The Akita Nikata Bushi Challenge!

Events
#1

Yo Bachido! (that’s a rhyme if you didn’t notice)

So it was suggested to me that I host the Akita Nikata Bushi Challenge since I talked about how I started learning it. Well, here it is!

Basically I do not have any prize but we at Bachido simply want YOU to try and learn more songs as it will improve your technique and badassness.

The song is played with a pattern that involves using quite some force while slipping from one string to the next, then lift the bachi and hit the string you slipped to again and then strike it yet again with an upstroke. To learn this song, you will have to gradually learn this technique by starting SLOW.

It’s great fun, and you will hopefully enjoy your own progress. This song will make you a better shamisen player for sure.

Don’t forget that the song is tuned in Honchoushi!

Here is my first attempt. Now I’m not playing 100% to what Kyle’s book says but that’s where I learned it from.There’s a lot of mistakes but that’s why this is a challenge for me to. I also kinda play it twice. And since I have new strings the thing went out of tune towards the end :stuck_out_tongue:

So obviously I have to challenge myself just as any player out there. I want to be able to stand on one leg on a pole in the ocean and play this song without a single mistake.

So start practicing and show your progress!

#2

I want to be able to stand on one leg on a pole in the ocean and play this song without a single mistake.

Challenge accepted.

#3

Your move.

#4

In response to this, I’d like to say I want to see more videos like this, and, as Kevin was saying the other day, we should think about doing cool, crazy things like this more often to better advertise and get the word out about our hogaku community. Great vid Kyle.

#5

Love it Kyle!
I think I’ll start with just the song… lol.
Later!

#6

Haha! Man, it was supposed to be just a metaphore, but you really did it! Great job!

PS. Fun fact that you had trouble saying the name of the song. I think I had to restart my video recording like 5 times because I kept messing it up. One time I started smiling and got off track because I felt so dumb saying it wrong all the time.

#7

Lol! Great stuff

#8

awesome . . . what a great example of being in tune with nature and all :slight_smile:

#9

Man, Kyle, the whole time I was watching that I just kept thinking, “SO MUCH DEADLY MOISTURE! NOOOOOOOO!!!”

I assume you weren’t using your best shamisen for that, right? Right…? Please tell me you weren’t.

#10

Karl,

I’d like to compliment you on the positioning of your instrument and bachi hand ! Looks very stable!

Kyle on the other hand looks like he was having a little bit of trouble with “Stability!” Ahhhhh! Just kidding of course! Kyle , you are one Crazy kid!

負けないぞ!

(not even sure if that’s the right kanji) anyway I’ve resurrected my Akita Nikata Bushi practice schedule now! I don’t know if I’ll go as far as getting into the water though. 笑!

#11

Really Kevin? A bit funny because when I watched it myself it looks like my bachi hand is wasting a lot of energy. It looks like it doesn’t really know where its going. It doesn’t feel like that when I play but in the video it looks like it. I guess some of it comes from me not knowing the song by heart so sometimes its kind of “oh yeah I need to move here now”. Its a bit stupid to compare myself with the masters after only a year of playing. I don’t see any hurt in having goals though :wink:

I’m not selling myself short, I just want to point out that I can see in what way I can improve from where I am now.

I must be getting better for sure though if it feels right when I play and you tell me that its improved! Thanks!

Looking forward to your new version of Akita Nikata. The one already on youtube is already awesome so lets hope you can top that one. Kyle’s version was really entertaining but I’m hoping on a more “balanced” version :slight_smile:

And for the rest of you, just get your videos uploaded as soon as possible! Just upload what you’ve got, because you will leave an even better impression if you post an early version and then a better version later when you’ve practiced more.

#12

Nice playing Karl, it doesnt look like your wasting energy at all mate, your bachi hand looks so solid man!

#13

During yesterday’s awesome jam session with Brian Mitsumoto Wong (who will be performing at the Japanese Hougaku: New Sounds from America and Japan concert in March), he pulled out the shakuhachi and after five minutes of just improvising and noodling, we/I found ourselves shifting into Akita Nikata Bushi (albeit a bit slower and bluesier perhaps)!

So, I bring to you - Take 2!

#14

There is no escaping the call of Akita Nikata! Great stuff!

#15

Oh, thank you for sharing that! Maybe I’ll learn Akita Nikata some day too!
Hearing the shakuhachi was a great inspiration for me! I’ll start playing some right away! Awesome!

#16

Give it a try, Anne! There’s nothing wrong with playing it slow too. :slight_smile:

#17

Haven’t tried this song yet, but the notation looks quite difficult.

By the way, what’s that number “3” in the notation over “430” parts?

#18

By the way, what’s that number “3” in the notation over “430” parts?

Oy, my curse.
The ‘3’ is meant as a triplet, though I shoulda used another font.
Gerry showed me official shamisen notation which had a ‘3’ above ‘430’ as well.

#19

K H, as I said, go for the pattern I described first. Once you can play that it will be much easier reading and understanding the notation because your right hand will move by itself.

And I agree with Kyle, its cool slow too. I usually tend to make songs a bit jazzy when I can only play them slow, as a way of making the learning progress more interesting.

#20

Hiroshi Nitta’s entry for the Akita Nikata Bushi challenge!

© 2020 Kyle Abbott