1:36 - Taiko (A type of drum. Can take a few years to create a single drum due to the drying process it goes through) 9:45 - Koto (A 13-string instrument, there are also 17-string Koto instruments. Fingerpicks are usually used when playing the Koto. Also the national instrument of Japan) 9:49 - Shamisen (A 3-string instrument used with a 'pick' called a Bachi. The shape and size of a Shamisen will change depending on the genre it's being used for.) 11:20 - Shakuhachi (A bamboo end-blown (like a recorder) flute. It's gone through very few changes over the centuries.)
Shakuhachi: Th e"difficult flute".Pitched VERY close to the Western "transverse" flute. Check out the amazing Herbie Mann album; "Gagaku and Beyond". Great band, great atmosphere; actually "pushing the boundaries".
The lead vocal Yuko Suzuhana is classically trained in piano (University level), is a teacher in "Shigin" (Japanese poem reciting which she incorporates in her singing). She also learnt sword dancing and fan dancing.
In addition to the Wagakki Band channel, she also has a personal channel under her name (Yuko Susuhana). . Last May she wrote a short artsong piece, self accompanied on piano, titled うたいびと
Just to let you know, this was originally a vocaloid song. =) It's why it's hard to find a place to breathe in this song, cause computers don't breathe. XD The Wagakki Band group definitely does it justice!
Who do you thing you are to evaluate something coming from culture you don’t even understand. …. Traditional instrumetns you can’t name… and part of Evanescence was according to me a hurting element of this performance, taking in consideration the whole setup.
@@czsdos01 what are you even talking about they’re correct. This was originally a vocaloid song sang by hatsune miku. Miku is a computer program, not a human being, so a lot of her songs are difficult or even impossible to sing. They’re not coming for their culture or anything of the sort they’re simply stating facts. They are very talented to have been able to make such an amazing cover of senbonzakura.
@𝕤𝕙𝕪 It's s a stretch to call Vocaloids AIs, I think. The Vocaloid software contains a database of phoneme samples recorded by singer that it uses to combine an input set of lyrics with an input melody to get a vocal performance. I don't know how much control the user has over the process vs. how much is black box magic in the software, though, so maybe "AI" isn't that far off a description. Either way, it's darned effective, and when you combine it with well-done character animation, you really DO get a better pop star than Justin Beiber! :P
@@mrz80 Actually, A few Vocaloids and other voice synthesizers have recently gotten AI support, making them sound significantly more realistic. Here is an example: ua-cam.com/video/Si_Wkh1pvJ4/v-deo.html I personally still like the more sythesized sound of older Vocaloids, but I can very much appreciate the creations with the AI ones.
As you requested: The japanese guitar is called Shamisen (shah-me-sehn). There are many different variations, the one that Beni Ninagawa plays is the Tsugaru Shamisen. The japanese flute is called Shakuhachi (shah-coo-hah-tchee), it's a bamboo flute tuned in a pentatonic scale, played by the master Daisuke Kaminaga, a real living legend. The big drums are the Taiko drums or Wadaiko, played by Kurona. These are very traditional and of course a very tribal form of instrument. That horizontal harp is the Koto, played by Kiyoshi Ibukuro. Also it's worth to mention the guitarist Shin Omura (goes by Machiya) uses a very specific type of a 29-fret baritone guitar, which is a regular guitar but with 5 extra frets at the top of the neck, perfect for making arrangements (check the size of that neck). The singer Yuuko Suzuhana sings in a style called Shigin, which is a traditional way of singing poems, that's why it's so peculiar. Wagakki Band is amazing, so is your channel. Thumbs up, please :)
Until 2018 Machiya did play Sago 29 fret guitars, especially the "Kirin" model, but since then has switched to the 7 string 24 fret "Shigure" model, which he finds he can use on a wider variety of songs without needing to change guitars
Yuko's Shigin style of singing was developed to harmonize with the twanginess of the shamisen. She is also the youngest person to be awarded the title of Master for that singing style. I recommend 2 other songs, 1: Sabakuno-Komoriuta, and 2: Kyosyo No Sora. (If you can find the acoustic version with just Daisuke and Machiya, it is my fave.)
Incredible. She is the first and only reactor to pick up that Yuuko and Machiya MATCH VIBRATO width and rhythm when singing harmony together!!!! So amazing is this band and our lovely charismatic reactor!!! :)
Come on. Elizabeth is not a mere “reactor”, she actually analyses music technically. I haven’t found any other “reactor” actually analysing musical composition and being technically invested on their channels.
It's nice that Elizabeth is giving her reaction & analysis to various singers & styles, who are not so well known in the western world. There are gems in this worlds and we can wait for a long time for official radios and TV channels to bring them to a wider public. It's a good side of the globalization to be able to open our eyes & ears by ourselves.
You are right there are gems in this world that the majority of the western know nothing about! I gave up listening to music from the UK/US over 15 years ago and discovered a lot more in other countries ie Vietnam..My Tam, Japan rock scene not forgetting wagakki band whom i listen to every day and other artists from Russia, Ukraine , Taiwan, Armenia the list can go on and on!! Broadening ones horizon this way is also like travelling. The narrow minded people will say " .....but they dont sing in English" is their reason for not listening to them!! In terms of globalisation music has no borders!!
The rabbit hole is deep with this song. Originally released in 2011, this song by Kurousa P is one of the most enduring songs within Vocaloid fandom. Vocaloid, in brief is a singing synthesis technology developed by Yamaha which enables a computer to perform songs drawing on a pre-recorded database of human vocal samples. The software uses a piano-roll style of interface where the user inputs the notes and lyrics then "tunes" the voice with various effects. The particular voice in this case is Hatsune Miku, by far the most popular Vocaloid character worldwide, and is voiced by Saki Fujita, one of the most well-known voce actors in Japan. The song as been performed "live" in many concerts since then, including two perfomances with the traditional drumming troup KODO, and has been covered by Lindsay Stirling and now Wagakki Band, obviously As far as the bright, positive sound of the song, Vocaloid songs are well known for being bright and cheery with some very dark lyrics. And yes, the fan interaction is a well known feature of Vocaloid fandom. Check out this "live" performance and you'll se what I mean, and I'd love to hear your critique of the synthesized vocals. :D ua-cam.com/video/N53ZbARbzm4/v-deo.html
Something interesting about Japanese concerts: The fans will arrive early to practice the audience interaction with the songs that will be played. Like this isn't just them knowing how to act and respond, they practice like... 45 minutes before the concert starts.
Daisuke... he's got lung of steel. On a serious note, he teach Shakuhachi at 5 music university. And recently he also able to blow it with ultra minimum resonance, and make it sounded like a stainless steel flute.
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The Japanese instruments I learned are: Shakuhachi (flute); Shamisen (3 stringed lute); Koto (the horizontal stringed instrument); and the Taiko (the drums). I do recommend Band Maid, but most of their songs are pretty short and I know that bothers you. But they are very talented.
@@aragontonchoify Taiko or Daiko just means drums in Japanese, and Wa-Daiko means "Japanese (traditional) drums". The drums sticks used in Wadaiko are called "Bachi".
For Band-Maid, I would start straight with Domination, live version at Line Cube Shibuya 2020. It captures the essence of them being a great live rock band.
This band is so cute, if you want to see a group of musicians doing what they love, Wagakki Band won't disappoint, they'll probably even put a smile on your face
You know a band is serious when they have 2 friggin drummers and a full instrument orchestra behind them. Been listening for a while to Wagakki and all their songs have something awesome in them I like them a lot. Also in case anyone was wondering the bass player is not a woman it's a man just following a different kind of way to express himself, his name is Asa.
I saw them live 2 years ago, front row too!! They're so much fun. One of my favorite japanese bands. Very high energy like you were saying. I absolutely love their combination of traditional japanese music and rock. I loved this reaction/analysis
I've never thought, not in a million years, that you would do a Waggaki Band reaction. It was a total surprise, but a damn welcomed one. Great video like always
That was my reaction as well! Just completely blown away by both the mix of styles and instruments, the incredible playing level of all the artists and how tightly they play together, and the sheer energy. Listening to them never fails to put a huge smile on my face.
They're a really good band consisting of professenial musicians. They began as a Vocaloid cover band with Senbonzakura as the biggest example (this is the original by Hatsune Miku as DIVA project ua-cam.com/video/Mqps4anhz0Q/v-deo.html, there is also a live version). Nowadays they also make their own music some with impressive CGI: Akatsuki no Ito with a 神龍 Shenron (Divine dragon or Dragon god) soaring through the skies ua-cam.com/video/fcucbhJ-Orc/v-deo.html or jazzy with a movie like clip: ua-cam.com/video/nwXtiTxtiHs/v-deo.html (Extended version, but not the way they do in the West). These are 2 songs of which the 1st song is instrumental 焔 (Homura) + 暁ノ糸 (Akatsuki no Ito) live ua-cam.com/video/ponTbDDMYjw/v-deo.html
Hi Elizabeth, first string instrument that appear is the koto and then when she start naming the instruments you have: shamisen (the Japanese violin), shakuhachi (the flute), and then she call for the guitar (guita, in Japanese pronouciation, with no r). The drums you have there are the Taiko, although it is not common to see someone playing all of them in sequence… you usually have a single person per drum.
I just discovered this band by accident and they just blow me away. I've been a musician since I was 9 years in 1961. I'm now 71 years old and my musical journey continues.
Hi Elizabeth, this is my first time listening to Wagakki Band and I loved this performance. The Combination of traditional Japanese instruments and a full orchestra was absolutely amazing. The vocalist and musicians were outstanding, and Amy Lee, singing in Japanese/wearing traditional type clothing, was icing on the cake. Thank you, Elizabeth!!! 💙
I love Wagakki Band. The problem I have with their videos is that I can't just *listen* to them; they're so mesmerizing that I have to watch them as well. I haven't seen a single one that's less than amazing.
The traditional Japanese instruments: Shamisen (looks like a banjo), wadaiko (Japanese drums), shakuhachi (flute), koto (looks like a harp on its side).
@@frankroos1167 I was answering Elizabeth's question about the traditional Japanese instruments. The singing style is Shigin. The recitation of Japanese and Chinese poetry.
Also, the Shamisen player is using a "bachi" to pick with, instead of using her fingers as some players do for a slightly more intimate sound on songs called ko-uta (literally small song). There is a specific set of finger picks that Koto players use as well, plus the nice thing about the Koto is that it can be played on either side of the "bridges" when tuned to do so, and also have notes bent by pressing down on the string on the other side to add vibrato as well. Some very interesting instruments in Asian music. :)
@@mr1d44ever2 Still, well worth mentioning. And thank you for reminding me of the name. I keep forgetting it (as well as Shakuhachi) A matter of practice, I guess.
The instruments are shakuhachi (flute), shamisen (3 string lute-like instrument), koto (horizontal string instrument), and wadaiko (drums). I can't help but replay Beni's shamisen solos as well. Love it when she gets to shred!
That kind of singing is more traditional in Japan, it's shigin. If you really want to hear Amy Lee with Wagakki Band, you should react to their live cover of Evanescence's song "Bring Me To Life" from the same concert, full song is with Amy Lee.
thank you very much for your videos. I want to tell you that I have known Wagakki Band for years, due to my cancer in my eyes it was getting worse after my painful treatment I listen to its music and it calms all my pains. Yūko Suzuhana (鈴華ゆう子) - Vocalist Kiyoshi Ibukuro (いぶくろ聖志) - Koto Daisuke Kaminaga (神永大輔) - Shakuhachi Beni Ninagawa (蜷川べに) - Tsugaru Shamisen Kurona (黒流) - Wadaiko Machiya (町屋) - Guitar electric Asa (亜沙) - Bajo electric Wasabi (山葵) - Drums
I was watching a guitar teachers reaction to the Wagakki band when I saw your channel. I ran over to my mom's house who at 89 still transcribes choir music and leads choirs to intro her to your channel. Your enthusiasm is AWESOME. Simply put they are singing traditional Japanese folk style with a Koto (lots of strings on the floor), Shamisen (banjo looking and sounding instrument with the coolest pick), Shakuhachi (flute) and Taiko drums. Again, I love your enthusiasm!!!
I think that is the best version of that awesome song!! I would love Elizabeth to react to it, I think in that perfomance both of the voices are more "interesting", I mean: to analize.
Thank you, Elizabeth, for reacting to Wagakki Band. I’m glad you appreciated their musical capabilities and the seamless way they combine traditional Japanese instruments (wagakki) and western rock instruments. They are amazing musicians and do such a vast variety of styles from punk, metal, jazz and swing to pop, rock, rap and even some more classical stuff. I’m glad you were impressed by them. I agree with a previous commenter that this is not the best version of this song and the whole concert is a bit more toned-down and conservative than their normal shows, because it was more of a high-end function with the full-orchestra. To see them really go to town, watch one of their more recent 'dai Shinnenkai' (New Year's) live shows, but to get a better appreciation of Yuko's vocals, you should probably check out some of their slower songs and ballads, most of which are written by Yuko. 'Sabaku no komoriuta' (Desert Lullaby), 'Izana' (Powerful Woman), 'Okinotayuu' (Albatross), 'Queen Of The Night', and her solo at the start of ‘Kyouga / Kyouka suigetsu’ (Mirror Flower, Water Moon) - all links below. I will slide in a plug for the tracks ‘Ignite’ (almost punk, with rapid rap-like vocals from Yuko and Machiya and Yuko’s shigin-style singing) and ‘Synchronicity’ (jazz / swing duet with Yuko and Machiya). I’m still just scratching the surface of their catalogue, but I’ve included a list of links to a lot of their studio music videos and live performance tracks below for your explorations, roughly from slower tracks to faster ones. Many will recommend the ‘Homura’ (Flame/Fire) + ‘Akatsuki no Ito’ (Dawn’s Thread) video, which seems to be the most common video on YT and doesn’t seem to have any copyright issues, but this doesn't highlight Yuko's vocals best. Some of their other tracks, especially older ones seem to have more copyright issues, primarily due to their old record label, Avex. From 2018/19, with their ‘React’ EP, they have been with their new label, Universal, and there seems to be less copyright issues. Their live shows also seem to have less copyright issues, and sound quality is usually good, especially the later 'dai Shinnenkai' (New Year’s) concerts (2019-21), the ‘React' and ‘Tokyo Singing’ (latest album) Tour shows, and the Premium Symphonic Night Vol. 2, with a full live orchestra, which you just viewed. The other big one for reactors is the collab with Amy Lee from Evanescence doing ‘Bring Me To Life’ at the Premium Symphonic Night Vol. 2 live concert (the same as the Senbonzakura track you reviewed). It’s amazing, but they have Machiya’s back-up vocals turned down too low in the mix, so it lost a lot of impact from that in the rough male vocals (which Amy didn't like, anyway, so that may have been her doing). All of the WB members were apparently Evanescence fans. WB and Amy also did a collab single, ‘Sakura Rising’ (Cherry Blossoms Rising), which is a slightly dark, COVID-inspired song, but is quite positive and uplifting, and has an animated video clip. There are live versions of it out now, with Amy’s vocals performed by her on video. Band members: Yuko - lead vocals, piano, (‘shigin’ - traditional Japanese poetry recital vocal style - conventional vocals and rap, traditional fan, parasol and sword dancing). Yuko conceived and founded the band, but also has a solo career and several side projects; Machiya - lead electric guitar, back-up / male vocals, occasionally wears a traditional Noh theatre mask at the start of live shows, and has his own band; Kiyoshi - koto(s) (horizontal harps, although he has one smaller one he plays standing up like a Keytar); Daisuke - shakuhachi (bamboo flute) - regarded as one of the best shakuhachi players in Japan; Beni - Tsugaru shamisen (three string banjo-like instrument, originally played with a fan, but now a ‘bachi’, which looks like a paint scraper). Tsugaru style was a more lively style developed by ‘bousama’- blind street musicians. Everybody loves Beni; Kurona - wadaiko (traditional / Taiko drums), percussion and traditional chanting; Wasabi - western drum kit and percussion (and, “THE GONG!”); Asa - bassist and back-up / male vocals, vocaloid programmer; I keep adding to this list as I find new songs I like, so hopefully you find as many to like as I do. I had to cut out all of the links to music videos, and half of the live tracks, because this post is too long, but their later music videos, are visually stunning, especially 'Strong Fate', 'Counterattack Sword', 'War', Synchronicity and 'Queen of the Night'. Tracks with Yuko's vocals (roughly slower to faster, ballads to punk, via pop, rap rock and metal): 'Okinotayuu' (Albatross) (Live - 2020, Premium Symphonic Night Vol. 2 concert, with orchestra): ua-cam.com/video/dMK27ngwR_I/v-deo.html 'Sabaku no komoriuta' (Desert Lullaby) (Live - 2020, Premium Symphonic Night Vol. 2 concert, with orchestra): ua-cam.com/video/ynFg7-gqJqc/v-deo.html 'Izana' (Powerful Woman) (Live - 2020, Premium Symphonic Night Vol. 2 concert, with orchestra): ua-cam.com/video/_WD0hhmGrog/v-deo.html ‘Kyouga /Kyouka suigetsu’ (Mirror Flower, Water Moon) (Live - 2019, Japan 'React' Tour concert): ua-cam.com/video/YJcRefZD7Qk/v-deo.html 'Queen Of The Night' (Music Video): ua-cam.com/video/AoY5f979VtM/v-deo.html ‘Hotarubi’ (Fireworks / Light of a Firefly) ((Live - 2020, Premium Symphonic Night Vol. 2 concert, without orchestra): ua-cam.com/video/y_9WwUOPlSU/v-deo.html 'Strong Fate' (Live - 2019, Japan 'React' Tour concert): ua-cam.com/video/6JCEeSV0fIQ/v-deo.html 'Aria of Life' (Music Video, TV theme for anime, 'Mars Red'): ua-cam.com/video/qum43l6UZW0/v-deo.html 'Yoshiwara Lament' (from a Vocaloid written by bassist, Asa, Live duet with Yuko - 2020, Premium Symphonic Night Vol. 2 concert, with orchestra): ua-cam.com/video/81vG0rX8QoQ/v-deo.html 'Sakura Rising' (Cherry Blossoms Rising) (Live - 2021, Japan Tokyo Singing Tour. Duet with Amy Lee from Evanescence): ua-cam.com/video/9fZvg9DLcEM/v-deo.html . 'Bring Me To Life' (Live Duet with Amy Lee from Evanescence, 2020, Premium Symphonic Night Vol. 2 concert, with orchestra): ua-cam.com/video/hk1GtYK7BJM/v-deo.html ‘Hangekai no Yaiba’ (Counterattack Sword) (Live, 2015, Nico, Nico, 02.09.2015): ua-cam.com/video/SjHiU3-zfUo/v-deo.html 'Singin for ...' (Music Video): ua-cam.com/video/Jgkj5Lqcsww/v-deo.html 'Akatsuki no Ito' (Dawn's Thread) (Unofficial anthem, Live - 2020, Yokohama Arena, Manatsu no Dai Shinnenkai concert): ua-cam.com/video/_oMJc8qi97c/v-deo.html 'Homura' (Flame) (Instrumental intro) + 'Akatsuki no Ito' (Dawn's Thread) (Unofficial anthem, Live - 2015, 1st Japan Tour, Hibiya Yagai Ongakudo concert - most common video): ua-cam.com/video/ponTbDDMYjw/v-deo.html 'Synchronicity' (Live - 2018, Japan Hall Tour, Oto no Kairou concert) (most close-ups of vocals): ua-cam.com/video/wRYVPDKuqMk/v-deo.html ‘Hanabi’ (Fireworks / Fire Flowers) (Live, ): ua-cam.com/video/O_QsUG4KZC4/v-deo.html ‘Appare ga Seigi’ (Praise Righteousness) (Live - 2019, Japan 'React' Tour concert): ua-cam.com/video/kYOXs6jQqJ8/v-deo.html 'Homura' (Flame) (Instrumental intro) + ‘Hagane’ (Steel) (Live - 2015?, 1st US Tour, ‘Deep Impact’, at the ‘House of Blues’): ua-cam.com/video/NtGCDkW6UvE/v-deo.html ‘Kishikaisei’ (Resurrection / Revival / Come-back ‘from the dead) (2016 Olympics Japanese TV theme {and closing ceremony theme?}, Live, 2017, Heian Jingu concert): ua-cam.com/video/dPJxB2hdah8/v-deo.html ‘Hoshidzukiyo’ (Starry Night) (Live, 2018, Dai Shinnenkai concert) - crowd participation, pop-rock, spoken basic shigin-style vocals by Yuko, with back-up from Machiya): ua-cam.com/video/LnF7p_hf0Ig/v-deo.html 'Sunwheel' (Music Video): ua-cam.com/video/wr7oHjMXpgs/v-deo.html 'Tengaku' (Music of the Heavens) (Vocaloid cover, Live - 2015, 1st Japan Tour, Hibiya Yagai Ongakudo concert): ua-cam.com/video/aQgzbaRJsxw/v-deo.html 'Senbonzakura' (Thousand Cherry Blossoms) (Vocaloid cover, Live - 2020, Yokohama Arena, Manatsu no Dai Shinnenkai concert): ua-cam.com/video/Xjwe9WyO8Qs/v-deo.html 'Valkyrie' (Anime theme, Live - 2020, Yokohama Arena, Manatsu no Dai Shinnenkai concert): ua-cam.com/video/T7UtnSETgJY/v-deo.html 'Rokuchounen to Ichiya Monogatari' (A Tale of Six Trillion Years And A Night) (Vocaloid cover, Live - 2018, Dai Shinnenkai, Ashita e no Koukai concert): ua-cam.com/video/90QRPSZDzsA/v-deo.html 'Ikusa' (War / Battlefield) (Live - 2020, Premium Symphonic Night Vol. 2 concert, with orchestra): ua-cam.com/video/oexJ335kGao/v-deo.html 'Ignite' (Yuko and Machiya on vocals and rap, Live - 2020, Yokohama Arena, Manatsu no Dai Shinnenkai concert): ua-cam.com/video/M93OQkPTOXI/v-deo.html 'Noushou Sakuretsu Girl' (Brain Fluid / Matter Explosion Girl - yep, I'm sure) (Yuko and Machiya on vocals and rap, Live - 2015, 1st Japan Tour concert): ua-cam.com/video/G2_yDqKkWqw/v-deo.html Machiya and Asa: 'Tsuioku' (Reminiscence) (Live, acoustic, Machiya with back-up from Asa. Kiyoshi on koto and Wasabi on a box and hand cymbal. No Yuko, Beni, Dai or Kurona): ua-cam.com/video/q23ivkzuseg/v-deo.html Asa: 'Yoshiwara Lament' (5th Anniversary Music Video, Duet with Sachiko Kobayashi): ua-cam.com/video/VAbxmfD9eBY/v-deo.html
The version of Bring Me To Life with Wagakki Band and Amy is probably one of the best around. Sakura Rising that hey did together is another great song. Amy and Yuko both have amazing voices and they go so well together.
Ningen Isu is another stellar Japanese metal band. Heartless Scat ended up in my suggested videos once, and I was hooked. Bump of Chicken is great too. Bradio. Minami (specifically "Crying for Rain".) There is so much great Japanese music! They know no boundaries, and are highly experimental.
I had a huge smile the whole time I watched this! Your reactions to all the fun in the music and everything going on were contagious even though I've heard this song so many times. I hope you react to more from this wonderful band!
Yes!!! Finally you followed one of my recommendations!!!! And I know it wasn't because of me, but it feels great just the same. :) Thank you soooo much, Elizabeth, can't wait to see it. Starting now !
Thank you so much for this one!! Been following this band for a long time now and they deserve so much exposure, so glad you gave them a listen, looking forward to more great content!!
And this song is actually writen and perfomed by vocaloid producer Kurousa-P in 2011! It is already soo well known and became legend and viral, and lately was covered by HUGE amount of musicians
Hey Elizabeth, thanks for taking us to this awesome oriental music trip. Even thou I am metalheart I did enjoy it so much. I will follow this band for sure, as I love exploring music areas which are unknown to me.
Wagakki Band and Amy Lee also did "Bring Me to Life" together, which was very interesting because Yuko actually got to sing verses of the song instead of providing just backup, like Amy Lee does here.
This will be interesting to hear what a Vocal Coach / Opera Singer thinks about Shigin singer Yuko Suzuhana. "Senbonzakura" is in many ways the signature song of the wagakki band. It's their first mega hit actually taken from the strange music genre VOCALOID so this is a Cover. Too bad Amy is only in the last verse, they do an excellent version of Bring me to life right before this one. To really hear Yuko's voice, you have to listen to songs like "Queen of the night", "Izana", "Doppo" or the masterpiece "Sabaku no komoriuta"
Wagakki Band's cover is the most popular one of Senbonzakura in Japan. @Elizabeth, the only western cover of Senbonzakura that I am aware of is an instrumental version performed by Lindsey Stirling.
I've watched far too many "music" critics listen to new music (for them) that is outside of their self-proclaimed area of expertise and then try to expound on what they just heard with a semblance of authority. Yours is the first (and maybe only) channel where I was as interested in your reaction as I was to the music being listened to. You immediately showed your intricate and well-developed understanding of what was going on in the music and you explained it to us in such a joyful and accessible way that I heard the subtleties you were describing for the first time even though I had heard this particular song many times before. Your enthusiasm and appreciation of what you were listening to came through loud and clear. By the end of the video, I was absolutely waiting to hear what your final opinion would be. I subscribed on the spot just based on my first impression of how knowledgeable and open-minded you are. Thank you for your wise honesty and open-hearted generosity to all the new things in life that come our way.
1. Beni Ninagawa- Tsugaru Shamisen (it's chinese instrument. But it's also called Japanese lute. It's the skinny guitar) 2.Kiyoshi Ibukuro- Koto (Mongolian/chinese/Japanese Harp? Not sure) 3. Kurona- Wadaiko/ Taiko . (precussion drums) 4. Daisu Kaminaga- Shakuhachi . ( the long flute one) 5. Yuko Suzuhana- Vocals . 5. Machiya- Guitar and Vocals . 6. Asa- Bass . 7. Wasabi- Drums . Need no shout out. I'm just so happy I get to see the reaction as a fan. 😭 ❤️
False. The shamisen reached its current form in Japan. Just like the banjo can be traced back to the lute, that doesn't mean it's not an American instrument.
both Koto and Shamisen are Japanese. Sure its origins can be traced back to other countries/cultures, or its shapes might resembles some other instruments, they are definitely Not the Same: for example, China's Guzheng, Korea's Gayageum, Japan's Koto and Vietnam's Đàn Tranh are zithers and share the same root, with similarities but they are still individual instruments that can be easily distinguished from each other.
I think the tecnique the singer uses is at least inspired by traditional Japanese folkmusic. And that energy is crazy! Saw a Japanese idol band play on a convention this spring, and they kept that energy up for over an hour, literally never stopped moving, dancing or jumping even for a moment. So impressive!
@@EDuGoIHuvvet OH. And by the way a Vocaloid is a voice in a computer program. Hatsune Miku is the original Vocaloid. She's not a real person. An anime voice actress recorded the original voice files. She's very cute but at the same time creepy. She doesn't sound human. I like the combination. She's a superstar in Japan. She's like the creepy doll in a cute dress that you think might murder you in the night. Anyone can buy the Vocaloid software and have the Vocaloids voice their songs. Hatsune Miku has thousands of songs. A lot of the best ones she's not voicing a human. Like Alien Alien, or Ghost Rule or The Vampire. Ghost Rule is probably her most iconic song. She's a female Ghost apologizing to a boy for making him think she's alive. She's creepy, sad and cute.
@@Dragon-Believer I'm actually a cosplayer and has gone to several conventions, so I do know a little bit about Vocaloid and Miku too 😉 Not nearly as much as you though, so thank you so much for sharing! 😄 I enjoy hearing about things that people are passionate about or interested in 😊 I've only heard a few of her songs, but I don't think I've heard those. But I'll definitely check them out! 😄
@@EDuGoIHuvvet OH if you're a cosplayer you have to see the video of the flash mob in some big Japanese city dancing to Luka Luka Night Fever. It's awesome. It's not Miku it's Luka but she's great too. It's her song. And they're doing her dance. ua-cam.com/video/PDlDgxP2QnI/v-deo.html The song in the video is a cover. The original song is fantastic. It's a good cover too. Luka is the sexy Vocaloid. They gave her an adult age.
If you really want to see how well Amy and Yuko harmonize and interplay, you really need to see their cover of “Bring me to life” that they performed at this same concert. Best version of the song ever!
Oh yes, a vocal coach reacting to more traditional eastern singing. I'm so happy you're willing to branch out so much from what you're familiar with, and can appreciate such a diverse range of music.
I have been waiting for a reaction to this band. They are amazing. And you should definitely check out their collaboration with Amy Lee. This band, Amy Lee, and an orchestra performing Bring Me To Life. Can't wait for the premiere. Edit: I just noticed this is a different collaboration with Amy Lee from the same show. Freaking awesome!!!
I'm so happy to see you reacting to Wagakki Band! I would love to see more, they're an amazing band with a broad range of styles with the same instruments. Also, I've seen a few commentaries on their instruments but not many that get into the vocals, so this was especially great! Thank you very much!
Listen to yoshiwara lament (bass is singing in this song), Synchronicity (for the jazz like feel) n dont forget the bring me to life version with amy lee...
The name WagakkiBand actually implies what they are: Wagakki(和楽器) are traditional Japanese instruments along with the shigin style of poetry. Band(バンド) signifies the fusion of modern instruments. I love this band, a lot. The guitar-like instrument is a shamisen, a 3-string instrument that is played with a paddle, and has a very unique sound. The wind instrument is a shakuhachi, a type of flute that originated in China. The large, flat stringed instrument is a koto - it's plucked, and is actually the national instrument of Japan. The drums are taiko drums - these need no explanation, they're awesome. As said before, Yuko is a shigin singer, a traditional style of Japanese singing that is commonly used for reciting poetry (it's actually a style of poetry).
I'm sure she's been requested 1000 times, but if you haven't found or listened to ADO yet, you're missing out! I'd love to see a reaction to her song Unravel or Tot Musica
If you feel like watching Wagakki band again, they actually made a new song with Amy Lee where both she and Yuko sing together and it does a way better job ats showing how good they armonise together, and showcases more Yuko's way of singing (which derives from being trained in shigin, a traditional way of singing/reciting poems in Japanese and where that vibrato comes form). Almost forgot, the name of the song is "sakura rising"
If you want to check out more J-Rock/Metal here some suggestions: -Loudness, Anthem & 44 Magnum, they´re oldschool 80´s metal -Galneryus, Prog-Power-Symphonic Metal, imagine Helloween but with more symphonic elements more complex instrumentalisation - Lovebites, imagine Helloween meets Iron Maiden, with a hefty dose of Thrash Metal....on steroids and they´re 5 cute girls -Sigh, crazy avantgarde Black Metal -Ningen Isu, Black Sabbath meets 70´s Prog meets japanese crazyness -Gyze, Melodic Death plus Symphonic plus Folk plus Power Metal. Because why not mix all your favorite styles together?
Sorry for bring this comment up again...i just found your video, but i LOVE your reaction video. This is "One Of The Best" reaction for Wagakki Band i ever watched. The way your expressed your feeling to the song and the band, It's FUN to watch like you keeps said in the video. Thank You for the reaction ^^
If you want to see a Rock Band going Traditional with there Song take a look at Band-Maid "Secret my lips" and there April-Fool-Day Version "Secret Maiko lips" as Band-Maiko.
I was going to recommend Amorphis too and The Bee is a good song (although I don't listen to them that much, so I guess you should ask from a real fan). Tomi Joutsen has a really nice voice.
Although The Bee is a great song, an older song such as The Smoke or Under the Red Cloud might be a better way to introduce the band and Tomi Joutsen imo. The songs have more clean vocal sections and cool guitar melodies showing their versatility. But as a metalhead as long as It's Amorphis I'm fine with it. :)
YAY! I knew you would love this group, they really are a lot of fun! They have something for everyone, they have songs that make you want to rock out, also slower more emotional sounding songs. They also have more with Amy Lee. That same concert they also performed Bring Me To Life with her, and they have a song featuring her called Sakura Rising, which is a pretty cool song too! Their voices really do go together well. Definitely a band everyone should check out!
Hearing and seeing the word Senbonzakura I INSTANTLY go BLEACH!! In my head Byakuyas abilities looked so cool, powerful and beautiful when you first saw them :)
I'm a recent Wagakki Band fan too. The musicianship is great, but what really makes it is how great the compositions are. They're great and giving all instruments space at the "front" while everybody else keeps on going. The flutist is often layering counter-melodies too. A great example of this is in Sun Wheel.
I love these guys. Bumped into Wagakki scrolling through Bandmaid vids. Also I love that you love it. Just like I love bands having a great time, seeing you nerd out is heart warming. Maybe this is why I'm drawn to japanese bands and this channel. Cheers from Australia to all fans of this great channel.
Band-Maid - Anything, all of their songs are good. Babymetal - Megitsune has the traditional Japanese song Sakura in it, with some brutal metal bits (they're band of rotating musicians is fantastic) or Road of Resistance, a great live performance in the official video.
I'm so sad she hasn't gotten to Babymetal still :( Looks like she's deliberately avoiding it: I can't believe she hasn't ran into them - they are all over the reaction scene. Maybe, she's already dismissed them as a "gimmick" :(
As good as those recommendations are...I think she has to do the Legend S - No Rain No Rainbow. Purely because she knows how to really analyze a singer and song composition in ways that few react channels can match and it would be cool to hear her breakdown of that song.
Î do not know how often I have seen this know and I am a fan of Wagakkiband since they started their career. First they started with making songs for anime series on tv and their first huge success was indeed Tenbonzakura. Today they are uge megastars in Japan. The guest apperance of Amy Lee was, because they made a Song together called "Sakura rising". I think it would be great fun if you could do another analysis of an other song of this band.
Another Japanese metal band I would love you to analyse is: Nemophila. They just released their first album, and it sounds amazing! Mayu's vocals are really good, she's able to switch between clean vocals and scream. The other members are also really talented
Well, senbonzakura makes sens as the name of a fighting move, since it means "a thousand sakura", sakura being the petals of the japanese cherry tree, those beautiful pink trees you see in every pic
Ningen Isu "Lovers Suicide in Shinigawa" Japanese hard rock-metal band. This song has characteristic Japanese musical accents with Rakugo, a form of spoken entertainment. Sort of a one man play. The story behind it is rather amusing.
ANYTHING by Ningen Isu! I love the one with the ugly worm, too, Imomushi I think. Which means caterpillar. Or perhaps Life for sale? It should be called Inochi Urimasu. Idk anything by Ningen Isu, really. They're really gaining popularity, but still underappreciated.
15:17 a little thing i noticed is it seems they have the taiko drummer shouting out to the rest to encourage them to keep going, which is a characteristic of taiko-only performances due to the endurance it requires. i think its cool they have him doing that to add more to the traditional sound outside of just the drums themselves! also i love how amy high-fives the shakuhachi player at the end i wonder if they were hanging out backstage
I think I heard one song by them, because Lee was in it and I wanted to play some of her on my radio show. She's done several collabs with Wagakki band apparently. I would like to point on a different matter however that traditional instruments and singing have been used in rock music for ages, with the most famous ones being bands like Dropkick Murphy's (Irish), The Hu (Mongolian) and more.
Hi Tristan, Elizabeth reacted to the Hu, "Wolf Totem," last year. Here is a link to the video: ua-cam.com/video/JNx0RgQrcoM/v-deo.html and here is a link to Elizabeth's other reaction videos: ua-cam.com/users/TheCharismaticVoicevideos
We just released merchandise! Check out the full line-up here: thecharismaticmerch.com
1:36 - Taiko (A type of drum. Can take a few years to create a single drum due to the drying process it goes through)
9:45 - Koto (A 13-string instrument, there are also 17-string Koto instruments. Fingerpicks are usually used when playing the Koto. Also the national instrument of Japan)
9:49 - Shamisen (A 3-string instrument used with a 'pick' called a Bachi. The shape and size of a Shamisen will change depending on the genre it's being used for.)
11:20 - Shakuhachi (A bamboo end-blown (like a recorder) flute. It's gone through very few changes over the centuries.)
That’s really cool! I’ve always loved this song for its orchestral tradition mixed with rock elements.
There's also a 25 string koto. Check out Google "NHK Blends Layla"
Shakuhachi: Th e"difficult flute".Pitched VERY close to the Western "transverse" flute.
Check out the amazing Herbie Mann album; "Gagaku and Beyond".
Great band, great atmosphere; actually "pushing the boundaries".
Thank you. that's perfect explanation.
There is an amazing version of Evanescence's "Bring Me to Life" from this same concert. The harmony between Amy and Yuko is out of this world!
I'd never heard Amy Lee's mondo vocal chops until I came across that collaboration. Blown away. Totally. Blown away. GREAT stuff.
The lead vocal Yuko Suzuhana is classically trained in piano (University level), is a teacher in "Shigin" (Japanese poem reciting which she incorporates in her singing). She also learnt sword dancing and fan dancing.
In addition to the Wagakki Band channel, she also has a personal channel under her name (Yuko Susuhana). . Last May she wrote a short artsong piece, self accompanied on piano, titled うたいびと
I've never seen her sword dancing.
@@edi9892 This is one of Yuko's fan and sword dance.
ua-cam.com/video/S_SNYboIODc/v-deo.html
@@fumin8 Thanks!
@@fumin8 A very different sword dance than the kind I knew (/watch?v=8XGIRLwcw4o).
Just to let you know, this was originally a vocaloid song. =)
It's why it's hard to find a place to breathe in this song, cause computers don't breathe. XD
The Wagakki Band group definitely does it justice!
Who do you thing you are to evaluate something coming from culture you don’t even understand. …. Traditional instrumetns you can’t name… and part of Evanescence was according to me a hurting element of this performance, taking in consideration the whole setup.
@@czsdos01 what are you even talking about they’re correct. This was originally a vocaloid song sang by hatsune miku. Miku is a computer program, not a human being, so a lot of her songs are difficult or even impossible to sing. They’re not coming for their culture or anything of the sort they’re simply stating facts. They are very talented to have been able to make such an amazing cover of senbonzakura.
@𝕤𝕙𝕪 It's s a stretch to call Vocaloids AIs, I think. The Vocaloid software contains a database of phoneme samples recorded by singer that it uses to combine an input set of lyrics with an input melody to get a vocal performance. I don't know how much control the user has over the process vs. how much is black box magic in the software, though, so maybe "AI" isn't that far off a description. Either way, it's darned effective, and when you combine it with well-done character animation, you really DO get a better pop star than Justin Beiber! :P
@@mrz80 Actually, A few Vocaloids and other voice synthesizers have recently gotten AI support, making them sound significantly more realistic. Here is an example: ua-cam.com/video/Si_Wkh1pvJ4/v-deo.html
I personally still like the more sythesized sound of older Vocaloids, but I can very much appreciate the creations with the AI ones.
@@czsdos01 u are so cringe
As you requested:
The japanese guitar is called Shamisen (shah-me-sehn). There are many different variations, the one that Beni Ninagawa plays is the Tsugaru Shamisen.
The japanese flute is called Shakuhachi (shah-coo-hah-tchee), it's a bamboo flute tuned in a pentatonic scale, played by the master Daisuke Kaminaga, a real living legend.
The big drums are the Taiko drums or Wadaiko, played by Kurona. These are very traditional and of course a very tribal form of instrument.
That horizontal harp is the Koto, played by Kiyoshi Ibukuro.
Also it's worth to mention the guitarist Shin Omura (goes by Machiya) uses a very specific type of a 29-fret baritone guitar, which is a regular guitar but with 5 extra frets at the top of the neck, perfect for making arrangements (check the size of that neck).
The singer Yuuko Suzuhana sings in a style called Shigin, which is a traditional way of singing poems, that's why it's so peculiar.
Wagakki Band is amazing, so is your channel.
Thumbs up, please :)
Also, the bassist Asa is a dude and the drummer Wasabi is Chinese/Japanese
Great info! Beat me to the instrument descriptions.
Until 2018 Machiya did play Sago 29 fret guitars, especially the "Kirin" model, but since then has switched to the 7 string 24 fret "Shigure" model, which he finds he can use on a wider variety of songs without needing to change guitars
Yuko's Shigin style of singing was developed to harmonize with the twanginess of the shamisen. She is also the youngest person to be awarded the title of Master for that singing style. I recommend 2 other songs, 1: Sabakuno-Komoriuta, and 2: Kyosyo No Sora. (If you can find the acoustic version with just Daisuke and Machiya, it is my fave.)
@@richardrounds3244 It's also worth checking out Yuko's singing in UA-cam videos by Hanafugetsu, the trio that gradually grew into the Wagakki Band
Incredible. She is the first and only reactor to pick up that Yuuko and Machiya MATCH VIBRATO width and rhythm when singing harmony together!!!! So amazing is this band and our lovely charismatic reactor!!! :)
Come on. Elizabeth is not a mere “reactor”, she actually analyses music technically. I haven’t found any other “reactor” actually analysing musical composition and being technically invested on their channels.
It's nice that Elizabeth is giving her reaction & analysis to various singers & styles, who are not so well known in the western world. There are gems in this worlds and we can wait for a long time for official radios and TV channels to bring them to a wider public. It's a good side of the globalization to be able to open our eyes & ears by ourselves.
You are right there are gems in this world that the majority of the western know nothing about! I gave up listening to music from the UK/US over 15 years ago and discovered a lot more in other countries ie Vietnam..My Tam, Japan rock scene not forgetting wagakki band whom i listen to every day and other artists from Russia, Ukraine , Taiwan, Armenia the list can go on and on!! Broadening ones horizon this way is also like travelling. The narrow minded people will say " .....but they dont sing in English" is their reason for not listening to them!! In terms of globalisation music has no borders!!
The rabbit hole is deep with this song. Originally released in 2011, this song by Kurousa P is one of the most enduring songs within Vocaloid fandom. Vocaloid, in brief is a singing synthesis technology developed by Yamaha which enables a computer to perform songs drawing on a pre-recorded database of human vocal samples. The software uses a piano-roll style of interface where the user inputs the notes and lyrics then "tunes" the voice with various effects. The particular voice in this case is Hatsune Miku, by far the most popular Vocaloid character worldwide, and is voiced by Saki Fujita, one of the most well-known voce actors in Japan. The song as been performed "live" in many concerts since then, including two perfomances with the traditional drumming troup KODO, and has been covered by Lindsay Stirling and now Wagakki Band, obviously
As far as the bright, positive sound of the song, Vocaloid songs are well known for being bright and cheery with some very dark lyrics. And yes, the fan interaction is a well known feature of Vocaloid fandom. Check out this "live" performance and you'll se what I mean, and I'd love to hear your critique of the synthesized vocals. :D
ua-cam.com/video/N53ZbARbzm4/v-deo.html
The lute-like thing is a Shamisen, the flute is a Shakuhachi, I think there's a Koto (zither like thing) in the back.
And the Taiko drums.
Extra trivia, the Shamisen traditionally used a cat skin for the soundboard
Thank you! It's such an amazing instrument.
@@trokoshea1 exactly, never sleep on the taiko drums that just blast the percussion into something else
The Yoshida Brothers played shamisens as I recall.
Something interesting about Japanese concerts: The fans will arrive early to practice the audience interaction with the songs that will be played. Like this isn't just them knowing how to act and respond, they practice like... 45 minutes before the concert starts.
Love WagakkiBand. How their shakuhachi player keeps his sound whilst jump kicking around is a wonder.
Daisuke... he's got lung of steel. On a serious note, he teach Shakuhachi at 5 music university. And recently he also able to blow it with ultra minimum resonance, and make it sounded like a stainless steel flute.
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Now I found that you're in Tucson, down south. I'm in Sedona
The Japanese instruments I learned are: Shakuhachi (flute); Shamisen (3 stringed lute); Koto (the horizontal stringed instrument); and the Taiko (the drums). I do recommend Band Maid, but most of their songs are pretty short and I know that bothers you. But they are very talented.
Drums name are wadaiko and drum stick taiko
@@aragontonchoify
Taiko or Daiko just means drums in Japanese, and Wa-Daiko means "Japanese (traditional) drums". The drums sticks used in Wadaiko are called "Bachi".
Second for Band-Maid.
Yes!! Band Maid. Blooming would be a good start
For Band-Maid, I would start straight with Domination, live version at Line Cube Shibuya 2020. It captures the essence of them being a great live rock band.
This band is so cute, if you want to see a group of musicians doing what they love, Wagakki Band won't disappoint, they'll probably even put a smile on your face
You know a band is serious when they have 2 friggin drummers and a full instrument orchestra behind them. Been listening for a while to Wagakki and all their songs have something awesome in them I like them a lot. Also in case anyone was wondering the bass player is not a woman it's a man just following a different kind of way to express himself, his name is Asa.
There's a lot of western bands that are huge in Japan that people won't even pay 5 quid for over in the western world tho.
Anybody who plays like him can be anybody they damn well want to be.
@@deacon45 his solo in Homura should be legendary. He shreds that bass like its nobody's business. xD
I saw them live 2 years ago, front row too!! They're so much fun. One of my favorite japanese bands. Very high energy like you were saying. I absolutely love their combination of traditional japanese music and rock. I loved this reaction/analysis
I've never thought, not in a million years, that you would do a Waggaki Band reaction. It was a total surprise, but a damn welcomed one. Great video like always
I just clicked on this thinking the very same thing! What a nice surprise! :D
Honestly I'm surprised you are surprised.
opening a space for a Lovebites reaction hehehe
Why not? I've been impatiently waiting.
@@autohmae I'm surprised you're surprised that he's surprised
The shamisen player is AMAZING. I love her style and attitude. It's contagious and I watch all I can of her playing.
She released a solo track that's really interesting. It's Glitch Electronica.
Love Wagakki band. They are trained in authentic traditional Japanese music and dance, bringing traditional arts into modern music.
That was my reaction as well! Just completely blown away by both the mix of styles and instruments, the incredible playing level of all the artists and how tightly they play together, and the sheer energy. Listening to them never fails to put a huge smile on my face.
Sounds interesting. This is one of the reasons I watch this channel:
Sometimes I discover great music of which I didn't even know it existed 🙂.
You also should check original version from Vocaloid.
They're a really good band consisting of professenial musicians. They began as a Vocaloid cover band with Senbonzakura as the biggest example (this is the original by Hatsune Miku as DIVA project ua-cam.com/video/Mqps4anhz0Q/v-deo.html, there is also a live version). Nowadays they also make their own music some with impressive CGI: Akatsuki no Ito with a 神龍 Shenron (Divine dragon or Dragon god) soaring through the skies ua-cam.com/video/fcucbhJ-Orc/v-deo.html or jazzy with a movie like clip: ua-cam.com/video/nwXtiTxtiHs/v-deo.html (Extended version, but not the way they do in the West). These are 2 songs of which the 1st song is instrumental 焔 (Homura) + 暁ノ糸 (Akatsuki no Ito) live ua-cam.com/video/ponTbDDMYjw/v-deo.html
Wagakki band is great. A ton of great vocaloid covers and originals.
let me suggest you "Homura", by the Waggaki band. Just instrumental, but amazing performance
Hi Elizabeth, first string instrument that appear is the koto and then when she start naming the instruments you have: shamisen (the Japanese violin), shakuhachi (the flute), and then she call for the guitar (guita, in Japanese pronouciation, with no r). The drums you have there are the Taiko, although it is not common to see someone playing all of them in sequence… you usually have a single person per drum.
I just discovered this band by accident and they just blow me away. I've been a musician since I was 9 years in 1961. I'm now 71 years old and my musical journey continues.
Hi Elizabeth, this is my first time listening to Wagakki Band and I loved this performance. The Combination of traditional Japanese instruments and a full orchestra was absolutely amazing. The vocalist and musicians were outstanding, and Amy Lee, singing in Japanese/wearing traditional type clothing, was icing on the cake. Thank you, Elizabeth!!! 💙
I love Wagakki Band. The problem I have with their videos is that I can't just *listen* to them; they're so mesmerizing that I have to watch them as well. I haven't seen a single one that's less than amazing.
The traditional Japanese instruments: Shamisen (looks like a banjo), wadaiko (Japanese drums), shakuhachi (flute), koto (looks like a harp on its side).
You forgot to mention the singing style. That's also Japanese traditional. I forgot the name (again) though.
there are some great animes about Koto and shamisen from what i have seen
@@frankroos1167 I was answering Elizabeth's question about the traditional Japanese instruments. The singing style is Shigin. The recitation of Japanese and Chinese poetry.
Also, the Shamisen player is using a "bachi" to pick with, instead of using her fingers as some players do for a slightly more intimate sound on songs called ko-uta (literally small song). There is a specific set of finger picks that Koto players use as well, plus the nice thing about the Koto is that it can be played on either side of the "bridges" when tuned to do so, and also have notes bent by pressing down on the string on the other side to add vibrato as well. Some very interesting instruments in Asian music. :)
@@mr1d44ever2 Still, well worth mentioning. And thank you for reminding me of the name. I keep forgetting it (as well as Shakuhachi) A matter of practice, I guess.
The instruments are shakuhachi (flute), shamisen (3 string lute-like instrument), koto (horizontal string instrument), and wadaiko (drums). I can't help but replay Beni's shamisen solos as well. Love it when she gets to shred!
That kind of singing is more traditional in Japan, it's shigin.
If you really want to hear Amy Lee with Wagakki Band, you should react to their live cover of Evanescence's song "Bring Me To Life" from the same concert, full song is with Amy Lee.
thank you very much for your videos. I want to tell you that I have known Wagakki Band for years, due to my cancer in my eyes it was getting worse after my painful treatment I listen to its music and it calms all my pains.
Yūko Suzuhana (鈴華ゆう子) - Vocalist
Kiyoshi Ibukuro (いぶくろ聖志) - Koto
Daisuke Kaminaga (神永大輔) - Shakuhachi
Beni Ninagawa (蜷川べに) - Tsugaru Shamisen
Kurona (黒流) - Wadaiko
Machiya (町屋) - Guitar electric
Asa (亜沙) - Bajo electric
Wasabi (山葵) - Drums
Elizabeth you did it! Thank you for reacting to Wagakki Band! I can't wait to see your reaction and professional insights! Thank you! :D
Japan is an incredible musical culture. There's sooo many interesting bands there to hear...!
Wagakki band is wonderful, you should listen to other songs, you won't regret it. Tks from brazil
I was watching a guitar teachers reaction to the Wagakki band when I saw your channel. I ran over to my mom's house who at 89 still transcribes choir music and leads choirs to intro her to your channel. Your enthusiasm is AWESOME. Simply put they are singing traditional Japanese folk style with a Koto (lots of strings on the floor), Shamisen (banjo looking and sounding instrument with the coolest pick), Shakuhachi (flute) and Taiko drums. Again, I love your enthusiasm!!!
I believe it was at this same show but they also performed Bring Me To Life with Amy Lee and its great
Which sounds AMAAAAAZING.
I second that, possibly my favorite version of that song!
I think that is the best version of that awesome song!! I would love Elizabeth to react to it, I think in that perfomance both of the voices are more "interesting", I mean: to analize.
Yes, it is from the same concert!
It was so epic.
Thank you, Elizabeth, for reacting to Wagakki Band. I’m glad you appreciated their musical capabilities and the seamless way they combine traditional Japanese instruments (wagakki) and western rock instruments. They are amazing musicians and do such a vast variety of styles from punk, metal, jazz and swing to pop, rock, rap and even some more classical stuff. I’m glad you were impressed by them.
I agree with a previous commenter that this is not the best version of this song and the whole concert is a bit more toned-down and conservative than their normal shows, because it was more of a high-end function with the full-orchestra. To see them really go to town, watch one of their more recent 'dai Shinnenkai' (New Year's) live shows, but to get a better appreciation of Yuko's vocals, you should probably check out some of their slower songs and ballads, most of which are written by Yuko. 'Sabaku no komoriuta' (Desert Lullaby), 'Izana' (Powerful Woman), 'Okinotayuu' (Albatross), 'Queen Of The Night', and her solo at the start of ‘Kyouga / Kyouka suigetsu’ (Mirror Flower, Water Moon) - all links below.
I will slide in a plug for the tracks ‘Ignite’ (almost punk, with rapid rap-like vocals from Yuko and Machiya and Yuko’s shigin-style singing) and ‘Synchronicity’ (jazz / swing duet with Yuko and Machiya). I’m still just scratching the surface of their catalogue, but I’ve included a list of links to a lot of their studio music videos and live performance tracks below for your explorations, roughly from slower tracks to faster ones.
Many will recommend the ‘Homura’ (Flame/Fire) + ‘Akatsuki no Ito’ (Dawn’s Thread) video, which seems to be the most common video on YT and doesn’t seem to have any copyright issues, but this doesn't highlight Yuko's vocals best. Some of their other tracks, especially older ones seem to have more copyright issues, primarily due to their old record label, Avex. From 2018/19, with their ‘React’ EP, they have been with their new label, Universal, and there seems to be less copyright issues. Their live shows also seem to have less copyright issues, and sound quality is usually good, especially the later 'dai Shinnenkai' (New Year’s) concerts (2019-21), the ‘React' and ‘Tokyo Singing’ (latest album) Tour shows, and the Premium Symphonic Night Vol. 2, with a full live orchestra, which you just viewed.
The other big one for reactors is the collab with Amy Lee from Evanescence doing ‘Bring Me To Life’ at the Premium Symphonic Night Vol. 2 live concert (the same as the Senbonzakura track you reviewed). It’s amazing, but they have Machiya’s back-up vocals turned down too low in the mix, so it lost a lot of impact from that in the rough male vocals (which Amy didn't like, anyway, so that may have been her doing). All of the WB members were apparently Evanescence fans.
WB and Amy also did a collab single, ‘Sakura Rising’ (Cherry Blossoms Rising), which is a slightly dark, COVID-inspired song, but is quite positive and uplifting, and has an animated video clip. There are live versions of it out now, with Amy’s vocals performed by her on video.
Band members:
Yuko - lead vocals, piano, (‘shigin’ - traditional Japanese poetry recital vocal style - conventional vocals and rap, traditional fan, parasol and sword dancing). Yuko conceived and founded the band, but also has a solo career and several side projects;
Machiya - lead electric guitar, back-up / male vocals, occasionally wears a traditional Noh theatre mask at the start of live shows, and has his own band;
Kiyoshi - koto(s) (horizontal harps, although he has one smaller one he plays standing up like a Keytar);
Daisuke - shakuhachi (bamboo flute) - regarded as one of the best shakuhachi players in Japan;
Beni - Tsugaru shamisen (three string banjo-like instrument, originally played with a fan, but now a ‘bachi’, which looks like a paint scraper). Tsugaru style was a more lively style developed by ‘bousama’- blind street musicians. Everybody loves Beni;
Kurona - wadaiko (traditional / Taiko drums), percussion and traditional chanting;
Wasabi - western drum kit and percussion (and, “THE GONG!”);
Asa - bassist and back-up / male vocals, vocaloid programmer;
I keep adding to this list as I find new songs I like, so hopefully you find as many to like as I do. I had to cut out all of the links to music videos, and half of the live tracks, because this post is too long, but their later music videos, are visually stunning, especially 'Strong Fate', 'Counterattack Sword', 'War', Synchronicity and 'Queen of the Night'.
Tracks with Yuko's vocals (roughly slower to faster, ballads to punk, via pop, rap rock and metal):
'Okinotayuu' (Albatross) (Live - 2020, Premium Symphonic Night Vol. 2 concert, with orchestra):
ua-cam.com/video/dMK27ngwR_I/v-deo.html
'Sabaku no komoriuta' (Desert Lullaby) (Live - 2020, Premium Symphonic Night Vol. 2 concert, with orchestra):
ua-cam.com/video/ynFg7-gqJqc/v-deo.html
'Izana' (Powerful Woman) (Live - 2020, Premium Symphonic Night Vol. 2 concert, with orchestra):
ua-cam.com/video/_WD0hhmGrog/v-deo.html
‘Kyouga /Kyouka suigetsu’ (Mirror Flower, Water Moon) (Live - 2019, Japan 'React' Tour concert):
ua-cam.com/video/YJcRefZD7Qk/v-deo.html
'Queen Of The Night' (Music Video):
ua-cam.com/video/AoY5f979VtM/v-deo.html
‘Hotarubi’ (Fireworks / Light of a Firefly) ((Live - 2020, Premium Symphonic Night Vol. 2 concert, without orchestra):
ua-cam.com/video/y_9WwUOPlSU/v-deo.html
'Strong Fate' (Live - 2019, Japan 'React' Tour concert):
ua-cam.com/video/6JCEeSV0fIQ/v-deo.html
'Aria of Life' (Music Video, TV theme for anime, 'Mars Red'):
ua-cam.com/video/qum43l6UZW0/v-deo.html
'Yoshiwara Lament' (from a Vocaloid written by bassist, Asa, Live duet with Yuko - 2020, Premium Symphonic Night Vol. 2 concert, with orchestra):
ua-cam.com/video/81vG0rX8QoQ/v-deo.html
'Sakura Rising' (Cherry Blossoms Rising) (Live - 2021, Japan Tokyo Singing Tour. Duet with Amy Lee from Evanescence):
ua-cam.com/video/9fZvg9DLcEM/v-deo.html .
'Bring Me To Life' (Live Duet with Amy Lee from Evanescence, 2020, Premium Symphonic Night Vol. 2 concert, with orchestra):
ua-cam.com/video/hk1GtYK7BJM/v-deo.html
‘Hangekai no Yaiba’ (Counterattack Sword) (Live, 2015, Nico, Nico, 02.09.2015):
ua-cam.com/video/SjHiU3-zfUo/v-deo.html
'Singin for ...' (Music Video):
ua-cam.com/video/Jgkj5Lqcsww/v-deo.html
'Akatsuki no Ito' (Dawn's Thread) (Unofficial anthem, Live - 2020, Yokohama Arena, Manatsu no Dai Shinnenkai concert):
ua-cam.com/video/_oMJc8qi97c/v-deo.html
'Homura' (Flame) (Instrumental intro) + 'Akatsuki no Ito' (Dawn's Thread) (Unofficial anthem, Live - 2015, 1st Japan Tour, Hibiya Yagai Ongakudo concert - most common video):
ua-cam.com/video/ponTbDDMYjw/v-deo.html
'Synchronicity' (Live - 2018, Japan Hall Tour, Oto no Kairou concert) (most close-ups of vocals):
ua-cam.com/video/wRYVPDKuqMk/v-deo.html
‘Hanabi’ (Fireworks / Fire Flowers) (Live, ):
ua-cam.com/video/O_QsUG4KZC4/v-deo.html
‘Appare ga Seigi’ (Praise Righteousness) (Live - 2019, Japan 'React' Tour concert):
ua-cam.com/video/kYOXs6jQqJ8/v-deo.html
'Homura' (Flame) (Instrumental intro) + ‘Hagane’ (Steel) (Live - 2015?, 1st US Tour, ‘Deep Impact’, at the ‘House of Blues’):
ua-cam.com/video/NtGCDkW6UvE/v-deo.html
‘Kishikaisei’ (Resurrection / Revival / Come-back ‘from the dead) (2016 Olympics Japanese TV theme {and closing ceremony theme?}, Live, 2017, Heian Jingu concert):
ua-cam.com/video/dPJxB2hdah8/v-deo.html
‘Hoshidzukiyo’ (Starry Night) (Live, 2018, Dai Shinnenkai concert) - crowd participation, pop-rock, spoken basic shigin-style vocals by Yuko, with back-up from Machiya):
ua-cam.com/video/LnF7p_hf0Ig/v-deo.html
'Sunwheel' (Music Video):
ua-cam.com/video/wr7oHjMXpgs/v-deo.html
'Tengaku' (Music of the Heavens) (Vocaloid cover, Live - 2015, 1st Japan Tour, Hibiya Yagai Ongakudo concert):
ua-cam.com/video/aQgzbaRJsxw/v-deo.html
'Senbonzakura' (Thousand Cherry Blossoms) (Vocaloid cover, Live - 2020, Yokohama Arena, Manatsu no Dai Shinnenkai concert):
ua-cam.com/video/Xjwe9WyO8Qs/v-deo.html
'Valkyrie' (Anime theme, Live - 2020, Yokohama Arena, Manatsu no Dai Shinnenkai concert):
ua-cam.com/video/T7UtnSETgJY/v-deo.html
'Rokuchounen to Ichiya Monogatari' (A Tale of Six Trillion Years And A Night) (Vocaloid cover, Live - 2018, Dai Shinnenkai, Ashita e no Koukai concert):
ua-cam.com/video/90QRPSZDzsA/v-deo.html
'Ikusa' (War / Battlefield) (Live - 2020, Premium Symphonic Night Vol. 2 concert, with orchestra):
ua-cam.com/video/oexJ335kGao/v-deo.html
'Ignite' (Yuko and Machiya on vocals and rap, Live - 2020, Yokohama Arena, Manatsu no Dai Shinnenkai concert):
ua-cam.com/video/M93OQkPTOXI/v-deo.html
'Noushou Sakuretsu Girl' (Brain Fluid / Matter Explosion Girl - yep, I'm sure) (Yuko and Machiya on vocals and rap, Live - 2015, 1st Japan Tour concert):
ua-cam.com/video/G2_yDqKkWqw/v-deo.html
Machiya and Asa:
'Tsuioku' (Reminiscence) (Live, acoustic, Machiya with back-up from Asa. Kiyoshi on koto and Wasabi on a box and hand cymbal. No Yuko, Beni, Dai or Kurona):
ua-cam.com/video/q23ivkzuseg/v-deo.html
Asa:
'Yoshiwara Lament' (5th Anniversary Music Video, Duet with Sachiko Kobayashi):
ua-cam.com/video/VAbxmfD9eBY/v-deo.html
Yuko Suzuhana on vocal is also a Shigin(詩吟) performer. That's why her style is kinda unique.
Shigin:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shigin
She is more than just a performer of that style. She is also an accredited Master/Teacher.
I went to Japan in 2003 and my school there did Shigin and Taiko performances for us. It was amazing
It's actually a Chinese version of opera singing.
People try to compare Wagakki Band to other bands. But Wagakki Band is it's own thing.
Also from Japan :
-Unlucky Morpheus
-Lovebites
Both power/heavy metal
UM dips into quite the death metal'ish stuff sometimes, though. I mean, with those blastbeats and growls..
Holy heck, never in a million years did I think I'd see this band on this channel...
For another Japanese singer popular for her unique voice, I'd recommend Aimer.
The version of Bring Me To Life with Wagakki Band and Amy is probably one of the best around. Sakura Rising that hey did together is another great song. Amy and Yuko both have amazing voices and they go so well together.
Ningen Isu is another stellar Japanese metal band. Heartless Scat ended up in my suggested videos once, and I was hooked. Bump of Chicken is great too. Bradio. Minami (specifically "Crying for Rain".) There is so much great Japanese music! They know no boundaries, and are highly experimental.
His "Board To Death" walkthrough of his pedal board and just ripping through solos after solos is great! Shinji seems like a genuine nice dude.
Bradio! I love them!
wishing for WAgakki and here it is YEEESSSSS!
I wish for LOVEBITES - empty Daydream, Swan Song
I had a huge smile the whole time I watched this! Your reactions to all the fun in the music and everything going on were contagious even though I've heard this song so many times. I hope you react to more from this wonderful band!
Yes!!! Finally you followed one of my recommendations!!!! And I know it wasn't because of me, but it feels great just the same. :)
Thank you soooo much, Elizabeth, can't wait to see it.
Starting now !
They are a fun and unexpected band, for sure! Their flutist is INTENSE! :)
I love WagakkiBand! They're awesome!
It’s nice to see you absolutely enjoying yourself. As you always do, but here you are in heaven.
YES! Can't wait for this one :D Thank you Elizabeth!
This can become another rabbit hole as Yuko´s vocals are very good!
Thank you so much for this one!! Been following this band for a long time now and they deserve so much exposure, so glad you gave them a listen, looking forward to more great content!!
I think this is going to be a reeeeally fun video. I hope you enjoy the song! I'm always eager for Wagakki Band reactions (specially the first time!).
And this song is actually writen and perfomed by vocaloid producer Kurousa-P in 2011! It is already soo well known and became legend and viral, and lately was covered by HUGE amount of musicians
Yes, yes, yes!!!
Can hardly wait for that one, as I have suggested the band as well in a comment recently...
Cheers, J.
Hey Elizabeth, thanks for taking us to this awesome oriental music trip. Even thou I am metalheart I did enjoy it so much. I will follow this band for sure, as I love exploring music areas which are unknown to me.
Wagakki Band and Amy Lee also did "Bring Me to Life" together, which was very interesting because Yuko actually got to sing verses of the song instead of providing just backup, like Amy Lee does here.
I love Wagakki band and your reaction was terrific as always. I feel like I learn a lot about what it takes to be a vocalist with every episode.
Finally we got to Japan!!!!! :D I would suggest -LiSA - Gurenge (紅蓮華) / THE FIRST TAKE
This will be interesting to hear what a Vocal Coach / Opera Singer thinks about Shigin singer Yuko Suzuhana. "Senbonzakura" is in many ways the signature song of the wagakki band. It's their first mega hit actually taken from the strange music genre VOCALOID so this is a Cover. Too bad Amy is only in the last verse, they do an excellent version of Bring me to life right before this one. To really hear Yuko's voice, you have to listen to songs like "Queen of the night", "Izana", "Doppo" or the masterpiece "Sabaku no komoriuta"
Wagakki Band's cover is the most popular one of Senbonzakura in Japan.
@Elizabeth, the only western cover of Senbonzakura that I am aware of is an instrumental version performed by Lindsey Stirling.
Yup. Sabaku No Komoriuta is just astounding…….so much emotion in that one. It takes my breath away.
Absolutely
Sabaku no Komoriuta!!!!
Sabaku no Komoriuta in live version shows the note that Yuko have but rarely used. Her contralto.
@@MichaelScheele I am pretty sure I have seen some English covers of Senbonzakura.
I am certain that Lizz Robinett has one.
I've watched far too many "music" critics listen to new music (for them) that is outside of their self-proclaimed area of expertise and then try to expound on what they just heard with a semblance of authority. Yours is the first (and maybe only) channel where I was as interested in your reaction as I was to the music being listened to. You immediately showed your intricate and well-developed understanding of what was going on in the music and you explained it to us in such a joyful and accessible way that I heard the subtleties you were describing for the first time even though I had heard this particular song many times before. Your enthusiasm and appreciation of what you were listening to came through loud and clear. By the end of the video, I was absolutely waiting to hear what your final opinion would be. I subscribed on the spot just based on my first impression of how knowledgeable and open-minded you are. Thank you for your wise honesty and open-hearted generosity to all the new things in life that come our way.
1. Beni Ninagawa- Tsugaru Shamisen (it's chinese instrument. But it's also called Japanese lute. It's the skinny guitar)
2.Kiyoshi Ibukuro- Koto (Mongolian/chinese/Japanese Harp? Not sure)
3. Kurona- Wadaiko/ Taiko . (precussion drums)
4. Daisu Kaminaga- Shakuhachi . ( the long flute one)
5. Yuko Suzuhana- Vocals .
5. Machiya- Guitar and Vocals .
6. Asa- Bass .
7. Wasabi- Drums .
Need no shout out. I'm just so happy I get to see the reaction as a fan. 😭 ❤️
False. The shamisen reached its current form in Japan. Just like the banjo can be traced back to the lute, that doesn't mean it's not an American instrument.
both Koto and Shamisen are Japanese. Sure its origins can be traced back to other countries/cultures, or its shapes might resembles some other instruments, they are definitely Not the Same: for example, China's Guzheng, Korea's Gayageum, Japan's Koto and Vietnam's Đàn Tranh are zithers and share the same root, with similarities but they are still individual instruments that can be easily distinguished from each other.
I think the tecnique the singer uses is at least inspired by traditional Japanese folkmusic.
And that energy is crazy!
Saw a Japanese idol band play on a convention this spring, and they kept that energy up for over an hour, literally never stopped moving, dancing or jumping even for a moment.
So impressive!
It's a cover of a Vocaloid based on a traditional melody. You should check out the original it's amazing. ua-cam.com/video/Mqps4anhz0Q/v-deo.html
@@Dragon-Believer Oh, I had no idea!
Thank you for the tip, I'll definitely do that! 😄
@@EDuGoIHuvvet OH. And by the way a Vocaloid is a voice in a computer program. Hatsune Miku is the original Vocaloid. She's not a real person. An anime voice actress recorded the original voice files. She's very cute but at the same time creepy. She doesn't sound human. I like the combination. She's a superstar in Japan. She's like the creepy doll in a cute dress that you think might murder you in the night. Anyone can buy the Vocaloid software and have the Vocaloids voice their songs. Hatsune Miku has thousands of songs. A lot of the best ones she's not voicing a human. Like Alien Alien, or Ghost Rule or The Vampire. Ghost Rule is probably her most iconic song. She's a female Ghost apologizing to a boy for making him think she's alive. She's creepy, sad and cute.
@@Dragon-Believer I'm actually a cosplayer and has gone to several conventions, so I do know a little bit about Vocaloid and Miku too 😉
Not nearly as much as you though, so thank you so much for sharing! 😄
I enjoy hearing about things that people are passionate about or interested in 😊
I've only heard a few of her songs, but I don't think I've heard those. But I'll definitely check them out! 😄
@@EDuGoIHuvvet OH if you're a cosplayer you have to see the video of the flash mob in some big Japanese city dancing to Luka Luka Night Fever. It's awesome. It's not Miku it's Luka but she's great too. It's her song. And they're doing her dance. ua-cam.com/video/PDlDgxP2QnI/v-deo.html The song in the video is a cover. The original song is fantastic. It's a good cover too. Luka is the sexy Vocaloid. They gave her an adult age.
If you really want to see how well Amy and Yuko harmonize and interplay, you really need to see their cover of “Bring me to life” that they performed at this same concert. Best version of the song ever!
100%. BEST. CHARASMATIC. VOICE. EPISODE. EVER. This was an incredibly fun watch! Thank you so much!
I am very much looking forward to you entering the rabbit hole of amazing Japanese music.
Oh yes, a vocal coach reacting to more traditional eastern singing. I'm so happy you're willing to branch out so much from what you're familiar with, and can appreciate such a diverse range of music.
I have been waiting for a reaction to this band. They are amazing. And you should definitely check out their collaboration with Amy Lee. This band, Amy Lee, and an orchestra performing Bring Me To Life. Can't wait for the premiere.
Edit: I just noticed this is a different collaboration with Amy Lee from the same show. Freaking awesome!!!
I'm so happy to see you reacting to Wagakki Band! I would love to see more, they're an amazing band with a broad range of styles with the same instruments. Also, I've seen a few commentaries on their instruments but not many that get into the vocals, so this was especially great! Thank you very much!
I cannot wait to see this. I love the style mix this band uses.
I think this was their last song of the concert. So much energy in that room.
Their guitarist can sing too. He does a cool accoustic ballad!
This one?
ua-cam.com/video/416Krbnbur8/v-deo.html
One of my favorites!
Especially in Wagakki Band I can recall Tsuioku, Kyoshu no Sora (my favorite), Synchronicity and other participations
Listen to yoshiwara lament (bass is singing in this song), Synchronicity (for the jazz like feel) n dont forget the bring me to life version with amy lee...
@Tim A haven't heard the accoustic one, thanx for letting me know...
I love your infectious enthusiasm, you’ve got me listening to, and appreciating, music I would not have discovered by myself.
The name WagakkiBand actually implies what they are: Wagakki(和楽器) are traditional Japanese instruments along with the shigin style of poetry. Band(バンド) signifies the fusion of modern instruments. I love this band, a lot.
The guitar-like instrument is a shamisen, a 3-string instrument that is played with a paddle, and has a very unique sound.
The wind instrument is a shakuhachi, a type of flute that originated in China.
The large, flat stringed instrument is a koto - it's plucked, and is actually the national instrument of Japan.
The drums are taiko drums - these need no explanation, they're awesome.
As said before, Yuko is a shigin singer, a traditional style of Japanese singing that is commonly used for reciting poetry (it's actually a style of poetry).
I'm sure she's been requested 1000 times, but if you haven't found or listened to ADO yet, you're missing out! I'd love to see a reaction to her song Unravel or Tot Musica
Awesome! CAN'T WAIT TILL YOU DISCOVER LOVEBITES!!!
Great reaction! Waited for your feedback on Wagakki Band for quite a while. Thank you for taking the recommendation! 🙂
If you feel like watching Wagakki band again, they actually made a new song with Amy Lee where both she and Yuko sing together and it does a way better job ats showing how good they armonise together, and showcases more Yuko's way of singing (which derives from being trained in shigin, a traditional way of singing/reciting poems in Japanese and where that vibrato comes form). Almost forgot, the name of the song is "sakura rising"
Oh, we are in Japan now, don't forget to visit Band Maid and Lovebites
If you want to check out more J-Rock/Metal here some suggestions:
-Loudness, Anthem & 44 Magnum, they´re oldschool 80´s metal
-Galneryus, Prog-Power-Symphonic Metal, imagine Helloween but with more symphonic elements more complex instrumentalisation
- Lovebites, imagine Helloween meets Iron Maiden, with a hefty dose of Thrash Metal....on steroids and they´re 5 cute girls
-Sigh, crazy avantgarde Black Metal
-Ningen Isu, Black Sabbath meets 70´s Prog meets japanese crazyness
-Gyze, Melodic Death plus Symphonic plus Folk plus Power Metal. Because why not mix all your favorite styles together?
Wagakki band just popped up on my recommended today (25/06/2023) and I'm for once pleased with the algorithm gods for this greatness!
Since you are exploring Japanese rock-: Band-Maid: Domination or Freedom live Manners video. All female band with exceptional musicians.
love bites and anthem especially love bites
@@cbmalm was just about to say this but you beat me to it ;).
Sorry for bring this comment up again...i just found your video, but i LOVE your reaction video. This is "One Of The Best" reaction for Wagakki Band i ever watched. The way your expressed your feeling to the song and the band, It's FUN to watch like you keeps said in the video. Thank You for the reaction ^^
If you want to see a Rock Band going Traditional with there Song take a look at Band-Maid "Secret my lips" and there April-Fool-Day Version "Secret Maiko lips" as Band-Maiko.
Excellent choice and great reaction/analysis. A word of warning - the Wagakki Band is a rabbit hole you can easily go down!
May i suggest the song: The bee by amorphis in my opinion the dude singing has one hell of a voice especially his clean vocals
I second. Both the arrangements and the singer performance are worth the reaction.
I was going to recommend Amorphis too and The Bee is a good song (although I don't listen to them that much, so I guess you should ask from a real fan). Tomi Joutsen has a really nice voice.
Great suggestion!
They are great in concert. He also like having fancy looking microphones.
Although The Bee is a great song, an older song such as The Smoke or Under the Red Cloud might be a better way to introduce the band and Tomi Joutsen imo. The songs have more clean vocal sections and cool guitar melodies showing their versatility. But as a metalhead as long as It's Amorphis I'm fine with it. :)
Oh my goodness your enthusiasm is so endearing i want to give you a huge hug
YAY! I knew you would love this group, they really are a lot of fun! They have something for everyone, they have songs that make you want to rock out, also slower more emotional sounding songs. They also have more with Amy Lee. That same concert they also performed Bring Me To Life with her, and they have a song featuring her called Sakura Rising, which is a pretty cool song too! Their voices really do go together well. Definitely a band everyone should check out!
Hearing and seeing the word Senbonzakura I INSTANTLY go BLEACH!! In my head
Byakuyas abilities looked so cool, powerful and beautiful when you first saw them :)
Ban
Kai!
All the members of the wagakki are amazing muscians. Yuuko has a masters degree in piano, and has been doing sword and fan dancing for many years.
I'm a recent Wagakki Band fan too. The musicianship is great, but what really makes it is how great the compositions are. They're great and giving all instruments space at the "front" while everybody else keeps on going. The flutist is often layering counter-melodies too. A great example of this is in Sun Wheel.
@@eturnerx I agree! Well said!
I love these guys. Bumped into Wagakki scrolling through Bandmaid vids.
Also I love that you love it.
Just like I love bands having a great time, seeing you nerd out is heart warming. Maybe this is why I'm drawn to japanese bands and this channel.
Cheers from Australia to all fans of this great channel.
The vibrato Yuko is using is called Kobushi and it's a technique used in traditional japanese songs like Enka
The first notable attempt at a human rendition of this song was also an Enka singer.
I literally suggested this (I'm late to the party), should have scrolled to you
I have been to their concert back 2016 when they came to Los Angeles, it was a small concert and now they're so much bigger!
Band-Maid - Anything, all of their songs are good. Babymetal - Megitsune has the traditional Japanese song Sakura in it, with some brutal metal bits (they're band of rotating musicians is fantastic) or Road of Resistance, a great live performance in the official video.
I'd add Shanti Shanti Shanti to the Babymetal list, after some of their more usual-style songs.
I'm so sad she hasn't gotten to Babymetal still :( Looks like she's deliberately avoiding it: I can't believe she hasn't ran into them - they are all over the reaction scene. Maybe, she's already dismissed them as a "gimmick" :(
And Lovebites
@@Ssserrrge probs the copyright risk
As good as those recommendations are...I think she has to do the Legend S - No Rain No Rainbow. Purely because she knows how to really analyze a singer and song composition in ways that few react channels can match and it would be cool to hear her breakdown of that song.
Î do not know how often I have seen this know and I am a fan of Wagakkiband since they started their career. First they started with making songs for anime series on tv and their first huge success was indeed Tenbonzakura. Today they are uge megastars in Japan. The guest apperance of Amy Lee was, because they made a Song together called "Sakura rising". I think it would be great fun if you could do another analysis of an other song of this band.
Another Japanese metal band I would love you to analyse is: Nemophila. They just released their first album, and it sounds amazing!
Mayu's vocals are really good, she's able to switch between clean vocals and scream. The other members are also really talented
Nemophila is awesome, so I second this nomination!
overrated band
She should not sing in English though, as that is definitely not a language she knows.
they’re good, but it’s really hard not to recommend Fuki first… either Midnight Circus era Lightbringer, Unlucky Morpheus, or the first Doll$Box album
@@Wyl7 If we're talking vocals for Japanese bands, LOVEBITES can't be left out of the discussion imo.
Yuko is a sensei of Shingin poetry, which is where her vocal style is based (And she is also a sensie of Kenshibu which is sword and poet dance)
Elizabeth's face at 6:52 "mmmaybe a quarter of a step" is absolutely priceless.
Agreed, but let's be honest. Elizabeth is priceless period.
All I think when I read the title is bleach and byakuya “scatter, senbonzakura”
Well, senbonzakura makes sens as the name of a fighting move, since it means "a thousand sakura", sakura being the petals of the japanese cherry tree, those beautiful pink trees you see in every pic
Ningen Isu "Lovers Suicide in Shinigawa" Japanese hard rock-metal band. This song has characteristic Japanese musical accents with Rakugo, a form of spoken entertainment. Sort of a one man play. The story behind it is rather amusing.
I just recently discovered Ningen Isu,but I like them a lot. Great musicianship and silly humor.
Yes!! No one ever recommends that song by them but I love it so much!
Hell yes, we need more Ningen Isu!
I love Ningen Isu, great band! They have another great traditional/rock blended sound
ANYTHING by Ningen Isu!
I love the one with the ugly worm, too, Imomushi I think. Which means caterpillar.
Or perhaps Life for sale? It should be called Inochi Urimasu.
Idk anything by Ningen Isu, really. They're really gaining popularity, but still underappreciated.
15:17 a little thing i noticed is it seems they have the taiko drummer shouting out to the rest to encourage them to keep going, which is a characteristic of taiko-only performances due to the endurance it requires. i think its cool they have him doing that to add more to the traditional sound outside of just the drums themselves! also i love how amy high-fives the shakuhachi player at the end i wonder if they were hanging out backstage
Band-Maid has an amazing vocalist, amazing hard rock girl band from Japan!
I think I heard one song by them, because Lee was in it and I wanted to play some of her on my radio show. She's done several collabs with Wagakki band apparently. I would like to point on a different matter however that traditional instruments and singing have been used in rock music for ages, with the most famous ones being bands like Dropkick Murphy's (Irish), The Hu (Mongolian) and more.
Hi Tristan, Elizabeth reacted to the Hu, "Wolf Totem," last year. Here is a link to the video: ua-cam.com/video/JNx0RgQrcoM/v-deo.html and here is a link to Elizabeth's other reaction videos: ua-cam.com/users/TheCharismaticVoicevideos