Corey Fujimoto works (for lack of a better word) full time at The Ukulele Site. He plays most of our sound samples for the website (TheUkuleleSite.com). And he has a solo album you can learn more about here- Corey Fujimoto “Fables”
The Music-
Pachelbel’s Canon is the name commonly given to a canon by the German Baroque composer Johann Pachelbel. It was speculated that the Canon may have been composed for Johann Christoph Bach’s wedding, on 23 October 1694, which Pachelbel attended. Johann Ambrosius Bach, Pachelbel, and other friends and family provided music for the occasion. Johann Christoph Bach, the oldest brother of Johann Sebastian Bach, was a pupil of Pachelbel. Like most other works by Pachelbel and other pre-1700 composers, the Canon remained forgotten for centuries and was rediscovered only in the 20th century.
The Mic-
This was recorded with one microphone made by a Slovakian company called Flea. It’s a direct copy of a Neumann U47 tube mic that hasn’t been in production since 1965. The vintage U47 is a true classic, the preferred choice for Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Johnny Cash, and loads of other amazing vocalist. But it’s also been popular for instrument miking. For instance George Martin used it for the strings on “Elenor Rigby”. Lots of horn players like Miles Davis and Sonny Rollins used it. The U47 was also used in classical recordings like Mercury Records’ ‘Living Presence’ series. Unfortunately, all the original U47’s are over 50 years old and usually over 10 grand in cost. So I was glad to find this company, Flea, making a great copy of the U47. In this recording there is no EQ, compression, or reverb. Just a mono signal in a fairly “dry” room. Nothing fancy, just a good musician playing good music recorded with a good mic,..and that just leaves one more key element that also needs to be good, the instrument.
The Ukulele-
This is a Collings mahogany tenor (UT1) that Corey recently bought to have an ukulele tuned one step up. So he used Fremont soprano strings to allow for the tension caused by tuning higher. The tuning is one step up so A D F# B.
Mahalo for tuning into the Ukulele Review. Share any thoughts below.~
Comments 9
If it’s good enough for Kayne, it’s good enough for ukuleles! hahaha Just Kidding
The color’s very warm. I think I prefer your dual Schoeps recording better but this is very nice. Looking forward to more recordings.
Author
Haha, Kanye is a kook! Did he sample that song too? It’s been used by so many people in the last 10 years. Or is he another u47 user?
Yes, the Schoeps are my go to sound samplers. But this is the vocal mic I always wanted and I’ll use it on the occasional instrumental performance. Thanks Daniel!
I know this song is rather basic, but a tutorial of Corey’s rendition here would be great. He loses me on some of the chords because I can’t follow his fingers. Great playing, awesome sound on that uke too.
Author
Ya, we’ll try to get Bertrand to tab it out for us and post it at the sheet music section on this site. Thanks Trevor.
I would pay to hear (and see) Corey play, yet I get it for free here and on TUS. (But don’t tell Corey or Andrew that.) Meanwhile, I wonder if anything besides the pitch is affected by the higher tuning on this particular instrument – that is, does the ukulele “sound” different in any other way?
Author
Typically as you tune lower it gets warmer and more mellow. Also sustain can often improve. As you tune higher you get a little more volume and “bite”. Tonality can be affected beyond that, it can become “boxier” as it losses low end and sustain. It can become livelier with a quicker attack.
Very beutiful cover, super Corey Fujimoto, thank you !!!
will be tutorial or tab in site maryland.cochranfirmcriminaldefense.com ?
Author
Yes, Bertrand will tab it out for us sometime. Stay tuned! Thanks Luy
Hi — I would love to walk down the aisle to this song for my upcoming wedding. Is there a way to purchase and download it?
Thank you!
Charlotte