Starting to learn a style

[britt]

Dear Friends!
I’m an absolute beginner shamisen lover and learner… I have a nice little Hosozao shamisen and I have a fantastic japanese teacher, who teaches me on my instrument’s own style.
I love it very much, but I know that finally (when I will be ready) I will buy a Tsugaru shamisen.
Do you think I will have to learn everything from the beginning when I will change the instrument?
…or is it possible to learn the basics on this, and then “just” change to the style and the technique of the Tsugaru…?

Thanks in advance for your kind help.

[Brandon]

Hello my friend, in my short knowledge i can tell you that when you get a Futozao you will have most of the techniques or some of them, it will not be that hard tho. The difference of the Tsugaru style is that is more rhythmic and you need to strike those strings and skin.
I might be wrong tho, but you have some learning already tho. When i started Tsugaru Style was with no knowledge of techniques, it was a bit hard… Well still getting use to it

[Brown]

There are differences, but it’s nothing to worry about.

The very basic techniques (hajiki, sukui, tataki, suberi, uchi) are all the same - although sukui and tataki do have stylistic differences. The posture is also different, as the instrument is held at a slightly more upwards incline. Beyond this, as @Brandon implied, there is a strong rhythmic component that is characteristic. Fundamentally, it is a regular variation between weak and strong. In tatakibachi, this manifests as two (or three) strike points on the dou. One (mae) is roughly the same as the nagauta strike point, the other (ushiro) is in the lower third of the dou. An alternative third position (naka) is used by some players to further add dynamics.

In hikibachi (best known as Chikuzan style), there isn’t much (if any) movement from the mae or naka position. Instead, the striking force is altered - and the strikes themselves are less aggressive pushing the string sound to the forefront.