Notes and Notions
  • Home
  • Blog

Japanese "Bad Apple" !!

11/30/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
In Japan, there are several traditional musical instruments that are popular, and are used by modern players.  I was recently learning about them.  

One is the shamisen, a banjo-like stringed instrument with a very long neck that is played either using a "bachi" (looks kind of like a spatula) or plucked. It has only three strings.

Then there is the koto-- the names for different parts to this instrument all refer to it being a "dragon." Well, it IS long, like a dragon. . . about 6 feet long.  It's made from hollowed out wood, and has 13 strings raised above it lengthwise, supported by bridges.  The strings are plucked with special finger picks.

Picture
Picture
Other traditional Japanese instruments are bamboo flutes (some of these are blown through an end-- like a recorder, Irish tin whistle, etc.) and various drums.

All of these are being played in this very interesting piece of music, "Bad Apple!!" by formal musicians on a traditional stage.  The arrangement of this Japanese pop song is by Yorihide Fukushima.

                                                           See Video Here

"Bad Apple!!" is a musical piece composed for a video game created by gamemaker ZUN, in Japan.  It was in the game Lotus Land Story.  The song became extremely popular when Japanese pop singer Nomico performed and recorded it in 2007.  
Picture
Picture
Also, just because it is so awesome to watch, I'd like to share another video of this same song.  It is done in black and white 3-D silhouette art (by Anira, in Japan), and went viral when it was released in 2009-- maybe you've already seen it (10 million people did, a few years ago).  It's on YouTube, here.
0 Comments
    Author - Diane Hurst
    I am a music lover and songwriter.  Some of my own music can be heard at www.dianehurstmusic.com

    Please subscribe to my 
    email list 
    for info about 
    new songs,
    new discoveries, 
    new adventures :)

      
         SUBSCRIBE HERE
    Picture

    Categories

    All
    Bluegrass
    Christian Music
    Classical Music
    Electronic Music
    Folk Music
    Humor
    Instrumental Music
    Jazz
    Music For Children
    Pop Music
    Renaissance Music
    Soul Music
    World Music

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    November 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011

Photo used under Creative Commons from douglasalisson