LinuxMusicians

Hi all,

since next week I'll be back to Japan for work after my last trip there 5 years ago and I'm quite excited about it, I thought I'd use that as an opportunity to finally share this track with you all:

https://soundcloud.com/lminiero/himiko

By "finally", I mean I actually finished working on this track a year ago: it's been in a shelf up to now since it's meant as part of a larger project I still haven't finished. Considering I don't know when I'll be able to finish it (rather than completing that, I've started another one in the meanwhile!), I thought I'd dust off this track instead and publish it right away.

A bit like Jade was an attempt to write "traditional" Chinese music with a soundtrack feel to it a few years ago, Himiko is basically the same thing but for Japanese music instead: as such, all the well known and expected "tropes" are there, with Koto, Shamisen, Shakuhachi and Taiko drums painting what I hope will be an atmospheric enough picture. I added a semi-full orchestra and a synth pad in the background as well since, again, this was mostly meant to have a soundtrack vibe (a bit like Hans Zimmer's Last Samurai, if you will). The whole track was conceived with a continuous crescendo, up until the "explosion" at the end.

While the orchestra is the "usual" VPO, with the addition of KBH strings for cellos and basses for more depth, the Japanese traditional instruments are all SFZ files rendered with Sfizz:

• The Koto is a free SFZ by Unreal Instruments, even though I layered it with few Kotos from other sources (general MIDI libraries, a couple of Windows VSTs) just to give it more air.

• The Shamisen and Shakuhachi, instead, come from a large World Instruments SFZ package by DSK Music; while DSK offers a lot of free instruments on their website, this package is available for a donation of 25$, that I was happy to contribute. Both instruments I actually played myself using my guitar, using the Soonus Guitar-to-MIDI converter I've used a few other times too.

• Finally, Taiko drums come from the amazing, and free, SCC Taiko Trums SFZ set by S. Christian Collins; I had already used them a bit for the aforementioned Jade, but I had been dying to use them for much more than that, and Himiko gave me an excellent opportunity to do exactly that. These I also "played" myself, using a generic MIDI keyboard, and grouping drums in three different rhythmic patterns: while I'm not sure the end result is as good as I would have wanted it to be, it was a lot of fun to score and play!

I hope you'll enjoy this, looking forward to your thoughts!

Hi!

First, safe and healthy travels to Japan!

I didn't really know what to expect with this, but it sounds incredible, nicely done! Often with the off-the-beaten-path world instruments it can be obvious that sound libs are being used but this sounds super realistic! Your layering work on the koto paid off I think as well as the diligence in selecting the other sounds from good sources!

Very enjoyable!

GMaq wrote: ↑Tue Mar 14, 2023 1:02 pm

Hi!

First, safe and healthy travels to Japan!

Thanks for listening and for the wishes!

GMaq wrote: ↑Tue Mar 14, 2023 1:02 pm

I didn't really know what to expect with this, but it sounds incredible, nicely done! Often with the off-the-beaten-path world instruments it can be obvious that sound libs are being used but this sounds super realistic! Your layering work on the koto paid off I think as well as the diligence in selecting the other sounds from good sources!

Very enjoyable!

Thanks, this is really appreciated! I do remember spending quite some time to getting "sounds" right, so the fact that it paid off makes me feel really stoked!
I mean, I'd love to have a real Shamisen, but those things are EXPENSIVE!

I've not much exposure to Japanese music, but this sounds very authentic. Impressive work!

I agree with the others. Very well done indeed!

I like this a lot. Thanks for explaining the sound sources.
I've been appreciating a lot of Eastern music lately. Had the pleasure of seeing a wonderful ghuzheng performance by Mindy Meng Weng last week. Also enjoying Laraaji's "Segue To Infinity" album which has a very interesting koto song.

Music-travel path Very interesting work! High level quality track, ethno-colorite, awesome!

folderol wrote: ↑Tue Mar 14, 2023 7:43 pm

I've not much exposure to Japanese music, but this sounds very authentic. Impressive work!

Impostor wrote: ↑Tue Mar 14, 2023 8:43 pm

I agree with the others. Very well done indeed!

psyocean wrote: ↑Wed Mar 15, 2023 9:40 am

Music-travel path Very interesting work! High level quality track, ethno-colorite, awesome!

Thank you all for listening, I'm glad you liked it!

sunrat wrote: ↑Wed Mar 15, 2023 2:38 am

I like this a lot. Thanks for explaining the sound sources.
I've been appreciating a lot of Eastern music lately. Had the pleasure of seeing a wonderful ghuzheng performance by Mindy Meng Weng last week. Also enjoying Laraaji's "Segue To Infinity" album which has a very interesting koto song.

Thanks! I love Eastern music too, no matter how middle or far
I'll have to listen to the music you referenced too!

Rainmak3r wrote: ↑Wed Mar 15, 2023 9:49 am

Thanks! I love Eastern music too, no matter how middle or far
I'll have to listen to the music you referenced too!

Mindy Meng Wang collaborates with some local artists but was playing solo when I saw her, and using a loop pedal with the guzheng at times. Quite unique. Here's a nice solo (sans looper):
Solo Series - Mindy Meng Wang

And Laraaji album at Bandcamp, I particularly like the kalimba tracks - https://laraajinumero.bandcamp.com/albu ... o-infinity

Very well done, and I hope you enjoy your trip!

Tenaba wrote: ↑Sat Mar 18, 2023 12:33 pm

Very well done, and I hope you enjoy your trip!

Thanks, can't wait!

Hi @Rainmak3r , I hope you enjoyed - or are still enjoying - your time in Japan. You certainly created your own soundtrack. Depending on what you do. Himiko could be a soundtrack to a film or stage performance of some kind. Thanks for sharing!

jeanette_c wrote: ↑Fri Mar 31, 2023 10:30 am

Hi @Rainmak3r , I hope you enjoyed - or are still enjoying - your time in Japan. You certainly created your own soundtrack. Depending on what you do. Himiko could be a soundtrack to a film or stage performance of some kind. Thanks for sharing!

Thanks for listening and for the kind words! I'm still in Japan, but after about 10 days in Yokohama for work, today I've finally moved to Tokyo for one more week here of pure vacation (I'll use Tokyo as a base to visit different places).

I wish you a very pleasant stay @Rainmak3r !

Just bumping this to say (again) what a great track this is. You should put it bandcamp.