About sliding across the strings

Playing/Techniques
#1

I’ve been searching and listening for more tsugaru style music on youtube to try and find the players I will want to imitate when I get my hands on a shamisen. What I’ve noticed is that even though practically the same notes are being played, the performance can vary a lot. To me it seems like it is a matter of preference as I see players being called masters and playing the songs differently from other so called masters. I also know that some songs are made for you to do a little bit of improv.

One of the sounds I love about the shamisen is the sliding sound. I found a guy who did a lot of sliding and I just knew that this is what I want to play. The song played is Tosa no Sunayama, and I’ve compared this performance with both others on youtube and the one played by Kyle on the site and I miss the distinctive slide in these other versions. Is it hard to make these slides, is it a preference matter, or is it simply that people learn the song in a certain way and don’t usually change their way of playing it after that?

Everyone enjoys music in different ways, I’m just expressing what I like the most and wonder if someone agrees with my tastes :slight_smile:

The link:

#2

it is truly a matter of preference. Many of these songs originated as the shamisen backing up a vocal lead. What that means, is that there are specific lyrics and vocal melodies originally for these songs, but the accompaniment often varies greatly from shamisen player to shamisen player. As Tsugaru Shamisen broke away and became popular as it’s own solo melodic entity, players would perform those same songs, but without the need to play along with the singers voice.
Slowly, each player takes the feeling they like, with the basic melody, and builds off of it.
All of Tsugaru style is like this, and that is why it is so great.

Also, the region you study in can affect your style greatly.
A teacher in the north in Tsugaru, Narumi-Sensei, taught me how to play Ringo Bushi with a completely different bachi technique than what Masahiro Nitta taught me.
It is really up to the individual to decide what they like most. However, authenticity to the traditional sound could enevitibly be argued. But if you play how you want, and dont claim your way is the best, or the right way, then anything goes (as you may know, if youve familiar with Kevin Kmetz, lol).

PS: Sliding like that is not considered super traditional by the judges in Hirosaki, and i have been scolded for doing so when attempting to reproduce the traditional feel.

#3

Good answer! Just out of curiousity, how old are the judges? It feels like the shamisen is becoming more used in other types of music, so it’s only a matter of time until people use the instrument in new ways. Do you want to slide like that? Do you feel its better for the song?

I will probably not be very traditional of me considering I’m pretty good at playing guitar but I never learn any whole songs. I enjoy improvising to other music. However some of these songs will have to be learned as they are really good :slight_smile:

I’ve seen quite a few videos by Kevin Kmetz and obviously The Trooper by Iron Maiden isn’t very traditional :slight_smile: But is he not traditional when he plays the traditional songs?

#4

Those improvisations over hip hop beats by Kevin Kmetz are some of my favorites. It would be hard to imagine how well shamisen and hip hop would go together without having heard them… and it just looks like fun. :slight_smile:

Also, I really appreciate the sliding on a shamisen having mainly played guitar previously. It’s freeing… and if you miss a note it’s not always by an entire semitone. For me, that’s better feedback. :slight_smile:

#5

The judges are all 50+ years old as far as I can tell. Most of them are somehow involved in historical societies, or are editors for magazines or shamisen/traditional music publications. It’s a very different world when you are performing for these competitions, and what you are looking for. It’s all very valid and great to train and perform in, since it pushes your technical abilities to their maximum.
They are very aware of the fact that Kevin exists, and that people are playing Tsugaru Shamisen in new ways. They are not there to stifle creativity. They definitely enjoy what us Westerners are doing, but they do take a lot of pride in the old school style, and they know what they are looking for.
It can be debated endlessly whether it matters or not, but one thing I do know, is that I can attribute most of my skill and technical ability to knowledge I have gained through practicing and training for these tournaments in Japan. Whether or not I use my skill to go all out traditional, or to be contemporary, they are both effected positively.
I really do like the sound of the upward (in pitch) slide. But it can be overdone, and you gotta know where to draw the line. I think it’s best if your repertoire consists of multiple ways you play each song. Sometimes I play Ringo Bushi all in minor, sometimes I do major and minor. Sometimes I use chords, sometimes I don’t.
Also, it is to be said that almost all advanced Tsugaru Shamisen players actually do have some improvised phrasing in their Jongara Bushi’s (even during the tournament performances).
My favorite thing about Kevin Kmetz as a teacher is that he has always invited me to play my own style, go crazy, and never limited my development. But at the same time has very clearly reinforced what is traditional and what is “Western” or more modern.

#6

I agree that anything can be overdone, and actually felt so at parts of the video I linked to. But when you hear something you like you got to incorporate it into your own arsenal of licks. So are there any specific other musicians that do enjoy sliding on the shamisen that you all know of?

#7

I would say that most Tsugaru Shamisen players utilize that upward sliding technique. The core difference is the frequency and where they choose to throw it in. Like you said, it can be overdone. The difference between an amateur and a master is the ability to readily recognize when it is appropriate. It’s all about dynamic and timing.
I would say if anything, you should take a listen to Takahashi Chikuzan and pay attention to those kinds of phrasings. His style is older and pretty unique. He plays almost wildly at times; moreso than most modern players. This is what makes Tsugaru what it is.

#8

Amen to that last post, Grant! Takahashi Chikuzan was not actually playing the Shamisen… he was dancing through his dreams and just happened to have a Shamisen in his hand at the moment. Thats the big difference. A lot of modern players are too focused on "Playing" the Shamisen and because of that they forget to dream through their fingers and through the strings. Originally Tsugaru Shamisen was closely connected to the Shamanic trance of the Itako (spiritual mediums) of northern Japan. Its through the free flight of the imagination that any instrument truly comes alive. that is why Chikuzan sometimes seems “Wild”
and even when modern players get crazy and rock out it will never be the same because young musicians tend to get “wild” as a means of making themseves Look “Cool” and to show off how “INTO” the music they are. Whereas Chikuzan`s wildness was pure, spontaneous and cuts into a much deeper place.

#9

God damn. Im so glad youre on here Kevin. I could never put it the way you do. Beautiful.

#10

If I summarize my thoughts on your text into two words it would be feeling and improvisation. I have listened to some videos but as I can’t recognize every part where one of the traditional songs are being played differently its hard for me to get an opinion on how wild Chikuzan can become. If you have a specific clip and mark of time I would be glad to check it out.

I mostly play two different types of music as of now. Blues/Rock and Heavy Metal. Heavy metal satisfies the melodic and wicked sound part of me. While I definately improvise when playing heavy metal, blues and rock is where you do get into a sort of trance of feeling good. Its no longer about enjoying how you just nailed that riff that sounds so good, its about feeling something and trying to express it. And people can feel the feeling of the musician when he is in that trance, and they most definately like it.

From what I’ve seen in your videos and the talk here on the forum, I feel that the active shamisen players here are that type of a musician as well. Taken the step and reached out to the deep well of endless musical imagination. I agree that these words are indeed beautiful!

#11

I enjoyed reading what Kevin Kmetz wrote too . . . shamisen to me sounds like a great instrument for that as the range starts at simple tunes and can go anywhere

#12

God bless Kyle Abbott for putting this together and thanks for the replies Karl, Grant and BH.

#13

“…dancing through his dreams…” Beautiful!

One of the things that attracted me to music is the idea of the magic inherent in the playing, which takes form through the instrument and the performer. I often refer to my musician friends as bards.
In a very real sense they are able to captivate an audience and create something from nothing, to alter feelings and take the listeners to a different place.

I find the connection between shamanism and Tsugaru shamisen very interesting.

Thanks for this description Kevin. :slight_smile:

#14

Yes! God bless me, I’m brilliant! :smiley:

But also, Hail Kevin for his overflowing generosity and getting me started on the tsugaru style. If he wasn’t in Santa Cruz at the time, I probably wouldn’t have gotten into Tsugaru, and thus, no Bachido! So it’s very fitting and special that you’re on here, Kev!

And as always, every time I go to Bachido, I’m always pleasantly surprised to see how the community is thriving with regular contributors and very insightful discussion. I never thought it woulda happened so quickly, and so awesomely. I feel like I’m gonna cry!.. though it could be because of that Jalapeno sandwich I just ate…

Holy Cannoli, we’re all fabulous! :smiley:

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