Via Purifico from Final Fantasy X

Another one from Final Fantasy X. When looking around I saw two other guitar versions of this piece; one extremely difficult that I doubt many people other than the arranger could pull off without a TON of work. The other less so, but it also seemed to be missing something...so I tried to come up with a happy medium, which mostly involved adding a little more interesting movement in the bass lines.

Performance note: The original plays the first section twice on the repeat...I think that's somewhat unnecessary. Treat the repeat back to the beginning as you would a "Da Capo" instruction which, by convention, indicates that you skip repeat signs when you play through it again. Or play it like the original and repeat the first section again! Totally up to you, though the Youtube video plays it as I've suggested. The tab file on the website plays the repeat, because AlphaTab doesn't know what to do with Da Capo instructions. Ah well XD

Enjoy your weekend!

Via Purifico (Final Fantasy X) - The Bear's Den

To Zanarkand from Final Fantasy X

To Zanarkand (Final Fantasy X) - The Bear's Den

I'm not sure why I never arranged this one until now...I think maybe because I had recorded the version from the official guitar book years ago and never thought about making my own version. But I was looking at that official version the other day and thought "I wonder if I can improve this..." so I gave it a go. I hope you like the result! It's busy, like the original, but it's really not that hard to play so give it a shot!

Spotlight Sessions: Corporate Archives from FF7 Remake

I thought it might be a fun idea to have a recurring themed post featuring different guitarists performing arrangements you'll find on the site. On the one hand, it's a chance for some of you out there to be in the spotlight and two, it's another way for you all to hear these arrangements performed live! If you'd like to end up featured on here, be sure to let me know if you record one of my arrangements!

So, that being said, let's kick this off with a wonderfully emotive performance of "Corporate Archives" from FF7 Remake by coobs.

He says:
"Great song to work on dynamics. The original song has lots of variation in tempo and volume. The tab also has some of this written out.

In this recording I decided to, rather than follow one or the other, to just play whatever felt right. Simply copying the piano didn't seem right, as a guitar will differently accentuate emotions with these kinds of dynamics when compared to a piano.

I also tried following what the tab had written but decided against following it exactly. The dynamics are integral to this song's feeling, so that's how I tried to convey it in this recording.

I first played this when looking for an easier tab to record and ended up recording it in the same day. Although it's not as technically demanding as others, it helped me realize how much I neglect working on dynamics."

Beautiful interpretation! Play it for yourself here: https://www.kabukibear.com/tab/297

The Girl Who Stole The Stars from Chrono Cross

Howdy strangers!

So, to those that have stuck around through these quiet months, you have my thanks! My situation has finally improved, and I'm now able to access my equipment in an environment that enables me to get back to normal with arranging! Hooray! It took a while, but we made it!

On that note, here's a new arrangement of a classic track from Chrono Cross. You know I'm back to normal when I'm arranging a Mitsuda track in Drop D, heh.

Anyway, enough yapping, here you go: The Girl Who Stole The Stars (Chrono Cross) - The Bear's Den

Lumière from Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Howdy! New one from the recent hit game. The music from the OST is phenomenal, so expect more arrangements of music from it. I just did this one because it seemed the most popular, so I thought people might want to play it.

https://kabukibear.com/tab/365

Concerning Hobbits from Lord of the Rings

Here’s that cute little violin piece from The Fellowship of the Rings. I think it fits well on the guitar for the most part. :)

https://kabukibear.com/tab/364

A Love Suicide from Rule of Rose and some others…

Howdy all! Hope you’re all well. Here’s a new one and some others you might have missed recently.

Funny story with this one, a friend of mine was streaming this game and it was interesting, so I was looking it up and I found this poster from the game showing piano music. I saw the key and went “ooOooo B minor, I bet I can make that work with Drop D” (my favorite tuning as you’ve probably noticed) so I wrote it out and adjusted it a bit.

If you were to look this up on YouTube I think it goes by Piano Etude I, though it has the triplet section cut out. I left it in because I thought it was interesting but feel free to skip it to match the audio.

https://kabukibear.com/tab/363

Also, there’s an arrangement of “You’re Not Alone” from Final Fantasy IX that was recommended on Discord.

https://kabukibear.com/tab/362

And “Matoya’s Cave” from Final Fantasy I.

https://kabukibear.com/tab/362

Next is going to be something I promised from Lord of the Rings (haven’t forgotten!) and then who knows.

I guess that’s all for now, take care and happy strumming!

Matoya’s Cave from Final Fantasy 1

Hey guys.

So, even though I’m in a difficult situation right now, I’m still trying my best to keep getting you new arrangements.

It’s challenging doing this without my guitar; I’m listening to tracks over and over on YouTube and doing some “air guitar” to try and visualize it, but it’s what I can do until I can get my guitar again.

Thanks for your continued support through this difficult time!

https://kabukibear.com/tab/361

Clockwork from Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse

I had this suggested to me this morning and I thought it might be fun to see if I could get something playable. The real challenge is, obviously, the tempo. You've got a lot of notes flying at you, but the notes and positions aren't bad at all. No strange jumps or weird stretches; it's pretty straightforward assuming you can keep up!

Clockwork (Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse) - The Bear's Den

New Recording: Dire Dire Docks from Super Mario 64 + a bunch of arrangements you may have missed.

Well howdy folks! Can you believe we're in 2025 already? Feels like 2024 flew by (and couldn't fly fast enough!) We're starting the new year off right with a brand-new recording from our awesome musical partner JC. Valladares Here, he's playing the updated version of the classic tune from Super Mario 64.

Ahhh...water levels in video games. You love to hate'em. As stressful and/or frustrating as they tend to be (Water Temple from Zelda anyone?) they almost always have some of the best music to go along with them, and this gem from Super Mario 64 is no different.
Give the arrangement a try: Dire Dire Docks (Super Mario 64) - The Bear's Den

In addition to that, even though you might not have seen posts for them, I hope you've been checking the website often, because there have been quite a few new ones uploaded that you may have missed if you rely on Patreon to let you know when new arrangements are added to the site, so I figured I'd mention them here in order from oldest to newest:

1. To All Of You (Life Is Strange) - The Bear's Den - This is that cool track that plays in the opening segment of the game that features that intricate guitar line and singing. I don' know if it is the "theme" for the first game, but I know I associate the two. I really enjoyed the first game (even if I thought Max, the mc, was insufferable at times) and that ending scene hit like a ton of bricks. I haven't played any of the other games aside from the first, I wonder if the music choices for those are just as good? That first game was like an indie music goldmine.

2. Calm Before the Storm (Final Fantasy X) - The Bear's Den - If you've ever played Final Fantasy X (And if you haven't you should!) you'll probably be familiar with this one. Dreamy, mysterious, calming, this piece is all of those things and much more. It's filled to the brim with interesting melodies and ideas. Final Fantasy X is a game that holds a special place in my heart and one I have a lot of wonderful memories associated with, so I wanted to do this track justice. You'll have to play it and see if I was successful!

3. Ashitaka and San (Princess Mononoke) - The Bear's Den - Oh, Hisaishi-san, why is all your music so heartbreakingly beautiful? Although this one isn't from a game, when I came across it, I just knew I could make it work (or die trying!) Once in a while I will write an arrangement that I am particularly proud of, and this is one of those. The piece itself is a bit dense; there is a lot of music jammed in a runtime of just under 4 minutes. If you are intimately familiar with the original, you may at once both recognize the piece as well as find some musical surprises sprinkled throughout! When I get creative with an arrangement, sometimes that may mean new musical sections added but other times it may mean I keep the original ideas but expand some of the harmonic language. I hope you find yourself noticing little surprises along the way when you play and listen to this one.

4. Gerudo Valley (The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time) - The Bear's Den - I don't think this track needs much of an introduction. If you're a fan of the Legend of Zelda series, chances are you've heard this one. However, it was one of those pieces that took a while to start. Given the original with its constant guitar accompaniment, how does one approach a piece so clearly written to be played by multiple people? So, there was a lot of give and take with this arrangement; to simplify it into something that can be performed as a solo without putting too much on the plate of the performer. How did it turn out? Honestly, I'm not too sure. As confident as I was on the previous arrangement above, I feel the inverse about this one, but hey, it's there if you want to try it out!

5. Kakariko Village (The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time) - The Bear's Den - Another classic from the Legend of Zelda series. I had actually arranged a version of this years and years ago but I was never satisfied with it. I was very new to arranging in those days, and I simply didn't know how to keep the iconic 8th note pattern in there along with the melody. As such, that arrangement was extremely simplified and basic. On the heels of finishing Gerudo Valley I had the idea to give this one a shot, knowing what I know now, and I think it was moderately successful. It's a very safe arrangement; it doesn't diverge from the original piece much at all, but I was finally able to figure out how to keep the gentle rocking motion of the original intact.

6. Main Theme (Final Fantasy VII) - The Bear's Den - Yes, I took a stab at the musically enormous main theme from Final Fantasy VII. Final Fantasy VII was another one of those games that had a profound impact on me growing up. It was not only my first foray into the Final Fantasy series, but also my first JRPG in general. I remember being completely hooked on it from the opening train ride, so much so that I pretended to be sick the next day so I could spend all day playing it! And play it I did. Rather than arrange bits and pieces like I've seen others do, this is the main theme in its entirety. It's a piece that really takes you on a journey, with its different sections and ideas. I tried to stick pretty close to the original with this arrangement...it's just too iconic a piece and why mess with Uematsu-san's perfection? I particularly enjoyed writing and playing measures 30-58 and hope you have some fun with it. Tell a story with your playing with this one!

7. From the Beginning Until Now (Winter Sonata) - The Bear's Den - Last, but not least, is the newest arrangement I just uploaded this morning. I actually found this on an old hard drive yesterday. This one isn't from a video game, it's a song by the artist Ryu and is, apparently, from a K-drama? Don't ask me, this was originally arranged so many years ago that I've forgotten the origin of why I arranged it. I have a feeling someone asked me to at some point, as I've never seen any of those Korean shows before. The nice thing about this particular arrangement is that it's on the easier side, but still very pretty. I spent last night giving it a once over, as with most of my very old arrangements, it was pretty basic, so I spruced it up just a little bit in order to upload it today. Enjoy!

Wow, you made it all the way down here, huh? I guess I was feeling a bit chatty today, but I think it's always kind of fun to give you guys some insight into these arrangements and my thoughts and feelings behind them. So, I'll give your eyes a break and end the post here.

Here's to a brand-new year, let's make it a great one!

"Where We Used To Be" from Xenoblade Chronicles 2

I really really like how this arrangement turned out and I hope you enjoy it too. I tried put in interesting ideas and moments that didn't stray too far from the original in structure, but explored different ideas harmonically. There are some tricky moments, but nothing too difficult; the hardest parts I still tried to keep you all in mind.

On that note, I feel like I should arrange something simpler...as I've slowly improved arranging over time, my arrangements have gotten more and more complex and difficult compared to the ones I did years ago. I think they have improved, but I've always wanted to write music that keeps the player in mind, and I wonder if I've been straying from that core tenant lately.

Well, regardless, I hope you like the arrangement. Give it a whirl: Where We Used To Be (Xenoblade Chronicles 2) - The Bear's Den

And for those celebrating, Happy Thanksgiving! Wishing you and your loved ones the best. I have a lot in my life to be thankful for, and one major thanks I have is for each and every one of you. You motivate me to be the best version of myself I can be.

Take care of yourselves, and happy strumming.

Selbina from Final Fantasy XI and some others.

Sometimes simply asking politely is all it takes to get me to do an arrangement for you, lol. I went ahead and did this one because it seemed fairly simple to figure out a way to make it work. Selbina (Final Fantasy XI) - The Bear's Den

Also, if you haven't checked the site recently, we have a beautiful arrangement from Princess Mononoke: Ashitaka and San (Princess Mononoke) - The Bear's Den

And a famous piece from The Legend of Zelda - Ocarina of Time: Gerudo Valley (The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time) - The Bear's Den

Serenade of Respite (Day) - Sea of Stars (Guitar Masterclass #1)

Serenade of Respite (Day) (Sea of Stars) - The Bear's Den
Ok guys, this is the first attempt at a tutorial video, mistakes and all.
They'll improve as I learn how to do them better! I don't quite have the whole two mic thing figured out yet but I'll get there! Anyway, I hope this gives you some insight into playing the piece. )

Intro - 00:00 Let's Start! - 01:40 Barbaric Barres - 05:30 What's Next - 07:32 Break! - 08:40 Suspend Resolve - 09:30 Pull-offs - 10:00 New Section - 11:20 More Barres - 14:20 Crawl - 17:00 Sorry! - 18:54 Key change (Ignore me! I was tired!) - 20:47 Inner Outer - 21:35 Switch it up - 22:57 OCTAVES - 24:07 New Section Look - 25:23 New Section Start - 26:40 Weird Finger - 29:15 Moving on - 30:56 Guiding Fingers 31:20 Going up - 32:51 Finger Leading - 34:55 6ths - 36:09 Make it Dramatic! - 36:36 Measure 74 - 39:25 Pivots - 41:25 Mini Bridge - 42:30 Recapitulate - 44:51 Again - 47:32 Tone Colors - 48:58 Why I did that 49:48 Finishing up - 50:50 Final thoughts - 53:52

The Future of My Music: A Message from Kabukibear

Hi guys, I just posted this over on Youtube to kind of explain what the future plans for the channel are and explain a little about why I decided to make this change and what you all can look forward to moving forward.