Shinsuke Nakamuras entrance theme The Rising Sun helped define his WWE presence the moment he debutedand now, the violinist responsible for that unforgettable sound is revealing exactly how it all came together.
Earl Maneein of Seven)Suns recently appeared on Ropes N Riffs and shared how he got involved in the session with WWE music producers CFO$. Surprisingly, he admitted that when he was first contacted to record the track, he didnt even realize what it was for.
Once inside the studio, Maneein saw that CFO$ already had a full MIDI demo arranged. They had the tracks structure in place but wanted a violinist to bring something unique to the sound.
He approached the session using both electric and acoustic violins. The electric violin was processed with amp simulators to create a heavy, modern tone, while the acoustic violin handled the melody lines.
While CFO$ had the main riff and structure ready to go, Maneein was given plenty of room to experiment. He improvised multiple solos and unique sections on the spotsomething that wasnt entirely spontaneous, but rather instinctual after years of performing.
Maneein described those solos as natural extensions of his musical vocabulary. While they may have sounded spontaneous, they were grounded in decades of muscle memory and phrasing that he had used countless times in other projects. Even though he wasnt a wrestling fan, he understood exactly what kind of emotion and energy the track needed to deliver.
The end result was a theme that didnt just hype up a crowdit elevated Nakamuras entire presence on WWE television. And it all started with a gig that Maneein nearly forgot about.
Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.
Do you think WWE should bring back more CFO$-style themes? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.
