So if the Tsugaru shamisen is the loud/bold sounding Shamisen… is there a softer mellow tone shamisen?
I think the softer is the juita style, played with a chuuzao shamisen, jiuta koma and jiuta bachi. But for me the louder sounding is not the tsugaru but the gidayu. May someone confirm ?
Generally the sound level is related to the size of the dou. This is smallest on hosozao shamisen used in nagauta and kouta. Chuuzao shamisen are louder and futozao shamisen louder still. A tsugaru shamisen is a lot louder than your typical nagauta shamisen giving a very different effect.
Kouta performers don’t use bachi, they ‘finger pick’ although it is not really picking–you use the nail of your index finger like a bachi. This creates a very intimate and nuanced sound. It seems that chu-zao instruments are most often used for this.
so if the Hosozao Shamisen is the smallest Shamisen? The Sao is the same length as the rest? just the Dou is smaller and more square shaped? anyone have measurements of its Dou size?
any links, or info would be great! figured that would be ok to post cause its not in kyles book! :)- though i wished it was… hint hint…