What Makes Cinnabar's Theme So Emotional (Let's Talk About The Erhu)

[@stedeestelle2866]

I will cry so hard when they animate Chapter 94 and they use Cinnabar and Phos's theme. I would absolutely bawl my eyes out

[@AKsTF2]

Yup, got me tearing up again. Thanks

[@ThatMusicNerdShabu]

It's so good, I legit got emotional listening to it so much to make this video. So I feel you

[@grueage3372]

Cinnabar itself is from Chinese origin

[@ThatMusicNerdShabu]

Oh I just looked into it and China has been using cinnabar for things for a super long time. That's so cool! I had no idea and it gives the erhu usage even more meaning, thank you so much for pointing this out! :)

[@LordSauron22]

Yeah they call her shinsha instead of Cinnabar

[@challacustica9049]

@@LordSauron22 that's also a common name for Cinnabar itself. A lot of translations and fans refer to them as Shinsha.

[@LordSauron22]

@@challacustica9049 yeah u was trying to say (without typing it cause im lazy) that if you listen they use the chinese in the anime and not the japanese word for cinnabar

[@challacustica9049]

@@LordSauron22 just a note BTW, you said 'her', its actually 'them'.

[@darthcarrots2581]

The piano reminds me of Phos’s theme. The piano and erhu dancing together is like the story of Phos and Cinnabar, with the piano grounding the track as well as taking over the erhu theme. This is like how Phos is calling out to Cinnabar, begging them to stay on earth and offering them hope that they will find a job for them. And the erhu represents Cinnabar, in its heartbreaking sound of loneliness and despair.

[@GiantBrother]

Cinnabar's theme and Lunarian's theme are the most noticeable themes in the series. I totally agree about your video. I just want to add that the Lunarian theme perfectly symbolize otherworldly danger since its instrument, gamelan, is rarely used in anime.

[@EEnde]

Kevin Wu omg the lunarian theme. I have never feared bells so much. Like you instantly know something bad is going to happen when you hear chimes. Houseki no kuni makes such good soundtrack

[@ThatMusicNerdShabu]

Oh the gamelan usage is incredible. Oh boy, it's so good, also since making these vids I've found out it's specifically Balinese gamelan which has a close relation to Buddhism and buddhist imagery is used a ton for the Lunarians. Really great writing

[@deebambi5567]

The music number of the Lunarians always left me with a feeling the Lunarians are treating the attack of the Gems as a celebration of harvesting the Gems for a reason beyond our normal reasoning that we could never comprehend by our human mind. Which in my opinion is very powerful thing to convey via a music number itself (even though reading rhe manga does explain why the Lunarians act the way they do)

[@martinmichael7194]

instablaster...

[@JZSNooB]

Once again, amazing scripting, knowledge/understanding of music, and voice acting. keep it up!

[@ThatMusicNerdShabu]

Thank you! I'm glad to see that you're enjoying them :) that makes it all worth it

[@challacustica9049]

I love this song. It is literally the song and soundtrack of my life.

[@ThatMusicNerdShabu]

Hahahaha love the profile pic and the name, yes this is your theme hahaha I hope my talking about your theme was satisfactory :)

[@challacustica9049]

@@ThatMusicNerdShabu i loved this video! I did not know much about the Erhu before this but it seems like a pretty fascinating instrument!

[@ThatMusicNerdShabu]

@@challacustica9049 I'm so glad I could introduce you to the erhu, it is an incredibly wonderful instrument :) Hard af to play well though haha

[@challacustica9049]

@@ThatMusicNerdShabu i was interested in playing, but i looked online and its extremely hard. Ill just stick to piano.

[@sylargrey9444]

Again, this video amazes me. Learning the Erhu takes an average of about 6-8 years to learn! To be able to learn it and comment on it's use..... I applaud you!

[@ThatMusicNerdShabu]

Thank you very much. It's one of my favorite instruments of all time. I love seeing other people who love it as well, but yeah it's hard hahaha. I remember my first lesson being like 3 hours long and an incredible amount of information. Very fun though. Also thank you very much :) I'm so happy you liked the video! I always get nervous making videos so seeing positive feedback always makes my day

[@fernandamoreira2437]

Amazing video!! Cinnabar's theme is my favorite piece of this beautiful beautiful soundtrack. It's good to finally understand why it makes me so emotional :D

[@ThatMusicNerdShabu]

I’m glad you liked it! The piece is absolutely incredible, thanks for watching :]

[@OnexGray]

"Shinsha"... the lone Chinese word used in a Japanese language anime. Yet another way they are subtly telling you her story

[@rexorcallskyline1039]

I love good music but i never really have the time to get into the notes, melody, emotions or even those rare instrument used. Its nice to know more about these stuff.

[@ThatMusicNerdShabu]

Glad to hear I can help facilitate someones love for music! That's the coolest thing! Also haven't forgotten the Gurren Lagann video, still deciding exactly what I want to cover (there's a lot of good stuff in there), if not a full score analysis :)

[@futoifutomomodesu3206]

*hears the first stroke of music* *melts down*

[@crowlord8729]

i get chills every time i listen to Cinnabar's theme

[@greentea6587]

This video and channel is SOOOOO amazing . Just absolutely just love your content. Keep up the good work.

[@ThatMusicNerdShabu]

Thank you so much! I'm glad you're enjoying it, I'm definitely trying to keep it all going and a new video should be up soon. It's a long one haha. Thank you, comments like these seriously make me feel like it's worth it :) hope you have a great day!

[@animatedcarlos563]

I am so glad i found this channel.

[@ThatMusicNerdShabu]

I'm very glad you did too :) Thanks for watching and I'm glad you're enjoying the content!

[@gerryo30]

wow so many passion put into the video. thank you for making the deep analysis on why this score is so great. i've just watched the anime out of boredom, and boy do i found a masterpiece. cinnabar (or phos in that matter) really resonates with me the most. and to see someone that passionately appreciate the score as much as i do really makes me happy. man, you are brilliant, and i think it's just a waste of potential to just talk about anime scores. i mean, i understand that you are passionate about anime and music and you want people to understand that anime is not just about coloured hair and weird animation, i do want that aswell. However, not many anime fans understand and appreciate how crucial a score is to story telling no matter what the media is, either digital or analog, and anime fans is a minority to begin with. what i am trying to say is that i want you to gather audiences, appeal to what people likes in order to bring the things that you are passionate about above. appeal to movie and tv series fans. i'm sure you like movies aswell. make a deep analysis on movies scores, get people attention on how brilliant you are. you have the tools to be big but you don't utilize it well. talk about game of thrones, avatar, or anything that is world class famous or better, movies that you love, that resonates with you. review movie scores, and/or educate people (which you already have). use SEO Techniques. there's not much out there who could make these types of video and you can fill in the gap. bring attention, expand your audiences. i just subscribed to your channel. as your new fan i want you to be successful and i believe that you can. and from here and on, i'm expecting great things from you.

[@ThatMusicNerdShabu]

Ah thank you very much for the kind words. I'm also just making content on what I'm passionate about. I already work as a composer and music editor/director so this is mainly just a hobby for me. Of course growing the channel is fun and I want to talk about other mediums as I'm passionate about them too (particularly games) but I just kinda go with the flow and make what I'm feeling. Thank you for the passionate reply though, I'm happy you think so highly of my work :) that means a lot

[@henny022]

Good video again, and im really looking forward to that deathnote video, that soundtrack, especially L's Theme is one of my favourites

[@ThatMusicNerdShabu]

Yeah I'll definitely get it done, just needed to step away from it for a bit Thanks for watching and I'm glad you enjoyed :)

[@keikou_vg7864]

Apart from Cinnabar, what other soundtracks used the er hu as well as this did that you recommend? Cinnabar was one of my favourites in the show. Kinda regretting not picking up the er hu back in high school now :/

[@ThatMusicNerdShabu]

My personal favorite other composer that uses Erhu is probably Jeremy Zuckerman, known for the Avatar the Last Airbender and Legend of Korra series. Many of his various scores use the erhu incredibly well also. Never too late to pick it up! It's an incredibly fun instrument to play and is very rewarding! I say go for it!

[@jaeha4898]

I can recommend Elegy of Moonlight from Akatsuki no Yona.

[@Grappleberry]

i was holding back tears whenever cinnabar’s theme came on istg

[@buttbutt6917]

Me too

[@mikei6605]

I get shivers everytime I hear this song!

[@ThatMusicNerdShabu]

It's just an incredibly solid piece, I love it so much in case you couldn't tell haha. The great melodic writing and the harsher piano timbre against the flowing erhu timbre is gorgeous. Thanks for stopping by hope you enjoyed :)

[@soy4490]

Goodness, saw your name and immediately subscribed. You need more subscribers! Also, thanks for bringing some deserved attention to the erhu! Nice job, man.

[@ThatMusicNerdShabu]

Well thank you very much! I'm glad you like the channel :) as for the erhu it is just one of the most gorgeous instruments ever created. It is freakin difficult as hell to learn but very rewarding hahaha. Thanks for watching and commenting with the words of encouragement, it means a lot! :)

[@Yermavak]

If you haven't already, try listening to some Genshin Impact OST, especially from the Liyue region. Genshin is an anime style RPG that has different fantasy regions that have basis on real world cultures and each region has many many hours of soundtrack dedicated to it. Liyue is the region inspired by Chinese culture and the soundtrack reflects that and makes heavy use of the Erhu. I absolutely love the soundtrack and I think it can be enjoyed even if you don't play the game.

[@Skidoodle18]

You deserve so many more subscribers for this fantastic work!! I hope to continue seeing new videos from you in my sub box

[@SasukeKuroyami]

I absolutely love the music from this anime its so perfect 💝

[@44theshadow49]

Listening to this song makes my eyes tear up. Cooking these onions isn't helping

[@ThatMusicNerdShabu]

It's so strange, what a coincidence that I happen to be chopping onions every single time I listen to this piece...

[@rjmario2234]

I didn't know this song was from an anime. that erhu man. btw i think this is the first time i heard a erhu, such a beautiful instrument.

[@sebastianzevallos473]

When are you going to make the made in abyss soundtrack video!!

[@ThatMusicNerdShabu]

:( I had one, it was my very first video in fact haha 40 pages of notes and an hour and a half of raw audio, edited down to a more concise 30 minute video haha. Unfortunately it was manually copyright struck a few weeks ago. I fought against it and I should be all good with fair use, but it could be a while before it's allowed to go back up. I'll try to let you know when it does. In the meantime there is some more made in abyss content in the pipeline but my full score analysis video should be back eventually. :( sorry about that, hope you get around to watching it when it comes back up

[@catieadair97]

@@ThatMusicNerdShabu :C

[@flapflapflapflap]

Im new to Land Of The Lustrous and am currently playing Genshin so ill consider "Cinnabar" as Genshin OST

[@lazizayakubova520]

when cinnabar is ur kin character

[@milkshakeella3261]

mine is phos

[@sheboltaev]

1:48 Episode 13?

[@ThatMusicNerdShabu]

Oh whoops! Not like this haha I meant episode 11, I misspoke, sorry!

[@Envy_May]

i was hoping you were gonna play some for us on ur erhu lol

[@AniMageNeBy]

Ah, yes, that one. Great, isn't it? Made a 'scene' vid (just a cut from the series) about it myself because I liked the music so much at kzbin.info/www/bejne/iIOnoIGZrtafrJI , a few months before you made this sound/music-analyze vid. I don't know much about the technical properties and all you say here on an academic level, but intuitively, one immediately is gripped by the music, and it invokes 'loneliness' so damn good, it's simply astonishing. Another one I liked very much is kzbin.info/www/bejne/kF6afKevfq-Kgtk . Do you happen to have an analysis about that one too? Visuals, worldbuilding and musicscore were really great in HnK.

[@ThatMusicNerdShabu]

Ah absolutely, this show does a fantastic job with sound design and register (where notes are played) to invoke feelings of loneliness and isolation. I do technically have analysis of all the pieces, somewhere, it's buried in a ton of notes haha but I could make a video on that scene at some point if you want? I can add it to the list, glad you're liking the vids, thanks for watching :)

[@AniMageNeBy]

Yeah, if you find the time, that would be great. It would be much appreciated. It's also one of the better scores which invoke 'loneliness' as well. Though, a bit differently than the Cinnabar's one. It has (or at least invokes) feelings of (more general) sadness, but in a more contemplative mood. Ideal for the scene, thus. Curious about your take on that one.

[@ThatMusicNerdShabu]

Yeah of course! I can't say it'll be super soon but I will add it to the list of pieces to cover. I've always felt those pieces represented phos' journey and the isolation that they feel as opposed to Cin's theme which is their own brand of isolation. It's a really interesting way to characterize using music.

[@bilaldent3577]

video like this only got 6500 views, what a disappointing audience for great work

[@ThatMusicNerdShabu]

Hahaha I'm just happy more than like 25 people watched it haha I appreciate it though. As a hobbyist, I'm just happy that there are people like you who have watched it and enjoy it. Thank you so much for commenting, it really does make my day. Hope you have a great day :)

[@bilaldent3577]

😍 😍

[@hookedongrey7453]

Could you do Madoka Magica soundtracks? I think they are amazing too. Also, I love your channel.

[@ThatMusicNerdShabu]

Ah that's actually still on my list and might make an appearance in one of the next few videos :) Also thank you very much! I really appreciate that :)

[@MoonAnime]

I've seen ErHu being used to rip jolly music more often than sad ones, but I truly think ErHu works better when they keep being sad lmao I'm so toxic. How's your health issue since? Hope everything is well.

[@sugarandbones6272]

0 dislikes

[@challacustica9049]

How would you dislike?

[@starchi4650]

4

[@bilaldent3577]

man, why don't you have a patreon

[@soratheorangejuicemascot5809]

I got a stupid question to you, do you think nier(game) music is good?

[@ThatMusicNerdShabu]

Yes! I actually love Nier's music both the OG Nier and Automata. I also really liked the game in general and speedran N:A. Fun fact emil's shop theme and Emil's despair have the same melodic contour, which I think is a beautiful touch :) It does a great job of creating atmosphere

[@soratheorangejuicemascot5809]

@@ThatMusicNerdShabu music really is good for providing more atmosphere. Which can also makes the place more memorable.

[@soratheorangejuicemascot5809]

@@ThatMusicNerdShabu btw the music in both nier and drakengard are all too addicting for me.

[@ThatMusicNerdShabu]

@@soratheorangejuicemascot5809 There are some great pieces in the whole series. Okabe does a fantastic job with the music

[@soratheorangejuicemascot5809]

And one last thin boss, okabe really knows who to pick as for vocals. I mean the ones who would do the vocals.

[@RandomlyRandom..]

i thought the song well intrumental was made using the violin .,.

[@NioFiota]

lesbians. i just know