The Human Instrument

Celebrating the most powerful of all instruments--the human voice--the third episode of Soundbreaking surveys the range of ingredients that go into a perfect vocal track. At once the most fundamental component of a song and the most challenging to capture, the vocal track is the product of a complex collaboration between performer, producer, and sound engineer--a titrate of artistic commitment, compelling concept, and technical wizardry that, at its best, turns a lyric into the soul of the song. Featuring rare studio footage of some the world's most renowned vocalists--from blues divas to suave crooners to rock star screamers--the show considers the gamut of tricks and techniques that can both enhance and alter the human voice, and explores the ineffable emotional quality that makes a vocal track truly great.

Guest Stars (31)

Annie Lennox as Self

Todd Boyd as Self

Don Was as Self

Paul Epworth as Self

Roger Waters as Self

Peter Asher as Self

Adam Horovitz as Self

Eric Clapton as Self

George Martin as Self

Warren Zanes as Self

Lindsey Buckingham as Self

Justin Vernon as Self

Robin Gibb as Self

Bonnie Raitt as Self

Gary Giddins as Self

Clive Davis as Self

Chris Albertson as Self

Ben Harper as Self

Mark Ronson as Self

Felix Cavaliere as Self

Connie Smith as Self

Debbie Harry as Self

Dee Dee Bridgewater as Self

Roger Daltrey as self

Suzanne Vega as Self

Linda Perry as Self

George Massenburg as Self

Smokey Robinson as Self

Imogen Heap as Self

The-Dream as Self

Nile Rodgers as Self