Divine celestial shores of Ico’s Afterlife. Each dispersing powdered sand rings out and on. Vanilla scented breeze and decades of ocean, breathing with ease. Magnolia birds lounging in air stretched to infinity.
1. プリオシンの浜辺
Introduction is arpeggios on Fmaj7, E-7, D-7, Cmaj7. Then Fmaj9 arpeggios flourishing (F A C E G, perhaps up and down many octaves) and then on to the form:
||Fmaj7#11 | | | |
|Cmaj7 | | | |
|Fmaj7#11 | | | |
|Cmaj7 | | | |
|Bbmaj7 | | | |
|Ebmaj7 | | | |
|Bbmaj7 | | | |
|Ebmaj7 | | | |
|Abmaj7#11 | | | |
|Ebmaj7 | | | |
|Abmaj7#11 | | | |
|Ebmaj7 | | | |
|Dbmaj7 | | | |
|C-7 | | | |
|Dbmaj7 | | | |
|Cmaj7 | | | ||
Then back to the top, including introduction.
With Wave is made up of 4 pairs of chords, each one playing twice. Example, the Fmaj7#11 and Cmajor7 chords alternating, then a pair of Bbmajor7 and Ebmajor 7 chords, etc. Looking at key changes, the first ¼ of the song is in the key of Cmajor, the second ¼ is Bbmajor, third ¼ Ebmajor , then Abmajor, until that Cmajor chord resolve at the very end, which is kind of its own thing. But each major chord can stand on its own as is and they all transition nicely as they weave in and out, so key analysis might be needlessly complicated! ANYWAYS ON TO THE FUN STUFF. Here are some fun guitar voicings I like for this song:
Fmajor7: xx3555 x87980 or x87987 xx3210 or xx3010
Cmajor7: x32000 x35453
Bbmajor7: x1303x or x1323x
Ebmajor7: xx888(10) x65333
Abmajor7: 4x554x or 4xx543
Dbmajor7: x4x564
C-7: x3x343
Cmajor: x35553
All these chords are good stuff! And of course each shape is shiftable on guitar. So if one rly rings true for you just slide that pattern around the fret board to get the other chords of the same type!
Some melodic notes of interest, a lot of the melodies appear to be minor pentatonic mode stuff happening over its corresponding major chords. So the melodic segment over the Fmajor7#11 chord starts out B A G E, D E G E, which outlines E minor pentatonic scale, which would be the VI mode of the G major scale, but in this case it’s being used as the III mode of the C major scale, and being played over the IV chord (Fmajor7) at that. So it’s technically “incorrect” but since the pentatonic modes only have 5 notes, they leave out a lot of the true key defining notes, so they can overlap in other keys since the scales offer more tonal space. I HOPE THAT MAKES SENSE LOL.
And we see the same thing during the Bbmajor7 segment, the melody is: A G F D, C D F D. Same pattern as before. This is D minor pentatonic melody. Lots of fun stuff like that happening in this song!
So if you’re gonna rip it over this song, E minor pentatonic, D minor pentatonic, and C minor pentatonic will sound pretty magical over these chords changes J
2. Still Silent -for S.A.-
Curious soapy iridescence giggle through the breeze. Bubble feathers lilt in sun. They resound through time.
I read on discogs.com this is a tribute to Satoshi Ashikawa's "Still Park". Totally you can hear it, the same vague unresolved feeling, and someone on that site pointed out it’s even got the same melodic theme. Still Park, Still Silent.
This one’s a breeze. The basic recurring melody is C down to F, G Bb down to D. The last bit outlines G- triad! Cool! The chords are as follows:
||Fmaj7(11) | | | |
|Bbmaj6 | | | |
|Ebmaj7 | | | |
|Bbmaj6 | | | ||
That’s really it. What’s wonky about this one is that first Fmaj7(11) chord. Usually we see major7s with #11, but not this time. I worked out a voicing on guitar, x8896x. It’s a little funny coz we’re getting that 4th scale degree (the 11) into the I major7 chord, which normally doesn’t happen. It’s like combining a Sus4 chord with a major7, the 4 and the 7 usually don’t go together in this context. But when it does it’s like a freshly cut lawn, edgy and fragrant with foliage.
For the Bbmajor6 there are some 4thy Harold Budd harmonies happening in there! If you’re jamming over this, try it out with xxxx33 to xxxx11. It’s D and G sliding down to C and F, over top the Bbmajor6 chord! Also a good voicing for this bit is x1301x.
Not much to say over the Ebmajor7! That could be considered an anchor point, since the other chords are somewhat unresolved and floating. The Ebmajor7 is the most standard chord in this piece, not really any funny extensions going on here.
3. Land Scape -for J.C.-
Intro chord is somewhat vague and just in general floats around the Bb major key, but seems to slightly anchor on a D-7 chord (D F A C). When Isoda is ready to break into form he starts touching on Bb notes to set up the following chords:
||Bbmaj13 | | | |
|Ebmaj7#11 | | | ||
The harmonic rhythm I notated isn’t exact, but idea is that Isoda bops back and forth between the two chords. During the Bbmaj13, the left hand (if played on piano) is Bb D F G A D. All notes ascending the arpeggio. Then he does Bb D F G A G. Almost the same thing, just stepping back down to the G note after the A note. Sounds somewhat like Bjork’s “Cocoon”! On guitar an approximate voicing is x1523x. It’s quite a stretch, but sounds super chill!
Other notes of interest, during Bbmajor13 chord Isoda plays a lot of A minor arpeggio influenced melodies, so that’s touching A, C, and E notes overtop the Bbmajor13. Those notes functioning as the 7, 9, and #11. BOOM, most of the upper extensions right there. Also he plays some C major (C E G) arpeggio melodies too, which adds 9, #11 and 13 colors. I think a big component in general with this chord is the G and the A notes being so close together, gives it a cushy cozy kind of squeeze.
On to the Ebmajor7#11 chord! The left hand pattern I gathered is: Eb down to Bb, back up to Eb, F G A. Then Eb Bb Eb F G C. Similar pattern as the previous chord.
After Ebmajor7#11, back to that intro thang with floating D-7. Not tooooo much else to say about this one. Very cozy and drifting. Good piece to sleep to.
4. ジョバンニの悲しみ
Okay! With Wave is ending with a classic rock ripper. Pull out your Paul Reed Smith’s and channel your inner Santana. Isoda is celestial harp jamming on F#-13 AKA F# Dorian mode! The sky winks, the waves chuckle. This tune is a celebration, an honest dance, a union with the universe.
F#-13 arpeggio is F# A C# E G# B D#. Play what you wish! F# minor pentatonic works rly well too. I’m curious how C# minor pentatonic would work over this!
Saxophone comes in ! Plays some melody like G# F# B, A B C# D# E G# F# D# C#.
With Wave, where heavenly ghosts play. Luminous, pure tropics. Transparent gelatinous fruits from pale sun worn trees.
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