Vague Hope - NieR Automata piano cover

This is another cover of Vague Hope, different from the Piano Collections, played on the Square Enix music channel. I find this arrangement more interesting to play, as it's more elaborate and improvisatory than the Piano Collections version.
Composed by: Keigo Hoashi
Arranged by: Takurou Iga
Sheets from patreon.com/zakid
Recorded on a Steinway D in my living room.

[@gefallenerengel1306]

I didn't listen to you for a while, but I feel strong nostalgia for both how you play and the music you play. You may be the reason I'll download KZbin music instead of Spotify. You're the one.

[@mjusufatur]

This!

[@PianoTraveller1]

Such a remarkable but underrated piano cover, making me reconsider humanity as like the plot of Nier: Automata, especially the flowing patterns in 2:02 onwards. Thanks for your refreshing piece of music of Vague Hope, relieving my nervous emotions on the night before my exams.

[@ydndl]

After taking another look at almost all the existing versions on KZbin, yours is by far the best.

[@themrzakid]

Great performance as usual - I enjoyed your playing a lot more to the original recording, you definitely gave it an extra layer of evocativeness that I think it deserved. Appreciate the link to the sheets as well, hope they were useful!

[@AlansPiano]

Beautiful. The piano sounds so WARM!

[@nahiku8521]

wake up babe another rach3master BANGERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

[@MRLegendPiano]

I really missed your playing. Great work as always!

[@korayus]

Great performance as always. Thanks for sharing.all the best whishes from North Cyprus.

[@mythun6735]

You are truly one of the most skilled and inspiring pianists on this platform. Thank you, as always, for sharing your playing with us!

[@Erainia]

This is truly exceptional, well played.

[@pianothingsmusic]

What a sorrowful performance! You feel the music 🎶🥹

[@Akami009]

Oh boy here I go crying again

[@MONSTER3N3RGY474]

love your arragments you are a truly professional piano player. top 0,1%

[@pota7opotato573]

Nice to hear another cover from you. Also such nice phrasing.

[@cariwithani]

Wow! Thank you for this moment of absolute beauty. Feels like drops of milk and honey to my ears 🤍

[@vyce394]

Toujours au top, merci a toi de ne jouer que des morceaux magnifique.

[@doremifadi]

Beautiful!!!!

[@cltherrien]

Beautiful!

[@chiuyeemusic]

it sounds so beautiful.... thank you rach3master what a good interpretation

[@vipquality31523152]

とても綺麗な音ですね

[@ydndl]

Thanks!!!

[@asmrshrek5782]

very beautiful like im in a trance

[@Windradini]

this is a nice arrangement of vague hope ..... :))

[@Simon-Jih]

This is breathtaking, the audio is ear candy, the playing is absolutely magnificent, everything is perfectly splendid ! I’ve been following you for a while, and I really really love your work, EVERY SINGLE ONE of them. The way you play, the flow, the smooth hand motion, the weight transfer from notes to notes, it’s just like every movement is carefully planed and executed, as if the piano is the extension of your body, the playing is as nature as you’re speaking, singing, and confessing, I wish someday my playing can give others such vibe, please keep sharing your work with us, I will be looking forward to your future pieces. and did you change the microphone settings? or you mix the audio differently? or it’s just simply more pedal involved? I feel the higher register and the overall tone are much more rounded and resonant than the previous video (the sound of Chopin Op27 seems a bit dryer?), sorry if i was wrong.

[@rach3master]

Thanks for the kind words. I did try several things in the mix to reduce excessive pedal noise, but it seems it had a larger effect than anticipated if people are noticing differences in the actual tonal quality.

[@Simon-Jih]

Actually this rounder and more resonant sound is what i like, I think the higher register in previous video is a bit too dry and thin for me, anyway, thank you for replying.

[@gefallenerengel1306]

@@Simon-Jih as crazy as it may seem, I think I watched your love live piano video before. I just clicked on your profile (I saw you wrote you're playing piano) and I clearly remember your goofy glasses and head appearing and disappearing from the screen. I don't know why, but this randomly makes me laugh in any piano videos. Also, you played it wonderful, but a whole year passed! I just listened and there were some mistakes, but it looks not like a skill issue, more like a lack of practice or memory, so I'm confident you will be capable of getting to said heights... and deliver me more amazing piano music :D Just started piano after like 20 years of guitar, btw. For me there will be you to reach then! :P

[@RitRallDecrDim]

Could you go into more detail about your recording setup? The colors come through really nicely!

[@uwyphi]

[@RichardYangPiano]

You must have a special connection to NieR. Just curious, did you play the game? Or you’re like me, I’ve never played the games or watched the Animes that I cover. Also curious, is Bipolar Nightmare in the works? If you ever find or transcribe yourself, please do share! I’m dying to try that one.

[@rach3master]

I’ve played the game and it was great. I’ve usually watched or played the source material for everything I cover, or at the very least have listened to the original piece, as it does help with the interpretation. I’ve tried transcribing Bipolar Nightmare once, but it was too difficult. May give it another go next year.

[@JkyLi]

When using a studio monitor to listen to your steinway performance, I always feel the high pitch range is a bit too much. What kind of setup are you using to record now?

[@rach3master]

I actually thought the high register of my piano is a bit weak, so I increased the EQ by a few dB of the highs on one microphone only, but can remove it if that’s not the case.