Leaving Shamisen =( "Thank you everybody out there who has helped me in Shamisen"

General
#1

I’ve been a Bachido member since January 2012 up to February 2013. I have played the Shamisen for almost a year now.

To shorten the story and not bored you to death. I played many instruments in the past “Violin and Piano” all of those instruments have came to a failure. Even though I practice day and night, I couldn’t perform that well, like some other players. Some people are naturally good at playing the instrument.

As for me, I can learn the basics, but when it comes to advance chords. I seem to not get it down. My ears are terrible when it comes mimic a Shamisen song that I really like. It terms some people can play the instruments very well then other. It’s like they are born with talents in playing an instrument.

So I’m putting my Shamisen to the side. Well selling to be exact.

Now please don’t ponder “Why are you quitting, you haven’t tried hard enough” or “Give it some time to kick in”

I can see that I am not a musician type person. I can’t play any instrument, I can’t to seem to advance the crazy chords.

I had a thrill playing the Shamisen. I still listen to Shamisen songs - I just can’t play for beans ^^

Here is my instrument set for sale on eBay - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170984097904&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123

I spend a lot on the equipment.

Special Thanks to…

Kyle Abbott - founder of Bachido. Thanks for signing my book and helping from day one with the Shamisen

Kevin Kmertz - amazing player. Thanks for translating notations on certain songs. AC/DC rocks!

Toshi Shamisenmaster - amazing player too and also my former sensei on Skype. Thanks for teaching me Tsugaru style.

And thanks to others, that gave me advice and etc.

I had fun times playing the Shamisen.
Talking to other players.

“Lost but not forgotten”
-Your’s truly Kevin Ho-

#2

holy crap - somebody already bought my set. LOL that was quick

I guess somebody out there will perform way better then me

#3

Aww… I’m sorry to hear that, Kevin. After seeing the first song you played after getting your shamisen (Ringo Bushi?), you seemed to have quite a knack with the positioning and flow.

Note, not many people can do chords and such like Kevin Kmetz. That’s why I always recommend beginning players to just enjoy the skill they have, because comparing themselves to someone with over a decade of experience can be very discouraging.

In any case, you gave it your best shot and that’s commendable. :slight_smile: And though you sold your shamisen, you never know the future. You just might be rocking the three flavor strings again in a few years. :slight_smile:

All the best,
Kyle

#4

Thanks, Kyle - well hopefully, the new person who just bought my Shamisen, will have better performing then me. ^^

I might come back, we’ll see…

#5

Yes. You never know. To tell the truth, I gave up on Shamisen too. Back when I was 14 years old. I fell in love with the Shamisen style of Takahashi Chikuzan and wanted to play one really bad. But then… Things happened. Life got in the way… electric guitar, girlfriends, finishing high school . All that stuff distracted me and I set aside my dream of playing Shamisen for many many many years. It want until I was almost 30 years old that I actually finally said “Ok! This is it! I need to play this thing!” so yeah. You never know! But at any rate it was great to get to know you here on bachido and I wish you well with all your pursuits in life! Rock on, my friend!

#6

yeah you never know I tried doing a video this week when I was waiting for a customer and thought like this is what I can come up with after a year of fooling around with this?

okay granted I also don’t have a real shamisen that does sound kinda cool just hitting an open string yeah whatever I understand you can go either way I will keep at it I mean it may be weird in some respect but it is fun and in general that is a subjective thing and if it is not enjoyable there is no point as for something you should only do if it is fun after all we are talking about your spare time so anyway I wish you all the best also and even though it is about leaving the shamisen thanks for sharing your experience . . .

#7

seriously I thought my face would be in the picture too . . .

http://freecarvers.com/sem/Clipboard02.jpg

http://freecarvers.com/sem/MOV_0014.mp4

yeah well it could be worse and sometimes without performance pressure it sounds even better and I have to accept the workmanship shortcomings of this thing I mean the audible difference between maebachi and ushirobachi also depends on the current state of form or deformity of the metal dou since storage in the taxi can be rough at times and like the 3 position on ichi is not exactly where the 3 is on other strings or like I put a finger on 4 it is slightly at a different place than when I put both fingers for 3 and 4 on the neck at the same time to be ready for hajiki cause the also putting a finger on 3 increases the string tension that goes through the other finger at 4 so in general this is a fucked up stick with strings but I still have the feeling it allows for some practice and for whatever odd reason it is fun to fool around with it and I am sure it would be even more fun to sometime play a better one . . . so I keep at it for sure . . . and another thing I found it that especially when playing rather simple melodies it is a matter of skill but also mood at least if the skill is not that good so you would nail it anyway I think it is a matter of mood very much to make simple tunes sound cool or totally boring and like nothing again the glimpse at getting it sound good I get at times is enough to keep going for sure . . .

#8

I think we all should try more new different things. Some stuff we will not care about again. Other things we instantly fall in love with. Some things we are not just ready for.

If you are meant for the shamisen I am sure you will get the urge to play it in the future. Wish you all the best!

PS. BH, you need to get yourself the real deal! Although except for the volume the sound was pretty similar actually.

#9

B H,
That sounds really cool B! I just listened to it! I love your instrument! I think I heard some familiar tune too! Haha! Awesome !

#10

awesome thanks I mean I appreciate your kind and encouraging comments on that :slight_smile:

#11

Sorry to hear that Kevin, but you seem to be a man of your convictions and have a clear head about it so I’m sure you will be successful in whatever you do.

I hope the bachi was of some help in your journey. (Remember?)

BH-
That was awesome!

Give yourself some more credit than that, your instrument rocks!

Somebody give this man a shamisen, the world needs him.

Seriously, I hope one day you get a “real” shamisen, if in fact it’s something you would want to play. Not to discount your sem (was I right, is that it?).

#12

Haha thanks Jonathan I already feel better and I would definitely like to play a real shamisen (just budget reasons) AND an improved sem (probably sooner) suiting my mobile lifestyle . . . :slight_smile:

anyway sem is my favorite slang word from where I grew up and means . . . okay THEN see you tomorrow . . . or SO this is how it was done . . . or may be used in other context also and is pronounced like the name and I just like it plus a funny thing is that foreigners or people from other regions sometimes wonder who the fuck is this Sam that everyone seems to know and talk about :slight_smile:

(oh worth a look a nice picture on the startpage right now from my snowy home region . . . http://www.lungau.at/en/home.html)

again thanks everyone and looking forward to (even as you say) better playing in the future . . .

#13

I must say, that is nice to listen too! With the help of real shamisen strings, it’s impressive how close it actually sounds to a shamisen! (sans the ‘depth’ from the modest sound chamber, of course. :wink: )

Have you thought about your extra sems in the passengers seat for people to have fun with? Extra entertainment with the drive! :slight_smile:

One of these days we’re gonna film a rendition of The Austrian Taxi Driver presented with the muse and his sem! :slight_smile:

#14

Haha sounds like fun . . . (strings are all yellowish golden but are regular guitar steel strings 3rd, 4th and 5th) . . . and thanks . . . :slight_smile:

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