Here is Kokiriko Bushi with Mike Penny!
He is a great teacher. Sorry for posting so many videos, it probably gets annoying >.<
We will make more new videos!
Great video Stev! Keep 'em coming!
Sounded really good!! and yeh keep up the videos 
Hello to you Stev.
earlier (before seeing video here) I did a word search on YouTube to find Kokiriko Bushi on Shamisen and this is the only video I found. So I really thank you for sharing video. I was watching Yoshida Brothers interview earlier and they said that Kokiriko Bushi was the first song that they did learn. then I did a word search for Kokiriko Bushi…
Thanks once again for sharing video.
good playing on your part.
and good teaching on Mike Penny’s part.
maybe you or Penny Sensei can share later on about Penny’s teaching techniques. Looking for different ways to help me learn shamisen but in an exciting fun way.
Thanks Mark and Ortjo. I’m glad you enjoyed it ! Kokiriko bushi is a really fun song.
Mike teaches me by breaking up songs into chunks and working on each section carefully. As you start putting the chunks together to form the final product, it feels really rewarding.
Nice Stev! Your getting really good. Do you take lessons from Mike or just practice while hanging out? Do you have the notation for Kokiriko bushi? It would be great if we could start sharing additional songs.
im so jealous that you get to learn from Mike! Seriously awesome playing man!
Thank youuu! Did you guys have any teachers too? I think having a teacher really helps :)) I’ve been playing for about 5-6 months and hope to get realllly good in about another year. I guess I’ll need to practice more. (My goal is to get good enough to play in that shamisen tournament in Japan that I see in those youtube videos)
@Aaron- I don’t have the notation for Kokiriko bushi; Mike taught this song to me, and I learn my music by ear
When I start, I doubt I’ll find a teacher in Oregon. So I plan to keep a close eye on Bachido, and youtube videos. And of course Kyles book. :3 Sorta like a Sensei-less Shamisen player. lol
Don’t worry though. Kyle’s book looks great, and there are plenty of youtube videos.
yep it’s kind of lonely here in finland too :DD
but i hope to go someday to japan or maybe go see kyle?? 
and learn from someone good
but meanwhile waiting for lots of discussions and videos from bachido and trying to learn songs from Shamisen of japan.
I’m in the same boat Raul… probably not going to find a teacher in OR. It would be worth moving to CA for a while just for lessons from Mike Penny or Kevin Kmetz! Hey Stev, was it difficult to hook up lessons with him? I won’t ask price but I wonder if he’s even accepting new students. Any other leads as to a teacher in CA?
Anyway, great playing… sounded fantastic.
It’s good to hear that other folks on here have considered travelling to learn shamisen.
Once I get my hands on an instrument (and after some serious practice!) I have also been considering headin’ West to seek out a teacher.
Man, it’s a scary but exciting prospect and probably one goal that’ll take a long while yet to realise.
Id love to teach any one of you guys that wants lessons out here in CA. If you live pretty much anywhere in the Bay area, we can meet up. Preferably you would be as near to Santa Cruz as possible, since you would then be able to take from the pooled resources of both Kyle and I. But I am more than willing to try and work something out and get you guys rockin!
Add me to the list of eager shamisen travelers.
Grant, looking forward to meeting you and Kyle the first chance I get. Any chance for a meetup I’m all for.
I think there needs to be a “mass” migration of shamisen players/learners to CA.
Grant, that’s really encouraging to hear- thanks!
Wow! that’s unexpected. 
Perhaps, we should soon assemble a list of people who can/wants to come to CA, and hold a small Bachido festival thing. As I may have said, Masahiro wants to have a Bachido festival in Hokkaido (which would be good for being able to have shamisen superstars to give workshops)
Or… Anyone wants to go to Toronto, Canada? They have a Spring Matsuri which we might be giving a shamisen workshop at (unconfirmed). If going to Canada isn’t much harder than going to California, that would be a more convinient venue, as there is other entertainment and happenin’s going on.
A shamisen festival or get together sounds fantastic. Depending on when it is I might actually have a shamisen to bring to it. Spring might be a little soon for that though. Are there more details about the Canadian Spring Matsuri, like a date, so that I might start estimating the cost of going?
Hey Briana,
Here’s a little info about the matsuri - http://www.immortalgeisha.com/ig_bb/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=16839.
$12 for admission… prettttty nice. 
As many events as possible would be ideal.