Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so impressed to hear Sakura Sakura being performed by a Caucasian. If I didn't see him perform, I would have thought it was being performed by a native of Japan. Fantastic performance!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am a 3rd generation Japanese Canadian.
@@jasonjoyce7835 I was born in Toronto Ontario Canada. My mother's parents moved to Vancouver from Osaka and my dad's parents moved from Hiroshima to Vancouver.
I first enjoyed listening to this composition over forty years ago on cassette tape. This is the first time I have actually observed the instruments used to perform it. Absolutely Sensational... Thank You.
I always wondered what that weird tune I noonled away at warming up in my bedroom at 16 was called. it's engrained in our DNA somehow .. BTW im not Japanese .. well, not yet..
Love those cherry blossoms. Just amazing to see and your playing is so complimentary to them. What a great video to watch and hear while having some tea! Thank you for sharing your talent with the world Mr. Paul!
There are a couple - Kojo no Tsuki (Ruined Castle in the Moonlight) has a similar short and eerie quality. Hanakage is another simple koto piece in hira joshi tuning so has the older sound. Akatombo (Red Dragonfly) is a bit more major sounding (rather than the harmonic minor key), but is another simple and beautiful piece often done on koto or shamisen.
Japanese traditional music tends to sound "bitter" and "austere", if metaphors can serve. What do they change to their gamut in order to get that effect? Anyways, afaik you nailed it.
The traditional scale is called hira joshi, and it is a pentatonic minor scale. It only has five notes (as opposed to the eight in a traditional western scale), and the five notes form intervals that are minor and "dark" by western definitions. The notes would be D, E, F, A, Bb if you know music notation, which has the minor third in the D-F interval, the open fifth in the D-A interval, the open fifth in the E-A interval, and the Bb which forces the Dm feel even further. The string instruments also tend to have a somewhat nasal/twangy sound that emphasizes the high overtones, rather than the darker, warmer undertones, so it can make it sound metallic or "cold" by comparison to say the western harp (vs. koto) and classical guitar (vs. shamisen). Japanese music also has a strong sense of the concept of "ma" or the "emptiness between the notes" so tends to emphasize long pauses or austere/simple arrangements of music. It is rare to hear complex or chordal harmonies in traditional Japanese music. Ornamentation can get very elaborate, but often resolves back to very simple and pure sounds. Western music tends toward "fuller" arrangements with lots of depth to the chordal structure and lots of harmonies and counter-melodies. Japanese traditional music doesn't.
Check out this concert... Shamisen & Japanese Folk Music Concert by artists Akari Mochizuki & Hibiki Ichikawa... ruclips.net/video/bIs177d-yJA/видео.html
The koto wasn't hard to play music on, the shamisen I haven't tried but looking forward to try, the shakuhachi I still can't get a sound of more than occasionally.. my late father-in-law left behind two of them which I keep in my home office and reach for now and then. Boy it's not easy. Same principle as a quena but way way more difficult, for some reason.
Getting the "technique" right on the koto can occasionally be difficult, but otherwise no, it isn't any more difficult than a harp. If you play guitar or mandolin or the like, the only thing that is hard with shamisen is getting used to the "pick" - the bachi is very different. But once you get past that, it isn't too difficult. The shakuhachi is hard, no getting around that. The quena is not too bad because the angle doesn't change - the shakuhachi has a lot of expressiveness, but that comes at the price of requiring a lot of control. If you are interested, I suggest watching Markus Guhe's instructional videos - they are very helpful. www.youtube.com/@MarkusGuhe
Hello Paul, I'm looking for a Shamisen, but not the traditional one (with the animal skin, so fragile). I found a modern one on the net (Suzuki) it seems you are playing with one of this kind; Do you think it's worth it?
Short answer is yes. The synthetic heads have gotten really good, and are much more stable, less temperature and humidity senstive (especially if you are playing outdoors or obon festivals in high summer, etc), and considerably more sturdy than the catskin or other animal hide heads. I've played both, and the sound is definitely comparable. If you prefer a slightly more aggressive style play (more tsugaru style for example) then the synthetic head is a better choice overall.
@@paulbutler8308 Thanx very much for sharing your experience ! I feel more confident in my choice now, specially because that will be my first experience with this instrument. Enjoy music !
This is the first time I've heard this song outside dance dance revolution and I'm glad that game got me here
Thanks, my late father alwaya sang this song to me when i am still an infant, Still remember the lyric to this day.
Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so impressed to hear Sakura Sakura being performed by a Caucasian. If I didn't see him perform, I would have thought it was being performed by a native of Japan. Fantastic performance!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am a 3rd generation Japanese Canadian.
You mean you’re a Canadian?
@@jasonjoyce7835 I was born in Toronto Ontario Canada. My mother's parents moved to Vancouver from Osaka and my dad's parents moved from Hiroshima to Vancouver.
I first enjoyed listening to this composition over forty years ago on cassette tape.
This is the first time I have actually observed the instruments used to perform it.
Absolutely Sensational...
Thank You.
You are very welcome!
Thats was a relaxing and masterfully played music session.
That was so wonderful! Thank you so much for this precious moment with your skill and the beauty of the music and the blossoms.
I always wondered what that weird tune I noonled away at warming up in my bedroom at 16 was called. it's engrained in our DNA somehow .. BTW im not Japanese .. well, not yet..
Very nice
So peaceful
Love those cherry blossoms. Just amazing to see and your playing is so complimentary to them. What a great video to watch and hear while having some tea! Thank you for sharing your talent with the world Mr. Paul!
Glad you enjoyed it
Muy hermoso gracias
Do you know any other songs like this. Short, Simple, Yet Beautiful and perplexing?
There are a couple - Kojo no Tsuki (Ruined Castle in the Moonlight) has a similar short and eerie quality. Hanakage is another simple koto piece in hira joshi tuning so has the older sound. Akatombo (Red Dragonfly) is a bit more major sounding (rather than the harmonic minor key), but is another simple and beautiful piece often done on koto or shamisen.
@@PaulButlerConsort Thank you so much. I will look them up and become familiar. Thanks
すばらしい
hermosa melodia.. amo esa melodia.... bellisimo sonidoooo.
Wonderful! Why so few likes?
Japanese traditional music tends to sound "bitter" and "austere", if metaphors can serve. What do they change to their gamut in order to get that effect?
Anyways, afaik you nailed it.
The traditional scale is called hira joshi, and it is a pentatonic minor scale. It only has five notes (as opposed to the eight in a traditional western scale), and the five notes form intervals that are minor and "dark" by western definitions. The notes would be D, E, F, A, Bb if you know music notation, which has the minor third in the D-F interval, the open fifth in the D-A interval, the open fifth in the E-A interval, and the Bb which forces the Dm feel even further. The string instruments also tend to have a somewhat nasal/twangy sound that emphasizes the high overtones, rather than the darker, warmer undertones, so it can make it sound metallic or "cold" by comparison to say the western harp (vs. koto) and classical guitar (vs. shamisen). Japanese music also has a strong sense of the concept of "ma" or the "emptiness between the notes" so tends to emphasize long pauses or austere/simple arrangements of music. It is rare to hear complex or chordal harmonies in traditional Japanese music. Ornamentation can get very elaborate, but often resolves back to very simple and pure sounds. Western music tends toward "fuller" arrangements with lots of depth to the chordal structure and lots of harmonies and counter-melodies. Japanese traditional music doesn't.
Check out this concert... Shamisen & Japanese Folk Music Concert by artists Akari Mochizuki & Hibiki Ichikawa... ruclips.net/video/bIs177d-yJA/видео.html
@@PaulButlerConsort That's very comprehensive and clear. I do recognize a similar pattern with their painting. Thank you you very much.
@@PaulButlerConsort that's a very generous sharing. Thanks for sharing.
Lagunya enak didengar
Why he remembers me to the hound of GOT but my respect it's sound beautiful!
I am 6'5" (196cm) and about 235 lbs, so not too far off, especially with my hair and beard long :)
Oooooo nice!
The koto wasn't hard to play music on, the shamisen I haven't tried but looking forward to try, the shakuhachi I still can't get a sound of more than occasionally.. my late father-in-law left behind two of them which I keep in my home office and reach for now and then. Boy it's not easy. Same principle as a quena but way way more difficult, for some reason.
Getting the "technique" right on the koto can occasionally be difficult, but otherwise no, it isn't any more difficult than a harp. If you play guitar or mandolin or the like, the only thing that is hard with shamisen is getting used to the "pick" - the bachi is very different. But once you get past that, it isn't too difficult. The shakuhachi is hard, no getting around that. The quena is not too bad because the angle doesn't change - the shakuhachi has a lot of expressiveness, but that comes at the price of requiring a lot of control. If you are interested, I suggest watching Markus Guhe's instructional videos - they are very helpful.
www.youtube.com/@MarkusGuhe
thank god for YT's recommendations
Hello Paul, I'm looking for a Shamisen, but not the traditional one (with the animal skin, so fragile). I found a modern one on the net (Suzuki) it seems you are playing with one of this kind; Do you think it's worth it?
Short answer is yes. The synthetic heads have gotten really good, and are much more stable, less temperature and humidity senstive (especially if you are playing outdoors or obon festivals in high summer, etc), and considerably more sturdy than the catskin or other animal hide heads. I've played both, and the sound is definitely comparable. If you prefer a slightly more aggressive style play (more tsugaru style for example) then the synthetic head is a better choice overall.
@@paulbutler8308 Thanx very much for sharing your experience ! I feel more confident in my choice now, specially because that will be my first experience with this instrument. Enjoy music !
ジョナサンみたいだ
Megitsune😂😂
居然有此技法
very nice but to would be even better if not perfect if he included TAIKO
This song is so sad
Źle słychać te instrumenty nie prawidłowe nagłośnienie dla pliku wideo 🎼💢😡👎
Don't be hating pls
I hear it all well.