Hello! I’m super new to this and would like to know if there is any recommend songs for beginners? I like Rokudan but I don’t think I can play that right now haha. I play Taishogoto before. But guitar? never. So this is the first instrument with a fingers pressing on the strings thingy. Thank you!
Also, Does this thing necessary? When I put it on, it’s hard to press on the strings. But when I took it off, It feel like the strings is too flat and stick to the neck. Is there something wrong?
I’m not sure if that is the koma or if it’s just something that isn’t related to the instrument.
Anyways you must have a bridge (koma) sitting on the skin under the strings, which provides the elevation and also transmits the sound from the strings to the skin.
Check if you have a koma placed, which I’m guessing isn’t there. The bridge like thing that you placed near the top end, looks like a really simplified model of the koma, and those kinds are used in a Okinawan sanshin.
And definitely that koma shouldn’t be placed there!
Refer to some videos by Mr. Kyle Abott on YouTube on how to assemble the shamisen and placement of different parts and accessories.
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Thank you very much! I replace the Koma now. Now the pegs are kinda loose! Is there some way to fix it?
The middle one here’s weird. The hole that I put the Ito inside is in a weird place. When I put the string in and put the pegs into the middle hole ( san no ito hole) it will cut the string. Is there a way to do this or I’m doing the wrong way?
Also, the middle one is the only weird one. Those 2 had the same size but this one isn’t.
I use tape for this and it work great. So there wouldn’t be any problem now.
A few things:
It looks like you have mismatched itomaki, which happens often in older shamisen. This is likely why one hole is so much larger - it wasn’t intended for that position. Shamisen itomaki are paired with specific holes. It is possible that the itomaki you have in position 2 was intended for position 1.
As well, many hosozao-chuuzao (and some futozao too!) use the “standard” ordering for shamisen strings. That is, 1 - 2 - 3 from top to bottom, instead of 1 - 3 - 2 as we see with some tsugaru.
You should not need tape to hold the itomaki.
As for starting songs, look to the school house and begin with Kuroishi Yosare Bushi.
If that is too much for you, consider finding notations for Sakura, Kokiriko, or Ecchuu Owara Bushi.
Where I live, all are used as a player’s first song to teach basic techniques.
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Thank you! This is really helpful! I finished crash course 1 now and just known that maybe my Itomaki are mismatched. Thank you again!