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A Symphony in The Taste Gap with Harley Eblen (Billboard #1 String Arranger)

Metadata

title
A Symphony in The Taste Gap with Harley Eblen (Billboard #1 String Arranger)
description
Strings tell a story. They're so good at making us cry. Why? How does a string quartet fit into a pop arrangement? What is it about simplicity? Harley Eblen, a Billboard #1 string arranger raised in Hawaii, joins the pod to talk cello, string arranging, and production.
status
complete
date
2024-04-30
kind
guest
guestSlugs
  • harley-eblen
listenUrl
https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/lovemusicmore/episodes/A-Symphony-in-The-Taste-Gap-with-Harley-Eblen-Billboard-1-String-Arranger-e2iu9br
lmwUrl
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_toQGrh7pxM
appleUrl
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-symphony-in-the-taste-gap-with-harley-eblen/id1567355195?i=1000654017343&uo=4
spotifyUrl
https://open.spotify.com/episode/3QmEtQzN4qI989So6M6968
youtubeUrl
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpcNG35EZUo
topicsDiscussed
  • Classical and orchestral music
  • Music production
  • Music theory
  • Autotune and pitch correction
  • Songwriting
  • Collaboration
  • Guitar
  • Jazz
  • String arranging in pop
  • Hawaiian musical roots
hostNote
**Harley Eblen** is a Billboard #1 string arranger raised in Hawaii, the kind of arranger who can take a string quartet and make it carry a pop song's emotional weight. His mother played him a Stevie Ray Vaughan CD when he was two days old and, by his account, he stopped breathing to listen. He heard cello on the radio at nine or ten and knew that was the instrument. We trace the move from classical training into bluegrass, Irish music, and pop arranging, and what he calls the taste gap: the space between technical training and having something to say with it. Music is his first language and his outlet, he's direct about that, and about the satisfaction that comes from work that heightens someone else's music rather than his own.
selectedMoments
  • label
    Harley's early music influence
    startSec
    154
    note
    Harley describes how music was ingrained in him from a very young age, sparked by a Stevie Ray Vaughan CD.
  • label
    Discovering string instruments
    startSec
    235
    note
    He recalls his first encounter with string instruments in school and how it shaped his musical journey.
  • label
    The classical to pop transition
    startSec
    317
    note
    Harley talks about moving from classical training to exploring different genres like bluegrass and Irish music.
  • label
    Opening up to creative expression
    startSec
    394
    note
    He highlights the importance of overcoming fear in order to express oneself through music.
  • label
    The importance of training
    startSec
    470
    note
    A discussion on the value of music training and the necessity of finding a personal voice.
  • label
    The taste gap explained
    startSec
    2110
    note
    Harley discusses the concept of the taste gap and its role in a musician's development.
  • label
    Expressive music creation
    startSec
    3675
    note
    He explains how music serves as his emotional outlet and the joy in mastering his craft.
  • label
    Music as a healing process
    startSec
    3580
    note
    Harley reflects on music's powerful role in human experience and self-expression.
excerptQuotes
  • text
    My mom said that when I was two days old she put on a Stevie Ray Vaughan CD and I stopped breathing and just like focused in and listened.
    startSec
    155
    reviewed
    true
  • text
    I heard cello on the radio for the first time when I was like nine or ten and I was like that's the thing I want to do.
    startSec
    240
    reviewed
    true
  • text
    In hindsight, there was no wrong way to do it. The thing I find most value with, in hindsight, is time with the instrument.
    startSec
    390
    reviewed
    true
  • text
    The pursuit of excellence makes life joyful for me; music is my first language.
    startSec
    3676
    reviewed
    true
  • text
    Getting to work on projects to heighten other people's work makes me feel the most human.
    startSec
    3684
    reviewed
    true
faq
  • question
    Who is Harley Eblen?
    answer
    Harley Eblen is a celebrated Billboard #1 string arranger known for his work across various music genres, focusing on elevating pop music with strings.
  • question
    What is string arranging?
    answer
    String arranging involves composing the part for string instruments within a musical piece, enhancing the overall emotional impact of the music.
  • question
    How did Harley Eblen start his music career?
    answer
    Harley began his music journey inspired by his Hawaiian roots, starting with violin and eventually focusing on the cello.
transcriptPublished
false
draft
false

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