This has probably been asked before but I after some searching I was unable to find an answer. I recently acquired my first shamisen and I was wondering if the “Shamisen of Japan” book will still be a good buy despite the fact my shamisen is a chuzao. I’d assume it is but is all the notation and sheet music still the same? Also, I’ve recently returned from Japan this week and I will be returning for 6 months starting next July. If bachido is doing anything during that time it would be great to play with you guys!
I may be wrong but i think the differences in notation does not come from the size of your shamisen but from the kind of music you play with it. The shuzao shamisen is mostly used to play jiuta music and the juita notation is different, but you can play all kind of music with your shuzao shamisen and the book you are talking about Is perfect of course.
Thanks!
and the plenty of notation included in the book is in easy to read tabulature format its a great bunch of included tunes to learn
Hi Christian!
Excellent question! Yes, the notation in the book can be used for chuzao and hosozao as well as futozao. 
As Patrick said, the differences really come when you want to focus on a particular style, but in general, it can work for them all.
Oh man, if you could get to Japan a week earlier…
Oh woah, I’ll try my best to get there a week earlier. Thanks for the response Kyle!
Excellent! Hope to see you there!
Oh! Slightly different news. There’s a high chance I’ll be playing with Ronin Taiko from Ft. Lauderdale in October. More news about it will come, but just letting you know, seeing that you’re fairly close!
Any chance it’s at the japanese morikami museum and garden? They are having a big festival in October. I met the ronin taiko backstage last year. I was hoping a shamisen player would eventually find their way down here. I finally got my hands on a shamisen, but I’m afraid it’s going to need some work.
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Oh really! I played with them at the Morikami museum last year in November. In fact, Bachido member Cody came by and we met.
This year, it will be at a different location. I forgot where, but it should be quite splendid and roomier.
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