This is a little embarrassing but I’m just going to throw it out there. Won’t get an answer otherwise, right?
For the ladies in the community who play shamisen: are any of you, uh, a bit bigger up top and does it affect how you hold the shamisen while you play? I haven’t had much chance to really start playing my shamisen yet, but I think I might have a problem due to my size and was wondering if anyone else had dealt with that issue and had any suggestions. ^^;
I have a problem because my gut sticks out. The shamisen ends up too far away from me to play.
I had my first lesson last week where step one was balancing the dou properly on my knee, but my boobs definitely got in the way. Totally understand your feeling, and I’m just average. I guess it’s easier if you’re wearing a tight kimono to really flatten the chest out… XD
I think it’ll be fine with practice and still easier than guitar for me, which is what counts!
I have a problem because my gut sticks out. The shamisen ends up too far away from me to play.
You’re just playing more nagauta style than tsugaru is all~
There’s a few different, style associated, postures that show up.
Find what works
(Here are some videos showing folks with different builds playing. Notice the positioning of the dou on the leg and the angle of the sao. Watch the volume tho.)
We are going to need pictures so we understand the logistics of what we are dealing with here.
For science.
I have the “blessing” of not having that problem… but in taiko there’s also this problem with some people. In that case, though, since everyone is different physically, everyone has to find the way best suited to themselves.
Hmm, maybe I will ask my roommate to try holding a shamisen.
Pete - So do you just do your best with playing, even though you can’t hold the shamisen as close as you’d like?
Christopher - I love how well thought out and researched your answers are! The videos helped me have a better idea of acceptable positions and I think I’ve found one that works fairly well for me. I just wish my Japanese wasn’t so rusty and that I could understand what the older lady was saying. Seemed like she was quite entertaining.
Chung Wan - If you actually do have your roommate try it, let me know how it goes. 
Vanessa - if your gut sticks out, you run the risk of choking the back skin, which is no good. If I had a tsugaru, this wouldn’t matter.
Christ is just being kind, trying not to call a dude portly.
Pete-
The position I’ve decided is probably best, while still being acceptable, holds the back of the shamisen slightly away from my stomach. I hadn’t thought about the back skin being part of the resonance of the instrument, though I’m sure I would have gotten there on my own eventually. The entire body of a violin affects its resonance (I consider the violin my main instrument . . . at least for now).
I’ll keep what you said in mind, since I have a jiuta and not a tsugaru shamisen. I hope to get a tsugaru in the future, but that’s probably a few years in the future. sigh
I keep making little discoveries, whether on my own or through the help of others. I bought some koma on eBay, then realized after getting them that they’re taller than koma used for tsugaru style. Too tall to easily get the snapping sound when striking with the bachi. I’m not entirely sure what style they’re meant for (jiuta, maybe?) but I figure I’m not against learning more than one style of shamisen music so I don’t mind that I got the taller koma. I don’t think I’ll be doing any singing, though. I don’t have a great voice. XD
If I haven’t said it before, thanks for your help!
Vanessa - if your gut sticks out, you run the risk of choking the back skin, which is no good. If I had a tsugaru, this wouldn’t matter.
Christ is just being kind, trying not to call a dude portly.
Pffft hahaha. I got more gravity than you do on a good day, my man.
Anyway.
The entire body… affects its resonance
Resonance in a shamisen is neat. It was explained to me by the shop owner at Sansui’en in Nagoya that there’s essentially three major sources of resonance in a shamisen.
The initial strike.
The interaction between front and back skin.
The sympathy and circuit of vibration between strings.
So everything matters! It’s just a question of how much :p.
Too tall to easily get the snapping sound when striking with the bachi. I’m not entirely sure what style they’re meant for (jiuta, maybe?) but I figure I’m not against learning more than one style of shamisen music so I don’t mind that I got the taller koma.
Post a picture and I may be able to identify the genre. Jiuta koma are pretty easy to i.d., generally speaking.
(Also, you can get the snap on almost any height with good form. A lower koma is just less likely to get you tangled while playing quickly)
I probably won’t use the bone koma, it feels very fragile to me and it already has a chip in one spot.
Vanessa
Yes, on nagauta shamisens, the back resonator is key to getting a good sound. I can’t speak to other kinds, since this is the only one I’ve ever had.
Live, I inevitably end up choking it against my gut, and the sound suffers. I’m thinking of putting a block on my leg to keep it out there.
Vanessa
I had trouble posting a reply yesterday, sorry for the wait.
Those look like nagauta to me. It’s hard to tell perfectly, but the heights (especially the bone one) seem in line.
The black one could likely be used in min’yo however, it may be low enough.
Resonanace in a shamisen is pretty neat. It was explained to me by the shop owner at Sansui’en in Nagoya that there’s basically three sources of sound.
The initial strike
The circuit of vibration between the strings and koma, affected by the sawai
The resonance between the front and back skin and sides of the dou.
So everything matters!
Yes, on nagauta shamisens, the back resonator is key to getting a good sound.
I’ve never heard this before, but it wouldn’t surprise me. Nagauta skins are so delicate and thin that the addition support from your body could mess with it.
Pete, if you’ve got a hizagomu on your shamisen, you should be able to balance it on your leg with just your arm pretty safely - it bar you from bachitzuke, but it’s surprisingly stable.
One of my teachers had me practice just doing that for a while as I learned Mugiya bushi to practice form.
“Pete, if you’ve got a hizagomu on your shamisen, you should be able to balance it on your leg with just your arm pretty safely - it bar you from bachitzuke, but it’s surprisingly stable.”
In theory, yeah, but I start rocking and everything kinds of goes to pot.
I saw a guy playing on of those electric standups (it’s like a stick) last night and he’s got a steel bar that comes across so he can still keep some distance between himself and the bass. I am going to try to fashion something like that for the shamisen.
The back resonator on a nagauta is key to getting a good sound.