I am looking for more sheet music, both traditional Japanese shamisen music and modern songs. Of course I can’t seem to find any in the local stores. Does anyone know a good place to find more? Is their any music that is written for another instrument that might still translate well for the shamisen? For example, when I used to play xylophone, if their was no part written for that instrument, I was given flute music to play on the xylophone instead. Any suggestions?
Monica,
One thing I would recommend if you want to get your hands on a great collection of scores covering many of the popular traditional Tsugaru shamisen songs is Kyle Abbott’s Amazing book. But I do have good news which will partially answer your question about modern scores.
The good news about that is well…
This Very Website!
For a while now Kyle (and I and others too) have discussed the same thing that you talk about which is the fact that modern songs, or songs/tunes not native to Japanese tradition are simply not available in shamisen score.
But fear not! Although it’s not going to happen overnight both Kyle And I have already started the task of transcribing songs just for bachido. So far we have dished out the full two player sheet music for KODO by the Yoshida brothers and I am currently working on transcribing a cello suite by J.S.Bach arranged for shamisen solo.
If you are thinking of a specific tune you want to find a transcription for you can always send us a request.
Other sheet music we are planning to post for shamisen here on bachido includes
Folk music from around the world.
I’m trying to learn Storm by Yoshida brothers at the moment and if anyone already has notations/tabs for it please share but otherwise i’ll try to tab it while learning
storm would be great ! and like I have mentioned in a similar thread a while ago I would so appreciate and love to see tabs for kizuna sometime . . .
oh and “folk music from around the world” sounds great looking forward to that too . . .
Of course I have Kyle’s book already, but I will be looking forward to more pieces being transcribed.
So!..
i’ve started the “work” (a.k.a lame try) on Storm and… this is what i got so far… So what i want here is that someone and everyone with shamisen plays it and tells me if it sounds right or wrong and make some improvements and this way we will someday have the song 
(hopefully) So everyone please help
(KEVINN!!! KYLE!! GRANTT!!! MIKE!! yeah especially you guys because you can play other Yoshida Brothers songs already)
and uh this doesn’t have the intro in it… atleast yet, but someone can help make it 
So the " is Hajiki (flick) and ^ is sukui (upstroke)
–6-6-6-6----6-6-6-6-4-4-----------------------------------------
0—"-^-"-0-----"-^-"—^–0--------------------------------------
i will continue this later with more time… this time i only had 15 min and i have a feeling that something isn’t right here 
http://www.shamimaster.com/gakufu.html
include japanese, but I added English,I hope I will be your help.
A lot of songs there, check it out folks. Thanks!
Toshi~
Great post man! Thank you so much!