"Travelling" for flute, guitar and "guitar-cello"

[bosone]

This is my last recording, called "travelling":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPl73emZyHw



It was a melody I composed back in 2010 when my and my girlfriend (now wife!) were visiting Xian in China.

I have arranged it for flute, classical guitar and "guitar cello", an hybrid Frankenstein instrument i built myself starting from an old guitar by adding a cello bridge.
All recroded in Sonar 8.5 through a Neumann TLM 102 and a focusrite ISA ONE, mixed with creamware/Sonic Core plugins.

Obviously it has a somewhat "chinese" feeling and i think it's quite romantic, I hope you like it!

[kensuguro]

This sounds awesome! Sweet little tune. Tempted to throw in full strings and make it epic. Which I'm guessing isn't the point.

[HUROLURA]

Nice one

[dawman]

I first started listening and was wondering if it was a Cello or a well sampled solo Cello.
Really nice.

[kensuguro]

The guitar cello instrument actually sounds like a "ma-tou-qin" (mandarin, "horse head instrument") which is a mongolian bowed instrument that actually even looks kind of like the guitar cello on the video with its 2 thick strings. Well, sans the fancy getup anyway. Thick strings, very coarse sounding bow sounds.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morin_khuur

[kensuguro]

I couldn't resist, and did a full strings arrangement with a handful of chinese instruments.

Used Kong audio's Chinee Orchestra SE for all the chinese instruments.
Synful orchestra for strings as usual.

Used:
Hengdi (the really bright sounding flute)
2 x Pipa (lutes doing the rolls)
Gu Zheng (harp)
Erhu (unmistakable 2 stringed bowed instrument, it's also really hard to play)

I actually play hengdi and pipa, and used to have an erhu so I guess I stuck with what I know. I think you really nailed the flute play style. I wanted to play the hengdi part live, but alas the one I brought with me to the US is in the wrong key.

Hope you like it. I put in extra care to maintain the integrity of the original.

[bosone]

well, i'm overwhelmed! i have no words, both for the kindness you had to chose to rearrange my song and for the result, it's really really REALLY nice! I like it a lot!! it's definitely chinese!
thanks again!

... and kong audio sounds indeed awesome!

Thanks also eveyone for all the comments.

regarding the erhu: it is a very nice instrument. I have one myself and i must say that it was difficult to play but not impossible. i dedicated myself years ago to learn it and in about one month i was able to play in a decent way:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOj-9hRDKHQ

I have also a small guzheng at home but I never video recorded it... and several chinese flutes such as dizi and Hulusi and a small liuqin

thanks also for the informations regarding morin khuur. if i'll visit mongolia now i now what i should look for!

[dante]

This is my last recording, called "travelling":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPl73emZyHw

Clever video editing, well done.

[kensuguro]

cool, really glad you liked it. Enjoyed working on it.

[Nestor]

Wow man! This is so beautiful, really nice song, very peaceful in a special way. The “Chelotar” was great, I like its humble sounding tenderness, really cool. I heard already several times…

[bosone]

thanks a lot Nestor, i'm glad you liked it!

[scopus]

really beautiful song and playing <3

[bosone]

I recorded a new version for this piece.
You will understand soon the reason why!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YG6rgL5 ... 6yfuGaVeW4

[kensuguro]

wow, quite beefed up! where the heck do you store all those instruments!? I once had a mini collection of chinese instruments as well, but eventually had to leave them all in Tokyo since they took up so much space.