As AWESOME as this performance is, I think their vid with the combo of Homura + Akatsuki No Ito would be more up your alley. (A lot more cool guitar!). You really can't go wrong with any Wagakki Band, GREAT show band! 🤘🤩🤘
About Wagakki Band's musical instruments "WA" means Japan. "GAKKI" is a musical instrument. (1) "KOTO" (a large, flat instrument of about 6 feet) The ancestors of "KOTO" came to Japan from China about 1300 years ago. The body is made of paulownia wood. A wavy groove is carved on the back side of the body, and the sound echoes. KOGTO strings are made of silk thread and are played with fingers with claws called "Kotozume". Band member IBUKURO uses the maximum size of 25 strings, KOTO. He uses two KOTOs with different tunings. He chooses and uses two KOTOs for some songs. (2) "Shamisen" (instrument like a banjo) Generally, the "shamisen" is used as an accompaniment instrument for quiet and light songs. (Current ballads, songs like light pop) However, band member Beni plays a special shamisen called "Tsugaru shamisen". The types and playing methods of "shamisen" are evolving in various styles nationwide. Among them, "Tsugaru Shamisen" is characterized by its fast and powerful sound and unique playing technique. This style is due to the fact that the Tsugaru shamisen was born in the extremely cold region of northern Japan (Tsugaru: place name). Once upon a time, visually impaired people lived in the harsh natural environment of Tsugaru. They earned cash by providing their customers with songs and shamisen performances. They have created a unique musical style to save their lives. It can be said to be an instrument with a sad history. (3) "Wadaiko" (drums) "WA (Japan)" + "TAIKO (drums)" = "WATAIKO". And the pronunciation changes from "Wataiko" to "Wadaiko". Like the shamisen, "Wadaiko" has evolved uniquely in various parts of Japan, and there are various ways to play it. (4) "Shakuhachi" (bamboo flute) Until 60 to 70 years ago, length units such as "shaku" and "sun" were used in Japan. (The pronunciation of "sun" is a shortened version of "soon".) 1-shaku = 30.3cm. 1-sun = 3.03 cm. "Hachi" = "eight". The average length of "shakuhachi" is "1-shaku and 8-sun (about 56cm)". The "shaku and 8" part is now the name of the instrument. The shakuhachi is made from bamboo grown in nature. In other words, it's a simple instrument with a hole in the bamboo. However, it is said that it is very difficult to learn because of its simple structure. There is an interesting sentence about the shakuhachi practice. "Kubifuri-3nen, colo-8nen". this means: "It takes three years to train to move the neck and head well to control the strength of the sound," and "it takes eight years to train the fingers to make a good sound." ----------------------------------------- From Japan * Sentences using the translation app. I hope that the intention is conveyed correctly.
@@JbfMusicGuitar FYI, Band-Maid (a.k.a. Band-Maiko) used a shamisen in "Secret Maiko Lips". MISA is shown holding one during the MV: th-cam.com/video/NNHGABwme50/w-d-xo.html
This was the second time that Wagakki Band co-starred with the orchestra. Yuko Suzuhana（vo） has long had a sense of crisis about the decline of Japanese classical performing arts. From her desire to "disseminate Japanese classical performing arts to the world with a more pop feeling," she recruited her members and formed the "Wagakki Band." Their music video for "Senbonzakura", which is included in their first album "Vocalo Zanmai", has attracted attention from all over the world and is currently being played 140 million times. Please note that they transferred from Avex to Universal Music in June 2019, so if you pick up Avex-owned music videos other than live footage as they are, they will definitely be blocked.
The Scottish pronounciation of Wagakki ('traditional instruments) sounds correct! As was your pronounciation of the Shakuhachi, which is apparently a notoriously difficult instrument to get a sound from, let alone play. Wagakki Band don't usually have a full orchestra accompanying them (probably as there's usually enough of them on stage to fill it anyway!). The 3 string lute with the wallpaper stripper plectrum is a Shamisen and its player, Beni, can shred really well with it. For that, though, you need to see just the band play, as they mix Metal guitars with the shakuhachi, shamisen and koto. Their live performance of two songs that segue into one is one of the best - 'Homura + Akatsuki no Ito from their 2015 Japan tour. th-cam.com/video/ponTbDDMYjw/w-d-xo.html
Ah my dad used to listen to Salsa Celtica, and now I listen to Wagakki Band haha! Your knowledge was really good to hear, I'd love it if you listened to more wagakki! Though this concert is fantastic, I think they turned the more rock instruments down somewhat in the mix, so I'd love if you'd listen to some Wagakki without the orchestra too
Cool, thanks! Yeah, I'm well up for more of this orchestral stuff and I've recommend a few more guitar centric songs, so have a few more in the pipeline. Also, I'm glad at else one other person knows of Salsa Celtica!
vocalist yuko not only sings on top level. she also dances with fans and swords, plays piano on pro level, is a composer and is their bandleader (after nine years all original eight members are onboard, that speaks for itself). I´m a fan of guitarist machiya. he is one of the rare of his extraordinary class, who is a teamplayer. and has always those beautiful sago guitars. most reactors begin with "homura" + "akatsuki no ito" from their 2015 tour, cause it´s fantastic. I would like to see another reaction to them and recommend their Kyoukasuigetsu + Tsukini sakebuyoru from their react tour 2019, because it´s equally good, a bit heavier and has a sword dance from yuko.
glad you found WagakkiBand. Been gobsmacked by them for a little over a year or so now. Not quite as "every day playlist" as Band Maid and Lovebites or even the Warning (ok, not Japanese but MEH), but top 10 of the bands I've encountered in the last 5 years.
Your pronunciations aren't that bad. Wagakki means "Japanese musical instrument." When you see a double consonant in a transliteration from Japanese, that indicates a kind of a stop/pause immediately prior to that consonant. So, think of it as "waga-ki" with a slight break before the last syllable. Japanese doesn't have stressed syllables like most European languages. There is pitch accent, but that's a different thing. Your pronunciation of Senbonzakura was pretty good, too. It means 1000 Cherry Blossoms. I met the lead singer, koto player and shakuhachi player at an anime convention here in Atlanta in 2018, I believe. They were very nice and complimented my terrible Japanese speaking ability.
That's really cool, I'll try to file away that double consonant thing in my memory banks! Sakura being cherry blossom is one of the only words I know, think it was from some other album I had. so I'd guess Senbon it 1000? That's awesome, I'm sure they were pretty stoked that you gave it a go, always nice to try ad make the effort like that!
@@JbfMusicGuitar Sen is 1000. Japanese has a system of "counters" in the language to indicate what type of thing is being enumerated. Sennin would be 1000 people, for example, using the kanji 千人. Senbon uses the counter 千本 which is used for long, skinny things like the branches upon which blossoms are found (it is also used for things with a start and end, which is more likely why it is used for blossoms). There are literally hundreds of counters that apply to different things and have different pronunciations.
About the title "Senbonzakura" Japanese pronunciation .... In Japanese nouns, it is common to connect multiple words in series to create a new noun. (Similar shapes are often found in German) "Senbon zakura" is a word that connects the words "Senbon (meaning 1000)" + "Sakura (meaning cherry blossoms)". If you simply connect these two, it will be "Senbon Sakura". It changes to "Senbonzakura" as a Japanese pronunciation habit. Therefore, the pronunciation will be closer to the correct voice if you pronounce it with the feeling of adding a small space between "Senbon" and "zakura". Similarly, when pronouncing "Wagakki band" ..... It is a noun that combines the two words "WA (= meaning Japan)" and "GAKKI (= meaning musical instrument)". Therefore, if you pronounce "Wagaki" in succession as a single word, the Japanese may react to "What?". If you pronounce it with the feeling of adding a small space between "WA" and "GAKKI", it will be closer to an accurate voice. The pronunciation of the "GAKKI" part is ... If you lightly connect "ki" to the pronunciation of the first part of the English word "guts", it will be closer to Japanese pronunciation. (It feels like "Gut's + ki") Meaning of a thousand cherry blossoms .... It is not a real number of 1000, but a word that expresses the feeling of "a lot of cherry blossoms that cannot be counted". The Japanese are known as people who love cherry blossoms. Events are held at many cherry blossom viewing spots in the spring. At the event, catchphrases such as "**** town senbonzakura" are often used. -------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------- - from Japan * This is a sentence using a translation app. I hope that the intention is conveyed correctly.
[Wagakki Band will take an indefinite hiatus by the end of this year, marking the 10th anniversary of their debut] Suzuka-san is married, has a baby, and is busy raising children, but each of them has their own place, and I think that's the basics.This is how legendary bands are born. Hey, I'd be happy if there was a reorganization someday.
@@JbfMusicGuitar I made the same mistake when I first saw ASA. It's the androgynous visual kei look. I was floored when I learned that HIZAKI, lead guitarist of the visual kei band "Versaille", was a guy. I have trouble believing it even now.
@@JbfMusicGuitar I'm sure you would enjoy Hizaki's guitar playing. He is a beast. And he has solo projects as well. Rusalka might be a cool song to start with.
This is from WagakkiBand Premium Symphonic Night Vol.2 Live & Orchestra in Osaka-Jo Hall February 2020. One nigh show only. The acoustics in Osaka-Jo Hall are very suitable for orchestras, so they held the concert there even though the WGB is in Tokyo. Evanescence vocalist Amy Lee joined WagakkiBand as a special guest. The song before this they performed "Bring me to life" with Amy Lee. This song is about the westernization of Japan, which happened during the Meiji Restoration. Despite having an upbeat, oriental track, the song contains rather dark themes, mentioning guillotines and ICBMs. In addition, the lyrics state things such as "Songs of lament go unheard" and "This is a banquet insiade a steel jail cell". This song was also the last before the encore. The song is taken from Vocaloid so it is actually a cover by Hatsune Miku .. WGB constantly puts together big shows, One of Japan's most popular bands at the moment. Everyone is professional on their instruments, All songs are good, no one is equal, Metal, rock, jazz, ballads, funny songs, sad songs, etc. Wa = japanese, Gakki = musical instrument WGB is an 8 piece band: Yuko Suzuhana - Shigin, vocals (Founder of WGB) Machiya - guitar, vocals (Arrangement) Beni Ninagawa - tsugaru shamisen (Three strings (guitar looks like)) Kiyoshi Ibukuro - koto (Japanese National Instrument) Asa - bass Daisuke Kaminaga - Shakuhachi (Bamboo Flute) Wasabi - drums Kurona - wadaiko, Taiko (Traditional Drums) Machiya usually plays a Sago guitar, it's a 33 "scale baritone with 29 frets tuned BEADF # B, if you capo at the 5th fret it becomes a 25.5" scale guitar in standard E tuning. He uses baritone to not drown out the traditional instruments so easily. He is also the one who has the last word. Recommends "Hakushu Kassai" from Daishinnenkai 2018 Great reaction by the way 👍
To add a bit more, Yuko, Kiyoshi, and Daisuke have another three piece group called Hanafugetsu that is koto, shakuhachi, piano and vocals. I believe this group existed before Yuko came up with the idea for Wagakki Band and recruited the other members.
A wonderful band of superb musicians. My favourite is the lovely Beni who can shred a samisen and look look a million dollars. Singer and originator Susanna is pure genius.
Fantastic!. This band is a wonder and a pleasure for the eyes and ears. Glad you like them. The guitarist name is Machiya and he is a virtuoso. A common MV to listen to from this band is the song combo Homura + Akatsuki no Ito (live in 2015). The first composition (Homura) is by Machiya and in it you can find very interesting licks. Great job as always Jack!
Two clips from Machiya playing Sago: th-cam.com/video/_wzaTMbtAtw/w-d-xo.html th-cam.com/video/ZJueqs5HEmw/w-d-xo.html I believe he mostly plays that 7-string Shigure nowadays (like here in Senbonzakura) someone correct me if I'm wrong. As for song...Hangeki no yaiba (with cc/lyrics) has some hefty live-action. th-cam.com/video/WSQ7z-dbbKs/w-d-xo.html
Not too sure who reached out to who for the collaboration. Amy learned Senbonzakura which is arguably Wagakki Band rise to fame and they in turn performed Bring me to life with her in a beautifully epic rendition. I am not going to link that, I am sure others have or will. What I am linking is behind the scenes from her trip. How great is it to see music binding people together, across continents, languages and though a long time ago, past historic troubles. th-cam.com/video/za3oN79qkPo/w-d-xo.html
To piggy-back off this comment a little: Amy Lee actually fell in love with them and reached out to Suzuhana Yuko to see if Wagakki Band would open for her in a concert in LA back in 2015. Since then, Yuko and Amy kept in touch, and this concert was them reconnecting. I know someone linked the Bring Me to Life cover they did in the same concert. Yuko and Amy then collaborated during the pandemic and wrote Sakura Rising, another song/video you should check out.
Beni Ninagawa is my favorite on Shamisen. She is world class, former model and just a sweetheart............okay I'm smitten with Beni. They did "Bring Me To Life" with Amy at this concert too.too.
I think you'll appreciate reacting to th-cam.com/video/3wyDFmR3N_0/w-d-xo.html - just the guitar, shamisen and koto during a Wagakki Band concert, so more along your line. And, yes, you pronounced shakuhachi correctly.
Great breakdown, as always! I'm glad you finally discovered Wagakki. You mentioned a band that incorporates traditional Scottish music into its sound, so now more than ever you need to do a deep dive into Big Country! Check out its epic album, "The Crossing". Also, regarding the glass wall surrounding the drums, years ago I had seen that used during a symphony concert thing that Belanova performed (th-cam.com/video/2-vzn6AW-gU/w-d-xo.html), and wondered what was up with that, so thanks for explaining. Oh, and did you see my comment I left for you regarding Metallica?
Cheers dude! Yeah, this was awesome! I'm not sure if I've seen that, will have a search for it- doesn't seem to bring anything up, just this comment. The system on TH-cam is a bit of a mess, I can see new comments fairly easily, but replies/conversations get buried in amongst all the notifications.
(Hakushu Kassai) / Dai Shinnenkai 2018 is a live performance that showcases all the musicians individually and as a whole. Not being a musician myself, i cannot explain it accurately, but Wagaki Band blend traditional elements with modern rock sound in a way that sounds perfect and they go in various direction musically, so i think they are worth listening to! Your reaction/analysis always gives an interesting insight to people like me who know very little about musical composition and playing instruments, so thank you for that! Stay safe and keep up wiith your excellent work!
Welcome to the world of Wagakki Band. Here is a friendly advice. Frank Garcia and CCW have a hole collection of brilliant live videos from Wagakki and this videos never got blocked. Chose any song you like they are all great. As a Guitarplayer i would start with "Homura + Akatsuki no ito" live from their first Japan Tour 2015. "Hakushu Kassai", "Ignite" etc etc ... all great songs
Amy Lee and Wagakki Band did Bring Me to Life that same concert. th-cam.com/video/hk1GtYK7BJM/w-d-xo.html Here is a good way to start experiencing Wagakki Band - heavy on the guitar - but they have other styles of music too. th-cam.com/video/ponTbDDMYjw/w-d-xo.html
I'd love to hear your thoughts on this song. I call it a power ballet and that's why i'm wondering what you think about the guitar work. 和楽器バンドWagakki Band：なでしこ桜(Nadeshiko sakura) - REACT tour 2019 (sub. provide): th-cam.com/video/toJNHfrPq84/w-d-xo.html
I think someone already told you by now, but Evanescence hasn't really gone anywhere. They did have 2 or 3 hiatuses though so there are gaps between albums of no major albums (especially between their self-titled album in 2011 and their latest album The Bitter Truth in 2021). Definitely check out their newer music if you haven't yet, it's quite good! If you're checking out Bitter Truth, a few songs I recommend are "Artifact/The Turn" + "Broken Pieces Shine" (It's best to have those songs play together), "Take Cover", and "Blind Belief". All the songs are great on that album in my opinion, but I am biased to be fair lol. As for Wagakki Band, they did do another collaboration with Amy Lee called "Sakura Risng". As for their original songs, I don't really know that many (I need to change this), but I do like "Queen of the Night".
Wagakki Band has numerous different things that are worth listening to. A lot of people are introduced with a video that has Homura followed by Akatsuki no Ito. Recently I've found one that is wonderful that I can't stop listening to which is a combination of Ikusa and Hakushu Kassai which are really cool: th-cam.com/video/Kli0M-dmoeo/w-d-xo.html. It highlights all the different instruments. My favorite is Singin For... but I think there's only a music video for it. I think I saw somebody else mention them performing Bring Me To Life with Amy Lee, which is worth doing, as well as their original song with Amy Lee Sakura Rising, but again it's only a music video that I know of.
@@JbfMusicGuitar Ian Anderson made it a thing to play standing in one foot yoga pose, left foot on right leg. Guy from Wagakki does not hold the pose but watch a bunch of live vids and he throws in the move.
@@JbfMusicGuitar yeah, there are a couple videos of him with it since its a signature series of his. the seed kotetsu from sago guitars. japanese exclusive only
I like Wagakki Band quite a bit, although having bought one of their newer blurays, I can say that not every song is necessarily for me. I absolutely love Senbonzakura though. The first time I noticed the cover for a drummer was in a live dvd/bluray for Septicflesh where they also play with an orchestra (Infernus Sinfonica MMXIX). Completely different style of music (they are Symphonic Death Metal), but also cool to watch in my opinion. Their drummer (Krimh) is a beast, he also has a youtube channel. I believe he basically functioned as the glue between the orchestra and the band. He had a video about the electronics he used to do so, but it has been a while since I watched it so I don't remember the specifics. You can try Septicflesh - Enemy Of Truth (official live video) Infernus Sinfonica MMXIX if you want. The last part of the video is just the frontman talking to the audience though. I will link down in a reply to be sure this comment won't get eaten by youtube.
Yeah, I'm really keen to check out more! That's a really good point as well, it's usually quite tricky to get a more typical 'band' and orchestra to gel as well as this!
When they started, Wagakki Band used to do covers of Vocaloid songs like this one. If you want to see the original by Hatsune Miku (Crypton serial number #01) check her live performance during a Magical Mirai th-cam.com/video/RuAmK4mrpds/w-d-xo.html.
@@JbfMusicGuitar Yes (th-cam.com/video/Mqps4anhz0Q/w-d-xo.html). But, of course, they added traditional japanese instruments, which is their trademark.
Such an amazing talented band. Love everything they do. Great Reaction!😎🤘
Huge thanks mate, love this, gonna check out more!
@@JbfMusicGuitar 😎
As AWESOME as this performance is, I think their vid with the combo of Homura + Akatsuki No Ito would be more up your alley. (A lot more cool guitar!). You really can't go wrong with any Wagakki Band, GREAT show band! 🤘🤩🤘
I'll check it out cheers Dan!
About Wagakki Band's musical instruments
"WA" means Japan. "GAKKI" is a musical instrument.
(1) "KOTO" (a large, flat instrument of about 6 feet)
The ancestors of "KOTO" came to Japan from China about 1300 years ago.
The body is made of paulownia wood. A wavy groove is carved on the back side of the body, and the sound echoes.
KOGTO strings are made of silk thread and are played with fingers with claws called "Kotozume".
Band member IBUKURO uses the maximum size of 25 strings, KOTO. He uses two KOTOs with different tunings. He chooses and uses two KOTOs for some songs.
(2) "Shamisen" (instrument like a banjo)
Generally, the "shamisen" is used as an accompaniment instrument for quiet and light songs. (Current ballads, songs like light pop)
However, band member Beni plays a special shamisen called "Tsugaru shamisen".
The types and playing methods of "shamisen" are evolving in various styles nationwide. Among them, "Tsugaru Shamisen" is characterized by its fast and powerful sound and unique playing technique.
This style is due to the fact that the Tsugaru shamisen was born in the extremely cold region of northern Japan (Tsugaru: place name).
Once upon a time, visually impaired people lived in the harsh natural environment of Tsugaru. They earned cash by providing their customers with songs and shamisen performances. They have created a unique musical style to save their lives. It can be said to be an instrument with a sad history.
(3) "Wadaiko" (drums)
"WA (Japan)" + "TAIKO (drums)" = "WATAIKO". And the pronunciation changes from "Wataiko" to "Wadaiko". Like the shamisen, "Wadaiko" has evolved uniquely in various parts of Japan, and there are various ways to play it.
(4) "Shakuhachi" (bamboo flute)
Until 60 to 70 years ago, length units such as "shaku" and "sun" were used in Japan. (The pronunciation of "sun" is a shortened version of "soon".)
1-shaku = 30.3cm. 1-sun = 3.03 cm. "Hachi" = "eight".
The average length of "shakuhachi" is "1-shaku and 8-sun (about 56cm)". The "shaku and 8" part is now the name of the instrument.
The shakuhachi is made from bamboo grown in nature. In other words, it's a simple instrument with a hole in the bamboo. However, it is said that it is very difficult to learn because of its simple structure.
There is an interesting sentence about the shakuhachi practice.
"Kubifuri-3nen, colo-8nen". this means:
"It takes three years to train to move the neck and head well to control the strength of the sound," and "it takes eight years to train the fingers to make a good sound."
-----------------------------------------
From Japan
* Sentences using the translation app. I hope that the intention is conveyed correctly.
Shamisen! Thank you so much, I'll need to learn more about that instrument. Brilliant translation, made perfect sense to me!
@@JbfMusicGuitar FYI, Band-Maid (a.k.a. Band-Maiko) used a shamisen in "Secret Maiko Lips". MISA is shown holding one during the MV: th-cam.com/video/NNHGABwme50/w-d-xo.html
Great information - easy to know the name, the history is welcome.
@@Rabbi_Rabbs Cool, that's on my watch list, will keep an eye out for it!
koto aka guzheng
This was the second time that Wagakki Band co-starred with the orchestra.
Yuko Suzuhana（vo） has long had a sense of crisis about the decline of Japanese classical performing arts. From her desire to "disseminate Japanese classical performing arts to the world with a more pop feeling," she recruited her members and formed the "Wagakki Band."
Their music video for "Senbonzakura", which is included in their first album "Vocalo Zanmai", has attracted attention from all over the world and is currently being played 140 million times.
Please note that they transferred from Avex to Universal Music in June 2019, so if you pick up Avex-owned music videos other than live footage as they are, they will definitely be blocked.
Very cool to know that, cheers mate!
The Scottish pronounciation of Wagakki ('traditional instruments) sounds correct! As was your pronounciation of the Shakuhachi, which is apparently a notoriously difficult instrument to get a sound from, let alone play. Wagakki Band don't usually have a full orchestra accompanying them (probably as there's usually enough of them on stage to fill it anyway!). The 3 string lute with the wallpaper stripper plectrum is a Shamisen and its player, Beni, can shred really well with it. For that, though, you need to see just the band play, as they mix Metal guitars with the shakuhachi, shamisen and koto. Their live performance of two songs that segue into one is one of the best - 'Homura + Akatsuki no Ito from their 2015 Japan tour. th-cam.com/video/ponTbDDMYjw/w-d-xo.html
Woop! Nice one, Shamisen, I'm gonna have a wee swat up on those, huge thanks Tony!
Ah my dad used to listen to Salsa Celtica, and now I listen to Wagakki Band haha! Your knowledge was really good to hear, I'd love it if you listened to more wagakki! Though this concert is fantastic, I think they turned the more rock instruments down somewhat in the mix, so I'd love if you'd listen to some Wagakki without the orchestra too
Cool, thanks! Yeah, I'm well up for more of this orchestral stuff and I've recommend a few more guitar centric songs, so have a few more in the pipeline. Also, I'm glad at else one other person knows of Salsa Celtica!
vocalist yuko not only sings on top level. she also dances with fans and swords, plays piano on pro level, is a composer and is their bandleader (after nine years all original eight members are onboard, that speaks for itself). I´m a fan of guitarist machiya. he is one of the rare of his extraordinary class, who is a teamplayer. and has always those beautiful sago guitars.
most reactors begin with "homura" + "akatsuki no ito" from their 2015 tour, cause it´s fantastic. I would like to see another reaction to them and recommend their Kyoukasuigetsu + Tsukini sakebuyoru from their react tour 2019, because it´s equally good, a bit heavier and has a sword dance from yuko.
Cheers for that, yeah I'm definitely gonna check out more from these guys!
glad you found WagakkiBand. Been gobsmacked by them for a little over a year or so now. Not quite as "every day playlist" as Band Maid and Lovebites or even the Warning (ok, not Japanese but MEH), but top 10 of the bands I've encountered in the last 5 years.
Going by this, I'm really keen to hear more!
Your pronunciations aren't that bad.
Wagakki means "Japanese musical instrument." When you see a double consonant in a transliteration from Japanese, that indicates a kind of a stop/pause immediately prior to that consonant. So, think of it as "waga-ki" with a slight break before the last syllable. Japanese doesn't have stressed syllables like most European languages. There is pitch accent, but that's a different thing.
Your pronunciation of Senbonzakura was pretty good, too. It means 1000 Cherry Blossoms.
I met the lead singer, koto player and shakuhachi player at an anime convention here in Atlanta in 2018, I believe. They were very nice and complimented my terrible Japanese speaking ability.
That's really cool, I'll try to file away that double consonant thing in my memory banks! Sakura being cherry blossom is one of the only words I know, think it was from some other album I had. so I'd guess Senbon it 1000? That's awesome, I'm sure they were pretty stoked that you gave it a go, always nice to try ad make the effort like that!
@@JbfMusicGuitar Sen is 1000. Japanese has a system of "counters" in the language to indicate what type of thing is being enumerated. Sennin would be 1000 people, for example, using the kanji 千人. Senbon uses the counter 千本 which is used for long, skinny things like the branches upon which blossoms are found (it is also used for things with a start and end, which is more likely why it is used for blossoms). There are literally hundreds of counters that apply to different things and have different pronunciations.
About the title "Senbonzakura"
Japanese pronunciation ....
In Japanese nouns, it is common to connect multiple words in series to create a new noun. (Similar shapes are often found in German)
"Senbon zakura" is a word that connects the words "Senbon (meaning 1000)" + "Sakura (meaning cherry blossoms)". If you simply connect these two, it will be "Senbon Sakura". It changes to "Senbonzakura" as a Japanese pronunciation habit.
Therefore, the pronunciation will be closer to the correct voice if you pronounce it with the feeling of adding a small space between "Senbon" and "zakura".
Similarly, when pronouncing "Wagakki band" .....
It is a noun that combines the two words "WA (= meaning Japan)" and "GAKKI (= meaning musical instrument)".
Therefore, if you pronounce "Wagaki" in succession as a single word, the Japanese may react to "What?". If you pronounce it with the feeling of adding a small space between "WA" and "GAKKI", it will be closer to an accurate voice. The pronunciation of the "GAKKI" part is ...
If you lightly connect "ki" to the pronunciation of the first part of the English word "guts", it will be closer to Japanese pronunciation. (It feels like "Gut's + ki")
Meaning of a thousand cherry blossoms ....
It is not a real number of 1000, but a word that expresses the feeling of "a lot of cherry blossoms that cannot be counted".
The Japanese are known as people who love cherry blossoms. Events are held at many cherry blossom viewing spots in the spring. At the event, catchphrases such as "**** town senbonzakura" are often used.
-------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------- -
from Japan
* This is a sentence using a translation app. I hope that the intention is conveyed correctly.
Just like a German compound noun, thanks for clearing that up! Brilliant!
[Wagakki Band will take an indefinite hiatus by the end of this year, marking the 10th anniversary of their debut]
Suzuka-san is married, has a baby, and is busy raising children, but each of them has their own place, and I think that's the basics.This is how legendary bands are born. Hey, I'd be happy if there was a reorganization someday.
Beni Beni Beni! by the way the only correction I have is the Bass player is a GUY "ASA"
Ah balls, cheers for correcting me mate!
@@JbfMusicGuitar I made the same mistake when I first saw ASA. It's the androgynous visual kei look. I was floored when I learned that HIZAKI, lead guitarist of the visual kei band "Versaille", was a guy. I have trouble believing it even now.
@@johnmatthew102 That's a good shout, I handn't made the connection with visual kei, but that makes a tonne of sense!
@@JbfMusicGuitar I'm sure you would enjoy Hizaki's guitar playing. He is a beast. And he has solo projects as well. Rusalka might be a cool song to start with.
This is from WagakkiBand Premium Symphonic Night Vol.2 Live & Orchestra in Osaka-Jo Hall February 2020. One nigh show only. The acoustics in Osaka-Jo Hall are very suitable for orchestras, so they held the concert there even though the WGB is in Tokyo.
Evanescence vocalist Amy Lee joined WagakkiBand as a special guest. The song before this they performed "Bring me to life" with Amy Lee.
This song is about the westernization of Japan, which happened during the Meiji Restoration. Despite having an upbeat, oriental track, the song contains rather dark themes, mentioning guillotines and ICBMs. In addition, the lyrics state things such as "Songs of lament go unheard" and "This is a banquet insiade a steel jail cell". This song was also the last before the encore. The song is taken from Vocaloid so it is actually a cover by Hatsune Miku ..
WGB constantly puts together big shows, One of Japan's most popular bands at the moment. Everyone is professional on their instruments, All songs are good, no one is equal, Metal, rock, jazz, ballads, funny songs, sad songs, etc.
Wa = japanese, Gakki = musical instrument
WGB is an 8 piece band:
Yuko Suzuhana - Shigin, vocals (Founder of WGB)
Machiya - guitar, vocals (Arrangement)
Beni Ninagawa - tsugaru shamisen (Three strings (guitar looks like))
Kiyoshi Ibukuro - koto (Japanese National Instrument)
Asa - bass
Daisuke Kaminaga - Shakuhachi (Bamboo Flute)
Wasabi - drums
Kurona - wadaiko, Taiko (Traditional Drums)
Machiya usually plays a Sago guitar, it's a 33 "scale baritone with 29 frets tuned BEADF # B, if you capo at the 5th fret it becomes a 25.5" scale guitar in standard E tuning. He uses baritone to not drown out the traditional instruments so easily. He is also the one who has the last word.
Recommends "Hakushu Kassai" from Daishinnenkai 2018
Great reaction by the way 👍
Oh wow, that's so fascinating, thank you so much for sharing that! I didn't even notice the baritone guitar, well spotted, cheers bud!
To add a bit more, Yuko, Kiyoshi, and Daisuke have another three piece group called Hanafugetsu that is koto, shakuhachi, piano and vocals. I believe this group existed before Yuko came up with the idea for Wagakki Band and recruited the other members.
Hakushu Kassai is amazing. I love that song. It truly showcases their musicianship.
A wonderful band of superb musicians. My favourite is the lovely Beni who can shred a samisen and look look a million dollars. Singer and originator Susanna is pure genius.
Looks like they're all having a blast as well, infectiously endearing!
Now you need to review Homura by them! It really showcases every instrument: th-cam.com/video/ponTbDDMYjw/w-d-xo.html.
Sounds good!
Fantastic!. This band is a wonder and a pleasure for the eyes and ears. Glad you like them. The guitarist name is Machiya and he is a virtuoso. A common MV to listen to from this band is the song combo Homura + Akatsuki no Ito (live in 2015). The first composition (Homura) is by Machiya and in it you can find very interesting licks. Great job as always Jack!
Nice one, cheers for the suggestion dude, will give that one a watch!
Two clips from Machiya playing Sago:
th-cam.com/video/_wzaTMbtAtw/w-d-xo.html
th-cam.com/video/ZJueqs5HEmw/w-d-xo.html
I believe he mostly plays that 7-string Shigure nowadays (like here in Senbonzakura)
someone correct me if I'm wrong.
As for song...Hangeki no yaiba (with cc/lyrics) has some hefty live-action.
th-cam.com/video/WSQ7z-dbbKs/w-d-xo.html
Awesome, cheers for those!
Not too sure who reached out to who for the collaboration. Amy learned Senbonzakura which is arguably Wagakki Band rise to fame and they in turn performed Bring me to life with her in a beautifully epic rendition. I am not going to link that, I am sure others have or will. What I am linking is behind the scenes from her trip. How great is it to see music binding people together, across continents, languages and though a long time ago, past historic troubles. th-cam.com/video/za3oN79qkPo/w-d-xo.html
Super cool that she could help give them that extra pop! Yeah, I really need to check out that cover
To piggy-back off this comment a little: Amy Lee actually fell in love with them and reached out to Suzuhana Yuko to see if Wagakki Band would open for her in a concert in LA back in 2015. Since then, Yuko and Amy kept in touch, and this concert was them reconnecting. I know someone linked the Bring Me to Life cover they did in the same concert.
Yuko and Amy then collaborated during the pandemic and wrote Sakura Rising, another song/video you should check out.
@@geromyre Nice one, cheers for that!
Beni Ninagawa is my favorite on Shamisen. She is world class, former model and just a sweetheart............okay I'm smitten with Beni. They did "Bring Me To Life" with Amy at this concert too.too.
Been on a wee Shamisen binge, such a cool sound!
@@JbfMusicGuitar Sure is, very banjoesque….Lol! Dig into Beni’s credentials, you’ll see how badass she really is. Cheers.
I think you'll appreciate reacting to th-cam.com/video/3wyDFmR3N_0/w-d-xo.html - just the guitar, shamisen and koto during a Wagakki Band concert, so more along your line.
And, yes, you pronounced shakuhachi correctly.
Nice one, cheers Peter!
Ah, Tomodachi Ninarouyo. I really love this one! Such a beautiful performance by 3 instruments (Koto, Shamisen, Guitar)
Great breakdown, as always! I'm glad you finally discovered Wagakki. You mentioned a band that incorporates traditional Scottish music into its sound, so now more than ever you need to do a deep dive into Big Country! Check out its epic album, "The Crossing".
Also, regarding the glass wall surrounding the drums, years ago I had seen that used during a symphony concert thing that Belanova performed (th-cam.com/video/2-vzn6AW-gU/w-d-xo.html), and wondered what was up with that, so thanks for explaining.
Oh, and did you see my comment I left for you regarding Metallica?
Cheers dude! Yeah, this was awesome! I'm not sure if I've seen that, will have a search for it- doesn't seem to bring anything up, just this comment. The system on TH-cam is a bit of a mess, I can see new comments fairly easily, but replies/conversations get buried in amongst all the notifications.
(Hakushu Kassai) / Dai Shinnenkai 2018 is a live performance that showcases all the musicians individually and as a whole. Not being a musician myself, i cannot explain it accurately, but Wagaki Band blend traditional elements with modern rock sound in a way that sounds perfect and they go in various direction musically, so i think they are worth listening to! Your reaction/analysis always gives an interesting insight to people like me who know very little about musical composition and playing instruments, so thank you for that! Stay safe and keep up wiith your excellent work!
Brilliant! Really great to hear that, yeah totally keen to check out more from these guys!
Welcome to the world of Wagakki Band. Here is a friendly advice. Frank Garcia and CCW have a hole collection of brilliant live videos from Wagakki and this videos never got blocked. Chose any song you like they are all great. As a Guitarplayer i would start with "Homura + Akatsuki no ito" live from their first Japan Tour 2015. "Hakushu Kassai", "Ignite" etc etc ... all great songs
Cool, thanks so much! It's a total pain when this stuff get blocked, appreciate the tip dude!
guitaristの方なら、町屋さんのソロ多い動画とかも見てほしいです、焔とかも
Thank you! I will make a note of that song!
Amy Lee and Wagakki Band did Bring Me to Life that same concert.
th-cam.com/video/hk1GtYK7BJM/w-d-xo.html
Here is a good way to start experiencing Wagakki Band - heavy on the guitar - but they have other styles of music too.
th-cam.com/video/ponTbDDMYjw/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for the links, will make a note of them!
Best-informed commentary I've seen regarding the stagecraft and guitar...
Cheers mate, there's a tonne of stuff that goes in to a show like this, very easy to overlook!
the fan is part of the singer, Yuko Suzuhanna s, kenbu( japanese sword dancing) routine...
コンバンワ😊
エイミーリーさんは懐かしいですねー😊
私のような日本人🇯🇵も和楽器バンドは、愛してますよ、😊
これほどのプロフェッショナルな、バンドは中々ないですよね、
彼等の実力は、素晴らしいです、
これからも、楽しみで仕方ありません、これからも和楽器バンドをよろしくお願いしますm(_ _)m
Next react to
Dexcore - Earthworm
Nocturnal Bloodlust - Cremation
There's a video of them singing "bring me to life" together too! very interesting arrangement and fresh!
Nice, will need to check that out, I can imagine how huge a sound they'd make!
Apparently, Amy and Yuku met somewhere and became friends which eventually led to Amy appearing at this show.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on this song. I call it a power ballet and that's why i'm wondering what you think about the guitar work. 和楽器バンドWagakki Band：なでしこ桜(Nadeshiko sakura) - REACT tour 2019 (sub. provide): th-cam.com/video/toJNHfrPq84/w-d-xo.html
Will pop it on my to-do list!
I think someone already told you by now, but Evanescence hasn't really gone anywhere. They did have 2 or 3 hiatuses though so there are gaps between albums of no major albums (especially between their self-titled album in 2011 and their latest album The Bitter Truth in 2021). Definitely check out their newer music if you haven't yet, it's quite good! If you're checking out Bitter Truth, a few songs I recommend are "Artifact/The Turn" + "Broken Pieces Shine" (It's best to have those songs play together), "Take Cover", and "Blind Belief". All the songs are great on that album in my opinion, but I am biased to be fair lol. As for Wagakki Band, they did do another collaboration with Amy Lee called "Sakura Risng". As for their original songs, I don't really know that many (I need to change this), but I do like "Queen of the Night".
Cheers for the low-down dude!
Wagakki Band has numerous different things that are worth listening to. A lot of people are introduced with a video that has Homura followed by Akatsuki no Ito. Recently I've found one that is wonderful that I can't stop listening to which is a combination of Ikusa and Hakushu Kassai which are really cool: th-cam.com/video/Kli0M-dmoeo/w-d-xo.html. It highlights all the different instruments. My favorite is Singin For... but I think there's only a music video for it. I think I saw somebody else mention them performing Bring Me To Life with Amy Lee, which is worth doing, as well as their original song with Amy Lee Sakura Rising, but again it's only a music video that I know of.
Cheers Rob, got a good few suggestions on my list from this one, much apprenticed!
It would be great if you could react to their cover of roku chounen to ichiya monogatari (六兆年と一夜物語)!
Cheers Tom, will make a note of that one!
great reaction! can you do one on Sparkle by Tatsuro Yamashita? It's got great instrumental composition
Many thanks dude! I'll pop it on my list for sure!
Alip ba ta Sepur Tua
Hello Sir......can you react"God allow me please to play music"from VOB (voice of baceprot)please??Indonesian metal band.🙏
They've been mentioned a few times, will check them out when I get a chance!
Thank you Sir👍🙏
I would expect a Brit to catch that homage to Ian Anderson!
I had a best of CD from Jethro Tull, but that's all I know of them!
@@JbfMusicGuitar Ian Anderson made it a thing to play standing in one foot yoga pose, left foot on right leg. Guy from Wagakki does not hold the pose but watch a bunch of live vids and he throws in the move.
the guitarist uses a 29 fret 33 inch scale guitar
That's a pretty extend range!
@@JbfMusicGuitar yeah, there are a couple videos of him with it since its a signature series of his. the seed kotetsu from sago guitars. japanese exclusive only
"Seed kotetsu", "Yukikaze", "Kirin", this one is his first 7-string model " Sigure", all Sago New Material brand.
I like Wagakki Band quite a bit, although having bought one of their newer blurays, I can say that not every song is necessarily for me.
I absolutely love Senbonzakura though.
The first time I noticed the cover for a drummer was in a live dvd/bluray for Septicflesh where they also play with an orchestra (Infernus Sinfonica MMXIX).
Completely different style of music (they are Symphonic Death Metal), but also cool to watch in my opinion. Their drummer (Krimh) is a beast, he also has a youtube channel.
I believe he basically functioned as the glue between the orchestra and the band. He had a video about the electronics he used to do so, but it has been a while since I watched it so I don't remember the specifics.
You can try Septicflesh - Enemy Of Truth (official live video) Infernus Sinfonica MMXIX if you want. The last part of the video is just the frontman talking to the audience though.
I will link down in a reply to be sure this comment won't get eaten by youtube.
Video link: th-cam.com/video/6xFCw7kcupc/w-d-xo.html
Yeah, I'm really keen to check out more! That's a really good point as well, it's usually quite tricky to get a more typical 'band' and orchestra to gel as well as this!
Septicflesh are sick. Really cool, somewhat overlooked band.
Excelente
Thanks bud!
Plis reaction desquad,,, murder fron indonesia
When they started, Wagakki Band used to do covers of Vocaloid songs like this one. If you want to see the original by Hatsune Miku (Crypton serial number #01) check her live performance during a Magical Mirai th-cam.com/video/RuAmK4mrpds/w-d-xo.html.
So was this originally a Vocaloid song???
@@JbfMusicGuitar Yes (th-cam.com/video/Mqps4anhz0Q/w-d-xo.html). But, of course, they added traditional japanese instruments, which is their trademark.