Dueling Banjo - for Shamisen(s)???

Playing/Techniques
#1

I’ve been trying to play this song - when it starts from (0:55)

I’m kinda messing up with the notes and can’t seem to find the correct sounding.

If anybody has good hearing - and can note music that would be helpful.

#2

so far I have this but not sure if it sounds correct

–#3-4-6-4-#3-4-#3-0-2------------------- (San no Ito)
-------------------------0-4-4-6-8-4-8-6- (Ni no Ito)
------------------------------------------ (Ichi no Ito)

#3

Hi Kevin,
Yeah, just about everyone seems want to hear this once they’ve made the banjo connection. I was never quite able to get it from memory, but I’ve worked out a version from the video you posted. It has a loose feel (because the idea is that these two players are figuring each other out as they play) so the score is a bit awkward the way I’ve written it. Best to work through it with the video.
The sheet music can be found at:
Imgur

A few things about it:

  1. The double bar lines in the middle of each line of music separates the two parts. You should pause there for effect. Most of the time I put one shamisen part in a lower octave to distinguish it from the other.
  2. The roman numerals (I, IV, V) are there to help people with some Western training see what the piece is doing - ignore them if you don’t know what they mean.
  3. Line 6 can possibly be omitted: in the movie clip, the guitar player plays the melody on the V-chord, and the banjo replies with it in the I-chord (a mistake), so (in line 7) the guitarist repeats his part, and the banjo gets it right this time. It is there to show that they are figuring this out as they go along, but you might want to cut it from your own performance.
  4. Chords. I figured this piece out on the shorter necked kankara, which makes playing stretches like 2 - 3# - 6 possible. They probably aren’t possible on a regular shamisen for those of us who aren’t professional basketball players. Instead, you can chose to play any two of the strings at a time if the three are too much of a stretch.

Keep a pickin’ and a grinnin’

Gerry

#4

Thank you Gerry.

That music sheet helps a lot. I remember I saw this movie a while back
and couple of my friends said that my Shamisen sounds like a banjo - so as a joke I would play a dueling banjo song. Of course everybody should know this tune.

#5

No problem, Kevin. Thanks for putting up the video - it gave me a chance to finally figure it out. As far as novelty tunes for shamisen go, this probably ranks just below “Smoke On The Water” in popularity, so it’s good to have it down.

#6

Nice job with the score Gerry. I love that 2-3#-6 super stretch chord in a low position. Hardcore! Thats what I call a Mike Penny Chord! Haha! Unfortunately for me I really didnt like Deliverance so I am cursed and suffer from a lack of appreciation for this particular peice of music. I have a confession though. I have not really heard this done well once on a Shamisen. I am not saying it has never happened but I recall any time a Shamisen player tried to break out this melody it was always an awkard moment.

So please help me find an actual kick ass execution of this. if you do find a good one please post the link! I have searched but again, I have not been too thrilled with what I have seen so far…

Anybody?

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