Shamisen for small children (6, 7 or 8 years old)

General
#1

Hi Tsugaru freaks!

Tsugaru shamisen here in Argentina was frozen for a time.

Some years ago, I bought 8 cheap Tsugarus Made in China and started a group: Yamato Ongaku Shudan.

But nowadays we are only 3 (and one in Japan studying under the guidance of Yamanaka Nobuto).

In March I was in Japan and bought 6 chinese tsugarus more and now we are starting a new group with 10 people outside Buenos Aires in a Japanese Association in the country side.

Good news are that these people in the country has small children. All are females about 7 and 8 years old. And the parents want that the children start to play Tsugaru!

Anybody knows which is the age in where children can start to study with regular size Tsugaru?. Some of them are really small and they cant hold the shamisen indeed.

And anybody knows where, in Japan, I can buy cheap small tsugarus for 6,7 and 8 years old children? (preferently China made, less than 600 U$ dollars).

I will be again in March in Japan, so I am planning to buy these shamisen during March.

THanks in advance!
Bruno

1 Like
#2

Hi Bruno!

Good to hear from you! That’s so awesome to hear that you’re starting a new shamisen group!! Thank you for making a great effort to spread shamisen in your area! :slight_smile:

For small children, I would personally recommend the Beginner’s Shamisen - http://bachido.com/store/standard-shamisen
After all, the thick neck isn’t actually required to play that style, and because the kids are small, the size of a nagauta sao would be comparable to a tsugaru sao in their little hands. :slight_smile:

Also, if the length of the shamisen is too long, the KoShamisen might be a good option - http://bachido.com/store/standard-shamisen

Cheers!
Kyle

1 Like
#3

wooooow!!!

I didnt see it!!

The Ko Shamisen 1 is perfect! In Size and price!.

So, is possible to buy in Japan directly to Nitta san?.

I will be there between 20 March and 10 April.

4 questions:

  1. Is possible to use the regular size fingering tape on it?. Or the proportions changes? (like the pitagorean monochord).

  2. If the proportion of the numbers in the fingering tape are different, is possible to find japanese made standard smaller tape? Or everyone that buy this shamisen should make his own tape? (in Japan and other countries).

  3. The shamisen cames with a strong/resistent cardboard box for travel in the airplane?.

And
4) is possible to find soft cases in this size?

Best regards Kyle!

#4

And one more question: is possible to find smaller bachi?
The regular bachi that I found are so big for the 7 years ladies hands!

#5

Hi Bruno!

Nitta-san could have them sent directly to the place you are staying in Japan. He is in Sapporo, so direct pick up might be a little challenging.

Regarding your questions, there are some unfortunate issues with having a smaller shamisen. Mainly, the shorter neck means that the position mark strip (fujaku) will not fit or even bein the right scale for the KoShamisen. They are not sold for the smaller shamisen either. This means you will have to make your own, or simply use pieces of tape like I do in the crash course. :slight_smile:

If the shamisen I sent to your hotel/lodgings, you can take it on the plane in the box it was shipped to you in. No soft cases as far as I know. Unfortunately, there arent any special accessories made for this special shamisen. :wink:

For bachi, I don’t think smaller plastic bachi are made, but the flexible stick bachi used for sanshin works very well and is fun to use! :slight_smile:

Cheers!
Kyle

#6

Kyle or others- as a grandfather I would like to build a KoShamisen size instrument for my granddaughter. I think it will mean more to the family if I can build it. Can you share drawings and measurements of the KoShamison for DIY like me?

Can you also design and sell premade templates to cut out the wood for the KoShamisen?

KoShamisen
KoShamisen1166Ă—841 52.9 KB

Any assistance or tips for building a smaller shamisen? Are any different tools or techniques needed? Would the skin stretcher jig for the Tsugaru Shamisen also work on stretching skins for the KoShamisen?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

#7

Would taking the templates from the book and then reducing them to 75% size on a copy machine work to make a 3/4 sized Shamisen if you took all of the other measurements from the book and reduced them to 75% size? Is there a direct 3/4 ratio that would work when building a Kosamisen? If not 75% what would be a better number?

© 2020 Kyle Abbott