So I’ve just started running the crash course. I just wanted to say a big thanks to Kyle and everybody who helped. This course is great! Probably the most useful thing I have ever found on the internet.
All the best,
Philip
Aw, thank you so much, Philip! I’m glad you like it!
I have to give a lot of thanks to my father, Carl, who was the official beta tester for the course. Initially, I unknowingly made the course way too challenging for beginners (like with most skilled players, I underestimated how challenging “basic” techniques can be). Within 5 minutes of trying an early version of the course, he handed me the shamisen and said, “this is just too hard, you gotta make it much simpler.”
So, I kept working on it, making several versions until I got it simple enough that he could play along with relative ease. That honest feedback was so critical, and influenced not only the course, but all the learning materials that followed. Keep it simple, keep it simple!
Anywho, just a little back story. 
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Thank you Mr. Abbott for being a guinea pig in shamisen teaching experimentation. All Bachido members appreciate your efforts and patience!
So Dad now plays both shakuhachi and shamisen??? 
Indeed! Unfortunately, arthritis prevents him from enjoying the bachi experience, but as I say, if he just learns koto, he’ll be the go-to guy to quickly fill in for a local sankyoku group with a sick member!