About Wagakki Band's musical instruments "WA" means Japan. "GAKKI" is a musical instrument. (1) "KOTO" (a large, flat instrument of about 6 feet) The ancestors of "KOTO" came to Japan from China about 1300 years ago. The body is made of paulownia wood. A wavy groove is carved on the back side of the body, and the sound echoes. KOGTO strings are made of silk thread and are played with fingers with claws called "Kotozume". Band member IBUKURO uses the maximum size of 25 strings, KOTO. He uses two KOTOs with different tunings. He chooses and uses two KOTOs for some songs. (2) "Shamisen" (instrument like a banjo) Generally, the "shamisen" is used as an accompaniment instrument for quiet and light songs. (Current ballads, songs like light pop) However, band member Beni plays a special shamisen called "Tsugaru shamisen". The types and playing methods of "shamisen" are evolving in various styles nationwide. Among them, "Tsugaru Shamisen" is characterized by its fast and powerful sound and unique playing technique. This style is due to the fact that the Tsugaru shamisen was born in the extremely cold region of northern Japan (Tsugaru: place name). Once upon a time, visually impaired people lived in the harsh natural environment of Tsugaru. They earned cash by providing their customers with songs and shamisen performances. They have created a unique musical style to save their lives. It can be said to be an instrument with a sad history. (3) "Wadaiko" (drums) "WA (Japan)" + "TAIKO (drums)" = "WATAIKO". And the pronunciation changes from "Wataiko" to "Wadaiko". Like the shamisen, "Wadaiko" has evolved uniquely in various parts of Japan, and there are various ways to play it. (4) "Shakuhachi" (bamboo flute) Until 60 to 70 years ago, length units such as "shaku" and "sun" were used in Japan. (The pronunciation of "sun" is a shortened version of "soon".) 1-shaku = 30.3cm. 1-sun = 3.03 cm. "Hachi" = "eight". The average length of "shakuhachi" is "1-shaku and 8-sun (about 56cm)". The "shaku and 8" part is now the name of the instrument. The shakuhachi is made from bamboo grown in nature. In other words, it's a simple instrument with a hole in the bamboo. However, it is said that it is very difficult to learn because of its simple structure. There is an interesting sentence about the shakuhachi practice. "Kubifuri-3nen, colo-8nen". this means: "It takes three years to train to move the neck and head well to control the strength of the sound," and "it takes eight years to train the fingers to make a good sound." ----------------------------------------- From Japan * Sentences using the translation app. I hope that the intention is conveyed correctly.

This is from WagakkiBand Premium Symphonic Night Vol.2 Live & Orchestra in Osaka-Jo Hall February 2020. One nigh show only. The acoustics in Osaka-Jo Hall are very suitable for orchestras, so they held the concert there even though the WGB is in Tokyo. Evanescence vocalist Amy Lee joined WagakkiBand as a special guest. The song before this they performed "Bring me to life" with Amy Lee. This song is about the westernization of Japan, which happened during the Meiji Restoration. Despite having an upbeat, oriental track, the song contains rather dark themes, mentioning guillotines and ICBMs. In addition, the lyrics state things such as "Songs of lament go unheard" and "This is a banquet insiade a steel jail cell". This song was also the last before the encore. The song is taken from Vocaloid so it is actually a cover by Hatsune Miku .. WGB constantly puts together big shows, One of Japan's most popular bands at the moment. Everyone is professional on their instruments, All songs are good, no one is equal, Metal, rock, jazz, ballads, funny songs, sad songs, etc. Wa = japanese, Gakki = musical instrument WGB is an 8 piece band: Yuko Suzuhana - Shigin, vocals (Founder of WGB) Machiya - guitar, vocals (Arrangement) Beni Ninagawa - tsugaru shamisen (Three strings (guitar looks like)) Kiyoshi Ibukuro - koto (Japanese National Instrument) Asa - bass Daisuke Kaminaga - Shakuhachi (Bamboo Flute) Wasabi - drums Kurona - wadaiko, Taiko (Traditional Drums) Machiya usually plays a Sago guitar, it's a 33 "scale baritone with 29 frets tuned BEADF # B, if you capo at the 5th fret it becomes a 25.5" scale guitar in standard E tuning. He uses baritone to not drown out the traditional instruments so easily. He is also the one who has the last word. Recommends "Hakushu Kassai" from Daishinnenkai 2018 Great reaction by the way 👍

vocalist yuko not only sings on top level. she also dances with fans and swords, plays piano on pro level, is a composer and is their bandleader (after nine years all original eight members are onboard, that speaks for itself). I´m a fan of guitarist machiya. he is one of the rare of his extraordinary class, who is a teamplayer. and has always those beautiful sago guitars. most reactors begin with "homura" + "akatsuki no ito" from their 2015 tour, cause it´s fantastic. I would like to see another reaction to them and recommend their Kyoukasuigetsu + Tsukini sakebuyoru from their react tour 2019, because it´s equally good, a bit heavier and has a sword dance from yuko.

This was the second time that Wagakki Band co-starred with the orchestra. Yuko Suzuhana（vo） has long had a sense of crisis about the decline of Japanese classical performing arts. From her desire to "disseminate Japanese classical performing arts to the world with a more pop feeling," she recruited her members and formed the "Wagakki Band." Their music video for "Senbonzakura", which is included in their first album "Vocalo Zanmai", has attracted attention from all over the world and is currently being played 140 million times. Please note that they transferred from Avex to Universal Music in June 2019, so if you pick up Avex-owned music videos other than live footage as they are, they will definitely be blocked.

As AWESOME as this performance is, I think their vid with the combo of Homura + Akatsuki No Ito would be more up your alley. (A lot more cool guitar!). You really can't go wrong with any Wagakki Band, GREAT show band! 🤘🤩🤘

glad you found WagakkiBand. Been gobsmacked by them for a little over a year or so now. Not quite as "every day playlist" as Band Maid and Lovebites or even the Warning (ok, not Japanese but MEH), but top 10 of the bands I've encountered in the last 5 years.

About the title "Senbonzakura" Japanese pronunciation .... In Japanese nouns, it is common to connect multiple words in series to create a new noun. (Similar shapes are often found in German) "Senbon zakura" is a word that connects the words "Senbon (meaning 1000)" + "Sakura (meaning cherry blossoms)". If you simply connect these two, it will be "Senbon Sakura". It changes to "Senbonzakura" as a Japanese pronunciation habit. Therefore, the pronunciation will be closer to the correct voice if you pronounce it with the feeling of adding a small space between "Senbon" and "zakura". Similarly, when pronouncing "Wagakki band" ..... It is a noun that combines the two words "WA (= meaning Japan)" and "GAKKI (= meaning musical instrument)". Therefore, if you pronounce "Wagaki" in succession as a single word, the Japanese may react to "What?". If you pronounce it with the feeling of adding a small space between "WA" and "GAKKI", it will be closer to an accurate voice. The pronunciation of the "GAKKI" part is ... If you lightly connect "ki" to the pronunciation of the first part of the English word "guts", it will be closer to Japanese pronunciation. (It feels like "Gut's + ki") Meaning of a thousand cherry blossoms .... It is not a real number of 1000, but a word that expresses the feeling of "a lot of cherry blossoms that cannot be counted". The Japanese are known as people who love cherry blossoms. Events are held at many cherry blossom viewing spots in the spring. At the event, catchphrases such as "**** town senbonzakura" are often used. -------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------- - from Japan * This is a sentence using a translation app. I hope that the intention is conveyed correctly.

Best-informed commentary I've seen regarding the stagecraft and guitar...

Fantastic!. This band is a wonder and a pleasure for the eyes and ears. Glad you like them. The guitarist name is Machiya and he is a virtuoso. A common MV to listen to from this band is the song combo Homura + Akatsuki no Ito (live in 2015). The first composition (Homura) is by Machiya and in it you can find very interesting licks. Great job as always Jack!

Such an amazing talented band. Love everything they do. Great Reaction!😎🤘

Beni Beni Beni! by the way the only correction I have is the Bass player is a GUY "ASA"

The Scottish pronounciation of Wagakki ('traditional instruments) sounds correct! As was your pronounciation of the Shakuhachi, which is apparently a notoriously difficult instrument to get a sound from, let alone play. Wagakki Band don't usually have a full orchestra accompanying them (probably as there's usually enough of them on stage to fill it anyway!). The 3 string lute with the wallpaper stripper plectrum is a Shamisen and its player, Beni, can shred really well with it. For that, though, you need to see just the band play, as they mix Metal guitars with the shakuhachi, shamisen and koto. Their live performance of two songs that segue into one is one of the best - 'Homura + Akatsuki no Ito from their 2015 Japan tour. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/ptWeh8V1qbO9mqs.html

Beni Ninagawa is my favorite on Shamisen. She is world class, former model and just a sweetheart............okay I'm smitten with Beni. They did "Bring Me To Life" with Amy at this concert too.too.

(Hakushu Kassai) / Dai Shinnenkai 2018 is a live performance that showcases all the musicians individually and as a whole. Not being a musician myself, i cannot explain it accurately, but Wagaki Band blend traditional elements with modern rock sound in a way that sounds perfect and they go in various direction musically, so i think they are worth listening to! Your reaction/analysis always gives an interesting insight to people like me who know very little about musical composition and playing instruments, so thank you for that! Stay safe and keep up wiith your excellent work!

Ah my dad used to listen to Salsa Celtica, and now I listen to Wagakki Band haha! Your knowledge was really good to hear, I'd love it if you listened to more wagakki! Though this concert is fantastic, I think they turned the more rock instruments down somewhat in the mix, so I'd love if you'd listen to some Wagakki without the orchestra too

Welcome to the world of Wagakki Band. Here is a friendly advice. Frank Garcia and CCW have a hole collection of brilliant live videos from Wagakki and this videos never got blocked. Chose any song you like they are all great. As a Guitarplayer i would start with "Homura + Akatsuki no ito" live from their first Japan Tour 2015. "Hakushu Kassai", "Ignite" etc etc ... all great songs

Not too sure who reached out to who for the collaboration. Amy learned Senbonzakura which is arguably Wagakki Band rise to fame and they in turn performed Bring me to life with her in a beautifully epic rendition. I am not going to link that, I am sure others have or will. What I am linking is behind the scenes from her trip. How great is it to see music binding people together, across continents, languages and though a long time ago, past historic troubles. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/sMdjorFontfPgKM.html

the fan is part of the singer, Yuko Suzuhanna s, kenbu( japanese sword dancing) routine...

A wonderful band of superb musicians. My favourite is the lovely Beni who can shred a samisen and look look a million dollars. Singer and originator Susanna is pure genius.

[Wagakki Band will take an indefinite hiatus by the end of this year, marking the 10th anniversary of their debut] Suzuka-san is married, has a baby, and is busy raising children, but each of them has their own place, and I think that's the basics.This is how legendary bands are born. Hey, I'd be happy if there was a reorganization someday.

Two clips from Machiya playing Sago: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/ld2qlLd-x9qlpKs.html kzfaq.info/get/bejne/kLClmNSkmq6pnas.html I believe he mostly plays that 7-string Shigure nowadays (like here in Senbonzakura) someone correct me if I'm wrong. As for song...Hangeki no yaiba (with cc/lyrics) has some hefty live-action. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/jbmBat1eycjGe6c.html

Your pronunciations aren't that bad. Wagakki means "Japanese musical instrument." When you see a double consonant in a transliteration from Japanese, that indicates a kind of a stop/pause immediately prior to that consonant. So, think of it as "waga-ki" with a slight break before the last syllable. Japanese doesn't have stressed syllables like most European languages. There is pitch accent, but that's a different thing. Your pronunciation of Senbonzakura was pretty good, too. It means 1000 Cherry Blossoms. I met the lead singer, koto player and shakuhachi player at an anime convention here in Atlanta in 2018, I believe. They were very nice and complimented my terrible Japanese speaking ability.

There's a video of them singing "bring me to life" together too! very interesting arrangement and fresh!

Amy Lee and Wagakki Band did Bring Me to Life that same concert. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/ntFheteKsJ2meoE.html Here is a good way to start experiencing Wagakki Band - heavy on the guitar - but they have other styles of music too. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/ptWeh8V1qbO9mqs.html

I think someone already told you by now, but Evanescence hasn't really gone anywhere. They did have 2 or 3 hiatuses though so there are gaps between albums of no major albums (especially between their self-titled album in 2011 and their latest album The Bitter Truth in 2021). Definitely check out their newer music if you haven't yet, it's quite good! If you're checking out Bitter Truth, a few songs I recommend are "Artifact/The Turn" + "Broken Pieces Shine" (It's best to have those songs play together), "Take Cover", and "Blind Belief". All the songs are great on that album in my opinion, but I am biased to be fair lol. As for Wagakki Band, they did do another collaboration with Amy Lee called "Sakura Risng". As for their original songs, I don't really know that many (I need to change this), but I do like "Queen of the Night".

guitaristの方なら、町屋さんのソロ多い動画とかも見てほしいです、焔とかも

Great breakdown, as always! I'm glad you finally discovered Wagakki. You mentioned a band that incorporates traditional Scottish music into its sound, so now more than ever you need to do a deep dive into Big Country! Check out its epic album, "The Crossing". Also, regarding the glass wall surrounding the drums, years ago I had seen that used during a symphony concert thing that Belanova performed (kzfaq.info/get/bejne/aJOmrdFnpr2Rl4k.html), and wondered what was up with that, so thanks for explaining. Oh, and did you see my comment I left for you regarding Metallica?

コンバンワ😊 エイミーリーさんは懐かしいですねー😊 私のような日本人🇯🇵も和楽器バンドは、愛してますよ、😊 これほどのプロフェッショナルな、バンドは中々ないですよね、 彼等の実力は、素晴らしいです、 これからも、楽しみで仕方ありません、これからも和楽器バンドをよろしくお願いしますm(_ _)m

Excelente

I like Wagakki Band quite a bit, although having bought one of their newer blurays, I can say that not every song is necessarily for me. I absolutely love Senbonzakura though. The first time I noticed the cover for a drummer was in a live dvd/bluray for Septicflesh where they also play with an orchestra (Infernus Sinfonica MMXIX). Completely different style of music (they are Symphonic Death Metal), but also cool to watch in my opinion. Their drummer (Krimh) is a beast, he also has a youtube channel. I believe he basically functioned as the glue between the orchestra and the band. He had a video about the electronics he used to do so, but it has been a while since I watched it so I don't remember the specifics. You can try Septicflesh - Enemy Of Truth (official live video) Infernus Sinfonica MMXIX if you want. The last part of the video is just the frontman talking to the audience though. I will link down in a reply to be sure this comment won't get eaten by youtube.

Now you need to review Homura by them! It really showcases every instrument: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/ptWeh8V1qbO9mqs.html.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this song. I call it a power ballet and that's why i'm wondering what you think about the guitar work. 和楽器バンドWagakki Band：なでしこ桜(Nadeshiko sakura) - REACT tour 2019 (sub. provide): kzfaq.info/get/bejne/qtV6gauX17bVaGg.html

I think you'll appreciate reacting to kzfaq.info/get/bejne/ad2pd6met5myj2Q.html - just the guitar, shamisen and koto during a Wagakki Band concert, so more along your line. And, yes, you pronounced shakuhachi correctly.

Wagakki Band has numerous different things that are worth listening to. A lot of people are introduced with a video that has Homura followed by Akatsuki no Ito. Recently I've found one that is wonderful that I can't stop listening to which is a combination of Ikusa and Hakushu Kassai which are really cool: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/gdKZY7BeydPTlaM.html. It highlights all the different instruments. My favorite is Singin For... but I think there's only a music video for it. I think I saw somebody else mention them performing Bring Me To Life with Amy Lee, which is worth doing, as well as their original song with Amy Lee Sakura Rising, but again it's only a music video that I know of.

It would be great if you could react to their cover of roku chounen to ichiya monogatari (六兆年と一夜物語)!

Next react to Dexcore - Earthworm Nocturnal Bloodlust - Cremation

great reaction! can you do one on Sparkle by Tatsuro Yamashita? It's got great instrumental composition

I would expect a Brit to catch that homage to Ian Anderson!

the guitarist uses a 29 fret 33 inch scale guitar

Hello Sir......can you react"God allow me please to play music"from VOB (voice of baceprot)please??Indonesian metal band.🙏

Plis reaction desquad,,, murder fron indonesia

Alip ba ta Sepur Tua

When they started, Wagakki Band used to do covers of Vocaloid songs like this one. If you want to see the original by Hatsune Miku (Crypton serial number #01) check her live performance during a Magical Mirai kzfaq.info/get/bejne/iNtxoK5l0tjUlKc.html.