Hey guys, I just discovered the shamisen and am very interested in getting one. After some research, I think I want to play Tsugaru-jamisen style and it looks like a Futozao shamisen is the way to go. However, I was wondering if the type of shamisen would make much of a difference as a beginner. I have a decade of guitar experience and about 4~5 years of ukulele under my belt. What kind of shamisen would be best for me?
Hi there.
If youâre just starting out, the answer is pretty simple : whatever you can get the most cheaply and expediently will be your best option.
For more specifics:
If youâre interested in tsugaru youâll want to look at a an instrument with a squared off neck (referred to on the bachido site as a Jiuta-style neck), chuuzao width, and as big a body as you can swing.
A squared off neck shows up in a wide variety of widths, but is most commonly found in the chuuzao ~ futozao continuum (2.6 cm ~ 3.5 cm). Using this style of neck will give you access to the higher pitches on the second octave of the shamisen neck. While these positions arenât commonly used in regular minâyo or other genres, Tsugaru arrangements tend to use them.
A chuuzao or wider neck will make certain tsugaru left handed playing techniques (kamashi, particularly) easier to perform. Coming from guitar, it will likely also feel more comfortable in your hands.
A larger body if you can manage, but you may not need to chase down a full size 5ć性 (go-bu-dai). A larger body will let you get into the habit of bachidzuke, the typical backback-forwardforward rhythm of what we usually call tsugarubiki (or tsugaru playing). Bachidzuke is completely possible on smaller bodies, but learning how the different positions on the body sound is worthwhile.
tl;dr:
Do worry about
Cheapest, quickest
If you have choices
Ideally 2.6 cm or wider neck (Chuuzao)
Ideally 98~100 cm total length (full size)
Ideally 19 cm body or larger (Go-rin-dai ~ ichi bu go rin dai ~ yon bu dai ~ go bu dai)
Donât worry about:
Wood Type
Skin Type
Azuma Sawari vs Yamasawari
Ayasugibori vs Maruuchi
Zouge/Ivory vs Ebony vs Bekkou/Shell
Tochi
Kinhoso
Mitsuori vs Nobezao
Chipping on the Tenjin
Look at/Search for/inquire about:
Minâyo, Jiuta, Tsugaru
Hey again,
Thanks! This has been super helpful. I also have some more questions regarding bachi. Is it the same deal, the cheaper the better? And are there different types of bachi for different playstyles and preferences (like the different thicknesses of guitar picks)? Would this matter for me?
I donât want to be âone of those peopleâ but there are lots of great threads on bachi. I encourage to do a search and read up. Lots of helpful information there.
As a fellow beginner, my advice is buy the cheapest bachi you can find that is not solid wood or solid plastic. More specifically, look for something with a little bit of flexibility: acrylic, faux bekkou, or even real bekkou if you run across some outstanding deal. This will likely cost you somewhere between $100 and your left kidney. If you have to (or really, really want to) stay under $100, solid plastic is probably your best bet. Iâve heard too much about wood breaking, and Iâve made a wood one or two and they were fragile.
As far as styles goes, if you want to play tsugaru, get a tsugaru bachi. It will work for other playing styles and other shamisen (if you end up not getting a tsugaru for your first one), and I think tsugaru-style bachi offer the best combination of weight, size, flexibility, etc. There are technically different thickness available, I guess, but I think you will hear this expressed more in terms of flexibility. Kyle rates all of the bachi on bachido.com by flexibility, for instance.
Once last piece of advice: take your time and buy something used but in good shape. Same advice for your shamisen, too. I did this and I donât regret it for a second. If you really, really want something new, buy from Kyle/bachido.com. Heâs got great stuff at great prices. And his âMade in Santa Cruzâ shamisen will be unbeatable!
By the way, @Brownâs above advice is outstanding and incredibly detailed. This is the best info on sizes/styles that I have seen.
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@Chris is spot on as regards the forum resources, but as I happen to have time now, I donât mind chirping up again ;p.
As before, your biggest concerns should be cost and expediency. There are differences between materials, but at theyâre minor. Technique is the most important factor, which you canât beginning training until you have one!
Letâs talk specifics:
Bachi come in a wide range of weights and sizes that correlate roughly with genre - but player preference has a massive impact on what gets used.
A stereotypical, modern tsugaru bachi caps out around 18.5 cm in length. Usually, its weight will top out in the neighborhood of 170g,That said, many bachi are comparatively lighter (~120g range) and acrylic bachi may clock in under 100g! Length is also variable, and one may find bachi that are barely 16 cm if one looks. Some players may also use bachi which we might class as minâyo (19.5~20.5 cm range), since tsugaru is really just a minâyo sub-genre.
All that said:
In terms of bachi selection, youâre really looking for the right balance, weight, and flexibility for your comfort and sound preferences. Which is hard to do from looking online. If you can, try to meet up with another player and get a grip on one to understand how they fit your hand and where the weight sits.
If you end up buying used, youâll need to pay attention to the condition of the blade. Chipping along the center/front most portion isnât a concern, but be wary of damage to the left and right tips. Sharp breaks can be fixed with sanding, but depending on the material youâll need to take extra care. If the tips are rounded, theyâve likely been fixed before - this is very common and shouldnât be worried about.
tl;dr
Do worry about
Cost
Comfort
Sharp chips (be ready to fix them!)
If you can
Get a bachi in hand in person to figure out the size and weight you like before buying.
Donât worry about
Material
Rounded Tips
If youâre buying blind
Go with a lighter, smaller bachi. Hedge your bets against wrist fatigue.
Thanks Again!
You guys are awesome.