Philly soul

History and character

Philly soul (or the "Philadelphia sound") was born in Philadelphia between the late 1960s and the 1970s. Its architects are the songwriter-producers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff (with the label Philadelphia International Records, founded in 1971), Thom Bell (often with lyricist Linda Creed) and Bunny Sigler; the studio is Sigma Sound and the studio band is MFSB ("Mother Father Sister Brother"), with the Baker–Harris–Young rhythm section (Ronald Baker on bass, Norman Harris on guitar, Earl Young on drums, who also recorded as The Trammps), Vince Montana's vibraphone, and the strings and horns of musicians from the city orchestra.

Artists and songs: The Delfonics ("La-La (Means I Love You)", 1968, with Thom Bell), The O'Jays ("Back Stabbers" and "Love Train", 1972), Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes with Teddy Pendergrass ("If You Don't Know Me by Now", 1972; "The Love I Lost", 1973), Billy Paul ("Me and Mrs. Jones", 1972), The Spinners and The Stylistics (with Thom Bell), The Three Degrees, MFSB ("TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)", 1974, theme of Soul Train), McFadden & Whitehead ("Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now", 1979). David Bowie also recorded part of Young Americans (1975) at Sigma Sound.

The aesthetic: it combines the rhythm section of 1960s R&B with the pop vocal tradition, with lush orchestral arrangements (strings, horns, vibraphone, sometimes French horn, oboe and electric sitar), jazz influence in the harmonies and a maniacal attention to sound: for this reason it is often called a "producers' genre". Fred Wesley described it as "putting a bow tie on funk". The dance groove of Earl Young and MFSB lays the foundations of disco; the first commercial 12" ("Ten Percent" by Double Exposure, 1976, Salsoul) comes out of this environment.

Scales and keys

Major (Ionian) with jazz extensions

• Formula: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 — T T S T T T S. On F: F G A Bb C D E.
• Characteristic note: the major 7 (E) and the 9 (G) in maj9 chords: sweetness and luxury.
• Diatonic chords: Fmaj7 (I), Gm7 (ii7), Am7 (iii7), Bbmaj7 (IV), C7 (V7), Dm7 (vi7), Eø7 (viiø7).
• Use: melodies of ballads and dance anthems (Love Train), string lines in thirds and sixths.
• Real-world example: The Stylistics — You Make Me Feel Brand New; The Three Degrees — When Will I See You Again.

Dorian

• Formula: 1 2 b3 4 5 6 b7. On D: D E F G A B C. Characteristic note: major 6 (B).
• Chords: Dm7 (i7), Em7, Fmaj7, G7 (IV7), Am7, Bø7, Cmaj7.
• Use: minor groove of "social" and dance songs (Back Stabbers, TSOP) over i7–IV7 or i7–ii7.
• Common mistakes: voicings with the b6 in the horns, which removes the Dorian color.

Aeolian with touches of harmonic minor

• Aeolian on A: A B C D E F G. Harmonic: A B C D E F G# (over E7).
• Use: dramatic intros, bridges, descending string lines (A G F E) toward the dominant.

Major and minor pentatonic

• Major on F: F G A C D. Minor on D: D F G A C (the same notes).
• Use: vocal melismas (Teddy Pendergrass, Russell Thompkins Jr. in falsetto), guitar fills.

Chromatic scale and approaches

The arrangers use many chromatic approaches in the strings and horns (chromatic passing notes between two chord tones) and bass lines with chromaticism.

How to choose

Harmony

Harmonic function

Tonal and rich harmony: ii–V–I, secondary dominants, major seventh and ninth chords, jazz substitutions, modulations. Thom Bell writes almost standard-like progressions (passing diminished chords, inversions, chromatic bass); Gamble & Huff alternate Dorian vamps (for dancing) and tonal songs.

Typical elements

• ii7–V7–Imaj7 and iii7–vi7–ii7–V7 (chains of fifths).
• IV/V and V7sus4 before the dominant.
• Passing diminished chords (#iv°7, #i°7).
• Modulations up a half step or a whole step, even mid-song.
• Major seventh chords on IV and I alternating (Imaj7–IVmaj7).

Voicing and orchestration

• Strings: violins in the high octave on the melody or in countermelody, violas and cellos holding thirds and sevenths.
• Horns: trumpet, trombone, sax, French horn in closed harmony.
• Vibraphone doubling the chords in eighth notes or the melody.
• Piano and guitar in light comping; Rhodes in ballads.

Harmonic rhythm

Ballads: 1–2 chords per bar. Dance: 2-chord vamp for 4–8 bars and then a chorus with a cadence.

Typical progressions

Rhythm and groove

Feel

In ballads: eighth notes with light swing, soft backbeat, rubato in the intros. In dance tunes: Earl Young's proto-disco groove, four-on-the-floor kick and open hi-hat on the offbeats, octave bass, Latin percussion. The eighth notes are straight; the hi-hat sixteenth notes are slightly "pushed".

Accents

Backbeat on 2 and 4, open hat on the "&"s, vibraphone and guitar marking the offbeats, strings on long notes that "float" above the groove.

Dynamics

Orchestral crescendo: the intros are often rubato strings or in free tempo, then the groove enters.

Microtiming

A very precise but "soft" rhythm section; the strings enter slightly late for a legato effect.

Drums

Principle

Philly drumming (Earl Young) is elegant and propulsive: in ballads it supports delicately, in dance tunes it invents the disco model (four-on-the-floor kick, open hi-hat on the offbeats, snare on 2 and 4).

Kick

• Dance: quarter notes (pos. 1, 5, 9, 13).
• Ballads: 1 and 3 or 1 and the "&" of 3.

Snare

Backbeat on 2 and 4, round sound with reverb; light ghost notes; in ballads cross-stick in the verses.

Hi-hat

• Dance: closed on sixteenth notes and open on the offbeats (pos. 3, 7, 11, 15), very present in the mix (from 1975 "Bad Luck").
• Ballads: soft eighth notes or triplets.

Percussion

Congas and bongos (Larry Washington), tambourine on the backbeat, cowbell; vibraphone as a rhythmic instrument.

Dynamics and velocity

Constant in dance tunes; more expressive in ballads (crescendo toward the chorus).

Interaction

Octave bass and four-on-the-floor kick; guitar in light sixteenth notes (Norman Harris) and vibraphone on the offbeats; the strings must never cover the backbeat.

Sections

Orchestral intro; verse with a light groove; chorus with cymbals and percussion; percussive break in dance tunes; long outro with ad-libs.

Fills

Short, on snare and toms, often in straight sixteenth notes before the chorus.

Sounds

Kit tuned medium, snare with chamber, bright cymbals, soft kick; clean 1970s studio recording (Sigma Sound).

Typical mistakes

Drums that are too aggressive, hi-hat with no dynamics, a house kick, forgotten percussion.

Bass

Sound

Electric bass (Ronald Baker), round and present sound, flatwound or roundwound strings, recorded clean.

Notes

Octaves in dance tunes; melodic lines with chromatic approaches in ballads; root on the changes, passing tones toward the next bass note.

Relationship with the kick

In unison on the one; the high octaves on the offbeats (with the open hat).

Rhythm

Syncopated eighth and sixteenth notes; many notes but played with soft dynamics.

Harmonic instruments

• Strings (violins, violas, cellos): the genre's signature; countermelodies, pads, stabs and glissandi.
• Horns: trumpet, trombone, sax, French horn (Thom Bell), stabs and lines in harmony.
• Vibraphone (Vince Montana): doublings, chords in eighth notes.
• Guitar: comping in light sixteenth notes, wah, sometimes electric sitar (Thom Bell).
• Piano and Rhodes: comping and intros.
• Oboe, flute, timpani, glockenspiel in the orchestral arrangements.

Melody and vocals

Lead vocal

Two models: the powerful baritone of Teddy Pendergrass and Eddie Levert (O'Jays), with gospel shouts, and the falsetto of Russell Thompkins Jr. (Stylistics) and William Hart (Delfonics). Long melodies, rich in passing notes, with expressive leaps.

Backing vocals

Vocal groups in 3–5 part harmony, answers to the hook, sustained "oohs" and "aahs"; female voices (The Sweethearts of Sigma) in the dance choruses.

Ad-libs

Pendergrass and Levert improvise the outros with shouts and spoken phrases.

Effects

Plate and chamber, long reverbs on ballads, light doubles.

Instruments

• Drums, congas, bongos, tambourine, cowbell
• Electric bass
• Electric guitar (also electric sitar)
• Piano, Rhodes, organ
• Vibraphone, glockenspiel
• Strings (full section), harp
• Horns: trumpets, trombones, sax, French horn, oboe, flute
• Timpani
• Lead vocal and vocal group

Drum patterns

Synths and sounds

• Augmented Strings — Philly strings: Legato string section with medium attack, high octaves and countermelodies; hall 2 s.
• Stage-73 V — Rhodes: Thom Bell ballads: maj9 and m9 in tight inversions, slow tremolo.
• Piano V — Piano: Intros and comping; a bit of compression to sit under the strings.
• Solina V — String machine: For budget modern reinterpretations or layered under real strings.
• B-3 V — Organ: Light gospel pad under the choruses (drawbars 008800000).

Song structure

Ballad

Orchestral intro 4–8 (often in free tempo) – Verse 1 (8–16) – Chorus (8) – Verse 2 – Chorus – Bridge (8) with modulation – Chorus ×2 – Outro with ad-libs. 3:30–6:00.

Philly dance

Intro with groove (8–16) – Verse (16) – Chorus (8–16) – Percussive or instrumental break (8–16) – Verse – Chorus – Long outro (16–32). 4:00–7:00, longer 12" versions.

Arrangement

Verse: rhythm section + vibraphone + sustained strings. Chorus: strings in countermelody, horns, backing vocals. Bridge: harmonic change with strings up front. Outro: ad-libs and horns.

Mixing and mastering

Sonic goal

A "luxury" sound: clean rhythm section, wide silky strings, golden horns, warm and central vocal, depth (vocal and rhythm in front, strings behind). The reference is the 1970s Sigma Sound sound: soft upper mids, full but not extended bass. Indicative loudness: −14/−11 integrated LUFS for the classic style, −10/−9 for modern productions in the style.

Kick

HP 40 Hz; 70–90 Hz +2 dB; 300 Hz −2/−3 dB; 2 kHz +1 dB; compression 3:1 2–3 dB. Center.

Snare

HP 100 Hz; 200 Hz +1/+2 dB; 4 kHz +1/+2 dB; compression 3–4 dB; plate 1.3–1.8 s pre-delay 15 ms (filtered return HP 200 LP 7 kHz).

Hi-hat and percussion

Hi-hat HP 300 Hz, +2 dB at 10 kHz, pan 20–30%; congas and bongos 40–60% L/R, short room; tambourine opposite the hat.

Bass

HP 35 Hz; 80 Hz +2 dB; 800 Hz +1/+2 dB; opto 4 dB. Center, mono.

Strings

• EQ: HP 150–200 Hz; cut 300–500 Hz (−2 dB) to clean up; moderate presence 2–3 kHz; air 10–14 kHz (+2 dB).
• Compression: light (2 dB, slow opto) or none; volume automation.
• Space: hall 2–2.8 s, pre-delay 30–50 ms; violins 60–100% wide, violas 30–50%, cellos 20–40% opposite.

Horns

HP 120 Hz (French horn 60–80 Hz), presence 1.5–3 kHz, bus compression 2–3 dB, plate 1.5 s; fanned-out pan.

Vibraphone, guitar, piano

• Vibraphone: HP 150 Hz, 3–5 kHz for the attack, plate; pan 20–40%.
• Guitar: HP 150 Hz, compression 3 dB, pan opposite the vibraphone; wah as an insert.
• Piano/Rhodes: HP 80 Hz, cut 400 Hz, moderate stereo.

Lead vocal

HP 80 Hz; cut 250 Hz; presence 3 kHz (+2 dB); air 12 kHz (+1 dB); de-esser 6–7 kHz; 1176 (3–5 dB) + LA-2A (3 dB); plate 1.5–2 s pre-delay 50 ms, filtered quarter-note delay on the throws. Automation for the passages between whisper and shout.

Backing vocals

HP 150 Hz, compression 5–6 dB, wide, reverb longer than the lead vocal; darker EQ (−2 dB at 3–4 kHz).

FX

Hall for strings and backing vocals, plate for vocal and snare, short chamber for percussion.

Buses and groups

Rhythm bus (2–3 dB), string bus (1–2 dB, tape), horn bus (2 dB), vocal bus (2 dB). Tape on the mix.

Sidechain

None; possibly dynamic ducking of the strings from the voice (1–2 dB at 1–3 kHz).

Master

Chain: soft EQ (Pultec: +1 dB at 100 Hz, +1 dB at 12 kHz with attenuation at 20 kHz) – bus compressor 2:1 1–2 dB – tape – limiter. Target −13/−11 integrated LUFS (vintage), −10/−9 (modern), true peak −1 dBTP.

Common mistakes

Strings too far forward that cover the vocal, strings squeezed into the center, too much compression that removes the elegance, harsh digital highs on the strings, "punchy" modern drums.

Reference tracks for the mix

The O'Jays — Love Train; Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes — If You Don't Know Me by Now; The Stylistics — You Make Me Feel Brand New; MFSB — TSOP; Teddy Pendergrass — Close the Door.

Reference listening

• The Delfonics — La-La (Means I Love You) (1968)
• The O'Jays — Back Stabbers (1972)
• Billy Paul — Me and Mrs. Jones (1972)
• The O'Jays — Love Train (1972)
• Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes — If You Don't Know Me by Now (1972)
• The Spinners — Could It Be I'm Falling in Love (1972)
• MFSB feat. The Three Degrees — TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia) (1974)
• The Stylistics — You Make Me Feel Brand New (1974)
• Teddy Pendergrass — Close the Door (1978)
• McFadden & Whitehead — Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now (1979)