A pro tells all! Behind-the-scenes of BABYMETAL piano arrangements

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• Piano teacherNishioka Yumiko
  [Profile] She has studied at Yamaha Music School since childhood and has honed her musical skills. Graduated from Hokkaido Sapporo Kita High School (general course). Graduated from Hokkaido University of Education, Sapporo Campus, Faculty of Arts and Culture, Music Course. Currently a Yamaha Music School instructor at Elm Gakki Co., Ltd., director of Ishiyama Higashi Music School, and active as an accompanist for choral and vocal music as well as in her own musical activities. She also composes and narrates for the storytelling unit “Piano Storia,” arranges children’s songs for the sheet music site “Doyo Gakufu Warabee,” and has arranged BABYMETAL’s “Ijime, Dame, Zettai” for piano, expanding the scope of her activities.[Teaching Experience] She has 16 years of teaching experience. As a system instructor at Yamaha Music School, she has taught students ranging from age two to seniors. She has provided practical music instruction required for obtaining kindergarten and elementary school teaching licenses at Hokusho University. With conviction and passion, she is committed to advancing Ishiyama Higashi Music School.[Qualifications] First-class junior high and high school teacher’s license (Music). Yamaha Piano Performance Grade 3. Yamaha Electone Performance Grade 4. Yamaha Teaching Grade 3.[Awards] 2004: New Artist Prize, Tokyo International Association of Arts. 2007: Encouragement Prize, PTNA Piano Competition (Duo Division). 2007: Asahikawa City New Artist Prize (Piano Division). 2008: Encouragement Prize, ANP All-Japan Piano Duo Competition. 2008: Encouragement Prize, Young Artist Piano Competition (Two Pianos Division). 2008: Asahikawa City New Artist Prize (Ensemble Division). While these are listed, what matters most is maintaining a heartfelt attitude toward performance and a drive for improvement.[Teachers Studied Under] Studied piano under Kayoko Shimoge, Yumiko Akiyama, Tomoka Sasaki, Emika Ninomiya, and Katsushi Ishibashi.[Affiliations] Member of the Tokyo International Association of Arts, Felice Gakuyukai, and HIMES Artists.[Blog] On the significance of piano performance and music education: http://ihmusichappy.blog.fc2.com/[YouTube] Doyo Gakufu Warabee: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvv2tm3e8_-T02tZM2Hx_xA[Contact] ishiyamahigashi.music@gmail.com

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There are times when the sound is too much.

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When the transcribing is finished and I’m working on the arrangement, there are some things I inevitably have to give up on.

A section where all the instruments are moving flashily, or the climax of the piece.

It was already included in 'Bullying. No way. Absolutely not.'

Some BABYMETAL songs are so intense that they feel like the climax all the way through, so there are often a lot of sounds throughout the entire track.

“Aka Tsuki (Akatsuki), Road of Resistance, Tales of the Destinies, THE ONE,” and so on.

However, the notes and range that can be played with both hands are limited.

Within that scope, the challenge is how closely we can approximate the original song.

Actually, I’ve also tried making it separately as an accompaniment apart from the vocal part.

It’s not official yet, but it’s “No Rain, No Rainbow.”

But when I tried performing while accompanying myself, I realized that I feel best when I play everything on the piano by myself.

So I decided to do everything with all ten fingers.

The piece might be so difficult to play that I may not even be able to sing while playing.

But that’s exactly what’s great about BABYMETAL, and it’s also what I love about them.

Which instrument will you sacrifice?

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alwaysAn instrument that ends up being sacrificedthere is / there are

Believe it or not, it's a guitar.

I don’t perform, but would you call it the keyboard part? Sometimes the supporting parts that build up the background, like the strings, get sacrificed too, but what really pains me is the guitar melody.

The guitar is an instrument with a very wide range of possibilities, isn’t it?

It can do the same movement as the bass, play chords, move notes intensely within the chords, and even play melodies other than the vocal melody, right?

If the melody follows the singing, you can play it on the piano along with the song.

But sometimes I’m playing a completely different melody, and the range is different too.

This—this, I mean the guitar melody!

There are more surprisingly good melodies than I expected.

They layer a melody that should clearly be taking the lead behind the vocals.

It's really frustrating that I can't perform for you.

Do you know this sadness of having to cut it with tears in your eyes?

If you play the guitar, I think you'll understand that sadness.

The main melody of the entire piece must take precedence, and we have to fulfill the responsibility that comes with it.

While transcribing by ear, at first I was just listening without understanding anything, but I’ve started to find myself thinking, “I might not be able to play this part right now,” as I listen.

Strings and the like can be ridiculously difficult, and even though I might not be able to play them, they sometimes take the longest to transcribe by ear.

I'll just take a breather and make it coffee-and-chocolate time...

There are times when the instruments you sacrifice contain hidden hints for the arrangement.

But even knowing I’ll be sacrificed, I will definitely listen.

Sometimes parts are included, so I won’t give up and will keep listening.

It can also serve as a hint for the harmony.

If just one note changes, it becomes a different chord and the mood changes entirely.

For someone like me who relies solely on the sound of the piano, the choice of what sounds to use is an extremely important matter.

Since there is only one timbre, the color varies slightly depending on which sound is used.

Sometimes we intentionally use sounds that are different from the original song.

At this point, it all comes down to feel.

It won’t be completed by logic alone.

If you have the CD, please listen closely to the part near the end of “Ijime, Dame, Zettai” where it goes, “Ijime dame! Ijime dame! It’s uncool~.”

The hidden guitar melody is really cool.

I wish I had three hands.