Japanese virtuoso Ichika Nito has shared a one-shot performance video as part of a new social media initiative that looks to capture "the brilliance of individual talents in a single take".
The First Take’s new project, Highlight, does exactly what it says on the tin, presenting guitarists as they are, with nowhere to hide – no edits, cuts or overdubs – in an effort to showcase talents without filter.
The initiative comes amid an increasing number of ‘faking playing’ accusations that have been levelled at Instagram guitarists – many of whom aren't actually faking.
Jacobra Records accused Ichika of doctoring his playing for likes, following similar accusations that have been levelled against the likes of Charlie Robbins and Marcin – the latter of whom wrote a song to prove he isn’t a faker.
So, the Highlight project’s arrival is timely. And though the performance was shot with multiple cameras – which has ruffled a few feathers in the comments – Ichika, armed with his Ibanez signature guitar, lays it all on the line. Warts n’ all.
“The concept is simple,” Nito says in an Instagram post. “Step into the studio and capture a performance in a single take. No vocals, no backing track, just guitar, all in one shot.”
After a wonderfully awkward silence at the start, he delivers a stream of barre chords and right-hand tapping, with occasional blemishes, from rogue overtones to imperfect bends – and it proves two things.
In the social media age, players have been looking at ways to make their content stand out, with pro-shot and slickly edited content more likely to receive ‘faking it’ claims. That is why players like Spiro, Plini, and Stephen Taranto only post raw videos on their channels.
Other guitarists, like Ichika and Robbins, will often record their part, and then film themselves 'miming' to it for the sake of content creation. It's no different from filming a music video or select live performances – something that Beato also acknowledged in his Turra video.
Thankfully, the comments on Ichika’s YouTube video are largely positive, with one user saying, “Ichika’s guitar sounds like an aching voice of the heart.”
It will likely do little to discourage his detractors from voicing their opinions. Sadly, that’s a caveat of the modern age, and with AI growing in prominence, accusations will continue to fly. But for a brief moment at least, Ichika has silenced his doubters in the best way possible.
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