Work in Progress (Video)

Share Your Music
#1

Hey guys,

I finally got around to recording the melody that I’ve been playing around with for awhile. It’s an original piece that’s not at all Tsugaru, but some of you might recognize it since I’ve played versions of it during various Bachido gatherings. It still needs work but I figured I’d put it up since it’s been kinda slow on the forums recently. In my head it’s fully orchestrated, with strings and timpani coming in on the accents and such, but kamisama knows that’s prolly never gonna be realized. At the very least, though, maybe we could get a few more shamisen to flesh out the melody with some chords. Kevin…? Kyle…?

Oh yeah, sorry about the sound quality. I clearly don’t have a professional set up…

#2

Hi Jamie! Kudos for posting this. Indeed, it’s been a little slow recently (the forum seems to move in waves. tons of posts followed by a little trickle, and then tons more flow in, and on and on) I will be posting more videos soon, even just improvs of my almost-daily practice. The lovely Aki Takahashi has been teaching me how to sing Kuroda Bushi. If I can finally get comfortable singing/playing at the same time, I will bust it out here!

I think your song would sound great with tabla! :slight_smile: Anyhow, I’m totally down. (My mixer is currently bust, but working on fixing it) I’m the greatest at chords though, might have to participate another way (harmony or just ichi no ito filler?)

How do you think we should do it? Record ourselves playing along with the youtube video to build it up that way?

#3

Love love LOVE!! Wow, seriously, love the tune, even “naked” like this, but get a few more instruments in there, and it’s going to be wonderful!

but kamisama knows that’s prolly never gonna be realized

Why not?? I was at a taiko retreat last weekend, and took a composing class. The single most helpful thing that the teacher said to us was to have a deadline. If you have a deadline, then you HAVE to make it happen by then.

How about making a performance of this as a Christmas Present to bachido, or … your mom, or book a performance somewhere and make this the highlighted piece?

#4

Holy Jumping Jesus !!!

Jamie,
Yeah! I rememeber this tune from the spring !
Allow me to say it is truly a revealing expression of the talent
And musicality that you are certainly in possession of! It’s a very fitting melody for Shamisen and even better that it’s in a “3” beat!
(closer to the beat of the human heart)

As far as orchestration? Dude, if anything Kamisama is waiting on the edge of his/her seat in Godly anticipation of this tune with full orchestra (timpani on the accents /strings! Yeah! Totally!!!)

With your permission (And assuming it’s one of the reasons you are sharing this in the first place) I’d like to try looping in some harmony parts , chords and maybe some counterpoint to this tune.

#5

i want to join, too.
count me in!!

#6

Holy Jumping Jesus !!!

Jamie,
Yeah! I rememeber this tune from the spring !
Allow me to say it is truly a revealing expression of the talent
And musicality that you are certainly in possession of! It’s a very fitting melody for Shamisen and even better that it’s in a “3” beat!
(closer to the beat of the human heart)

As far as orchestration? Dude, if anything Kamisama is waiting on the edge of his/her seat in Godly anticipation of this tune with full orchestra (timpani on the accents /strings! Yeah! Totally!!!)

With your permission (And assuming it’s one of the reasons you are sharing this in the first place) I’d like to try looping in some harmony parts , chords and maybe some counterpoint to this tune.

#7

Wow! Double post. That’s kinda weird…

#8

Wow! Double post. That’s kinda weird…

well it IS a cool tune . . .

#9

what an awesome tune!

#10

It is cool, autumn tune, Jamie! I love it!!

#11

Go ahead, people, play around with it! I’m excited to see what you guys come up with, and I’m particularly interested to see if it’ll sound anything like what I’m picturing or if it’ll be completely different.

And Kyle, as for drums, you play tabla too? Sheesh. That would probably sound pretty cool. Honestly, I was thinking more of a middle eastern tambourine/riq kind of thing, but tabla would probably work too.

Examply:

#12

And Kyle, as for drums, you play tabla too?

I don’t, but I thought it might sound good. :stuck_out_tongue: Grant actually plays a little tabla though.

Okay! Gonna try/film some things out with this today! :slight_smile:

#13

Dear Jamie-san,
It’s such a nice song, Congratulations!!
I quickly recorded myself before my melody disappeared. My idea is like an instant noodle: done within 3 min but becomes distasteful after 20 min.

Hope that my shamisen will add something to your song. Sorry, I only did the first half of it (that was my limit for the day). The only problem is that your recording is too fast for my fingers to play the line…

For sure, other great shamisenists will contribute to the song.
I’ll let you know if I come up with better ideas.
Yatta–!!

aki

#14

Wow, I really like it! I don’t know what you’re talking about, saying it’s too fast for you. This sounds great! And it’s completely different from what I had been picturing. Really, this is awesome. We need to meet up in real life sometime and play together.

#15

Yeah! this tune is becoming historical!

#16

Whoa nellie!! That is so fitting, Aki!!

That gives me ideas for doing a light fluttery thing on the higher register. Hopefully it’ll turn out tasteful! (Taichi san will be here for a week starting tomorrow, so it’ll be next week before I can dive into it)

KPP was the theme song of Team Bachido 2013. Could this be the theme song for the Tour of 2014, I dare wonder?

#17

Kyle!

You read my mind! With Jamie’s permission I vote that this be the theme music for next year’s Bachido springtime gathering/tai kai/ jams/meetings!
2014 BACHIDO! Theme music by Jamie Low! It’s got a ring to it, you must admit!

For me it will probably be tomorrow when I can get around to trying this out and seeing if I can add any ideas to it!

#18

Wow, so beautiful harmony. I would love to join in the melody )^o^(

#19

…and so the Jamie Low Shamisen Orchestra begins to slowly take shape! . . .

#20

Great!! Slowly and steadily ♪(*^^)♪

© 2020 Kyle Abbott