I continue to be blown away by this brilliant artist! Incredible lyricist, and amazing performance in this video as well. What else from Ren should I react to and analyze?
To hear more of his *singing*: Ren and Chinchilla, How to be Me (and then Chinchilla doing Fingers, the live version) Ren and Sam Tompkins busking, Earned it /Mans World / Falling Ren with his band The Big Push -- most people will probably point to I Shot the Sheriff/Road to Zion/Hip Hop, but I kinda prefer Wade in the water / Nina simone / Trouble so hard For something more fun and playful, his rap version of Fisher, Losing It
I'll second what @tyghe_bright and @rocheo4575 have provided and also let you know his catalogue is deep! There are also the tales of Jenny and Screech and Violets Tale. Also, do your self a favor and check out Money Game parts 1 and 2. He truly is an amazing artist.
Technically live 2 take - planned. They had to cut because of the water. Ren only had 1 suit and they didn't have time to dry the set so that section was literally a one and done and they also had to move the mic from his coat to his tie and waterproof it. The pianist that took over playing was mic'd to Ren so they were so perfectly synced. Ren not only played the piano in the opener he wrote the music for the piano and the strings. I think Ren is someone who is so immersed in music it just oozes out of him in all directions.
@@adrienne1958lThe opening few measures of piano is from "Piano Concerto in A minor Op. 16" by Edvard Grieg. Ren used "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" as the opening of "Jenny's Tale" and a classical piece as the opening of "Screech's Tale" (I can't think of the name). I'm not sure about "Violet's Tale", but it's not unusual in Ren's songs.
Samual said that this was shot in 2 parts. about 18 takes for the first part, about 10 for the second part. They only had one chance once the water started. The water did hit the violinist, and they had to buy her new bow strings, but she was a pro and didn't flinch as she knew it was the only chance to get the shot.
Ren isn’t just a singer or rapper, he’s a whole art genre all of his own- actor, director, producer, beat boxer, poet, visionary and all round genius. Bring on the renvolution!
Yes, the intro on the piano is Ren playing, the rest of the piano is Charlie Woof-Bryne. Samuel is the videographer, co-producer and co-director. Sam said in an interview that there is a hidden cut for the transition where they reveal the string quartet, because they would only be able to film the rain scene once.. Thanks for doing this one.
There is clearly a cut on Ren looking in the mirror too when he takes his sack off. Goes from 'sweaty haired' Ren to 'slightly ruffled but dry' Ren, but I don't blame them for any of it. Still stunning.
@@Gazzeroo Like you said it is just to freshen him up, it didn't cut into speaking lines or performance. The sweaty one underneath just got done beating that piano.
In his live stream he confirmed the piano intro was played by himself. As an independent artist he’s not beholden to anyone. He seems not to mind criticism of his Artwork
@@Gazzeroo I think he just looks down at the same moment the sack is in front of the camera, putting his hair in a different light. If they needed a cut I think it'd make more sense to do it during the vertigo shot.
For a good breakdown of Vocals, Chalk Outlines and How To Be Me are amazing. Also, literally everyone should hear the Full Version of the Tales of Jenny and Screech. Epic storytelling and artistry. Also, the Live Acoustic version of Murderer also amazing.
Please do more Ren! That was so fascinating! I never heard anyone break down Ren’s character voices. I know they are so varied and different throughout single songs, but I didn’t know how he was doing it. This is my favorite reaction to this so far, and I’ve watched a loooooot of them!
What i find remarkable about Ren's art is that it brings out incredible insights from incredible people experiencing it - moms, movie directors, psychiatrists, counselors, opera singers, instrumentalists, poets, writers, veterans, dancers, painters, rappers, long haul truck drivers, scuba instructors - are all inspired and moved by Ren and continue to inspire and teach others about the things they are passionate about like 3 octave vocal ranges and vocal folds folding - artists create art, art creates artists
@@PeterBarber The next Ren video reaction you do should be of Ren singing. There are many live busking videos of Ren singing & playing on the streets of Brighton UK or one of his many videos with his former band The Big Push, that you can choose from. If I could make a suggestion I believe you'd enjoy reviewing, (( Ren & Sam Tompkins - Earned It/Mans World/Falling )) Ren sings the lead on James Brown's Mans World & backing vocals for the other 2, which Sam Tompkins sings lead on while Ren plays his electric guitar throughout this performance. You'll also enjoy breaking down his mate, Sam's vocals. Sam is a rising star atm, signed a year ago by Republic Records. I hope you do take my suggestion because I'd love to see you react to this. Cheers Mate 😁.
This continues the themes from MG 1 & 2, so you might like to do them as well. Do the lyric video for MG 2. For singing, please react to How to Be Me and Chalk Outlines live versions. For Joe and the acoustic version of Murder are fine as well. The violinist's bow got wet and they paid to get it rehaired. Ren played the opening and the rest was done by a classically trained friend of Sam. They did this in two sections with a cut hidden behind the wheelchair. Ren practices tirelessly on his own, so I'm not surprised by his ease in delivering his lines and playing the opening.
Great summation on what Ren and Sam have said about the production. He said they had to do the video cut in the shot behind the wheelchair since the second half has the water part that would be time consuming and costly to reproduce. Ren mention how proud he was of the viola player for not over reacting to getting wet. You can see that she moves her arm slightly once the water starts hit her. Another sign that they did the cut is that Ren moved his lapel mic from the jacket to being hidden in the tie in order to protect it from the water, along with wanting to remove the jacket.
I would add in Crutch as well. Beautiful singing/screaming in that. Agree, a lot of musical themes grabbed from money game (and from tale of violet and screech actually) that would have been cool for Peter to notice if he'd heard the first two. I love both money game 1 and 2. Honestly couldn't pick between them. And 3? It's awesome he can have 3 songs that are thematically the same but still distinct in their own way.
Really enjoyed your breakdown, great stuff! Wanted to mention - Ren composed the entire score, write the lyrics of course, conceived the video (apparently he often sees the video as he writes lyrics) co-directed it, performed it (2 continuous take sections) and oh btw created a world wide online Money Game treasure hunt to promote the message. Did multiple live streams around it. And he’s sick. I can’t think of healthy day in my entire life that could have produced a quarter of it. The man is a genuine force of nature. Long may he reign.
Yes, it was him playing the piano at the beginning. He wrote all of the piano part and also did the string orchestration - so talented - really hope you react to more - but try not to leave it so long again!
I love the details he gave later, that he could hear the piano & string quartet parts in his head when he was composing it, even though he couldn't play them (re: piano, couldn't play EVERY part of the piano song he was composing); composed it with whatever music programming technology he uses. Like, I can do that (not that my compositions are interesting at all, but I can write short 5 part polyrhythmic pieces and write them down on manuscript paper), but that's because I studied piano seriously, played orchestral French horn for 6 years, and sang in a madrigal choir. Being able to compose multi-part music isn't something that just *any* person who likes writing songs, ends up being any good at. (again, I wouldn't say that *I* am good at it, despite the studying - I just had to practice a little bit of it as part of the studying)
I think if you want some more mainly singing from him, check out either how to be me (live), chalk outlines (live), for joe or murderer (live, acoustic) 😊 ren is amazing. 💜
Ren explained yesterday on his twitch stream the entire thing was recorded live, and only had 1 cut (towards the end when the camera shows the back of the wheelchair). The Mic was hidden and disguised as a lapel to begin. When they did the only cut with the back of the wheelchair they hid the microphone inside of his neck tie. They had to move it because Ren takes off his jacket at one point and for the water scene they needed to protect the mic more so they hid it in his neck tie with plastic water protection.
Peter! That was a brilliant musical breakdown of this great video. We RENegades don’t get enough deep dives into Ren’s musical scores or the unique sounds and tones that he uses to add to the production. Thank you, I was riveted and would love to hear you break down some of his more sing sing numbers. Subscribed!
Peter, where have you been since Hi Ren ?? You are so good at this, come down the Ren rabbit hole with us😂I love how captivated you were, loving your reaction and insights! Thank you! If you like..Watch some interviews with Knox, Black Pegasus, Rosalie NME and there are some twitch streams with Ren too, also a BTS of this video created by the Wolf Johnson coming out soon Xx He didn't have a change of clothing, they had to make a cut around the back of the wheelchair i think. They had only one go with the rain !
Another great reaction! When Chris Liepe (Chris Liepe RUclips channel) first reacted to Hi Ren, Ren thanked him in the comments and then said that he was actually one of Chris's subscribers. He also said that he had learned a lot of his vocal techniques from Chris's lesson videos. In a few talks and interviews, Ren said that he had learned most of his guitar playing skills the same way--by watching videos of Jimi Hendrix and other guitarists, slowing the videos down and painstakingly capturing and rehearsing each note.
Peter, you REALLY need to see him sing. The first one that comes to mind us Chalk Outlines. Or How To Be Me. Both are collabs with Chinchilla. But he does some amazing vocal work in the Tale of Jenny and Screech Full. It is a trilogy if stories. Oh and yes, you really should check out Money Game for sure.
There is only one cut behind the wheelchair. After that, the mic is moved from the suit jacket to the tie. Also, they got something between 30 to 50 tries to get it right, but the rain only went out once. Because once they got to the rain moment, there was no point back, since it would require to postpone the whole shoot to another day.
A section of the piano music was complex enough that Ren was unable to play it himself live; he brought in concert pianist Charlie Woof-Bryne to play after the intro. Jimmy is not an actual person (many others have made comparisons), but just the subject of the story. The only thing besides Ren that got wet during the rain section was the Violist and her bow. From the time we turn from behind the wheelchair to the end, there was only one take. They only had the location for one day, and did not have time to dry Ren or the floor off. The gun was the part that impressed me technically. The 'replicized' pistol was an 8mm, but the rounds on the table were .45 (as referenced). Ren removed the magazine, handed it off-camera, bringing back a .45 magazine which he loaded, then repeated the exchange before reinserting the (empty) magazine into the gun. If you want to hear more of his (extremely expressive) singing, may I recommend the Tales; Jenny's Tale, Screech's Tale, and Violet's Tale (that order is important, it's three separately-written pieces of an overall story). It's also been compiled into a single video "The Tale of Jenny and Screech (Full). You should also seriously consider Money Game Part 1, another live recording one-take (that took six days and 186 takes to get one complete run). I always enjoy your analyses. Your geek-level focus on the vocals and music take them to a level very few other reactors reach.
Thank you for the reaction~ After your hi ren video, I really didn't expect another reaction to Ren on this channel. Glad to see you give this song a fair chance ❤ even though it must be kind of hard to make a vocal analysis of basically a rap song. But it was informative and very fun to watch~ There are already many suggestions for more Ren songs, let me also add more 😅 for singing singing (which i would assume would be more fun for you) it is definitely Chalk Outlines and How to Be Me as original songs. Otherwise check out the Big Push, Ren's busking band. The video of I shot the sheriff/road to zion/hip hop and black Sabbath medley probably showcases his singing the best. Though the tales of jenny&screech are definitely would be worthwhile for your time as well.
They had to make this with a single cut before the wheel chair part because they only had one chance to nail the rain part. In post release stream i think Ren said they did about 20 takes for each section. Ren or Sam would cut it off before the rain started falling if either of them thought something didnt work in the current take. Once they finally reached the rain part the setup actually spilled a little water on the violin player and her bow. Ren was so glad she didnt move because they did not have means to dry the floor or his suit for another attempt and any sudden movement would ruin the shot 😂 Ofc Ren paid for any damages done to her bow afterwards.
The string section is shot on it's own. You see when the camera is covered by the chair, where the cut happendes. HOWEVER, this needed to be the one take as soon as the water started, since his shirt and the floor are wet afterwards, and they had only one day for shooting! No time for drying.
On Ren’s afterparty exclusive yesterday they showed the final part of the video from where the strings start to the end and it was done in one take and they only had one chance to get it right because he only had one suit and they would have lost a whole day’s filming. You see it all from a camera high up and it’s incredible. Love your reaction video. So good!
They took extra time at the end with the rain. They set musicians back to make sure none of the instruments got wet. Ren is an amazing artist, from his vocal ability to how many instruments he can play. Ren is the master at one takes dig through his catalog of music, and you'll find some amazing pieces. He's also very good at spacial technique as well. The reverb of a room to help sonically push the notes he's singing. Great reaction.
Yes. Ren on Piano at the start. There's one cut [black shot behind the wheelchair] as they knew it'd all go horribly wrong if the water bit failed, so did a safety at that point. Otherwise, one shot, all live. Second piano player takes over after Ren gets up. Everything about this is staggering - lighting, sound, mixing, choreography - considering it's all in a big tin room. Ren's singing voice is something as well. Check out I Shot The Sheriff / Road To Zion / Hip Hop with The Big Push or anything with Chinchilla.
Ohhhhh, his singing is what you want?? I suggest 'Chalk Outlines' and 'How to Be Me'. He has been in a busking band called 'The Big Push' and their songs showcase his singing as well. Enjoy everything!
I can't wait for you to watch one of his full on singing videos. Chalk outlines. How to be me. Anything with The Big Push. Also his live performances of For Joe and Murderer have a mixture of singing and rap
I keep thinking of the busking video of him & Sam Tompkins on the streets of Brighton, doing Earned It/Man's World/Falling. a) Ren's vocals are lovely, and different than most of the other stuff you'll hear him sing, and b) bonus - Peter gets to hear Sam! Even if some of the singing is a little sloppy, being live with next to no sound set-up, it's... SO worth anyone's time to watch it... psssst Peter - it's on Ren's RUclips channel.
Thanks for the reaction & analysis--it makes me appreciate all the parts that went into this even more. Yes, Ren played piano intro then Charlie stepped in, but Ren wrote the music they played: Second Pianist: Charlie Woof-Bryne Viola: Jordan Bergmans (I think her bow got wet, and had to be replaced, but no musical instruments were harmed during them making of the video, afaik. Violin: Dan Oates Cello 1: Alexandra Marshall Cello 2: Marion Porterlance Kid: Harry De Haviland Teenager: Erika ralph Champagne Girl: Amie Jaffe & Leia Wheeler Photographer: Steve Fernandaz Business Man 1: Richard De Haviland Business Man 2: Simon De Haviland Man At Desk: Freddie Fellowes Cartel Members 1: Dom Ingle Cartel Members 2: James Smith Cartel Members 3: Gary Driver Cartel Members 4: Alex Denholm Nurse: John Wallis Directors: Samuel & Ren Producer: Connor Hunnisett, Samuel Perry-Falvey & Amy Ellery Creative Collaborator: Freddie Fellowes Production Manager: Janet Macleod Director of Photography: Samuel Perry-Falvey Steadycam Opp: Beau Prichard-James Focus Puller: Jack Hayter 2nd AC: Hamish Gunn-Wilson Gaffer: Jacob Bacon Spark 1: Charlotte Nind Spark 2: Josh Stiles Spark 3: Gabriele Mango Spark Trainee: Lily Nguyen-Tran Desk Opp: Will Howie Generator Opp: Ben Woods Mixing engineer: Ren Sound editor: Michael Keane Post Production Sound Services by Wayland Productions Live Audio: Tim Hand Foley Artist: Michael Keane Props and Set Management: Alex Denholm Props: Louis Merrion Costume assistant: Kerenza Bloomfield VFX: Josh Stiles Runner: Effy Haven Special Thanks: Yamaha, Poppy Roper, Ruben Cleghorn and Harrison Jones Camera Equipment: Egg Lenses Lighting Equipment: Liteworx
Love the vocal insight to this masterpiece Ren has created. Little background about it being a 1 shot video. It technically is a 2 shot. When they pass behind the wheelchair before pulling away to reveal the strings there is 1 cut. Ren had to do it that way because of budget. They only had the space for a certain amount of time and the last section with the strings and the rain he only had 1 chance to get right. And the rain with the one girl over Ren’s right shoulder did get a little wet which obviously wasn’t planned. But knowing how important the shot was she remained a consummate professional and didn’t move. They did end up having to replace her bow due to it getting a bit wet. Also sourcing the 45 was a big problem in the UK. They sourced it the day before the shoot from a guy making replicas. But the replica actually was rechambered for a 38mm. Ren knew someone would notice and needed the shot to be as authentic as possible. They changed the choreography so he could switch out the magazines off camera to load the clip with real 45mm ammunition. Then switch back to the 38 clip off camera when he puts it back into the replica. Him and his team’s attention to detail, choreography, camera work, acting ect is phenomenal. Epic video that deserves an award.
GREAT REACTION! There is a single cut in this video just before the rain scene, because redoing it all after he got wet would be costly. The first section took between 15-17 takes, the second only a few. He rehearsed for weeks. You should definitely react to MONEY GAME PT. 1. That one is a true single one-take that took 6 days and 183 tries. It's truly remarkable and has a bit more (gorgeous) singing. Also try WADE IN THE WATER (NINA SIMONE) TROUBLE SO HARD, with his band The Big Push. UNBELIEVABLE vocals with basic mics and amps on the street. Ren busking on the street almost always sounds better than most artists in the studio.
Thank you for this profound reaction - yes, it's a live one take - with one cut behind the wheelchair before the strings, because if the rain. They had only one chance to do the rain. The bow on the left became wet, but she stayed professional in character👌🏼- they bought her a new one. They did the first longer part about 150-180 times, as I remember... They did a next level MASTERPIECE 🥹🙏🏼
This was a very interesting reaction to watch because of what you focus on. There was an issue with the rain-making set-up so the viola player’s (Jordan Bergmans) bow got wet. In an interview, Ren’s videographer praised her for not flinching.
I am a huge RENegade and it was enjoyable to hear a reaction not based solely on lyrics! I would love to see more ren from this channel. He has said that this latest album was more rap based but after a break to focus on his health he will be doing more singing and almost no rapping on the next album. He wants to grow as an artist not just a rapper
For range, check out his busking videos. I suggest the video with Ren and Sam Tompkins doing Earned It/Man's World/Fallin. If you don't know who Sam Tompkins is, he's an amazing vocalist as well, so it's a good introduction to him as well.
To answer your Questions: Samuel is the guy responsible for cinematography. This was done in two takes (the break happening when the wheelchair was turned). They could do the last part with the rain only once, because neither the location nor the suit would have dried quickly enough. I believe they needed eight takes for the first part.
Love the vocal reaction!!! Great job! Now, you can sit with it and let it sink in. It's brilliantly written and performed. As a performer yourself, your appreciation for Ren's masterpieces is highly regarded by me. ❤
He had to replace the strings of the bow for the violinist! The last part was a LEGIT 1 take, because they couldn't dry the floor and he didn't have a second suit... but he first part (before the wheelchair spin) was appx 20-30 takes before getting the perfect 1 take. Also, I saw your confusion when he took his jacket off, because that's where the mic is. When the wheelchair "break" happens he switches it to a waterproof case and it's tucked into his tie. I've seen a ton of lyrical breakdown/amusement, always come here for the musical breakdown! Appreciate you! Keep it up!
fun fact, they had to buy a new bow for the violinist on Ren's far right. As the water from the rain machine went further than they had planned. and damaged her bow.
There are 2 discreet cuts, when he takes the bag of his head and when the camera passes behind the wheelchair the first time. Production value is incredible.
Absolutely watch Money Game Pt. 1 and 2. There a quite a few callbacks to them in this one as well. They are brilliant. The first one is a one-shot as well (as the third one is) and the second one is a lyrics video (which is also very good). They are very very good. And amazing analysis! Thank you!
pleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease do Money Game pt 1 for sure for the incredible video & vocals... Money Game pt 2 is a crowd favourite do the LYRIC video for the full lyrics (other versions are missing the first verses) edit: observations from someone who studied piano for 12 years/has played for herself for 44 years - 1) Ren is self-taught on the piano. 2) The hood is gauzy-see-through (you can see this in a little bit in the video). He'd still have had somewhat lessened vision, and I don't want to downplay the fact that there was lessened vision - but he's not playing blind. 3) He says he practiced the shit outta those arpeggios to get them that fluid 4) As a not-professional but lifelong pianist/lover of classical piano, he's not currently exhibiting a technique at the keyboard that's gonna let him progress into the *reliable* ability to play "anything he wants." He drops his wrists (which CAN be done, if you make other adjustments) while curling his fingers (... curling your fingers of COURSE can be done, but it's not advisable with dropped wrists) and he often holds them under tension in the curled position. (WAIT, I'M NOT SAYING HE'S BAD, HE'S SUUUUUUPER BADASS, JUST LET ME MAKE MY POINTS FIRST) You can practice a tricky passage all you want, but if you put your hands & fingers into that combo of body mechanics as your default, you're: a) promoting carpal tunnel (which is not GUARANTEED to develop, but you're increasing the risk of developing it) b) reducing the dexterity available to your fingers moment by moment c) reducing your "feel" on the keys - you may have no problem playing pianissimo or fortissimo, but if you have a tricky passage (whether needing great dexterity or stretching to accommodate cords needing keys spaced far from each other), you might be more prone to not manage to pull the dynamic you want/need out of each note depending on how your wrist is acting on the tendon in the finger playing that note. In certain positions/at certain angles, you may also start to struggle with the dexterity of one or more fingers for tricky passages. + knuckle joints are more likely to stick/jam momentarily. d) his thumbs are the same as mine (which isn't what everyone experiences, apparently). I struggled for 10 years to learn how to stop turning my first thumb joint "in" towards my palm (while the other joint does what you'd expect it to do when you're reaching for a piano key), for certain hand positions. ............. c) and d) just... give you less reliable control over what you pull "out" of the piano, and also increase the frequency with which you "miss" properly striking the key (to sound the note). e) Given that he starts with the opening chords of Grieg's piano concerto, and even when he starts to put his own twist on it and go into the arpeggios which are not any part of the concerto (ie, his own composition) I think it's pretty easy to state that the opening of the piece is very classically "styled" even if he's put his own twist onto some of the figures. It would be VERY strange for a pianist composing & playing "in this style" to finish his arpeggiated section with that left hand index finger hunt-and-peck thing that he dos (with that tensely-curled index finger, sigh). A pianist with any training behind them would by default choose fingerings that *encouraged* dynamic and flow and feel and ritardando; one-finger hunt-and-peck is the antithesis of this, although if you practice something that way, and it's a simple enough passage, you'll for sure not notice any difference at all and probably won't mess up the proper/full "sounding" of any of the notes/desired dynamics. It's just a massive red flag that he's playing in ways that will limit certain aspects of if he wants to push himself to play more complex stuff, especially in performance. Although of course he's not looking at performing concert piano pieces; he's a rock/rap/etc multi-instrumentalist who is bringing us the most important music of the 21st century. Next (back to numbered points; I've finished what I wanted to say about how he curls his fingers & holds his thumbs): 5) Having seen him play on a keyboard in For Joe (which I watched a bazillion times in part because I was fascinated to watch him play at the start of the video), I recognized that those were his hands by the time the Grieg chords were done, partly because of his self-taught technique (which, again, he uses TO VERY GOOD EFFECT for what he wants to do). 6) after Money Game 3 was released, Ren said yes, it was him playing the whole intro, no camera tricks, and if I'm putting what he said together correctly, he said that when he was writing the piano accompaniment and figuring out how the video it would work, he knew he would have to have another pianist to pull the performance off because there are parts of it that are a little beyond what he felt he was able to pull off. I think it's probably the bits starting with Jimmy at 30yrs old where the left hand is doing its own I-V-III-V alternating triad & inversion-type figures way down in the bass but the right hand is dancing and jumping around in fast solid triad chords up high. Might take more practiced mental coordination/skill than what Ren's so far shown us on camera, while I think the rest of it (and believe me, I've watched the video a bunch of times specifically to listen to the piano part) fits with what we've *seen* Ren play in front of our eyes on a keyboard. 7) There are moments in his intro section here (after he starts up the bass "beat" of the piece) where I can hear those notes not quite sound fully (ie, promoted by poor hand position/finger technique), and his damper pedal choices after he switches away from the classical style measures of the intro, are... uh.... a *choice* ;) From a classical standpoint, anyway! He might have purposefully chosen to stand down hard on the pedal without lifting for some effect he wanted. But it blurs the articulation of the notes and doesn't make sense to me in terms of expression, in that moment (who am I to make that statement, of course - but its something that stuck out to me). HOWEVER - I am *flabbergasted* at what Ren can accomplish as a self-taught musician for whom piano isn't even his primary flippin' instrument! And I am *flabbergasted* at his ability to *compose* absolutely compelling piano music that DOESN'T SOUND DUMBED-DOWN (due to lack of instruction/formal study); it fits in fine alongside plenty of the really good rock/pop/whatever stars who play piano (maybe not an Elton John or whatever, but you know what I mean). And dude. Plenty of people who fool around on the piano wouldn't have what it takes to practice a sequence of arpeggios to THAT level of fluidity, without the studied technique to make it easier, FOR A CAMERA CLOSE-UP IN A LIVE ONE-TAKE VIDEO. Ren doesn't make ANY claims that he's an amazing piano player (although I sure as hell hope he's satisfied with the performances he's able to produce at the keyboard!) But Ren is *BADASS* at the keyboard and I will be excited to see what he's doing every single time he brings us a song with him on piano. I just want people to understand what *piano players* see when we see him at the keyboard, and to understand WHY it might matter, depending on the context of where a person might want to take their playing. ♥ PS: Samuel is the amazing cinematographer. PPS: Ren fans often excitedly talk about Ren being a modern-day Shakespeare, and I don't entirely disagree with that... but honestly? I think he's more a Mozart (save for having self-taught/RUclips taught himself vs Mozart's upbringing). People have talked in comments sections about Ren being like a Swiss army knife in terms of his ability to make ANY music he wants (which I agree with), and THAT, to me, feels more Mozart.
Thank you, I’ve been hoping a piano player would react to this and to For Joe. I do not play, but in both pieces his hands didn’t look relaxed and comfortable, I could tell that much. And I’d seen the video where he described how he wrote them and that he practiced the heck out of the part he did. He comes from a place of having to make do, but also a childhood immersed in music. His mum was a vocal instructor, even if she never taught him, it’s hard not to think he never over heard lessons or discussions. His father was a hobbyist musician and is now a therapist using music in his practice. Ren was given a old guitar at age 10, but his ADHD meant he gave up on formal lessons quickly, after maybe 3 or 4, in favour of looking at the shapes players hands made to create sounds, and copying that, or just experimenting. Later, he taught himself piano the same way. he started creating beats as a tween, but there was no one to rap over them, so he did it himself. Beatboxing was learned to stand in for instrumentation he could imagine but had no useful access too. Add all that up, mix it with years of being stuck in his room with time to think up idea and practice when his health allowed, and a charisma that seems to magnetically attract other talented people and, here we are.
Yes, that's Ren playing piano at the beginning! He also composed the music for piano and strings! Apart from the opening few bars, of course. He directed the video and produced the music/audio. It was recorded live but it's not quite one take. They had to make a single edit, before the rain, as the 'rain machine' was being tempermental. It's effectively 2 one-takes, seamlessly put together. :) Yet another incredible and masterful performance from Ren and overall, an absolute masterpiece... again! :)
He said that he couldn't talk the next day... his voice was shot after appx 20-30 takes of the first part! For you to point out all the different changes to his voice helps people understand WHY he struggled the next day! If you want to hear vocal range, I recommend the songs listed in comments below, but will add in Lost All Faith! I believe he hits his top range in that song!
You should really check out the full "tale of Jenny and Screech" It is incredible, and it shows off how good Ren is when it comes to recording audio live
You should listen to one of his duets with chinchilla. Chalk outlines or How to be me. Hear him sing and of course Chinchilla. Although Chinchilla - you really need to hear the live version of Fingers. Maybe after Chalk outlines?
If you want to hear more of his range, Lost All Faith shows how high his vocals can go. I love your breakdown of his vocals. I especially love how you said you weren't about the lyrics and then Ren pulls you into the story, in classic Ren fashion. Ren is a master of live videos. Sam and the team of videographers are so frickin' amazing at bringing Ren's visions to life. There was only one cut, per Ren on his Twitch stream. When they pan around the wheelchair it goes to black. Ren said the last part of the video with the indoor rain was so tricky that he had to do the cut instead of risking the whole video by messing up the last part. BTW, Ren said the violin player was the only one in the strings section that got a little wet from the "rain". Yes, Ren was playing the piano at the start. He is multitalented and self taught with guitar, his favorite instrument. This is why you hear him play things a little differently than those with years of professional training do.
Fantastic reaction as it’s so great to hear someone break down and appreciate REN’s vocal talent aside from all his others. His mother was actually a vocal coach. Ren has so many songs you need to listen / react to which feature his singing!! You must start with his performance called “Ren x Chinchilla Chalk Outlines” and their duet called “how to be me”!! Her voice is Amazing as well!!! - Then check out his awesome singing & performing busking on the streets of Brighton, starting with his cover medley called “I Shot the Sheriff/Road to Zion/hip-hop”. Then watch a couple of these videos with who became his partner, a guy named Sam Tompkins, who he also met busking on the streets of Brighton, whose voice is at a whole Nother level beyond REN’s (he’s since toured with Justin Bieber). Their best two are their covers called “Earned it/ It’s a man’s world/ falling” and their live performance the one - indoors called “Blind Eyed”! - Their most famous song!! There’s so much amazing singing In these performances, I promise you you will be highly impressed & entertained. Just Sub’d ‼️‼️👏👏🔥🔥🔥
Before you go back and concentrate on the lyrics of Part 3, you need to check out Parts 1 and 2. There is a message we all need to apply to our own lives if the human condition has a chance of improving.
Dude, your Ren vocal reactions are what’s missing in my life right now… MOAR!! In all seriousness, as someone looking to sing better, I really appreciate the analysis and explanation you inject into your reactions… can’t wait for you to do some of his actual sing songs. 🤘
Very thoughtful analysis. Thank you. You noted at the very end how the string quartet came in perfectly on time and in tempo. I believe Ren is conducting them with the waving of the gun. The first time the strings appeared, he did the same with his fingers, counting out the tempo. I first went down the Ren rabbit hole in February. Keep going. Ren is a generational talent.
Chalk Outlines LIVE and How to be me LIVE, are a real way to appreciate his amazing vocals! Money Game 1&2 are a must ( oh there are about 180 other musts! )
Please consider doing Ren and Chinchilla. “How to be Me” or “Chalk Outlines”. Also The Big Push (band he was in) “I Shot the Sheriff/Road to Zion/Hip Hop. More singing in all of those. They did get a bow wet and have to replace bow strings for one of the players, but no strings were hurt during the production (according to the film maker).
fantastic breakdown of the vocals. its a 1 take but with a subtle transition before the strings section (as ren only had 1 suit to get wet - as well as the ground on the 1 day filming), he said there was around 18 takes of the first part. what an amazing song and video, sam the videographer stepped up a level once again!
There’s an entire rabbit hole of Ren to go down. Especially Sick boi or the trilogy the tales of Jenny and Screech would be amazing to watch an analysis of
There were 2 parts to the shot. From the beginning to the turning wheelchair, then to the end. They had to clear out some of the smoke from the smoke bomb. However, each part was not only one take they were one shot. They practiced for a few days headed up to the shoot. But only had one day of shooting. The second part had to be one shot because of Ren's custom suit. Ren said he had to buy the violin player on the left a new bow because the rain machine soaked hers. Yet she stayed perfectly still, thankfully.
Pls do Money Games 1 & 2…you’ll begin to understand the complex intersong mythologies he builds, AND Ren sings in Pt 1. When Ren raps he blows my mind, when he sings he breaks my heart. A lot of recommendations for Chalk Outlines, brilliant duet that showcases his singing voice. Enjoy!
When you discover Chinchilla…. I promise you should RUN over and do a breakdown on her Fingers ( live) video. She’s a friend and the female equivalent of REN🤯
I really like your analysis of Ren's art. If you'd like to check more of his singing, take a look at duets with Chinchilla (already mentioned Chalk outlines and How to be me). Worth mentioning is also Lost all faith - combining rap with singing and showing off his range
That was interesting, I learned a lot. If you want to see a good example of Ren's singing range, take a look at some of his busking videos with Sam Tompkins, particularly Earned it/ Man's world/ Falling. He did some super high singing in their cover of Latch. Other fantastic examples of Ren's singing voice: The Big Push - I Shot the Sheriff/Road to Zion/Hip Hop The Big Push - Wade in the water / Nina simone / Trouble so hard Ren x Chinchilla - Chalk outlines (live version) Ren x Chinchilla - How to be me (live version) Ren's Love Music part 3 sees him holding a note for ages, showing that he must have pretty good breath control. There's an interesting video called Vocal ANALYSIS of Ren featuring Chinchilla performing "Chalk Outlines" on the Charismatic Voice channel that you might enjoy. Regarding the growling sound Ren incorporates into some words, according to Anthony Ray, it's also a beatbox technique. Ren is a beatboxer, so it makes sense that he would incorporate some techniques.
I continue to be blown away by this brilliant artist! Incredible lyricist, and amazing performance in this video as well. What else from Ren should I react to and analyze?
To hear more of his *singing*:
Ren and Chinchilla, How to be Me (and then Chinchilla doing Fingers, the live version)
Ren and Sam Tompkins busking, Earned it /Mans World / Falling
Ren with his band The Big Push -- most people will probably point to I Shot the Sheriff/Road to Zion/Hip Hop, but I kinda prefer Wade in the water / Nina simone / Trouble so hard
For something more fun and playful, his rap version of Fisher, Losing It
definitely chalk outlines and how to be me. mindblowing shit!
I'll second what @tyghe_bright and @rocheo4575 have provided and also let you know his catalogue is deep! There are also the tales of Jenny and Screech and Violets Tale. Also, do your self a favor and check out Money Game parts 1 and 2. He truly is an amazing artist.
The Tale of Jenny and Screech Please Peter ruclips.net/video/TYAnqQ--KX0/видео.htmlsi=5e_01sl1LD-jeqU7
The live performance of Tale of Jenny & Screech
Technically live 2 take - planned. They had to cut because of the water. Ren only had 1 suit and they didn't have time to dry the set so that section was literally a one and done and they also had to move the mic from his coat to his tie and waterproof it. The pianist that took over playing was mic'd to Ren so they were so perfectly synced. Ren not only played the piano in the opener he wrote the music for the piano and the strings. I think Ren is someone who is so immersed in music it just oozes out of him in all directions.
Co-written by Edvard Grieg.
@@TWFydGluthis is new to me . Can you tell me who Edvard is ? Is this in reference to the Appeggios ? Forgive my ignorance.
@@adrienne1958l en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edvard_Grieg
ruclips.net/video/I1Yoyz6_Los/видео.html
@@adrienne1958lThe opening few measures of piano is from "Piano Concerto in A minor Op. 16" by Edvard Grieg.
Ren used "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" as the opening of "Jenny's Tale" and a classical piece as the opening of "Screech's Tale" (I can't think of the name). I'm not sure about "Violet's Tale", but it's not unusual in Ren's songs.
I'd consider it more like (2) 1 take videos lol. Both parts are technically 1 take videos pieced together.
Tomayto - Tomahto 😂
The rain did hit the bow on the violin to Ren's right. Testament to her professionalism, she didn''t move. Ren bought her a new bow.
Samual said that this was shot in 2 parts. about 18 takes for the first part, about 10 for the second part. They only had one chance once the water started. The water did hit the violinist, and they had to buy her new bow strings, but she was a pro and didn't flinch as she knew it was the only chance to get the shot.
Big ‘ups’ to that violinist!!! 👍🎶
Ren isn’t just a singer or rapper, he’s a whole art genre all of his own- actor, director, producer, beat boxer, poet, visionary and all round genius. Bring on the renvolution!
Yes, the intro on the piano is Ren playing, the rest of the piano is Charlie Woof-Bryne. Samuel is the videographer, co-producer and co-director. Sam said in an interview that there is a hidden cut for the transition where they reveal the string quartet, because they would only be able to film the rain scene once.. Thanks for doing this one.
Thanks for this.
There is clearly a cut on Ren looking in the mirror too when he takes his sack off. Goes from 'sweaty haired' Ren to 'slightly ruffled but dry' Ren, but I don't blame them for any of it. Still stunning.
@@Gazzeroo Like you said it is just to freshen him up, it didn't cut into speaking lines or performance. The sweaty one underneath just got done beating that piano.
In his live stream he confirmed the piano intro was played by himself. As an independent artist he’s not beholden to anyone. He seems not to mind criticism of his Artwork
@@Gazzeroo I think he just looks down at the same moment the sack is in front of the camera, putting his hair in a different light. If they needed a cut I think it'd make more sense to do it during the vertigo shot.
For a good breakdown of Vocals, Chalk Outlines and How To Be Me are amazing. Also, literally everyone should hear the Full Version of the Tales of Jenny and Screech. Epic storytelling and artistry. Also, the Live Acoustic version of Murderer also amazing.
Agreed 100% with this
Seconded (technically thirded, I guess)
Fourth’d! 🙂🌸
Fifth'd! 😃
Also, for some fun, "Blind Eyed Ft. Angry Car Park Attendant"
Let me add should react to LIVE versions of Chalk Outlines and How To Be Me.
Ren composed all the music for piano and strings
Please do more Ren! That was so fascinating! I never heard anyone break down Ren’s character voices. I know they are so varied and different throughout single songs, but I didn’t know how he was doing it. This is my favorite reaction to this so far, and I’ve watched a loooooot of them!
What i find remarkable about Ren's art is that it brings out incredible insights from incredible people experiencing it - moms, movie directors, psychiatrists, counselors, opera singers, instrumentalists, poets, writers, veterans, dancers, painters, rappers, long haul truck drivers, scuba instructors - are all inspired and moved by Ren and continue to inspire and teach others about the things they are passionate about like 3 octave vocal ranges and vocal folds folding - artists create art, art creates artists
Don’t forget grandma’s and grandpa’s. ❤
Too true - an incredibly eclectic fan base.
His music is just fascinating! And the way he goes from one style of singing to another to speaking to singing... it's insane!
He really is brilliant and so talented
@@PeterBarber The next Ren video reaction you do should be of Ren singing. There are many live busking videos of Ren singing & playing on the streets of Brighton UK or one of his many videos with his former band The Big Push, that you can choose from. If I could make a suggestion I believe you'd enjoy reviewing,
(( Ren & Sam Tompkins - Earned It/Mans World/Falling ))
Ren sings the lead on James Brown's Mans World & backing vocals for the other 2, which Sam Tompkins sings lead on while Ren plays his electric guitar throughout this performance. You'll also enjoy breaking down his mate, Sam's vocals. Sam is a rising star atm, signed a year ago by Republic Records. I hope you do take my suggestion because I'd love to see you react to this. Cheers Mate 😁.
@PeterBarber u want singing check out heretic and diazapam
yes this really shows his range in one song!
This continues the themes from MG 1 & 2, so you might like to do them as well. Do the lyric video for MG 2. For singing, please react to How to Be Me and Chalk Outlines live versions. For Joe and the acoustic version of Murder are fine as well. The violinist's bow got wet and they paid to get it rehaired. Ren played the opening and the rest was done by a classically trained friend of Sam. They did this in two sections with a cut hidden behind the wheelchair. Ren practices tirelessly on his own, so I'm not surprised by his ease in delivering his lines and playing the opening.
Second watching Chalk Outlines or the live version of How To Be Me. For Joe if you want more piano.
Great summation on what Ren and Sam have said about the production. He said they had to do the video cut in the shot behind the wheelchair since the second half has the water part that would be time consuming and costly to reproduce. Ren mention how proud he was of the viola player for not over reacting to getting wet. You can see that she moves her arm slightly once the water starts hit her. Another sign that they did the cut is that Ren moved his lapel mic from the jacket to being hidden in the tie in order to protect it from the water, along with wanting to remove the jacket.
I would add in Crutch as well. Beautiful singing/screaming in that.
Agree, a lot of musical themes grabbed from money game (and from tale of violet and screech actually) that would have been cool for Peter to notice if he'd heard the first two.
I love both money game 1 and 2. Honestly couldn't pick between them. And 3? It's awesome he can have 3 songs that are thematically the same but still distinct in their own way.
Ren has brought back the art of the bard, I love his work! He doesn't write songs, he tells stories.
"I'm probably the only person on RUclips talking about his vocal range." That's what makes this reaction really insightful!
Really enjoyed your breakdown, great stuff!
Wanted to mention - Ren composed the entire score, write the lyrics of course, conceived the video (apparently he often sees the video as he writes lyrics) co-directed it, performed it (2 continuous take sections) and oh btw created a world wide online Money Game treasure hunt to promote the message. Did multiple live streams around it. And he’s sick.
I can’t think of healthy day in my entire life that could have produced a quarter of it.
The man is a genuine force of nature. Long may he reign.
This.
Yes, it was him playing the piano at the beginning. He wrote all of the piano part and also did the string orchestration - so talented - really hope you react to more - but try not to leave it so long again!
I love the details he gave later, that he could hear the piano & string quartet parts in his head when he was composing it, even though he couldn't play them (re: piano, couldn't play EVERY part of the piano song he was composing); composed it with whatever music programming technology he uses.
Like, I can do that (not that my compositions are interesting at all, but I can write short 5 part polyrhythmic pieces and write them down on manuscript paper), but that's because I studied piano seriously, played orchestral French horn for 6 years, and sang in a madrigal choir. Being able to compose multi-part music isn't something that just *any* person who likes writing songs, ends up being any good at.
(again, I wouldn't say that *I* am good at it, despite the studying - I just had to practice a little bit of it as part of the studying)
I think if you want some more mainly singing from him, check out either how to be me (live), chalk outlines (live), for joe or murderer (live, acoustic) 😊 ren is amazing. 💜
I concur.
Also, the Tale of Jenny and Screech (full video).
Came to say this
Agreed
So proud of our boy.
Ren explained yesterday on his twitch stream the entire thing was recorded live, and only had 1 cut (towards the end when the camera shows the back of the wheelchair). The Mic was hidden and disguised as a lapel to begin. When they did the only cut with the back of the wheelchair they hid the microphone inside of his neck tie. They had to move it because Ren takes off his jacket at one point and for the water scene they needed to protect the mic more so they hid it in his neck tie with plastic water protection.
Peter! That was a brilliant musical breakdown of this great video. We RENegades don’t get enough deep dives into Ren’s musical scores or the unique sounds and tones that he uses to add to the production. Thank you, I was riveted and would love to hear you break down some of his more sing sing numbers. Subscribed!
He composed the music for the piano and strings.
Peter, where have you been since Hi Ren ?? You are so good at this, come down the Ren rabbit hole with us😂I love how captivated you were, loving your reaction and insights! Thank you! If you like..Watch some interviews with Knox, Black Pegasus, Rosalie NME and there are some twitch streams with Ren too, also a BTS of this video created by the Wolf Johnson coming out soon Xx He didn't have a change of clothing, they had to make a cut around the back of the wheelchair i think. They had only one go with the rain !
Thank you Peter for introducing me to REN.
Welcome to the Reniverse!
You should hear Ren singing Man's world live whilst busking in the street
Yes, that was Ren playing the piano! He is amazing
"The piano sounds drunk"
Yeah, that's the ticket. The piano has been drinking. Not me. Not me.
Not only was that Ren on the piano, but he wrote that composition not only for the piano but for the strings as well.
Another great reaction! When Chris Liepe (Chris Liepe RUclips channel) first reacted to Hi Ren, Ren thanked him in the comments and then said that he was actually one of Chris's subscribers. He also said that he had learned a lot of his vocal techniques from Chris's lesson videos. In a few talks and interviews, Ren said that he had learned most of his guitar playing skills the same way--by watching videos of Jimi Hendrix and other guitarists, slowing the videos down and painstakingly capturing and rehearsing each note.
Yes, I saw that one...well worth watching, along with Knox Hill actually doing video at the rehearsal.
Peter, you REALLY need to see him sing.
The first one that comes to mind us Chalk Outlines.
Or How To Be Me.
Both are collabs with Chinchilla.
But he does some amazing vocal work in the Tale of Jenny and Screech Full.
It is a trilogy if stories.
Oh and yes, you really should check out Money Game for sure.
There is only one cut behind the wheelchair. After that, the mic is moved from the suit jacket to the tie. Also, they got something between 30 to 50 tries to get it right, but the rain only went out once. Because once they got to the rain moment, there was no point back, since it would require to postpone the whole shoot to another day.
That rain at the end... An ending for all that play the money game. Rain rain rain rain, the storm it comes our way. .
A section of the piano music was complex enough that Ren was unable to play it himself live; he brought in concert pianist Charlie Woof-Bryne to play after the intro. Jimmy is not an actual person (many others have made comparisons), but just the subject of the story. The only thing besides Ren that got wet during the rain section was the Violist and her bow. From the time we turn from behind the wheelchair to the end, there was only one take. They only had the location for one day, and did not have time to dry Ren or the floor off. The gun was the part that impressed me technically. The 'replicized' pistol was an 8mm, but the rounds on the table were .45 (as referenced). Ren removed the magazine, handed it off-camera, bringing back a .45 magazine which he loaded, then repeated the exchange before reinserting the (empty) magazine into the gun.
If you want to hear more of his (extremely expressive) singing, may I recommend the Tales; Jenny's Tale, Screech's Tale, and Violet's Tale (that order is important, it's three separately-written pieces of an overall story). It's also been compiled into a single video "The Tale of Jenny and Screech (Full). You should also seriously consider Money Game Part 1, another live recording one-take (that took six days and 186 takes to get one complete run).
I always enjoy your analyses. Your geek-level focus on the vocals and music take them to a level very few other reactors reach.
He said he only had that single tailored suit. He had to do it in one take. One of the players bows got wet and they bought them a new one.
This is definitely performance art and musical theatre. Ren is more than just a rapper or a guitarist. He’s a well rounded musician.
Ren on the beginning piano...professional then takes his place. Samuel is the director of the filming.
Ren has been playing the piano since he was 14. He is self-taught.
Apparently, the closest violin/viola on our left, the bow got wet but it was replaced.
Yeah, just the bow ribbon was replaced
Ren is playing the piano. He stated to Knox that he is self taught and watched youtube videos to learn. He started at 14 I believe.
Thank you for the reaction~ After your hi ren video, I really didn't expect another reaction to Ren on this channel. Glad to see you give this song a fair chance ❤ even though it must be kind of hard to make a vocal analysis of basically a rap song. But it was informative and very fun to watch~
There are already many suggestions for more Ren songs, let me also add more 😅 for singing singing (which i would assume would be more fun for you) it is definitely Chalk Outlines and How to Be Me as original songs. Otherwise check out the Big Push, Ren's busking band. The video of I shot the sheriff/road to zion/hip hop and black Sabbath medley probably showcases his singing the best.
Though the tales of jenny&screech are definitely would be worthwhile for your time as well.
They had to make this with a single cut before the wheel chair part because they only had one chance to nail the rain part.
In post release stream i think Ren said they did about 20 takes for each section. Ren or Sam would cut it off before the rain started falling if either of them thought something didnt work in the current take.
Once they finally reached the rain part the setup actually spilled a little water on the violin player and her bow. Ren was so glad she didnt move because they did not have means to dry the floor or his suit for another attempt and any sudden movement would ruin the shot 😂 Ofc Ren paid for any damages done to her bow afterwards.
I think my vote is for Ren x Chinchilla - How to be me, the live one, for your next Ren moment :)
The string section is shot on it's own. You see when the camera is covered by the chair, where the cut happendes.
HOWEVER, this needed to be the one take as soon as the water started, since his shirt and the floor are wet afterwards, and they had only one day for shooting! No time for drying.
On Ren’s afterparty exclusive yesterday they showed the final part of the video from where the strings start to the end and it was done in one take and they only had one chance to get it right because he only had one suit and they would have lost a whole day’s filming. You see it all from a camera high up and it’s incredible. Love your reaction video. So good!
They took extra time at the end with the rain. They set musicians back to make sure none of the instruments got wet. Ren is an amazing artist, from his vocal ability to how many instruments he can play. Ren is the master at one takes dig through his catalog of music, and you'll find some amazing pieces. He's also very good at spacial technique as well. The reverb of a room to help sonically push the notes he's singing. Great reaction.
Yes. Ren on Piano at the start. There's one cut [black shot behind the wheelchair] as they knew it'd all go horribly wrong if the water bit failed, so did a safety at that point. Otherwise, one shot, all live. Second piano player takes over after Ren gets up. Everything about this is staggering - lighting, sound, mixing, choreography - considering it's all in a big tin room. Ren's singing voice is something as well. Check out I Shot The Sheriff / Road To Zion / Hip Hop with The Big Push or anything with Chinchilla.
Ohhhhh, his singing is what you want?? I suggest 'Chalk Outlines' and 'How to Be Me'. He has been in a busking band called 'The Big Push' and their songs showcase his singing as well. Enjoy everything!
Thank you for the breakdown of the vocals. I like it when he sings in the lower range vs a high pitch nasal tone. The opening is gorgeous
I can't wait for you to watch one of his full on singing videos. Chalk outlines. How to be me. Anything with The Big Push. Also his live performances of For Joe and Murderer have a mixture of singing and rap
I keep thinking of the busking video of him & Sam Tompkins on the streets of Brighton, doing Earned It/Man's World/Falling. a) Ren's vocals are lovely, and different than most of the other stuff you'll hear him sing, and b) bonus - Peter gets to hear Sam! Even if some of the singing is a little sloppy, being live with next to no sound set-up, it's... SO worth anyone's time to watch it...
psssst Peter - it's on Ren's RUclips channel.
@@rebeccaburnell9319 YES!!!!! For Ren's Vocals, THIS ONE NEXT!!!!
Thanks for the reaction & analysis--it makes me appreciate all the parts that went into this even more. Yes, Ren played piano intro then Charlie stepped in, but Ren wrote the music they played:
Second Pianist: Charlie Woof-Bryne
Viola: Jordan Bergmans (I think her bow got wet, and had to be replaced, but no musical instruments were harmed during them making of the video, afaik.
Violin: Dan Oates
Cello 1: Alexandra Marshall
Cello 2: Marion Porterlance
Kid: Harry De Haviland
Teenager: Erika ralph
Champagne Girl: Amie Jaffe & Leia Wheeler
Photographer: Steve Fernandaz
Business Man 1: Richard De Haviland
Business Man 2: Simon De Haviland
Man At Desk: Freddie Fellowes
Cartel Members 1: Dom Ingle
Cartel Members 2: James Smith
Cartel Members 3: Gary Driver
Cartel Members 4: Alex Denholm
Nurse: John Wallis
Directors: Samuel & Ren
Producer: Connor Hunnisett, Samuel Perry-Falvey & Amy Ellery
Creative Collaborator: Freddie Fellowes
Production Manager: Janet Macleod
Director of Photography: Samuel Perry-Falvey
Steadycam Opp: Beau Prichard-James
Focus Puller: Jack Hayter
2nd AC: Hamish Gunn-Wilson
Gaffer: Jacob Bacon
Spark 1: Charlotte Nind
Spark 2: Josh Stiles
Spark 3: Gabriele Mango
Spark Trainee: Lily Nguyen-Tran
Desk Opp: Will Howie
Generator Opp: Ben Woods
Mixing engineer: Ren
Sound editor: Michael Keane
Post Production Sound Services by Wayland Productions
Live Audio: Tim Hand
Foley Artist: Michael Keane
Props and Set Management: Alex Denholm
Props: Louis Merrion
Costume assistant: Kerenza Bloomfield
VFX: Josh Stiles
Runner: Effy Haven
Special Thanks: Yamaha, Poppy Roper, Ruben Cleghorn and Harrison Jones
Camera Equipment: Egg Lenses
Lighting Equipment: Liteworx
That was the first thing I thought of when I saw the violist getting wet back there, was ohhhhh, that poor instrument. Glad it stayed dry.
Love the vocal insight to this masterpiece Ren has created. Little background about it being a 1 shot video. It technically is a 2 shot. When they pass behind the wheelchair before pulling away to reveal the strings there is 1 cut. Ren had to do it that way because of budget. They only had the space for a certain amount of time and the last section with the strings and the rain he only had 1 chance to get right. And the rain with the one girl over Ren’s right shoulder did get a little wet which obviously wasn’t planned. But knowing how important the shot was she remained a consummate professional and didn’t move. They did end up having to replace her bow due to it getting a bit wet. Also sourcing the 45 was a big problem in the UK. They sourced it the day before the shoot from a guy making replicas. But the replica actually was rechambered for a 38mm. Ren knew someone would notice and needed the shot to be as authentic as possible. They changed the choreography so he could switch out the magazines off camera to load the clip with real 45mm ammunition. Then switch back to the 38 clip off camera when he puts it back into the replica. Him and his team’s attention to detail, choreography, camera work, acting ect is phenomenal. Epic video that deserves an award.
GREAT REACTION! There is a single cut in this video just before the rain scene, because redoing it all after he got wet would be costly. The first section took between 15-17 takes, the second only a few. He rehearsed for weeks. You should definitely react to MONEY GAME PT. 1. That one is a true single one-take that took 6 days and 183 tries. It's truly remarkable and has a bit more (gorgeous) singing. Also try WADE IN THE WATER (NINA SIMONE) TROUBLE SO HARD, with his band The Big Push. UNBELIEVABLE vocals with basic mics and amps on the street. Ren busking on the street almost always sounds better than most artists in the studio.
Oh, and it is Ren playing piano at the start. No tricks.
@@yonahgrossman7319 , yes, those are definitely Ren's hands.
The first video he made with the Big Push, Swan Song, is a very good one to react to. It's an original song of theirs.
Thank you for this profound reaction - yes, it's a live one take - with one cut behind the wheelchair before the strings, because if the rain. They had only one chance to do the rain. The bow on the left became wet, but she stayed professional in character👌🏼- they bought her a new one. They did the first longer part about 150-180 times, as I remember...
They did a next level MASTERPIECE 🥹🙏🏼
This was a very interesting reaction to watch because of what you focus on. There was an issue with the rain-making set-up so the viola player’s (Jordan Bergmans) bow got wet. In an interview, Ren’s videographer praised her for not flinching.
Also if you focus on the strings right before the "Cut the music" part they are playing a throwback to the first money game. Amazing piece of art
I am a huge RENegade and it was enjoyable to hear a reaction not based solely on lyrics! I would love to see more ren from this channel. He has said that this latest album was more rap based but after a break to focus on his health he will be doing more singing and almost no rapping on the next album. He wants to grow as an artist not just a rapper
For range, check out his busking videos. I suggest the video with Ren and Sam Tompkins doing Earned It/Man's World/Fallin. If you don't know who Sam Tompkins is, he's an amazing vocalist as well, so it's a good introduction to him as well.
Good call for that suggestion. Sam & Ren met busking on the streets of Brighton
To answer your Questions: Samuel is the guy responsible for cinematography. This was done in two takes (the break happening when the wheelchair was turned). They could do the last part with the rain only once, because neither the location nor the suit would have dried quickly enough. I believe they needed eight takes for the first part.
Love the vocal reaction!!! Great job! Now, you can sit with it and let it sink in. It's brilliantly written and performed. As a performer yourself, your appreciation for Ren's masterpieces is highly regarded by me. ❤
The Trilogy of Tales (Jenny and Screech and Violet) is like the Banksy of street performances
Thank you for the breakdown. Much appreciated. 👌
He had to replace the strings of the bow for the violinist! The last part was a LEGIT 1 take, because they couldn't dry the floor and he didn't have a second suit... but he first part (before the wheelchair spin) was appx 20-30 takes before getting the perfect 1 take. Also, I saw your confusion when he took his jacket off, because that's where the mic is. When the wheelchair "break" happens he switches it to a waterproof case and it's tucked into his tie. I've seen a ton of lyrical breakdown/amusement, always come here for the musical breakdown! Appreciate you! Keep it up!
fun fact, they had to buy a new bow for the violinist on Ren's far right. As the water from the rain machine went further than they had planned. and damaged her bow.
I love watching singers react to his song chalk outlines (live), if you get a chance to check it out! Lots of vocal range, its an all singing song
Love your breakdown. Thank you for sharing your views and thoughts on it.
For his singing watch chalk outlines , for joe, and him busking with Sam thompkins. He's actually reeeeeeally versatile singing wise
There are 2 discreet cuts, when he takes the bag of his head and when the camera passes behind the wheelchair the first time. Production value is incredible.
Absolutely watch Money Game Pt. 1 and 2. There a quite a few callbacks to them in this one as well. They are brilliant. The first one is a one-shot as well (as the third one is) and the second one is a lyrics video (which is also very good). They are very very good. And amazing analysis! Thank you!
He’s creating a fictional character (as he often does). It fits the theme of the “Money Game” trilogy.
pleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease do Money Game pt 1 for sure for the incredible video & vocals... Money Game pt 2 is a crowd favourite do the LYRIC video for the full lyrics (other versions are missing the first verses)
edit: observations from someone who studied piano for 12 years/has played for herself for 44 years -
1) Ren is self-taught on the piano.
2) The hood is gauzy-see-through (you can see this in a little bit in the video). He'd still have had somewhat lessened vision, and I don't want to downplay the fact that there was lessened vision - but he's not playing blind.
3) He says he practiced the shit outta those arpeggios to get them that fluid
4) As a not-professional but lifelong pianist/lover of classical piano, he's not currently exhibiting a technique at the keyboard that's gonna let him progress into the *reliable* ability to play "anything he wants." He drops his wrists (which CAN be done, if you make other adjustments) while curling his fingers (... curling your fingers of COURSE can be done, but it's not advisable with dropped wrists) and he often holds them under tension in the curled position.
(WAIT, I'M NOT SAYING HE'S BAD, HE'S SUUUUUUPER BADASS, JUST LET ME MAKE MY POINTS FIRST)
You can practice a tricky passage all you want, but if you put your hands & fingers into that combo of body mechanics as your default, you're:
a) promoting carpal tunnel (which is not GUARANTEED to develop, but you're increasing the risk of developing it)
b) reducing the dexterity available to your fingers moment by moment
c) reducing your "feel" on the keys - you may have no problem playing pianissimo or fortissimo, but if you have a tricky passage (whether needing great dexterity or stretching to accommodate cords needing keys spaced far from each other), you might be more prone to not manage to pull the dynamic you want/need out of each note depending on how your wrist is acting on the tendon in the finger playing that note. In certain positions/at certain angles, you may also start to struggle with the dexterity of one or more fingers for tricky passages. + knuckle joints are more likely to stick/jam momentarily.
d) his thumbs are the same as mine (which isn't what everyone experiences, apparently). I struggled for 10 years to learn how to stop turning my first thumb joint "in" towards my palm (while the other joint does what you'd expect it to do when you're reaching for a piano key), for certain hand positions.
............. c) and d) just... give you less reliable control over what you pull "out" of the piano, and also increase the frequency with which you "miss" properly striking the key (to sound the note).
e) Given that he starts with the opening chords of Grieg's piano concerto, and even when he starts to put his own twist on it and go into the arpeggios which are not any part of the concerto (ie, his own composition) I think it's pretty easy to state that the opening of the piece is very classically "styled" even if he's put his own twist onto some of the figures. It would be VERY strange for a pianist composing & playing "in this style" to finish his arpeggiated section with that left hand index finger hunt-and-peck thing that he dos (with that tensely-curled index finger, sigh). A pianist with any training behind them would by default choose fingerings that *encouraged* dynamic and flow and feel and ritardando; one-finger hunt-and-peck is the antithesis of this, although if you practice something that way, and it's a simple enough passage, you'll for sure not notice any difference at all and probably won't mess up the proper/full "sounding" of any of the notes/desired dynamics.
It's just a massive red flag that he's playing in ways that will limit certain aspects of if he wants to push himself to play more complex stuff, especially in performance. Although of course he's not looking at performing concert piano pieces; he's a rock/rap/etc multi-instrumentalist who is bringing us the most important music of the 21st century.
Next (back to numbered points; I've finished what I wanted to say about how he curls his fingers & holds his thumbs):
5) Having seen him play on a keyboard in For Joe (which I watched a bazillion times in part because I was fascinated to watch him play at the start of the video), I recognized that those were his hands by the time the Grieg chords were done, partly because of his self-taught technique (which, again, he uses TO VERY GOOD EFFECT for what he wants to do).
6) after Money Game 3 was released, Ren said yes, it was him playing the whole intro, no camera tricks, and if I'm putting what he said together correctly, he said that when he was writing the piano accompaniment and figuring out how the video it would work, he knew he would have to have another pianist to pull the performance off because there are parts of it that are a little beyond what he felt he was able to pull off. I think it's probably the bits starting with Jimmy at 30yrs old where the left hand is doing its own I-V-III-V alternating triad & inversion-type figures way down in the bass but the right hand is dancing and jumping around in fast solid triad chords up high. Might take more practiced mental coordination/skill than what Ren's so far shown us on camera, while I think the rest of it (and believe me, I've watched the video a bunch of times specifically to listen to the piano part) fits with what we've *seen* Ren play in front of our eyes on a keyboard.
7) There are moments in his intro section here (after he starts up the bass "beat" of the piece) where I can hear those notes not quite sound fully (ie, promoted by poor hand position/finger technique), and his damper pedal choices after he switches away from the classical style measures of the intro, are... uh.... a *choice* ;) From a classical standpoint, anyway! He might have purposefully chosen to stand down hard on the pedal without lifting for some effect he wanted. But it blurs the articulation of the notes and doesn't make sense to me in terms of expression, in that moment (who am I to make that statement, of course - but its something that stuck out to me).
HOWEVER - I am *flabbergasted* at what Ren can accomplish as a self-taught musician for whom piano isn't even his primary flippin' instrument!
And I am *flabbergasted* at his ability to *compose* absolutely compelling piano music that DOESN'T SOUND DUMBED-DOWN (due to lack of instruction/formal study); it fits in fine alongside plenty of the really good rock/pop/whatever stars who play piano (maybe not an Elton John or whatever, but you know what I mean).
And dude.
Plenty of people who fool around on the piano wouldn't have what it takes to practice a sequence of arpeggios to THAT level of fluidity, without the studied technique to make it easier, FOR A CAMERA CLOSE-UP IN A LIVE ONE-TAKE VIDEO.
Ren doesn't make ANY claims that he's an amazing piano player (although I sure as hell hope he's satisfied with the performances he's able to produce at the keyboard!)
But Ren is *BADASS* at the keyboard and I will be excited to see what he's doing every single time he brings us a song with him on piano.
I just want people to understand what *piano players* see when we see him at the keyboard, and to understand WHY it might matter, depending on the context of where a person might want to take their playing.
♥
PS: Samuel is the amazing cinematographer.
PPS: Ren fans often excitedly talk about Ren being a modern-day Shakespeare, and I don't entirely disagree with that... but honestly?
I think he's more a Mozart (save for having self-taught/RUclips taught himself vs Mozart's upbringing). People have talked in comments sections about Ren being like a Swiss army knife in terms of his ability to make ANY music he wants (which I agree with), and THAT, to me, feels more Mozart.
Thank you, I’ve been hoping a piano player would react to this and to For Joe. I do not play, but in both pieces his hands didn’t look relaxed and comfortable, I could tell that much. And I’d seen the video where he described how he wrote them and that he practiced the heck out of the part he did.
He comes from a place of having to make do, but also a childhood immersed in music. His mum was a vocal instructor, even if she never taught him, it’s hard not to think he never over heard lessons or discussions. His father was a hobbyist musician and is now a therapist using music in his practice. Ren was given a old guitar at age 10, but his ADHD meant he gave up on formal lessons quickly, after maybe 3 or 4, in favour of looking at the shapes players hands made to create sounds, and copying that, or just experimenting. Later, he taught himself piano the same way. he started creating beats as a tween, but there was no one to rap over them, so he did it himself. Beatboxing was learned to stand in for instrumentation he could imagine but had no useful access too.
Add all that up, mix it with years of being stuck in his room with time to think up idea and practice when his health allowed, and a charisma that seems to magnetically attract other talented people and, here we are.
Yes, that's Ren playing piano at the beginning! He also composed the music for piano and strings! Apart from the opening few bars, of course. He directed the video and produced the music/audio. It was recorded live but it's not quite one take. They had to make a single edit, before the rain, as the 'rain machine' was being tempermental. It's effectively 2 one-takes, seamlessly put together. :) Yet another incredible and masterful performance from Ren and overall, an absolute masterpiece... again! :)
He's not talking about specific real-life person, it's a character he's created. Probably an amalgam of a lot of real-life people.
He said that he couldn't talk the next day... his voice was shot after appx 20-30 takes of the first part! For you to point out all the different changes to his voice helps people understand WHY he struggled the next day! If you want to hear vocal range, I recommend the songs listed in comments below, but will add in Lost All Faith! I believe he hits his top range in that song!
"Lost All Faith" is exactly the song I would suggest too, if comes to check out Rens vocal range 😊
You should really check out the full "tale of Jenny and Screech" It is incredible, and it shows off how good Ren is when it comes to recording audio live
You should listen to one of his duets with chinchilla. Chalk outlines or How to be me. Hear him sing and of course Chinchilla. Although Chinchilla - you really need to hear the live version of Fingers. Maybe after Chalk outlines?
If you want to hear more of his range, Lost All Faith shows how high his vocals can go.
I love your breakdown of his vocals. I especially love how you said you weren't about the lyrics and then Ren pulls you into the story, in classic Ren fashion. Ren is a master of live videos. Sam and the team of videographers are so frickin' amazing at bringing Ren's visions to life. There was only one cut, per Ren on his Twitch stream. When they pan around the wheelchair it goes to black. Ren said the last part of the video with the indoor rain was so tricky that he had to do the cut instead of risking the whole video by messing up the last part. BTW, Ren said the violin player was the only one in the strings section that got a little wet from the "rain".
Yes, Ren was playing the piano at the start. He is multitalented and self taught with guitar, his favorite instrument. This is why you hear him play things a little differently than those with years of professional training do.
I love your discussion about Ren’s vocal range! I love hearing about the technique in singing!! Great reaction!!
Fantastic reaction as it’s so great to hear someone break down and appreciate REN’s vocal talent aside from all his others. His mother was actually a vocal coach. Ren has so many songs you need to listen / react to which feature his singing!! You must start with his performance called “Ren x Chinchilla Chalk Outlines” and their duet called “how to be me”!! Her voice is Amazing as well!!!
- Then check out his awesome singing & performing busking on the streets of Brighton, starting with his cover medley called “I Shot the Sheriff/Road to Zion/hip-hop”.
Then watch a couple of these videos with who became his partner, a guy named Sam Tompkins, who he also met busking on the streets of Brighton, whose voice is at a whole Nother level beyond REN’s (he’s since toured with Justin Bieber). Their best two are their covers called “Earned it/ It’s a man’s world/ falling” and their live performance the one - indoors called “Blind Eyed”! - Their most famous song!! There’s so much amazing singing In these performances, I promise you you will be highly impressed & entertained.
Just Sub’d ‼️‼️👏👏🔥🔥🔥
Love watching reactor’s fall into the REN web. Don’t fight it, just enjoy. Great reaction.
Before you go back and concentrate on the lyrics of Part 3, you need to check out Parts 1 and 2. There is a message we all need to apply to our own lives if the human condition has a chance of improving.
Dude, your Ren vocal reactions are what’s missing in my life right now… MOAR!!
In all seriousness, as someone looking to sing better, I really appreciate the analysis and explanation you inject into your reactions… can’t wait for you to do some of his actual sing songs. 🤘
Very thoughtful analysis. Thank you. You noted at the very end how the string quartet came in perfectly on time and in tempo. I believe Ren is conducting them with the waving of the gun. The first time the strings appeared, he did the same with his fingers, counting out the tempo. I first went down the Ren rabbit hole in February. Keep going. Ren is a generational talent.
Chalk Outlines LIVE and How to be me LIVE, are a real way to appreciate his amazing vocals! Money Game 1&2 are a must ( oh there are about 180 other musts! )
Master of theater , he's come so far , we're blessed
Please consider doing Ren and Chinchilla. “How to be Me” or “Chalk Outlines”. Also The Big Push (band he was in) “I Shot the Sheriff/Road to Zion/Hip Hop. More singing in all of those. They did get a bow wet and have to replace bow strings for one of the players, but no strings were hurt during the production (according to the film maker).
Ren is just such an amazing artist and storyteller. Thanks for a great analysis Peter, as always.
fantastic breakdown of the vocals. its a 1 take but with a subtle transition before the strings section (as ren only had 1 suit to get wet - as well as the ground on the 1 day filming), he said there was around 18 takes of the first part. what an amazing song and video, sam the videographer stepped up a level once again!
Fascinating. I love watching different reaction aspects from experts. Top job.
There’s an entire rabbit hole of Ren to go down. Especially Sick boi or the trilogy the tales of Jenny and Screech would be amazing to watch an analysis of
This must've made Mason happy :) I know he's a big fan
Bingo!
There were 2 parts to the shot. From the beginning to the turning wheelchair, then to the end. They had to clear out some of the smoke from the smoke bomb. However, each part was not only one take they were one shot. They practiced for a few days headed up to the shoot. But only had one day of shooting. The second part had to be one shot because of Ren's custom suit.
Ren said he had to buy the violin player on the left a new bow because the rain machine soaked hers. Yet she stayed perfectly still, thankfully.
Pls do Money Games 1 & 2…you’ll begin to understand the complex intersong mythologies he builds, AND Ren sings in Pt 1.
When Ren raps he blows my mind, when he sings he breaks my heart.
A lot of recommendations for Chalk Outlines, brilliant duet that showcases his singing voice.
Enjoy!
Yep - of the 2 not-busking videos he has with Chinchilla, my preference is for Chalk Outlines, although How to Be Me is also absolutely stunning.
Definitely Chalklines❤
When you discover Chinchilla…. I promise you should RUN over and do a breakdown on her Fingers ( live) video. She’s a friend and the female equivalent of REN🤯
Ren was playing piano at the start. It's a fictional story with a fictional character (Jimmy).
They cut once before the rain. Ren didn’t even want to do that.
Peter, your reaction to Hi Ren sent me down the rabbit hole so hard that im now a Renegade. I cant thank you enough!
To get this whole story you need to see 1 and 2. For behind the scenes of this, watch the knox hill interview with Sam
the bow of the women on our left needed to be replaced
I really like your analysis of Ren's art. If you'd like to check more of his singing, take a look at duets with Chinchilla (already mentioned Chalk outlines and How to be me). Worth mentioning is also Lost all faith - combining rap with singing and showing off his range
Great technical reaction. I've watched you comment on Ren both times, and you have a lot of great detail to comment about.
I just want to add , it's not a studio it's a shed on a farm
That was interesting, I learned a lot. If you want to see a good example of Ren's singing range, take a look at some of his busking videos with Sam Tompkins, particularly Earned it/ Man's world/ Falling. He did some super high singing in their cover of Latch.
Other fantastic examples of Ren's singing voice:
The Big Push - I Shot the Sheriff/Road to Zion/Hip Hop
The Big Push - Wade in the water / Nina simone / Trouble so hard
Ren x Chinchilla - Chalk outlines (live version)
Ren x Chinchilla - How to be me (live version)
Ren's Love Music part 3 sees him holding a note for ages, showing that he must have pretty good breath control.
There's an interesting video called Vocal ANALYSIS of Ren featuring Chinchilla performing "Chalk Outlines" on the Charismatic Voice channel that you might enjoy. Regarding the growling sound Ren incorporates into some words, according to Anthony Ray, it's also a beatbox technique. Ren is a beatboxer, so it makes sense that he would incorporate some techniques.