Up from Styx album Equinox, the song is not that good after the intro though. ------------- Long live Progresive music! |
Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: May 21 2019 at 21:06
| The first one that comes to my mind is Shine On you Crazy Diamond, my favourite song overall, and in good part because of the intro. But... of course Starless should be the favourite for proggers. And The Drapery Falls from Opeth is just as great too... and then, there should be many others that don't come to my mind right now. |
Posted By: Snicolette
Date Posted: May 21 2019 at 21:42
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I love the intro to Starless ------------- "Into every rain, a little life must fall." ~Tom Rapp |
Posted By: GingerFox
Date Posted: May 21 2019 at 23:39
| Gotta be the piano intro to Firth of Fifth. |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: May 21 2019 at 23:56
------------- "Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." -- John F. Kennedy |
Posted By: BaldFriede
Date Posted: May 22 2019 at 00:06
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I immediately thought of this: -------------  BaldJean and I; I am the one in blue. |
Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: May 22 2019 at 00:23
| Scorched Earth |
Posted By: someone_else
Date Posted: May 22 2019 at 03:36
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------------- 
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Posted By: moshkito
Date Posted: May 22 2019 at 07:36
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Hi, NONE ... really ... It is one of my pet peeves, that some band comes up with a really wonderful and beautiful 30 seconds, and it never becomes a part of the music ... it gives way to a song ... and the song is not half as nice as the beginning moments. It was just like that one Elton John album ... the entry was fantastic, but it should have never been on an Elton John album ... because he can not play, or do that kind of stuff ... he's strictly a piano man wth a band supporting him, or himself. I've always wanted to know who that musician that put that together was, because Elton was NEVER about keyboards! Nowadays, when I hear that, i end up disliking the band ... as not valuable or important, or they would have created a more inclusive and involved piece of music, that didn't have to feature "teases" ... to attract your attention. You know what this feels like? ... Beethoven's 10th symphony, and he wants your attention, and the 7 violins on the orchestra are naked and playing ... guess what? ... you're not going to pay attention to the music the whole time! ------------- Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told! www.pedrosena.com |
Posted By: Blacksword
Date Posted: May 22 2019 at 07:45
^^^ Hmm, yes that 's one way of looking at it..  I suppose it does happen sometimes. I love the intro to Watcher of the Skies, but can take or leave the song, I guess. The intro to Shine on you crazy diamond 'outshines' the rest of the song IMO, but this is never enough to make me dislike the artist. ------------- Ultimately bored by endless ecstasy! |
Posted By: Barbu
Date Posted: May 22 2019 at 07:53
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Aaaaaaaaaaah aaaah Because the world is round it turns me on ------------- |
Posted By: I prophesy disaster
Date Posted: May 22 2019 at 08:37
Do you mean "The Undercover Man"?  ------------- No, I know how to behave in the restaurant now, I don't tear at the meat with my hands. If I've become a man of the world somehow, that's not necessarily to say I'm a worldly man. |
Posted By: Snicolette
Date Posted: May 22 2019 at 08:43
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I also love the intro to David Cousin's Blue Angel. ------------- "Into every rain, a little life must fall." ~Tom Rapp |
Posted By: kenethlevine
Date Posted: May 22 2019 at 09:48
I assume you mean from the "Two Weeks Last Summer" solo album. Yup, great! On topic of Strawbs, "Benedictus" has a fantastic intro and the rest of the song is ... fantastic The intro to "Lay Down" is also sublime John Hawken's "Remembering" is essentially the intro and outro of "You and I when we were Young" and is brilliant Hero and Heroine and New World both intro with bombast and mellotron "Burning for Me" has a great and sinister opening on the new album, "When the Spirit Moves" starts as well as it ends On a non prog front, the intro to the 12" single of "Someone Somewhere in Summertime" by Simple Minds is a favourite There are so many |
Posted By: Barbu
Date Posted: May 22 2019 at 10:50
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Let me bring you songs from the wood To make you feel much better than you could know Dust you down from tip to toe Show you how the garden grows Hold you steady as you go Join the chorus if you can It'll make of you an honest man! ------------- |
Posted By: Barbu
Date Posted: May 22 2019 at 10:55
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but the Ommadawn intro is quite simply unbeatable. ------------- |
Posted By: Argo2112
Date Posted: May 22 2019 at 11:06
| I always liked piano intro to Can you Understand by Renaissance , Don't love the rest of the song but the intro is cool. |
Posted By: Nogbad_The_Bad
Date Posted: May 22 2019 at 11:49
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Larks Tongues In Aspic part 2, still makes all the hairs on my arms stand up. ------------- Ian Host of the Post-Avant Jazzcore Happy Hour on Progrock.com https://podcasts.progrock.com/post-avant-jazzcore-happy-hour/ |
Posted By: kenethlevine
Date Posted: May 22 2019 at 13:43
yes it's the best part on the subject of Renaissance the intro to "Kindness at the End", written and played by Jon Camp, is superb the catchy simplicity of the intro to "Northern Lights" is also wonderful The intro to "Mother Russia" is majestic The seething start to "Black Flame" is brilliant closely related - the intro to "Madonna Blue" by Illusion brings you right in
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Posted By: kenethlevine
Date Posted: May 22 2019 at 13:47
but when does it end What about Loreena McKennit's "The Bonny Swans"? I had a friend play just the intro about 10 times in a row some years back. The song is great but it never quite matches the intro
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Posted By: Barbu
Date Posted: May 22 2019 at 14:13
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^ at 1:16 ...or 2:42 maybe  ------------- |
Posted By: jamesbaldwin
Date Posted: May 22 2019 at 17:14
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One of my fave intro is this: 0 - 1'30'' ------------- "Happiness is real only when shared" |
Posted By: presdoug
Date Posted: May 22 2019 at 18:37
| I love the intro to Triumvirat's Mister Ten Percent suite so much! Deeply moving.... |
Posted By: presdoug
Date Posted: May 22 2019 at 18:40
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Posted By: Nogbad_The_Bad
Date Posted: May 22 2019 at 19:00
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Echoes ------------- Ian Host of the Post-Avant Jazzcore Happy Hour on Progrock.com https://podcasts.progrock.com/post-avant-jazzcore-happy-hour/ |
Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: May 22 2019 at 21:03
Oh yeah, how did I overlook that one. It's the stuff of dreams. |
Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: May 22 2019 at 23:48
I think there is something about The Spectro-torch in Battlefield? Actually the intro to Eruption is pretty damn amazing. How many multi-layered vocals are there?! I was very excited as a kid when I first heard that and the only reason now why I might occasionally listen to the studio version when the live version is so kick ass.
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Posted By: M27Barney
Date Posted: May 23 2019 at 07:01
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Firth of Fifth. Shine on... Fountain of Salmacis. 2112. Xanadu. Watcher of the skies. Count of Tuscany. ------------- Play me my song.....Here it comes again....... |
Posted By: miamiscot
Date Posted: May 23 2019 at 07:56
| The Revealing Science of God |
Posted By: I prophesy disaster
Date Posted: May 23 2019 at 12:06
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I'm surprised no one mentioned the intro to Close To The Edge. ------------- No, I know how to behave in the restaurant now, I don't tear at the meat with my hands. If I've become a man of the world somehow, that's not necessarily to say I'm a worldly man. |
Posted By: Argo2112
Date Posted: May 23 2019 at 12:13
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^ Best birds chirping solo ever!
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Posted By: hellogoodbye
Date Posted: May 23 2019 at 12:38
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Little Amédée. The best intro ever for me, much better than the rest of the quartet. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuMs8kD5Des |
Posted By: M27Barney
Date Posted: May 23 2019 at 12:40
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Ritual is good too... ------------- Play me my song.....Here it comes again....... |
Posted By: AKDiamond
Date Posted: May 23 2019 at 15:06
Great choice. It's like "Oh! This is something different." in the best kind of way. They're so good at atmosphere and mood.
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Posted By: AKDiamond
Date Posted: May 23 2019 at 15:14
It'll never get old. Just too good.
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Posted By: AKDiamond
Date Posted: May 23 2019 at 15:40
Great wow factor on Hero and Heroine for sure!
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Posted By: The Anders
Date Posted: May 23 2019 at 19:13
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David Bowie: Station to Station? |
Posted By: hellogoodbye
Date Posted: May 24 2019 at 03:20
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Posted By: Lewian
Date Posted: May 26 2019 at 08:50
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Good call indeed! Personal nomination: Porcupine Tree - Deadwing
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Posted By: Jaketejas
Date Posted: May 26 2019 at 09:45
| Four good ones are Steve Howe on Roundabout (Yes), Steve Howe on Don't Cry (Asia), the amazing percussion buildup before Mark Knopfler chimes in on Money for Nothing (Dire Straits), and the Prelude on Feel the Fire (Barnabas). |
Posted By: Jaketejas
Date Posted: May 26 2019 at 09:48
| Honorable mention goes to Atalantia by Aquacadia. That's a long intro, but I love how it builds up to the rocking complex chord riff. |
Posted By: Dopeydoc
Date Posted: May 26 2019 at 15:46
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Frequency, by IQ. Great ever for non prog fans . |
Posted By: Finnforest
Date Posted: May 27 2019 at 13:17
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Of traditional prog numbers, I have to acknowledge "Watcher of the Skies." Majesty. ------------- |
Posted By: Jaketejas
Date Posted: May 27 2019 at 13:45
| Oooo ... that's a good one too! Good call! |
Posted By: Jaketejas
Date Posted: May 27 2019 at 13:46
| The opening sequence to The Trees by Rush is excellent too. |
Posted By: Rednight
Date Posted: May 27 2019 at 13:50
------------- "It just has none of the qualities of your work that I find interesting. Abandon [?] it." - Eno |
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: May 27 2019 at 15:05
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Heart of the sunrise firth of fifth boys in the band (Gentle Giant)
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Posted By: tempest_77
Date Posted: May 27 2019 at 16:01
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Heavily agree with Firth of Fifth. When I think of iconic intros, it's the first thing that comes to mind. ------------- I use they/them pronouns (feel free to ask me about this!) Check out my music on https://tempestsounds.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow - my bandcamp ! |
Posted By: Finnforest
Date Posted: May 27 2019 at 18:13
------------- |
Posted By: kenethlevine
Date Posted: May 27 2019 at 20:06
| yes watcher is great. If we were doing endings, I think Musical Box is the best and Entangled a close second |
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: May 27 2019 at 20:32
| There are actually a lot of good ones. I don't know if anyone else on here knows this one(and maybe it's not quite prog anyway) but I like the intro to "children of the sun" by Billy Thorpe. |
Posted By: BarryGlibb
Date Posted: May 29 2019 at 03:51
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The greatest prog intro IMHO is heard in the opening track Viva Mi Sevilla by Carmen off their 1974 album Dancing On A Cold Wind.....absolutely torrid, climatic and spine tingling ...there are more adjectives but I can't put them all down here. Just listen and be in awe...please! |
Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: May 29 2019 at 05:39
| Caravan’s opening part of Nine Feet Underground - Nigel Blows a Tune |
Posted By: The Anders
Date Posted: May 29 2019 at 06:49
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Thanks for introducing Carmen. I had never heard of them before. Interesting style combination :) |
Posted By: I prophesy disaster
Date Posted: May 29 2019 at 07:10
------------- No, I know how to behave in the restaurant now, I don't tear at the meat with my hands. If I've become a man of the world somehow, that's not necessarily to say I'm a worldly man. |
Posted By: someone_else
Date Posted: May 29 2019 at 09:38
Great track. One of my long time favourites. -------------
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Posted By: Chaser
Date Posted: May 29 2019 at 10:28
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Got to be Sound Chaser ------------- Songs cast a light on you |
Posted By: ProfPanglos
Date Posted: May 30 2019 at 16:56
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I always liked the cool guitar intro to Tull's "Pibroch (Cap in Hand)" from Songs from the Wood. I used to BLAST it in my hifi/big-monster-loudspeaker days.
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Posted By: patrickq
Date Posted: June 06 2019 at 16:46
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How about “Parallels” by Yes? https://youtu.be/4CjD2C0FBv8 Some say the the closing seconds of “Turn of the Century” were actually intended as the intro to “Parallels”... |
Posted By: Earl of Mar
Date Posted: May 16 2020 at 06:47
| Lots, Firth of Firth, parallels and watcher of the skies are all great. I do like the intro to Fools Overture by Supertramp though. |
Posted By: Gentle and Giant
Date Posted: May 16 2020 at 08:02
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The Damned - Smash It Up Parts 1 & 2 ------------- Oh, for the wings of any bird, other than a battery hen |
Posted By: Lewian
Date Posted: May 16 2020 at 08:12
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What I find fascinating is the different approaches there are to introductions, for example 1) Going in and turning the heat up slowly 2) Give it a good beating right in the beginning 3) (I like many of these) - Start with a rather bland ambient sound that gives the proper music that follows its best effect when it comes in 4) Set the scene using some kind of miniature version of elements used later 5) Autonomous genius minimalist noise stuff that has little to do with the later song but stands wonderfully on its own feet (I know that many people hate these things about some Mars Volta but I think it's them at their best) |
Posted By: I prophesy disaster
Date Posted: May 16 2020 at 09:08
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I'm quite impressed with the first 2:40 of Wobbler - From Silence To Somewhere: ------------- No, I know how to behave in the restaurant now, I don't tear at the meat with my hands. If I've become a man of the world somehow, that's not necessarily to say I'm a worldly man. |
Posted By: I prophesy disaster
Date Posted: May 16 2020 at 09:22
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However, I think my favourite intro is to The Residents - Edweena:
------------- No, I know how to behave in the restaurant now, I don't tear at the meat with my hands. If I've become a man of the world somehow, that's not necessarily to say I'm a worldly man. |
Posted By: dougmcauliffe
Date Posted: May 16 2020 at 09:26
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^ I love the intro of Fermented Hours as well. Air Born by Camel has my vote though. ------------- The sun has left the sky... ...Now you can close your eyes |
Posted By: dr wu23
Date Posted: May 16 2020 at 12:01
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Far too many to have just one but love this one....a favorite song ------------- One does nothing yet nothing is left undone. Haquin |
Posted By: Awesoreno
Date Posted: May 16 2020 at 16:31
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So many here that I would have mentioned myself. For the sake of not repeating, I'll mention a couple that haven't been. Proclamation by Gentle Giant, I love the rhodes riff. Whenever I show it to people, they're always confused by the timing. Without the bass note playing first, they usually think the beat two is beat one until the grooving drums come in. Love that tune. Also Atlas Stone, just gorgeous (and you could include The Path as an intro as well). And 6:00 by Dream Theater gets me so hype.
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Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: May 16 2020 at 16:36
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Southside of the Sky Watcher of the Skies |
Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: May 16 2020 at 16:43
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Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: May 16 2020 at 16:48
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Posted By: emisan
Date Posted: May 16 2020 at 16:58
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My top 3 The Tangent - In Earnest Spocks Beard - At The End Of The Day. Big Big Train - Brave Captain |
Posted By: The Dark Elf
Date Posted: May 16 2020 at 17:05
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Someone already mentioned the acoustic guitar intro to Heart's "Crazy On You", which is stellar, but I don't think there is a more menacing piano piece than on the intro to this song: ------------- ...a vigorous circular motion hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology... |
Posted By: micky
Date Posted: May 16 2020 at 18:02
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Tull menacing? hah.. about as menacing as a baby duck... now if you want to talk menacing... like murder hornet kind of sh*t...take my favorite from Rock's bad boys. From the album that also had 2 other intro's that would could should .. and do.. rank way high up on greatest rock song intros. One reason perhaps this album made it not just onto.. but high up on PA's user generated favorite album list all voted on and some dude calculated. which did turn a few heads ------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |
Posted By: The Dark Elf
Date Posted: May 16 2020 at 18:06
Look, I'm sure in your decrepit mind that Nicky Hopkins plinking a simple arpeggio is an exciting intro. I've seen Schroeder play piano pieces with more profundity in Charlie Brown cartoons.
------------- ...a vigorous circular motion hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology... |
Posted By: micky
Date Posted: May 16 2020 at 18:12
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menacing hmmm.. it is an easy term to grasp...menacing is putting a gun in someone's face... in my experience... when going for menacing... simplicity works best man...  ------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |
Posted By: The Dark Elf
Date Posted: May 16 2020 at 18:22
Ah, I see...then you'd prefer the tune at 28 seconds in this video: ------------- ...a vigorous circular motion hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology... |
Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: May 16 2020 at 18:22
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Now I have the ‘menacing’ intro to Locomtive Breath stuck in my head. I’m going to have to dig out Aqualung coz it’s such a kick-ass album. Oh, I haven’t scoured the pages but surely Genesis’ Eleventh Earl of Mar is a phenomenal intro (and outro too) ?? |
Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: May 17 2020 at 00:51
| ^ If there was a track intro that could blow a sub-woofer , that's it! |
Posted By: Homotopy
Date Posted: May 17 2020 at 03:06
| First 3 minutes of Haken's Architect, especially those choir synths at the end. |
Posted By: Frenetic Zetetic
Date Posted: May 17 2020 at 05:47
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Close to The Edge. ------------- "I am so prog, I listen to concept albums on shuffle." -KMac2021 |
Posted By: cstack3
Date Posted: May 17 2020 at 10:07
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The screaming violins that segue "The Talking Drum" into "Lark's Tongues in Aspic, Part 2". That was always fun to play at a party at college at full volume!
------------- I am not a Robot, I'm a FREE MAN!! |
Posted By: The Dark Elf
Date Posted: May 17 2020 at 12:07
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The greatest chord to start a song: The greatest barbershop quartet intro: The greatest intro with a guy wearing a burning fire pit on top of his head: ------------- ...a vigorous circular motion hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology... |
Posted By: AlanB
Date Posted: May 18 2020 at 05:50
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I always loved the bass solo at the beginning of this song. Actually the first nine and a half minutes could count as an intro since there are no vocals until near the end! |
Posted By: Earl of Mar
Date Posted: May 18 2020 at 07:13
| Excuse me will now be in my head all day. It is there now. Oh damn. |
Posted By: BrufordFreak
Date Posted: May 22 2020 at 14:14
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No question, no hesitation: ------------- Drew Fisher https://progisaliveandwell.blogspot.com/ |
Posted By: The Anders
Date Posted: May 22 2020 at 14:45
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Good question. At the moment I think I will go with the acoustic guitar chords at the beginning of "Pinball Wizard" from The Who's Tommy. It was a perfect way to start the song. |
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: May 22 2020 at 19:34
| The intro to close to the edge and heart of the sunrise are both great. So is the intro to firth of fifth. |
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: May 22 2020 at 19:46
I never got the impression those were violins. I could be wrong but it doesn't sound like a violin(or violins)to me. I don't really know what that sound is but I guess I always just thought it was some kind of weird sound effect.
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Posted By: The Dark Elf
Date Posted: May 22 2020 at 22:53
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------------- ...a vigorous circular motion hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology... |
Posted By: cstack3
Date Posted: May 23 2020 at 01:25
Nothing wrong with the "Ovation" sound! Ask Bob Fripp.....from Wikipedia's article for Guitar Craft: Fripp recommended that students adopt the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ovation_Guitar_Company" rel="nofollow - Ovation 1867 Legend https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steel-string_acoustic_guitar" rel="nofollow - steel-string guitar , which had a shallow https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guitar#Body_.28acoustic_guitar.29" rel="nofollow - body . https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guitar_Craft#cite_note-Intro-5" rel="nofollow - [5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guitar_Craft#cite_note-Tamm130-21" rel="nofollow - [21] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guitar_Craft#cite_note-GCG-22" rel="nofollow - [22] "Fripp liked the way the Ovation 1867 fitted against his body, which made it possible for him to assume the right-arm picking position he had developed using electric guitars over the years; on deeper-bodied guitars, the Frippian arm position is impossible without uncomfortable contortions", according to Tamm. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guitar_Craft#cite_note-Tamm130-21" rel="nofollow - [21] While the 1867 Legend is no longer manufactured, it influenced the design of the Guitar Craft Pro Model of Guitar Craft Guitars, which has been endorsed by Fripp. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guitar_Craft#cite_note-GCG-22" rel="nofollow - [22] Besides the Ovation 1867 Legend, other Ovation shallow-body guitars are widely used in Guitar Craft and recommended for use in related performing groups, such as the Guitar Circle of Europe. The Ovation's https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truss_rod" rel="nofollow - truss rod can offset the increased tension of the NST strings, protecting the neck from bending. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guitar_Craft" rel="nofollow - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guitar_Craft ------------- I am not a Robot, I'm a FREE MAN!! |
Posted By: chameleonday
Date Posted: June 03 2020 at 14:36
| Yes: To Be Over - Relayer |
Posted By: Squonk19
Date Posted: June 03 2020 at 16:15
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Prog: Watcher of the Skies Other: Highway Star (from Made in Japan) ------------- “Living in their pools, they soon forget about the sea.” |
Posted By: cstack3
Date Posted: June 03 2020 at 22:21
I'm certain it is David Cross on violin. ------------- I am not a Robot, I'm a FREE MAN!! |
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: June 04 2020 at 18:38
I'm not so let's just agree to disagree. |
Posted By: FatherChristmas
Date Posted: June 30 2020 at 07:34
| Shine on you crazy diamond and behind the lines are definitely my favourites. |
Posted By: thief
Date Posted: July 02 2020 at 05:44
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Anekdoten - Wheel Änglagård - Jordrök Mainhorse - Introduction Raw Material - Ice Queen Uriah Heep - Salisbury All recommended! Not from prog: |