FXpansion Japanese Taiko Percussion - Manual (Page 25)

I was skeptical when I first heard about this project. That’s because I’d never heard a sample or drum
pad that came anywhere close to the real taiko sound. To be honest, I didn’t have much hope that this
project would capture the true essence of my sound either, or even make it past the recording stage.
Still, I agreed to the project for the experience and because it was a world first.
The recording sessions were extremely demanding. I know now how hard it is to repeat the same
single stroke over and over again with exactly the same intensity while making sure the hit rings true. I
kept my focus, however, because more than anything I wanted to create the most authentic taiko
sound for musicians all over the world.
The mixing and production were finished a few months after the recording sessions. When I tried
out the library with some drum pads, I was amazed by how real the sound was. The package not only
reproduced the full range of hit intensities; it also faithfully recreated all the nuances that are essential
to taiko playing — the resonance, the touch variations, the subtle shifts in tension between left and
right hits.
The sound from the speakers was so realistic that if I closed my eyes it felt as if I was hitting a real
taiko right in front of me. The highlight is for sure the ohdaiko. The sonic depth of the ohdaiko samples
will definitely add impact and richness wherever they are used.
We recorded a bunch of MIDI grooves using MIDI drum pads. I played a number of phrases that
are commonly used in modern taiko performances as well as phrases from Japanese traditional festivals
and dances. Listening to these patterns is certain to give a better feel for Japanese culture and music.
I hope engineers and musicians will put this sound library to use in all kinds of music.
Ikki Hino
Born in Osaka in 1977 and growing up with his father, a jazz drummer, Ikki's first toys
were drumsticks. Later in his high-school years, he immersed himself in marching brass
bands. He finally encountered the taiko in the Japanese Self-Defense Forces, which he
joined after high school. He soon got involved in composing songs with the taiko as well
as directing, organizing, and performing at numerous music festivals and concerts. Aside
from his service duties, Ikki worked as a volunteer with taiko groups in various locales,
teaching taiko techniques and composing and arranging music.
Ikki, seeking a more flexible venue for his ambitions, formed Wataiko Ikki in 2002
and started performing regularly. He began performing as a solo artist in 2004, playing
numerous shows in Tokyo. One the standouts during this time was an improvised
performance with the celebrated Forsythe Contemporary Dance Group in collaboration
with DJ Shiro Amamiya. In April 2007, he served as the musical director for the theater
production “Sharaku Takeshi,” which starred Shinichi Tsutsumi and Katsumi Takahashi.
And in June 2008, he was the first Japanese performer to venture to independently Eastern
Europe to introduce the borderless spirit and sound of taiko.
www.wataiko-ikki.com/profile-english.html
From the Performer