Just wondering if when converting a piano piece to shamisen, how would ou go about it? :o
For instance what would an “A” be on the shamisen, what would a “C” etc be =o
Well, “standard” ni-agari tuning is C-G-C (open-strings).
It depends on the tune and chords you want to play. Usually you want to play the shamisen so that the thick string is tuned in the key you are playing. The problem with this is that you can’t go below that note, which is common in many chord progressions.
The second choice is to to play the song using the third string as the main note instead of the first string. Then you can play more below that note but you get less to play with above it.
The third option is to play the song using the second string as the key. This will not give you as much resonation but will allow you to play both up and down. Note that depending on what scale you are using and what notes in it are usually played you might want to use the C-G-C or the C-F-C tuning. So in this case you would change the tuning of all strings so that the middle string has the same key as your piano piece.
As for finding out chords, you should check out the little site I made:
http://shamisen.karlhedlund.se/scaleviewer
Karl dude, I’ve never really dug into that scale-viewer. Holy cow is it amazing~!!
Yeah the scale viewer is awesome Karl!
Jamie,
Keep in mind Shamisen does not always haven be in C. It can theoretically be in any key. Example= Mozart’s Turkish march is in A. (piano music) So when we use to perform that with Monsters of Shamisen we would tune A E A . Etc.
Thanks guys! I should adapt it to the new color scheme of the new composer prototype.
Yeah I didn’t make myself clear enough. When talking about C-G-C and C-F-C I meant that that is the interval, then you change the tuning of all the strings as Kevin mentioned. You keep the interval between strings though.
Kevin mentions playing a song i A where you use the thick string as the key. But with the third option if your song is in E you can play it as B-E-B or you could use A-E-A.
Hmm seems like itll be a be a little harder than i thought then D:
Maybe a bit easier to “convert” by ear :3
Thank you all ^^
Well, as they say: If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right.
And I’m pretty sure they also say: Everything worth while is a challenge. (or something to that effect)
Whoever “they” are, they sure do say a lot….
Good luck on your translations~!!