Here’s my first progress video after 3-4 weeks of practice (almost 1 month)
let me know - if I need to adjust any stance or positions.
Awesome!
Nice job on both those tunes.
I would recommend somehow finding a way to play along
With clips of ringo bushi (where someone else or a group ensemble
Is playing the song)
That can help you a bit with getting the beat of the tune.
The thing that sucks learning shamisen away from any big group
Is that it may become harder to grasp certain patterns in the rhythm
of songs like ringo bushi.
In a city like hirosaki a lot of shamisen players form large ensembles
And play ringo bushi, kuroishi ,jongara and others all in unison.
In that way everyone lines up all on beat.
So if you get a chance try to find a video, put some headphones on if you have small
Speakers (you need to be able to hear both yourself and the audio of the tune).
Then try to play along so you match up perfectly with the other players.
Okay - I’ll try that
I’m still working on Thunderstruck (AC/DC) just having a hard time with that last notes. "My fingers still get twisted from 10-9-8-9-8. . . and so on
I think you managed to have a good tone throughout the song. Keep it up!
And Kevin I’ve been playing to songs, but for a beginner the largest problem is that the songs in the videos are played too fast for you to keep up. Just hinting at that beginners would gain a lot on this side from more tutorials like the one Kyle made for Kuroishi Yosare
That’s a good point Karl .
Group vids that are uploaded are usually at a faster tempo.
I guess the thing would be to find slow tempo versions etc.
But ultimately even if the tempo is too fast to physically play along, by listening
To how the beat and timing fit together over and over you will be able to find the
Spots where you are playing a note too long or too short etc.
Yeah, ultimately we (I guess I mean Kyle , grant and whoever else is contributing)
should really consider what you just said about the Kuroshio tutorial . More of those for many of the standard tunes (especially the godai) would be more helpful.
Yikes! Late comment on my part. :-S
That sounds good, Kevin. 
I think you are progressing well. As KevinK said, by listening to, or playing along with recordings of the songs, you will naturally adjust your timing to match the authentic timing.
Yesssss yesssss… 
I intend on making high quality tutorials for all the songs. Because they’re gonna be high quality (as least, intending for that), I’m wanting to finish my Bloodwood shamisen first so I’ll have something good to play them on.
I’m guessing that I’ll start work on the tutorials in… 2~3 months? Hopefully the shamisen will be completed in a month.
(it okay) - Kyle.
I know how busy you are. I hope that when you finish your “Bloodwood” Shamisen - you’ll do a sound testing video like the other 2 shamisen(s) that you build previously.
Ooh! That’s a great idea! Definitely I’ll do that for a blogcast.
Great! I can’t wait to hear how your bloodwood shamisen sounds 
You and me both, matey!
Hey Kevin, nice one! Upload thunderstruck next!
Dude! You’re doing amazingly well! I remember when I first started and was only playing for a month I had wished I could even play Ringo Bushi at all. So you’re already way ahead of the game in my opinion lol.
Like Kevin said, just do your best to listen to the song and get the feel for the melody’s timing. You want to be able to hear it in your head from memory and then go from there so that eventually they will match up.
It’s all about keeping up your practice of course though, and I’m really stoked on your videos!
(Thanks) Grant - right now I’m working “Yasaburo Bushi” and “Rokudan” (part 1)
and I might be taking lesson for one month (from a member on bachido)
I just want to take a month lesson (to learn better method on striking and corrections)
Per Kevin’s second message: That’s exactly how I learned Ringo Bushi. I found a simple, basic version and listened to it, like, a million times till the form started to make sense. I certainly wasn’t good enough to play along at the tempo in the video.
And now some praise: For less than a month of playing your intonation is really good. Heck, mine isn’t always that good now after nearly two years! Keep it up!