“Do Not Cross This Bridge” means “Kono Hashi Wataru Bekarazu.”
Hello, I'm Chino Yoshio, a composer based quietly in Kyotanabe, Kyoto.
“Do Not Cross This Bridge” means “Kono Hashi Wataru Bekarazu.”
Hello, I'm Chino Yoshio, a composer based quietly in Kyotanabe, Kyoto.
Today, I’d like to share the story behind my upcoming single "Do Not Cross This Bridge," which was released on August 19th.
The idea came to me when my nephew visited recently. I went to pick him up at Shin-Tanabe Station, and near the west exit, there's a monument inspired by the famous story of Ikkyu-san and the phrase “Kono Hashi Wataru Bekarazu” (Do not cross this bridge).
He looked at it and asked, “Uncle, has this always been here?” I told him, “It’s a monument based on Ikkyu-san’s clever riddle.” To which he replied, “Ikkyu-san? ‘Do not cross this bridge’? What’s that supposed to mean?”
When I asked, “You don’t know it?” He said, “Nobody my age knows that stuff anymore.” That moment gave me a sense of urgency — I felt the need to create a piece inspired by the story.
When I explained how Ikkyu cleverly walked on the bridge (not “across” it), he reacted with disbelief: “Wait, seriously?”
BPM 193
As always, the tempo is set to BPM 193, in honor of Ikkyu-san.
Hidden 193 in the artwork
This time, I designed the artwork using AutoCAD as part of my architectural CAD training and finished it in Photoshop.
Inspired by Le Corbusier’s Modulor system, I incorporated a ratio close to the golden ratio by dividing a line into 13 parts and using the 5:8 proportion.
The color scheme features my familiar #193193 and #c1934d, which evokes the feel of aged wood for the bridge arc.
I also chose the 19th as the release date. You’ll find the number 193 subtly hidden in various aspects — the visuals, the palette, and even the calendar.
Some might say, “Is that really worth obsessing over?” But yes — I’m proudly obsessed with the number 193 in this piece.
Introducing the “Sine Wave Marimba”
For this track, I used a newly “developed” sound source I’m calling the Sine Wave Marimba. It’s essentially a tweak of my usual “Sine Wave Version” — I just adjusted the decay parameter. My older marimba-based tracks are still popular, but I always felt that using standard marimba libraries alone lacked character. So, I tried modifying the Sine Wave settings — and while casually playing with the new sound, this melody came to me. I recorded it right away in Logic Pro, set the metronome to 193, and it felt like a perfect fit. That’s when I knew: this is the track to title “Do Not Cross This Bridge.” In a way, the song’s true origin lies in the voice of the Sine Wave Marimba.
"Sine Wave Marimba" Settings
Prepare a 440Hz Sine Wave and import it into the sampler (Root Key: A3) Layer 1 (0dB) Attack: 5ms, Hold: 0ms, Decay: 500ms, Sustain: -∞ (0dB), Release: 400ms Layer 2 (-15dB) Attack: 5ms, Hold: 0ms, Decay: 40ms, Sustain: -∞ (0dB), Release: 0ms
Do Not Cross This Bridgeは「この橋わたるべからず」です。
こんにちは、京都・京田辺で静かに作曲活動をしていますChino Yoshioです。
今回は、8月19日にリリースの新曲 "Do Not Cross This Bridge" の背景についてお話しします。
