REN - Hi Ren Analysis and Breakdown (Music Teacher Reacts) 

Stages of watching Hi Ren: This looks creepy Guitar sounds nice Oh he’s singing Will the whole song be like this? Here’s the beat Ok he’s rapping now This guy is scary Now he seems nice Oh I see what he’s doing This is interesting This is intense The mean guy is a jerk This is INTENSE Make it stop I haven’t blinked or taken a breath in 2 minutes Go Ren! YES! OOO-OO-OO-OO-OO-.. I need some time to be still…

Ren grew up a busker. He does a lot of stuff live. This was 1 take on 4 attempts.... fng insane!

Bear in mind. It is not a song for the inner battles of just musicians or people coping with the same types of problems as Ren. People from all walks of life have the same inner turmoil, be they Electricians, Doctors, Chefs, Architects, Bricklayers, Process Workers etc. Granted, not to this extent. But everyone has the voice of the Shadow on their shoulder from time to time. That is why this song is so relatable to so many people.

His story that I have gathered is he was signed by a record label at 17, but he got sick and they trashed his contract. He was misdiagnosed and mistreated for about 10 years, but was finally correctly diagnosed with Lyme disease and is now being treated in Canada and dealing with the long term side effects of the disease. I believe most of his videos are live, it took him 4 tries to get this one done. I haven't listened to all of his stuff, but he is definitely an amazing talent.

Right. Ren is known for live one take performances. I've read elsewhere that he did this 4 times live and picked this as his preferred take. The playing, rapping, singing is just as he did it. There's a ton of reverb at the very end of the final guitar section, dying away into the room. The monologue to camera at the end is basically autobiographical. At 17 he started to be ill, it was bad enough to cause him to lose his recording deal with Sony. He suffered psychosis, and I read somewhere he felt he was talking to demons. It was nearly a decade before the correct diagnosis came along, and he's now in Canada receiving treatment for Lyme's disease which has left him with a lot of physical and mental damage to be repaired. That he can tell stories with this degree of power under the circumstances is staggering. From here, you MUST (and that's a direct instruction) go to the trilogy Jenny & Screech. The guitar work in that (again single take live performance) will amaze you, and the story, especially the ending, will shock you to your core. It's brutal, violent, honest and completely compelling. BUT he's so much more than this...... go into his back catalogue, and his performances on the streets busking with his band The Big Push and you'll find a rock/reggae vocalist, lead guitarist, rhythm guitarist, driving bass player.... and then there's the collaborations with other artists. At the moment I can't think of anyone who comes close to the range and versatility of Ren, and yet he's still comparatively unknown. When will the world wake up?

Yes, this is recorded live. If you head down the Ren rabbit hole, you will discover that a few of his pieces are one take live performances - the tale of Jenny and Screech (full) and Chalk Outlines with Chinchilla are particularly impressive examples of his live performances.

Great reaction! I think you'd enjoy a lot his guitar playing and story telling in his trilogy "The Tale of Jenny and Screech (Full)". It's a beautiful 3 song trilogy

Great reaction. “Hi Ren" is the song that put Ren on everyone's radar since December; it went viral and has garnered more than 6 million views since its debut, but he has been creating great music for more than ten years. Ren’s music videos are generally recorded live, often in a single take, although not necessarily the first take, and from various camera angles. His release, "Sick Boi," is almost another chapter to "Hi Ren." Many of Ren’s songs resonate with people because he addresses struggles that many others face every day. Ren plays multiple instruments (acoustic, electric, and bass guitar, piano, drums), has impressive vocals, is an excellent storyteller, and is quite the philosopher and poet. He is considered by many a modern bard; he calls his music “bardcore.” Ren’s earliest recordings on RU-vid are from his time in a band called “Trick The Fox,” consisting of Ren and his buddies Charlie and Tommy. Unfortunately, the band performed only briefly due to Ren’s onset of health issues. They are very talented. A fun clip to watch is “The Mash Up.” Ren’s trilogy "The Tale of Jenny/Screech/Violet" has been likened to a Shakespearean tragedy and is a prime example of his genius; it is a master’s class in storytelling and also showcases his guitar skills. The three acts are haunting, and the conclusion will catch you off guard. The trilogy needs to be watched in the order given, as this is the flow of the storyline and is best watched as a whole rather than piecemeal. Ren’s collaborations with Chinchilla (“Chalk Outlines,” “How to Be Me,” “Sexual Healing,” “One Dance/Drunk in Love”) are beautiful and showcase his singing voice. His live music videos are especially impressive. Ren's personal reflections are threaded through many of his songs; "Insomnia," "Depression," “Diazepam," “Penitence,” “Dear God,” “Heretic,” “Dominos,” his "Freckled Angels" album, just to name a few, all deserve a listen. His song "Money Game" (Part I & II) is another recommendation, although it is less of a personal song than it is an indictment of greed and the resulting injustices in this world. Ren’s Hip Hop/Rap style songs are all worth checking out if you enjoy this genre; they are pretty amazing. Check out “The Hunger,” “Genesis,” “What You Want,” “Losing it (FISHER rap retake),” “Right here, right now (Fatboy Slim one shot retake),” "Life is Funny," “Love Music (Parts 1, 2, and 3),” “Crucify Your Culture,” “Power,” and his latest release, “Bittersweet symphony (The Verve retake).” As I recently discovered, Ren also recorded a cover of “Can't Help Falling In Love (Elvis Cover),” that is simply beautiful. Then there are his performances with Sam Tompkins (“Blind Eyed,” “Earned it /Mans World / Falling,” “Walking on the moon/No Diggity”), Eden Nash (“Humble,” “Ocean”), Bibi (“Crutch,” “Ahiahiaoha”), Molly McKinna (“Penitence”), his former bandmate, Romain Axisa (“French Song”), which are all great. "The Big Push" busking sessions, concerts, and live recordings all are awesome and well worth checking out. Their covers of "I Shot the Sheriff/Road to Zion/Hip Hop," "Wade in the Water/Nina Simone/Trouble so Hard," "An Englishman in New York," “Bongo Bong,” “War Pigs,” the songs "Oh My Woman," “Swan Song,” “Sweet Little Lady," "It's Alright," "Watch Out," “Dignity,” and so many others are equally impressive. In anticipation of his stay in Canada for more treatments, Ren prepared some music ahead of time to be released over the next six months that he expects to be gone. He released “Sick Boi” and “Bittersweet Symphony (The Verve retake),” which is another masterful work. Ren has hinted that he might release his newest song on March 29, which is his birthday.

Yep, it was live. I think they did 4 takes and chose the best one. TheTale of Jenny and Screech (full) gives you a really good idea of how much he uses ambient acoustics.

For Ren's interesting use of acoustic guitar as a narrative tool, take a look at The Tale of Jenny & Screech(Full).

Jenny, Screech, Violet!! All one take, live performances.

Great reaction! I've seen almost 100 of these reactions to Hi Ren now, and you're the first musician that mentioned that the Shadow Ren is percussively tapping the guitar, and the other, lighter Ren is not. I have seen tabs and notation for this song for guitar, and they do note the percussive smacking, but no one has mentioned it but you so far! As a fellow musician and songwriter (and animator of fractal music videos), I have lots of talents and skills, yet feel that same negative Steve on my shoulder that Ren so brilliantly illustrates. I can't imagine playing the guitar and delivering this masterful vocal performance as well. You should go down the very deep and wondrous Ren Rabbit Hole, and you'll be amazed. He can also rap rap, and is a masterful singer, songwriter, producer, and collaborator. Anyway, I enjoyed your reaction and look forward to seeing more from you! Good work!

There was four live takes to film this masterpiece. Samuel Perry-Falvey filmed it. Ren's friend. It cost £1000 to make. The close-ups added after obviously. Love your reaction and please do more. Ren and his band The Big Push from Brighton are awesome guitarists, writers and singers.

Yes, this was recoreded live, in this setting, in a single take. Though he did have 4 attempts and chose this version as the one he was happiest with. :)

One live take, which really highlights the abilities of both Ren and videographer.

take a look at his busking rendition of I shot the sheriff, WOW, very talented person

Please react to his masterpiece that is a trilogy of 3 songs woven together to make what is equivalent to a Shakespearean Tragedy... The Tale of Jenny and Screech (FULL), which includes the 3rd and final VIOLETS Tale..which MUST be watched together and in that order.

I reckon they should install statues of Ren in and around Brighton, England, and where he was Born in Wales. Coz he's an actual factual living legend grooving amongst us lucky human beings.

Your technical explanations are like water in the desert. Ren is a musical chameleon with a large following in need of your type of reaction. I hope you cover more of his stuff. It's all very different and very good. She sells sea shells by the sea shore and if you want to know the meaning you'll have to watch more.

I'm glad you finally did this

The initial vocal and guitar playing was setting the scene for the chaos that would follow.

Also, look into his personal story. He’s been at this for a while, but he has been sick for the last 10 years with Lyme disease and he’s currently in Canada undergoing extensive treatment. He was misdiagnosed for a decade as having depression and he was given meds and told his pain was all in his head. He was about to blow up before all this happened, and Sony signed him after his street busking started to make him very, very popular. But once he got sick and was bedridden for 23 hours a day, they dropped him, and he’s been an independent artist ever since. There are a lot of parallels between his disdain for the music industry and big Pharma as a result in his music

You should also react to him busking with his colleague Sam Tompkins and also his collaborations with Chinchilla

This is one of the best reactions to this song I've seen. I guess I should say performance. Your comments on the relationship of the guitar playing to the singing we're specially helpful. No one else has done that.

Piezo pickups are pretty standard on modern Nylon String guitars these days.

Congratulations, you just scarred a work of art. you cut the entrance rapresenting the doctors, the pig, who are killing him

Great informative reaction. I enjoy musicians informing me as to why this art strikes such a chord and resonates with me. Watched many reactions to Ren and this was up there with the best of them. And I subscribed! In other comments to this video it was apparently a single take on the 4th try.

Many thanks great reaction love and respect from the UK 👍👍👍👍👍👍

Yes, recorded in one live take on the fourth take

Samuel Perry Falvey (the cinematographer for Ren's video) answered the number of takes on Jonathan Hiller's react video of 'Hi Ren'. Here's a copy of what he said: "@SamuelPerryFalvey @malcombe7001 it's done as a live session so sound recorded live and from three cameras but look at the close up for the end as would of been in the wide shot otherwise that we cut to. it's a separate take all still live but so it's from two takes. Also the fact there are cuts makes it not a one take at all." Samuel has a few more bits of insight in that comment thread - if you want to read it, it's within the top comment on his video.

He performed this in 1 take on the 4th take. Check out his jenny and screech trilogy to see him showcase the 1 take and environmental acoustics

I’ve become a fan of Ren. If this type of performance art is not your cup of tea, continue down the rabbit hole because he sings, raps (double time and bars galore), sings R&B with chinchilla in particular, sings reggae with his band The Big Push, and sounds legit, which is hard for a white British guy to do. This is more of his bardcore style and if you find that interesting, his trilogy of tales is a three song, Shakespearean tragedy. You have to watch them in the correct order: jenny’s tale, screech’s tale, and finally Violet’s tale. Yes, it’s a 13 minute saga and not everybody has the attention span for that. Heck, most people complain about this song because it’s nine minutes. But as far as its own sub genre, that trilogy is probably some of the most brilliant, artistic storytelling I have seen in a while. Lastly, as for this song, it took four attempts to shoot, and the audio is all one take and so is most of the video although the Director spliced in a few shots in the final work from the first three times. Ren likes doing one takes a lot. The trilogy of tales are all one takes and the acoustic version of his song Genesis is incredible.

Great Reaction! It's fun hearing breakdowns from those who know music. Ren is the king of one shots. He has many videos that were recorded live in one take. He also has a large catalog of live busking videos.

Thank You T.J., so glad you reacted to this. The thing about this is no matter the expertise of the reactor, everyone is just blown away from every different direction. It was great to hear more about what he was doing on the guitar.

Thank you for paying attention to his guitar playing.

Yes, 1 take recorded live. You wanna hear his truly impressive voice? Watch "Chalk Outlines" Ren x Chinchilla

It was indeed recorded live in one take

Good to see a reaction from someone that can really appreciate how good the guitar work is. The analogy? Of the patting the head while rubbing the belly is great . Couple of great reactions from rappers breaking down how good his rhymes are considering how every word is pertinent to the song and with no random ‘purple broccoli’ thrown in just because it fits.

I was waiting for this reaction from you lol!!

On "The Tale of Jenny & Screech" (the three in one video pls), he also shows control and versatility. I hope you can get to it. Like, really really really hope.

Yes ! Live in that room !

He does most of his work live one take. Try his triology Jenny and Screeches tale (full) masterpiece to see another example of his talent.

This was a single take live performance, I believe from what I have read this was the fourth take to achieve what he wanted from it. I'd suggest his live version of Chalk Outlines with Chinchilla, also performed in a space that gave the natural reverb he was looking for and shows he can sing equally if not better than he can rap.

Ren was given his first guitar age about 7 and he took it to school with him every day... Lol he prefers to write music with the guitar but he also plays piano, cello and drums... He writes, sings and produces his music... He was signed by Sony but after becoming ill Sony dropped him.. He was diagnosed with bipolar and Chronic fatigue and medicated for 7+years...he was growing sicker and was offered experimental Stem cell therapy if he could get himself to america... He had that treatment and it helped... He then raised enough money to get to Brussels and over there he was finally correctly diagnosed with Lymes Disease... Hes currently in Canada getting further treatment for Lymes and all the damage the years of incorrect treatment gave him including PTSD regarding medical practitioners whom for years treated him with anti psychotic drugs that he didn't need... Hence the pig masks...

Great insights on the intricacies of his guitar playing. Nice reaction video! I look forward to your reactions to more Ren. Based on what you focused on here, I think you’d have some interesting things to say about “The Tale of Jenny and Screech (Full)”. Just be sure it’s the full tale (3 songs compiled into one video), so you don’t accidentally spoil it for yourself and your viewers.

He suffers from Lyme disease,and brain trauma. He has a vlog of his daily routine.its nuts, his medications he takes. And going into a iv clinic almost everyday.

Best review I'v seen hands down! Most reviews just end with a dumbfounded look (that we all have after hearing this song for the first time). You however had some really cool insights and observations. Well done keep up the good work!

I've watched a bunch of these reaction videos and I love how I learn something new from every expert reacting. I knew these were nylon strings but I didn't understand anything about the specific fingering techniques because I'm not a guitar player and I only have rudimentary training in music theory. Thanks for your insights!

Great comments. Ren is very versatile but if you are interested in exploring his work further, I would recommend 'How to be me' (the live version) which he sings with Chinchilla. It is not so commonly mentioned but I think you would find it musically fascinating - and as with a lot of his songs, there is a very powerful message as well.

I think i found a new reaction channel. I appreciate you breaking down the guitar playing.

Who ever is doing the video and sound is an amazing person who ever it is. Yet, its a live one take and he has a few others that are the same. Chalk outlines and the Tales of Jenny, Screech, and Violets tale. You can tell they are all live one takes. Dude and his camera guy are fucking amazing!

Bro... his Jenny and Screech trilogy (Full version!) Is a Must for you! Great break down!!! More Ren please!?!?

Love Ren ❤️‍🔥 thank you! New sub

Great reaction!

Been waiting on this 1

He is a mad genius. You should also check out "Sick Boi" and "The Tale Of Jenny And Screech" long version with all three verses.

Yes it was Live! Music isn't dead! Thank God

Yesss finally a reactor mentioned Carl Jung and the shadow archetype 😊😊😊

He has given voice to many.

He plays guitar in the Tales of Jenny, Screech and violet (watch the full version to get them in the right order) If you want to watch him busking then look up The Big Push and Brighton Busking...

Yes he recorded it live in one take

First of all, I would like to say Thank You for sharing Hi Ren on the big screen and you placed on the bottom right. So many reaction channels do it the other way round. Love your analysis break down of his song. Looking forward to watching more from your channel.

Great reaction

Great reaction 👍

Great reaction.

Using the devils tritones... purposefully done?? Knowing Ren ... oh yeah!! Everything he does has meaning! From the half steps singing, to the missing d minor ending! Unresolved! Cats Brilliant!

Really good reaction! I think you'd like Money Game

He writes his own beats, and yes... most of his videos are Recorded Live, usually in one shot! The Jenny and Screech trilogy will highlight his guitar skills, as does his Bands live shows, also... his Insanely Master Level Storytelling!!!! They were all 3 done years apart... making a continuing story! Make sure ya do his Full video on his channel! He's Brilliant!!! Once in a generation artist!

It might be a bit left field but I got David Lynch vibes from this. Specifically the end of Inland Empire, I always interpreted that ending as a split personality being made whole, for good or ill. This gives me a similar vibe, Ren being healed or made whole, back in synch with himself at the end when the guitar rings and his voice soars.

You being a music teacher, I can understand your interest in the 'music' part of the performance. And you did a review of his guitar talent and performance of the piece. BUT what did you think of the song, the lyrics, the mood? What was Ren talking about, what message was he trying to get across. I noticed that a lot with musicians that play guitar, or perform with instruments, that also sing and/or produce musical numbers or write songs, they seem to just concentrate on the musical parts and miss a lot of what the person is "saying". I don't play guitar, tried to once. I did take piano lessons, I did sing in jr high glee club. That's about it, but I'm a poet I write poetry, I can't write 'music' or play instruments. My brain gravitates to the words the performer is trying to convey. So lately that has limited the amount of or type of reactors I watch because I can almost anticipate what they will notice and bring to the forefront. I stayed with you to the end, and I got exactly what I expected you would critique and talk about. Oh well. :) nice try, but it's your thing, I get it. For other musicians out there they would watch you for that kind of reaction.

To answer one of your questions at the end of the video, yes this was recorded live. It was not a one take thing though as this was apparently the third try. IMO that takes nothing away from it since the other takes could have just had technical glitches with how the lights flickered or something along those lines.

Bro... you Gotta do his Chaulk Outlines and How to be me! He and Chinchilla Are Unbelievable!!!!!!!!!!! Also... the Jenny and Screech Full trilogy! Mindblowing guitar and storytelling that's off the charts!!!!

I believe it is live, captured on his 4th take.. that's the word on the street. :)

Can't wait for your reaction to the Jenny and screech tail and violets tail should do them all at once they are better that way

As I understand it, he did three takes, and this was the one he liked best.

Must listen to jenny and screech tales full version he is a genius story tell, word Smith singer and wrapper and song writer you will enjoy going down the ren rabbit whole so many genres

Yes he recorded this live. I would say a majority of his videos are live recordings.

Ya gotta check out his band... The Big Push! War Pigs, I Shot the Sheriff and its a man's world! Mindblowing!!!

DJ, I recommend his piece Hunger. It is a rap and it is rhythm and poetry at its finest

ONE TAKE! LIVE! At the end you can see him messing with the mic and wires. ONE TAKE! LIVE!

A Welsh Estedfodd, live. The shadow and the light

Sinestre in Italian. Gauche in French. Left. Sinister Natural reverb. One take mate. He does a lot of that. Makes it more visceral, natch, the imperfections to the sound bring out the perfection in the piece

2 wolves live. Insider. Each other of us one. Good one bad which 1 comes out you decide the 1 that you feed doesAnd he does this song in one take and he keeps beat the. Same beat? Throughout the whole song if you ever notice

All live. 1 edit, 4 takes.

after listening to hi ran many times imo he seems to be suggesting he is not only battling his darker side, but also an actual demon

RENaissance!!!!

It was a live recording. It was a one take, but he wasn't happy until the 4th go.

So far the best one I've heard with his guitar has been the full tale of Jenny and Screech it's a 13-minute video there are three different stories they are in the correct order in the full video. I believe you'll truly appreciate the guitar in that and the artistry. I'm jealous I can't rub my head and pat my belly 😆😆😆🤣🤣🤣

You saw a live take. He does this in several videos- entire song shot in one long shot. Wait till you see him do this and walk down a street. Can you make a Ren Playlist?

It was all done live, one take.

Yes, it was live and one take.

One thing I think you got wrong (of course, I could be the one that has it wrong): I believe, largely from watching his hand, that he's making teh percussive effect by _pulling_ the string so that it snaps back against the fretboard (sinilarly to the "pop" move of slap bass), rether than smacking sown on it. Other than that, great reaction.

As far as I can tell he does a lot of stuff live from beginning to end. Probably not on the first take, I dunno. I say that from seeing other of his videos. (Check out "Chalk Outlines" this is def uncut and vocally stunning) Also, Ren has been very active at rewponding to these reactions so he might come along and let you know himself. This guy is truly next-level and multi-talented. He's not in the genre of what I usually listen to but I am so captivated by his authenticity and vulnerability mixed with diverse vitruosity that I find myself binge-listening. Dive in man.

The Song Audio is all from 1 performance using 3 cameras. The Close up face shots at the end are from a second performance visually, but audio was from the other capture. I believe it took 4 attempts to get that Song Audio.

Not crazy genius God sent this genius man 2 world and ran suffered. The cost of points is that trying to defeat evil but. So harness both sides.😢😅😅😅😂❤❤ love you Ren

I really appreciated all your musical insights, however I'm not sure my conclusion would be that it's a "killer song." For me the raw emotion and insights of this piece transcended even thinking of it as simply a song.

It was recorded live in one take, its just an artistic master piece

This is freaking amazing ! wow !~

Ren does most of his Videos in 1 take. Not sure if this is a 1 take at the end when he stands up and the camera comes off the stand and the angle changes. So the video up to the point where Ren stands up is 1 take and yes he singing and playing during this one take.

Ever checked out Rev Peyton? Great blues guitarist that uses his thumb to play bass.