Learn to Play Shamisen - Rokudan Fast Speed

http://shamisenofjapan.com/ - Do you like tsugaru shamisen? You wanna play tsugaru shamisen? You wanna make your own tsugaru shamisen? You gotta get Shamisen of Japan! Go to http://shamisenofjapan.com/


When you can comfortably play Rokudan at a decent clip, try in on high-er speed

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• learn
• japan
• japanese
• tsugaru
• shamisen
• nihon

[dudkun]

Hey man,i'm seriously considering getting a shamisen, it looks extremely fun to play. It's deffinetly something I'd like to learn to play. Could you give me a run down on how you would tune it? And, I may be wrong, but, it looks like an instrument that's open to loose playing styles, like, lots of improvisation. Please, fill me in man, I really am considering buying one!

[fiddlefella]

@dudkun Great! It is indeed a lot of fun! :-)

At your high level of interest, you really need to go to bachido.com! :-) It has recently been started, and will become *the* new place for all things shamisen. On the site, there is a learning center with a free Shamisen Crash Course. It tells you the tuning, and everything you need to start.

There is also a growing community on there, which is very helpful for meeting/communicating with other shamisen players.

See you there! :-)

[Tsubakiification]

I'm sorry to say this,but it's too aggressive if it's supposed to be a song.

Otherwise,perfect!

[fiddlefella]

@Tsubakiification Actually, that was only half as aggressive as professional tsugaru shamisen players. ;-) Pro players strike the skin much closer to the bridge much harder. 

[fiddlefella]

@Tsubakiification Actually, that was only half as aggressive as professional tsugaru shamisen players. ;-) Pro players strike the skin much closer to the bridge much harder.

[Umaxen]

One more question: I assume you are not Japanese, because you look like a white guy from Boston, but how do you approach playing such music on such an ancient form of guitar? Do you have to study the music first and get an in-depth understanding of chords and style? I wouldn't be able to remember any of this without sheet music because even though it's a beautiful Japanese sound, it's still awkward for western ears to memorize and play such culturally different music. No?

[fiddlefella]

@Umaxen Another way to think of it is that people of a certain culture don't "study" their own culture's music in order to play it, because it's all around them. The feeling is engrained in them.

By doing a LOT of listening and watching (cds or youtube), you can musically "bring yourself up" in a different culture because your ears will pick up the aesthetics over time.

You don't need to have the blues to play Blues, and you don't need to eat fish heads and rice to play tsugaru shamisen. ;-)

[metlguitar02]

That's the kind of sound missing from bars all across America. Well then, it is decided. I shall learn to play this wonderful work of musical art and proceed to enchant the lives of millions with this instrument. Get laid in the process. It really is that cool...

[aliedesuacido]

@fiddlefella i'd love to find one, but they're hard to find even on the internet, so id love to try and get one from ur website

[DYZSYX]

this is so much cooler than fucking banjos!

[dudkun]

@fiddlefella Muchos gracias brah,see ya there!

[KorgAddict1]

@DisIsHowiRoll pretty different, first of all there are no frets on the shamisen, then there are only 3 strings, of which 1 stays the same pitch I believe as a sort of root tone.

[NeeNeechan13]

The shamisen is one of the most beautiful instruments I think. I love it, I must learn to play too. You have inspired me good sir! <3

[DisIsHowiRoll]

how different is it playing shamisen than the guitar/bass?

[Tsubakiification]

@fiddlefella Is that so? I have to go listen to them too. Although. IT'S SO. PRETTY SOUNDING.