Vagabond Synth Nerd’s Journal Vol. 80 - Iconic Electric Keyboards and Legendary Synth Albums That Shaped Music

The Man Who Created a Century-Defining J-Pop Masterpiece: Eiichi Ohtaki

The theme of this Vagabond Synth Nerd’s Journa is the J-Pop legend, Eiichi Ohtaki. Eiichi Ohtaki achieved a massive breakthrough with his 1981 album "A Long Vacation".
Originally, Eiichi Ohtaki was a member of the band Happy End (along with Haruomi Hosono, Shigeru Suzuki, and Takashi Matsumoto). He was a meticulous musician, composer, and singer, well-versed in American pop and Liverpool sound. Known for his distinctive, sweet, and flowing vocal style, he was also famous for his perfectionism.

The musicians who participated in Eiichi Ohtaki's albums

Eiichi Ohtaki's album "A Long Vacation" is widely known, but he released many other albums as well. He also produced numerous commercial songs, including ones for a certain cider brand. In 1974, he established his private label, Niagara Records. Later, he released his solo album "Niagara Moon". He also worked with Tatsuro Yamashita and "Ginji Ito on Niagara Triangle Vol. 1", and with Motoharu Sano and Makoto Sugi on "Niagara Triangle Vol. 2", among other releases.

The Common Sound in Eiichi Ohtaki's Albums

The albums of Eiichi Ohtaki have a distinctive characteristic: the "Niagara" and "Niagara Sound," which he also used for his own record label. The sound immediately recognizable in A Long Vacation is thick and enveloped in a deep, pleasant reverb. This is the "Niagara Sound."
The "Niagara Sound" is said to resemble the "Wall of Sound," a technique often used by Phil Spector.

The Recording of the Niagara Sound

In simple terms, the Niagara Sound is created by gathering musicians in a large studio, having them play all together on cue, and recording the sound of each instrument, including its reverberation. However, achieving the "Niagara Sound" is not as easy as it sounds. When a large group of musicians records together, if even one person makes a mistake, the entire session may need to be redone.
The musicians involved are top-tier session musicians, often referred to as "first-call" musicians. For example, in the take of A Long Vacation's track "Kimi wa Tennenshoku," there are five musicians playing acoustic and electric pianos, five playing acoustic guitars, three playing electric guitars, and five on percussion, among others. It's easy to imagine the recording sessions were filled with a lot of tension.
The sound that Ohtaki aimed for was one in which the sounds of each instrument overlap when recorded. As a result, the sound acquires a unique thickness. Since the overlap of sounds is carefully calculated when creating the orchestral sound, it requires an incredible amount of technical knowledge, such as how to position microphones for each instrument.
The "Niagara Sound" encapsulates the advanced recording techniques of Eiichi Ohtaki and recording engineer Yasuo Yoshida.
Ohtaki himself spoke of his joy when he first heard the sound that matched what he had envisioned.

Three Acoustic Pianos on the album A Long Vacation!

In typical recording sessions, when there are drums, bass, piano, and four guitarists, the rhythm instruments (drums and bass) are recorded first. Then, the pianist, synthesizer player, and guitarists perform while listening to the recorded drum and bass tracks, creating the backing track. Afterward, the vocalist records their part in the vocal booth while listening to the backing track.
In that sense, it is rare to record many instruments in a single take on cue.
In Tokyo studios, which are often built on expensive land, studio fees are quite high. If there is a mistake, they must redo the recording, which is inefficient and something no one wants to do. However, the "Niagara Sound" was achieved precisely by executing this process, creating a unique atmosphere that makes the vocals stand out.
Eiichi Ohtaki, I believe, had the sound he envisioned for the "Niagara Sound" resonating in his mind, and he was a sound craftsman who would spare no means to achieve it.

■ Recommended Album: Eiichi Ohtaki - A Long Vacation (1981)

A landmark of J-pop and a masterpiece of the century. The arrangements were handled by Akira Inoue. In interviews, Inoue has mentioned that he doesn’t remember much about the time of the album’s creation. For an arranger who was still emerging at the time, it might have been just one of many projects. Inoue has worked on hit songs like Mariya Takeuchi's "Mysterious Peach Pie" and the Japan Record Award-winning "Ruby Ring" by Akira Terao. While it’s unclear how much of the arrangement he was directly responsible for, there are notably humorous and stylish moments in the album, such as in "Velvet Motel," where the phrase "fū-kei ga(landscape painting)" is sung by different vocalists for each syllable, or in "Pap-pi-doo-bi-doo-ba Storyi," where only the "Shall we go for a walk?" part is sung by Hiromi Ohta, or after the line "I’ll howl at the moon," where an actual howl is added. These touches give the album a playful and sophisticated flair.

Recommended Track: "You Are Natural Color"

This song became so popular that it's impossible to count how many times it has been used in commercials. The lyrics were written by Takashi Matsumoto. In an interview, Ohtaki explained that the lyrics were inspired by a time when, after losing his younger sister, he saw the world in monochrome while standing at a Shibuya intersection. It’s a well-known story that Matsumoto's lyrics took a long time to complete, and Ohtaki delayed the album's release for six months because of it. This album features many lyrics by Matsumoto, providing the listener with wonderful imagery.

Recommended Track: "RianyWednesday"

This song was also written by Takashi Matsumoto. The lyrics beautifully capture the muted rainy scenery and the course of a love story. Matsumoto's words, combined with the music, create a stunning world. The guitar solo by Shigeru Suzuki in the middle section is absolutely fantastic!

Recommended Track: "Karen"

The lyrics were written by Takashi Matsumoto. The song itself is simply outstanding. When it comes to singing this type of song, I believe no one does it better than Eiichi Ohtaki. Personally, I think the world created by the perfect combination of the lyrics and music surpasses even Lennon and McCartney.

Musicians, Albums, and Recommended Tracks Featured in This Article

• Artist: Eiichi Ohtaki, Shigeru Suzuki
• Album: A Long Vacation
• Track Names: "Kimi wa Tennenshoku," "Ame no Wednesday," "Koi Suru Karen"
• Equipment Used: Acoustic Piano, etc.

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