Classical GUITARIST Pro FIRST REACTION to REN - Money Game Part 3

[@SaBaBiKo]

One reactor said about Ren " He always walks somewhere". You said " He always sits in a chair" Both is true 😄

[@KarenJones-ce2no]

Yes, I'd just watched 'he always walks somewhere ' reaction 😅

[@sharis9095]

TDIP (The Dreadin It Podcast)? They are starting to become one of my favourite Ren reactor channels.

[@pigbenis8366]

​@@sharis9095they are hilarious. "RENaldo, shut up!!" 😂😂 The shut up gets me every time

[@RaffiDonoianMusic]

He does! 😂

[@cindyloyall5237]

I feel like money game 1 opens your eyes to the problem, 2 breaks the game down for you, and 3 shows you what a life living it can do to you.

[@PBaka13]

MG3 is an embodiment of the Chorus from MG! and MG2. "Those who rise through distorted lies, Poisoning the veins."

[@RaffiDonoianMusic]

I like that breakdown

[@PunkRocker1976]

Yes it’s Ren on piano until the other pianist takes over as Ren stands up to move to the mirror. I’d suggest reacting to ‘For Joe’ or ‘Mackey’ by Ren for a complete piano performance.

[@cas9065]

That is what I came here to write. I think particularly Mackey for a friend who drowned by accident. For Joe is for his best childhood friend who passed on purpose, just as Suxxxxde.

[@RaffiDonoianMusic]

Thanks! I've added them to the list!

[@Adalinedaydreams]

I’m here to second that! Beautiful piano pieces. ❤

[@EshplumeReacts]

Keep it up! your insights are worth gold

[@LittleBallOfPurr]

Was just watching your duo react for Murderer, love your insights too. Hope to see you two do more together, maybe for 'The Hunger'.

[@RaffiDonoianMusic]

Thanks Esh! I appreciate your help with everything too!

[@stuwyatt]

Thank you for a great reaction. We have very strict gun laws in the UK. The pistol was a replica and it had to have two magazines - one for putting in the dummy rounds, and an empty one that is loaded into the gun. There's an extended cut of the making of this video on someone else's channel that shows how this switch between the two magazines happened. The video was also just two continuous takes, with the switch happening just before the strings. It's a work of art

[@RaffiDonoianMusic]

Thanks! Ok yeah that makes sense. Still made me so nervous lol

[@MC-zr7hl]

Yeah that makes more sense. I just always assumed they were either dummy rounds and/or there was no firing pin in the pistol lol

[@stuwyatt]

@@RaffiDonoianMusic I think making the viewer nervous was the full intention :)

[@annatraustadottir4387]

Yes, he plays the piano in the beginning then his friend Charlie takes over. Ren wrote the music and made the arrangement but the beginning is inspired by the beginning of the Piano Concerto in A minor by Grieg. I love how the piano becomes more and more hectic as Jimmy becomes more out of control in his pursuit for money. The video has got several awards. There are just two cuts made in the video, one when he takes off his hood, and one after he falls on the wheelchair. And to do these long continuous shots, with all this extra people, requires so much accuracy, and Ren acting and rapping/story telling all the time and Charlie on the piano following along, this is a fabulous video indeed. Lastly, the string quartet, simple but beautiful. About the strings, using two cellos. He has a live version off his rap song Bitter Sweet Symphony, where he raps over the iconic "riff" from Bitter Sweet Symphony by the band Verve. And in this acoustic version he uses "String quartet" but two cellos. And that is not what you will expect to hear, a rap over strings, but it works without being pretentious, as too often happens when pop/rock artists incorporate classical elements. You may not be surprised by now with the fact that Ren is very much interested in films and filmmaking. So he co-directs and visualizes many of his videos with the help of his friends to the smallest detail. For many of his songs the video is as important as the music and he has said that as he is writing music he often is already thinking about the music video. You liked the piano. Ren has made just one song that is just instrumental and it is just piano. It is a little nice song. A beautiful song in the memory of his childhood friend, MacKay, that drowned by accident at an young age along with a friend that tried to save him. Lots of arpeggios in that short song and a beautiful motive. You should maybe listen to this nice song. kzbin.info/www/bejne/inXVd5tvh9Ojh5Y

[@itsonlyme4265]

I’ve always understood it was just the one cut, as the wheelchair turns?

[@annatraustadottir4387]

@@itsonlyme4265 No, they had to make a cut when he takes off the hood. There is a video about the making of the video and also I have seen interviews with Ren and interview with Sam about the video and somewhere there it is explained, that they had to make a cut there, not planned, because the heat in the building they were using was so high that Ren was sweating heavily after playing with the hood on, so he had to clean up before continuing, and that was the reason for that cut. The film crew was more or less half naked because of the heat. That is, the people that could do that.

[@itsonlyme4265]

@@annatraustadottir4387 Interesting, thanks, I’d not seen that

[@RaffiDonoianMusic]

I'll definitely take a listen!

[@DukeOfTwist]

Loved your version of Ren's arrangement to close out the video. Just stunning, off the cuff and not a single note out of place.

[@RaffiDonoianMusic]

Thanks! I love doing it! It's what I do on my live streams almost every night. Practice makes perfect (or at least close to it lol)

[@JamesToman-be8ly]

you're gonna be one of the TOP reactors very soon always do a great job

[@allybandy3047]

agreed. I only have a few set up for notifications, this is one!

[@RaffiDonoianMusic]

Aww thanks!

[@every1hooked518]

The strings also play the money game theme

[@RaffiDonoianMusic]

Ooooh I missed that!

[@payntpot7623]

Have you heard that Ren is ill and in hospital at the moment? Yes, Ren began playing, I understood the first bit was by Edvard Grieg? I may be wrong, But I think I heard at the time of making this, that Ren did not think he could play the whole piano piece, so he had a chap named Charlie ...? help him compose the piano section and then play it. I am sure if I am not correct, someone will let me know. There was a you tuber named Wolf Johnson who recorded the filming of this. The shorter version is on Ren's channel and the longer one on Wolf's I think. The violin (or viola? I am not musical) was playing the money game tune, whilst the chellos played something else. Jimmy may not have died. Ren has left it open to interpretation. Remember, Ren is a Brit and has little clue about gun safety. He was using a decommissioned gun, but showed the 45 bullets as he wanted the bullets to match the age. If you see the making of film, you see him hand off the clip with the 45's to someone off camera. The star to me is the woman in the quartet who stayed still and silent (bless her) when her bow got accidently wet. More piano in the 2 songs he wrote for friends he lost. *For Joe, and *McKay.

[@RaffiDonoianMusic]

I saw him mentioning his recent struggles. I hope everything ends up ok!

[@LittleBallOfPurr]

A lot of music is a wonderful experience for me, but with Ren, it's more of a journey. It's not just about that moment, a climatic event, or a thing, it's a story. It does make me think of a famous quote: "It's good to have an end to journey towards, but it is the journey that matters, in the end." Ursula K LeGuin

[@ladonna9938]

He sings the melody at the beginning, but it is also acted out with the rain, the storm, turning a child into a killer, his finger on the trigger of a money game.

[@aura81295]

The intensity of anxiousness you felt at the end of the video really showed through in your facial expression and body language. I reacted the same way the first time I watched this performance. I love Ren's theatrical productions. So creative with the use of visuals (positioning, props- kudos to the camera crew) combined with sound (vocal, instrumentals, echo, silence, background noise, etc.) to deliver such a stunning performance. It's hard to capture everything on a single viewing, but the effect still comes through very well. Fun reaction. Thank you! 👏

[@Thomas.Saunders]

More piano to come! Two are tributes to lost friends: "Mackay" and "For Joe." Pretty sure you'll appreciate both. Thanks for your continued support of our guy Ren. I love your own Money Game inspired piece at the end, its quite beautiful.

[@RaffiDonoianMusic]

I put them on the list! Thanks!

[@hollyryalsgrubb1273]

@@RaffiDonoianMusic Mackay is a must-watch.

[@bhallb23]

I’ve been refreshing and checking in every day since the last one! I can’t wait to see which song you pick next, Mackay is a gorgeous piano instrumental whenever you get a chance. I think the sitting is half due to his health (he spends a good amount of time walking around and moving in these videos) and half to move the story- think Hi Ren, where he stands from the wheelchair at that pivotal moment in the song, and in this video because the character Jimmy is paralyzed. I’m sure there’s other examples. This was such a great analysis!! Did you notice the vocalizing in the start but then the strings picking up that common melody from Part 1&2?

[@RaffiDonoianMusic]

I missed the strings! And I'm glad to hear you were looking forward to it! I'm struggling a lot at the moment because I also teach, stream, and I'm a full time grad student so I'm really finding it difficult to find time. I'm sticking to at least one a week but I want to do them more often in the future for sure!

[@bhallb23]

@@RaffiDonoianMusic that’s a whole lot! And grad school is no joke from what my friends have told me 😅 No rush on the reactions, they’re best done when you’re in the right mindset. I hope I can find some time to catch one of your livestreams too! Thanks for sharing with us 🙂

[@geactd7708]

Great reaction love your piano playing at the end ❤x

[@jameslitzinger6932]

Great reaction, and always love your instrumental outros. Looking forward to the next one.

[@RaffiDonoianMusic]

Thanks James!

[@Sheilla357]

If there is a chair, there is a hostage. Ren will be on the move. If Ren is in red, tie, suspenders/braces, coverall, you are in for a treat. How Ren starts is not how he will finish. Lyrics videos are worth watching. Ren can do it all. Songs and videos will have many layers that can be studied for the Art of it. Mackay is a full piano song, no singing. It's beautifully heartbreaking.

[@JulieLesterlives]

10:17 I love the piano at this point, it really represents how his dad is mocking him. Great reaction, informative as ever 😊

[@REN4eva]

I really appreciate your solo reactions. No shadow on Esch but two people speaking over each other fucks with my hearing, especially as english isn’t my mother tongue. You give interesting info about the music, only few other reactors do that. And at the same time you do get the meaning of the lyrics pretty well. I have watched hundreds and hundreds of Ren reaction channels. You are climbing for one of the top places

[@emilianoserranosouza1991]

You have to see For Joe, astounding tribute, beautiful song whit Ren playing the piano!

[@pigbenis8366]

I am frigging addicted to watching Ren reaction videos.

[@WesVwX]

Great reaction. Watch the Big Push Swan Song and you can see Ren play a melodica for somthing new. They do stand the entire time.

[@RaffiDonoianMusic]

Is it a Ren video if he doesn't sit though? 😏

[@iamsquatty]

Your piano piece at the end was beautiful 🥹💜💜

[@AgnesPerditaX]

And - the violin plays the Money Game theme as well at one point. ;o) Thank you for your reaction, I like it very much, Raffi! 💙

[@Timberfalls]

The piano tribute was fantastic. Love that and please do more of this!

[@RossoRosa62]

Thankyou for a lovely reaction 😊

[@msDx74]

Really enjoyed your RENdition of money game on the piano at the very end. You play guitar and the piano so beautifully. I always enjoy a reactor who is full of info and talent. McKay and "For Joe" for more Ren on piano.

[@emilianoserranosouza1991]

Beautiful ending, thank you so much!

[@Punk·Fisch]

Everyone praised your reaction already (and I fully agree) but also: your piano interpretation in the end is beautiful!

[@michaelwalsh7359]

Been looking forward to this one!

[@MC-zr7hl]

Your insights into the music are my favorite. The best reactors are those with musical backgrounds like opera singers or classical musicians. I definitely appreciate what you have to say.

[@jackkavanagh5566]

Great reaction, loved the piano piece at the end, now try it with a bag on your head ❤

[@RaffiDonoianMusic]

Come by one of the streams! I play blindfolded as a fun little thing when people ask for it. Also I play with my sound turned off too as another trick so that I have to hear everything in my head!

[@kittymccarthy2111]

Loved your piano at the end. Beautiful ❤.

[@mothermaclean]

Just seen this popped up. Yay, im here for it man

[@Rampage-94]

Thank you, I enjoyed it. The ending was beautiful, i hope you keep play Ren music at the end of each reaction you do. It’s beautiful 🤍 I look forward to more Ren reactions for you. Your videos is calming and relaxing to watch

[@mothermaclean]

It was an out of commissioned gun it wouldnt firexany way in the video. He passed the loaded clip over to the cameraman and took a 2nd clip he put in gun

[@stevenmeyer9674]

Did you notice how the gun was replaced on the table in the opposite direction from where it was originally.

[@chrisparti]

Great reaction to a great piece of art, and I loved your piano tribute at the end, some lovely subtle chordal changes

[@polyesterspecter]

His "FOR JOE" is just him and a piano, and absolutely beautiful.

[@stacy4823]

I really appreciate the perspective you bring to these videos. I enjoy watching reactors who can give insight and value to these songs and the listener learns a new way to watch.

[@rebeccarose7405]

More lovely piano in "For Joe" live! Great breakdown! and I love your piano at the end!❤🎶

[@kv4320]

Great reaction, beau-ti- ful ending of your video. People like you and Ren make me appreciate piano and guitar even more. Emotions!! Greetings from Belgium 🇧🇪

[@TiffanyLovering]

Beautiful reaction, beautiful improv piece ❤️

[@denalinde]

Him setting himself on fire in Part 1 got to me more than the gun for whatever reason. Great reaction. 💜

[@RaffiDonoianMusic]

I guess setting yourself on fire would definitely be torturous 😐

[@petervitale4431]

Your piano piece at the end was super amazing! Very nice!

[@Dennis-en9qy]

Very nice reaction! Beautiful piano improv ❤

[@MalcolmMXTaylor]

another great reaction vid! and wow you deffo got a way to keep people watching to catch your outtro!!! PERFECT!

[@ricezentaru8752]

Absolutely amazing reaction to an absolutely amazing song. Wow that's a way to transfer a message!

[@sylv772]

I very much appreciate your analysis of the music (and the whole thing really). PS I also love what you do with his music at the end.

[@jstwood58]

Love it when you play, great finish. Much respect.

[@kjsdottor]

Great reaction and loved your playing at the end!

[@justseepa]

That was beautiful, thank you!

[@cas9065]

Thank you. I loved the deeper musical analysis.

[@AshedotBob]

All the reactors who have a musical background say they feel inspired after watching Ren ❤

[@ShondaLouisianaMama]

Ren also plays the piano in his song MacKay. His friend Joe unaliveed himself by jumping off a bridge and a couple months after he lost his friend MacKay to an accident. He said he was so numb that he couldn’t come up with any words for MacKay so he just wrote a piano piece.

[@RaffiDonoianMusic]

I'll check them out!

[@mrdarengilbert3907]

Thank you for this reaction 🙏

[@Thea7972]

For more piano, definitely have a look at “Mackay” & “For Joe”. I’ve just watched all your Ren reactions in one afternoon😂 (including murderer - the acoustic version is equally as good so worth checking out) & I’m enjoying your input, which adds something different to other reactors. Looking forward to seeing more!😊

[@emilianoserranosouza1991]

Great reaction and analysis!!

[@petejung3122]

Love the piano piece at the end. Nice rendition around the theme.

[@Lou-xq9br]

#ren 🖤🩷

[@phillevin6651]

Your improv at the end was masterful. Wow

[@lynette.]

Just plain genius.

[@lisavalentine8877]

Love your reactions! As I'm sure you've been told, it is Ren opening on piano. I'm not sure who takes over, it is Romain from the Big Push wearing the bag in part 1, I don't know if he plays piano too.

[@falloncj]

Money Game Part 3 feels like a CV to hand in to apply for the job of writing a bond movie theme song. Your piano piece at the end feels like it could easily be an into to a bond film.

[@Jadedxx]

Can't wait for you to check out loads of music from his old band, The Big Push 🔥 you'll love most all of it with all the guitars and instruments 🔥🤘🖤 Bongo Bong, Wader in the Water/Trouble so hard cover, I Shot The Sheriff/Road To Zion/Hip Hop, Praise You, Swan Song, War Pigs cover, sooooo many 🤘

[@2008foxhunter]

Awesome job on the piano yourself!

[@tanjono374]

Nice reaction 😊

[@lynette.]

Try Mackay a piano piece he created because he couldn't find the words.

[@shavielou205]

What a great reaction! I really enjoy your insights. Also, your piano piece was gorgeous. I hope you'll consider recording the entire thing and loading up to KZbin. I imagine Ren would love to see it when he's back on his feet (keep him in your thoughts - our Boi is really struggling right now), he's particularly fond of piano. Please consider reacting to the original Money Game 2 video (or watching it on your own). It's a lyric video - there is another PARTIAL version with Ren walking along the beach but, again, it's not the full version. I love his award show version, but I think you'll get a better idea of how the song was originally intended to sound (and look) from the lyric video. Looking forward to more reactions!!

[@RaffiDonoianMusic]

Hmm maybe I can do a longer version. It's actually hard for me to keep them short. I think it would be so cool if he saw some of it. I'd definitely be honored.

[@krikat3485]

Ren playing piano at the beginning. See him playing piano in MacKay. It’s so unusual to have someone rap to piano accompaniment,

[@mikenighbor4524]

Too dramatics, he lit himself on fire, the first one😂😂😂😂 it's Insane, that I commented on that, using those words and then laughed after😂😂😂😂

[@robertgrant4987]

You can clearly see the rings on his fingers!! Of course it was him playing the piano at the beginning The amount of people whi haven't spotted this is remarkable 😮 those who would never be an investigtor perhaps

[@michaelwalsh7359]

Nobody wins the money game. Not just those at the bottom, but even Jimmy with every advantage, gets chewed up and spit out by the money game. I feel in the first one when he turns the can on himself it’s his realization of that fact and decides not to play.

[@charleenk71]

When a chair is involved, it is some serious business with Ren.

[@iamlpinthe312]

MacKay! Purely instrumental yet in Ren fashion, it tells a story.

[@krazulo]

13:45 that s fun. Another reactor said, Ren is always walking somewhere 😅

[@garychap8384]

Hi Raffi, a couple of Ren piano tracks to look out for... He plays a solo piano piece called 'Mackay' that he composed for a friend he lost. There's no singing or rapping ... just some emotional modern piano. And, of course, you'll be thoroughly unsurprised to learn that he sits in a chair throughout. I know, right? ; ) Personally, though, I prefer his other piano work in a track called _'For Joe'_ which is a sung piano piece. It's dedicated to a different friend, that jumped from a bridge : ( It's very much a reworked medley of other songs about Joe that draws on much earlier work going back to the 'Freckled angels' album. So you might want to wait until you're a little deeper into his catalogue. In particular, I would say that you should have at least have heard _'Su!cide'_ before tackling _'for Joe'_ _'Su!cide'_ is a song that just seeks to get the pain out. It's emotional sting comes toward the end of the piece, and it is honest, painful and brutally raw. The later _'For Joe'_ is, I feel, a more mature take that appears to benefit from the passage of time - the theme of guilt and loss is revisited, and reframed with considerable perspective and maturity. It is, however, no less painful. I'm sure you'll enjoy both.

[@Turntablist_Mk2]

For your own amusement there is 2 awesome BTS videos of this production, one on Rens channel and the full raw version on TheWolfJohnson's channel.

[@mrsv221]

Ren switched out the magazine with an empty one just out of frame. They showed how they practised it in the behimd the scenes video...

[@darkmatter6714]

He did the string arrangements too

[@jamesnorton3197]

He does some winderful piano work in "Freckled Angels" AKA "For Joe"

[@kasimndfck5320]

when you're a classical pianist but you listened to hip hop once

[@siarlb8115]

If you look , you will see the viola player doesn’t play after the “rain” that is because the rain fell on her instrument. Ren compensated her afterwards

[@RaffiDonoianMusic]

Oh no! lol

[@lightsourcejourneys]

I would highly recommend watch REN’s video “Eden” next. It came out the week after “Money Game 3” and it’s almost like an unofficial “Money Game 4”. It’s very different. You won’t regret it!

[@RaffiDonoianMusic]

Added to the list!

[@2008foxhunter]

For more piano watch “For Joe”. The story of his childhood friend who killed him self.

[@slay1132]

I really like the melody you played at 09:04 It sounds familiar, but unfortunately, I can't remember the name. Could you write down the title for me?

[@hollyryalsgrubb1273]

Everyone who hasn't should check out Raffi's live streams. Did the beginning remind you of Greig? You picked out some nice musical notes to highlight. And the rain, rain, rain was implied by the ending. Yes, it's the point; making us anxious: wake up and look on the mirror: where are we heading. Now you'll have a slew of suggestions for Ren-sitting videos 😂.... And we can have another slew of Ren-walking videos 😂... Of course you'll have Ren-singing videos, too. I'm personally waiting for Ren-dancing videos...

[@RaffiDonoianMusic]

Aww thanks Holly! You've been super sweet and supportive. I missed the Greig reference!

[@Codex7777]

Btw, a string quartet can be any 4 string instruments. You're just describing the standard setup. :)

[@Codex7777]

Ren isn't in a chair in most of his videos, including the first 2 Money Games. When a chair IS front and centre, you know he means business! :)

[@Codex7777]

Seriously though, sometimes it may just be that he's fatigued, as he tires really easily.

[@sistermoon1970]

Please watch/listen to “Mackay” I think you will appreciate his piano and composition skills. It honestly felt like my whole life was encompassed on that one piece, it is amazing. Enjoy your commentary 🫶

[@DocDurrDan]

Do Ren's Fred Again mash up. Youll enjoy playing it too

[@Hear2helpu754]

Aaron, although the Renegades have the best intentions, if you want to keep the captions on, then do it. I think that in some cases, they are incorrect and sometimes they may ruin the ending if you read ahead. However, everybody absorbs Ren's genius in different ways so find the best way that fits you.

[@davemick7216]

If you want piano, listen to "Mackay"... it's sad and beautiful.

[@aditsu]

Intro is inspired from Edvard Grieg - Piano Concerto in A minor, op.16 Cliches without negative connotation = tropes or patterns. You say he's always sitting on a chair? I don't think he did that in the tale of Jenny and Screech. If you want to see more Ren on piano, check out his song Mackay.

[@RaffiDonoianMusic]

Yeah I couldn't think of a good word lol but you're right, trope would be a much better word!

[@Shiroar]

Oh rain rain rain rain…

[@margaretpickholtz8772]

First pianist WAS Ren

[@ThatDoomScroller]

Check out Crutch so some beautiful Erik Satie like piano

[@mikenighbor4524]

Do you think it was a purposeful choice artistically with the two Cellos, instead of the traditional

[@TRPLD]

Just an fyi. The gun was NOT loaded. They did quite a bit of clever camera work, Ren loads a magazine with bullets and when the camera swings towards the gun, Rens magazine is switched for one without any bullets in it. Otherwise this could have been incredibly dangerous.

[@supertuscans9512]

Oh for God’s sake get real and smell the coffee, this comment is beyond borderline absurd, how do you think in the UK someone is going to turn up on set with a magazine of live ammo for a pistol???

[@TRPLD]

@@supertuscans9512 maybe before raging watch the making of. Ren specifically mentions he loaded the gun, I would assume with blanks (but don’t know). If you don’t know how dangerous blanks can be, educate yourself.

[@RaffiDonoianMusic]

No no I know it just makes me so nervous still! I can't help it lol

[@TRPLD]

@@RaffiDonoianMusic understandable!

[@lilybastian5626]

@@supertuscans9512he specifically said he did to make it as realistic as possible bc he knew people would recognize if it wasn’t right

[@Mooley81]

If you love piano, ck out Mackay, it’s his tribute to his fallen friend.