WAH WAH WAH! [wah wah wah wah waaaaaaah]
July 19, 2023 9:40 AM Subscribe
Bring Me To Life but it's Otamatones
I'm used to a certain level of effort in the subgenre of "otamatone cover". This goes beyond that. Stick around for the egg-yolk.
posted by CrystalDave at 9:54 AM on July 19, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by CrystalDave at 9:54 AM on July 19, 2023 [4 favorites]
I saw this last night, and was so impressed by the skill on display that I was this > < close to pressing "Add to cart" on one of the fancier models. But then I came to my senses and remembered I already have plenty of instruments I don't play enough.
posted by Greg_Ace at 10:01 AM on July 19, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by Greg_Ace at 10:01 AM on July 19, 2023 [4 favorites]
“Some men see things as they are, and ask why. I dream of things that never were, and ask waah waah.”
posted by Etrigan at 10:07 AM on July 19, 2023 [17 favorites]
posted by Etrigan at 10:07 AM on July 19, 2023 [17 favorites]
I hadn’t heard the original so after listening to this I figured I’d check it out. Sounds the same.
posted by aubilenon at 10:09 AM on July 19, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by aubilenon at 10:09 AM on July 19, 2023 [1 favorite]
My hubris led to searching "otamatone cover" on YouTube.
My God, it's full of stars. They should have sent a poet.
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 10:16 AM on July 19, 2023 [10 favorites]
My God, it's full of stars. They should have sent a poet.
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 10:16 AM on July 19, 2023 [10 favorites]
Otamatone cover will never not be funny.
Otamatones likewise will never not be funny. I finally bought one this year and when I'm feeling sad, I pick it up and goof around with it a bit. It's a temporary bit of joy that never fails. (Except when the batteries die and I have to replace them.)
posted by edencosmic at 10:30 AM on July 19, 2023 [14 favorites]
Otamatones likewise will never not be funny. I finally bought one this year and when I'm feeling sad, I pick it up and goof around with it a bit. It's a temporary bit of joy that never fails. (Except when the batteries die and I have to replace them.)
posted by edencosmic at 10:30 AM on July 19, 2023 [14 favorites]
Metafilter: a temporary bit of joy that never fails. (Except when the batteries die and I have to replace them.)
posted by Greg_Ace at 11:34 AM on July 19, 2023 [7 favorites]
posted by Greg_Ace at 11:34 AM on July 19, 2023 [7 favorites]
That egg yolk is Gudetama!
posted by Pickman's Next Top Model at 12:04 PM on July 19, 2023 [8 favorites]
posted by Pickman's Next Top Model at 12:04 PM on July 19, 2023 [8 favorites]
Needs the "wahwahwaaaaah" tag.
Mods, hello?
posted by wenestvedt at 12:18 PM on July 19, 2023 [1 favorite]
Mods, hello?
posted by wenestvedt at 12:18 PM on July 19, 2023 [1 favorite]
I am glad you don't have to be The Real Sully G to play this game.
(If you don't know His 100th cover retrospective medley video is a fast forward intro to his Otamatone crimes)
posted by 3j0hn at 2:03 PM on July 19, 2023 [2 favorites]
(If you don't know His 100th cover retrospective medley video is a fast forward intro to his Otamatone crimes)
posted by 3j0hn at 2:03 PM on July 19, 2023 [2 favorites]
This is an Otamatone cover done right. I've seen so many where the player just presses the strip without bothering to do the waaah waaah waaah with the mouth, which misses the entire point of the Otamatone. I have a lot of opinions about this.
Perennial fav: Ave Maria
posted by airmail at 2:36 PM on July 19, 2023 [8 favorites]
Perennial fav: Ave Maria
posted by airmail at 2:36 PM on July 19, 2023 [8 favorites]
not otamatone but I feel like this is an okay place to leave this
posted by taquito sunrise at 3:06 PM on July 19, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by taquito sunrise at 3:06 PM on July 19, 2023 [2 favorites]
Wah Wah is a decent album by James.
posted by Jessica Savitch's Coke Spoon at 3:06 PM on July 19, 2023
posted by Jessica Savitch's Coke Spoon at 3:06 PM on July 19, 2023
Honest question - what do you find hard about them? As I understand it, they were specifically designed to be easy to play. (I don't know how hard or easy they are, as I've never played one.)
posted by Greg_Ace at 5:21 PM on July 19, 2023
posted by Greg_Ace at 5:21 PM on July 19, 2023
it's pretty tricky to get used to opening and closing the mouth on purpose, at least, plus the neck isn't fretted, so you have kind of a trombone situation where it's hard to get the exact notes you want
posted by DoctorFedora at 7:45 PM on July 19, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by DoctorFedora at 7:45 PM on July 19, 2023 [2 favorites]
WAKE ME UP
I’m all out of faith
CANT WAKE UP
This is how I feel
SAAVE MEEEE
I’m cold and I am shamed
lying naked on the floor
posted by DoctorFedora at 7:48 PM on July 19, 2023 [4 favorites]
I’m all out of faith
CANT WAKE UP
This is how I feel
SAAVE MEEEE
I’m cold and I am shamed
lying naked on the floor
posted by DoctorFedora at 7:48 PM on July 19, 2023 [4 favorites]
it's hard to get the exact notes you want
That's the best part. Someone had the idea and probably tried it and laughed and laughed just fucking around. BUT THEN, they had to have actually practiced, a LOT. It wasn't just memorizing the tune with their fingers, as mentioned they did the mouth, and also moved the position around with respect to the mic to get it just right. And they did a bunch of hard work editing, putting the background. All because "it would be funny." And it is.
Like what do you tell your friends when they wonder what you've been spending all your time on lately? Oh, you know, YouTube otamatone Evanescence cover. As one does.
posted by ctmf at 7:55 PM on July 19, 2023 [12 favorites]
That's the best part. Someone had the idea and probably tried it and laughed and laughed just fucking around. BUT THEN, they had to have actually practiced, a LOT. It wasn't just memorizing the tune with their fingers, as mentioned they did the mouth, and also moved the position around with respect to the mic to get it just right. And they did a bunch of hard work editing, putting the background. All because "it would be funny." And it is.
Like what do you tell your friends when they wonder what you've been spending all your time on lately? Oh, you know, YouTube otamatone Evanescence cover. As one does.
posted by ctmf at 7:55 PM on July 19, 2023 [12 favorites]
Based on my brief experience with the "standard" size otamatone, I wasn't convinced the ribbon controller on the stem actually had the resolution to hit notes with much accuracy.
Possibly I needed more practice. But I think people in these videos are mostly using the "deluxe" version, which apparently has a larger and higher-quality ribbon.
In any case, they're definitely not easy to play accurately. (I definitely wouldn't expect to make one sound like they do in these videos. I don't know to what extent you're actually hearing the raw otamatone sound.)
posted by bfields at 7:08 AM on July 20, 2023 [1 favorite]
Possibly I needed more practice. But I think people in these videos are mostly using the "deluxe" version, which apparently has a larger and higher-quality ribbon.
In any case, they're definitely not easy to play accurately. (I definitely wouldn't expect to make one sound like they do in these videos. I don't know to what extent you're actually hearing the raw otamatone sound.)
posted by bfields at 7:08 AM on July 20, 2023 [1 favorite]
There is so much subtlety in that pink otamatone performance - the glides, the vibrato!
Am I the only one who hears "maa-maaa-maaaaahhh" rather than "waa-waa-waaaah?"
posted by dr. boludo at 11:44 AM on July 20, 2023
Am I the only one who hears "maa-maaa-maaaaahhh" rather than "waa-waa-waaaah?"
posted by dr. boludo at 11:44 AM on July 20, 2023
Perennial fav: Ave Maria
posted by airmail at 10:36 PM on July 19 [+] [!]
The vibrato is incredible in some of these
posted by rollick at 3:15 PM on July 20, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by airmail at 10:36 PM on July 19 [+] [!]
The vibrato is incredible in some of these
posted by rollick at 3:15 PM on July 20, 2023 [1 favorite]
From youtube user Toriniku No Sato
Lupin the 3rd
Evangelion
Detective Conan
All I Want For Christmas Is You
Ob La Di Ob La Da
posted by LostInUbe at 3:18 PM on July 20, 2023 [3 favorites]
Lupin the 3rd
Evangelion
Detective Conan
All I Want For Christmas Is You
Ob La Di Ob La Da
posted by LostInUbe at 3:18 PM on July 20, 2023 [3 favorites]
Gonna post more classical/opera, this time from @mfd1512:
O mio babbino caro
Nessun Dorma
He's amazing at bringing out the vocal quality of the Otamatone. He's a cellist and it makes a lot of sense that experience with an unfretted instrument would carry over
posted by airmail at 4:31 PM on July 20, 2023 [2 favorites]
O mio babbino caro
Nessun Dorma
He's amazing at bringing out the vocal quality of the Otamatone. He's a cellist and it makes a lot of sense that experience with an unfretted instrument would carry over
posted by airmail at 4:31 PM on July 20, 2023 [2 favorites]
You bastards. I'm lookin' at you especially, LostInUbe and airmail! Those posts were enough to make me buy one of these infernal things after all. If you see me on YouTube making jazz Otamatone videos someday soon, it's ALL YOUR FAULT.
posted by Greg_Ace at 6:14 PM on July 20, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by Greg_Ace at 6:14 PM on July 20, 2023 [2 favorites]
oh man Greg I already have one, you need to come over so we can do some horrible duets
posted by cortex at 6:38 PM on July 20, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by cortex at 6:38 PM on July 20, 2023 [3 favorites]
All of you remember this as the last days before it all went to hell...
posted by Greg_Ace at 7:45 PM on July 20, 2023
posted by Greg_Ace at 7:45 PM on July 20, 2023
Just remember that most of these youtubers have multiple Otamatones of various sizes. Also, different character versions really bring your performances to life.
Perhaps you want to rock out like KISS?
Or celebrate the land of the Otamatone's birth, Japan?
Or maybe you just want your Otamatone to have teeth?
posted by LostInUbe at 9:04 PM on July 20, 2023
Perhaps you want to rock out like KISS?
Or celebrate the land of the Otamatone's birth, Japan?
Or maybe you just want your Otamatone to have teeth?
posted by LostInUbe at 9:04 PM on July 20, 2023
We Serious Jazzers don't go in for such frippery, we prefer to let the music speak for itself.
posted by Greg_Ace at 10:21 PM on July 20, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Greg_Ace at 10:21 PM on July 20, 2023 [1 favorite]
→
As bfields said, with my standard size Otamatone, the resistive ribbon controller seems very uncertain. It's also kind of grippy, so sliding between notes seems difficult too.
posted by scruss at 7:15 AM on July 21, 2023 [1 favorite]
what do you find hard about them?
As bfields said, with my standard size Otamatone, the resistive ribbon controller seems very uncertain. It's also kind of grippy, so sliding between notes seems difficult too.
posted by scruss at 7:15 AM on July 21, 2023 [1 favorite]
If you see me on YouTube making jazz Otamatone videos someday soon, it's ALL YOUR FAULT.
Just watched a nice little Coltrane bio last night on PBS. Just sayin'.
posted by rhizome at 12:08 PM on July 21, 2023
Just watched a nice little Coltrane bio last night on PBS. Just sayin'.
posted by rhizome at 12:08 PM on July 21, 2023
I didn't know Coltrane played an Otamatone!
posted by Greg_Ace at 1:25 PM on July 21, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by Greg_Ace at 1:25 PM on July 21, 2023 [2 favorites]
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posted by hanov3r at 9:48 AM on July 19, 2023 [3 favorites]