Hi all…Josh here (back from forever ago! )
I’d like to think that having a video to contribute is worth my absence!
So I’ve had some decent down time with this new gig I’m doing and I figured what better way to work on my ambassadorial skills then to brush up on my shamisen’ing whenever I can!
So, erhem, I humbly ask for any and all of your reactions, creative opinions, critiques, questions and so on.
EX) Your bachi-zuke is crap!!! Get better! >w
Sounds like you’ve got most of it down pretty damn solid bro! I think you just need to practice it more. The main two things that I noticed are that you are off pitch on the higher notes sometimes (aren’t we all), and the second is that you could be more convincing on the ichi no ito part. I am currently focusing a lot on that part and I find that it helps to practice that only, instead of moving on to the rest of the song and feeling sad about not nailing that first part. It helps a lot to have a metronome because it is important that you get a solid beat going on.
Impressed though!
Some inspiration perhaps? http://youtu.be/bxj8tfdnzpI
Thanks a lot Karl as always!
I haven’t watched that video in quite a long time! Thanks for brining that back for me! And I will make note of my ichi no ito for sure. “Convincing” is a really great way to put it, so I’ll pay special attention as I record/rerecord myself in the coming attempts! And of course all other points regarding intonation are sincerely noted as well! Much appreciated! (I’ll have to find a metronome is that music room…I’m sure there is one hiding around somewhere! )
Thanks a lot Karl as always!
I haven’t watched that video in quite a long time! Thanks for brining that back for me! And I will make note of my ichi no ito for sure. “Convincing” is a really great way to put it, so I’ll pay special attention as I record/rerecord myself in the coming attempts! And of course all other points regarding intonation are sincerely noted as well! Much appreciated! (I’ll have to find a metronome is that music room…I’m sure there is one hiding around somewhere! )
Welcome back, Josh! It’s been a while, indeed! Are you teaching english at another school? Or doing completely different work entirely? (I think I heard you mention it somewhere, but I forgot :-S)
Firstly, I have to commend you dressing smartly for the video! Grant would be proud. 
I like your left hand technique too. You have a relaxed looseness yet precision that takes a while to achieve!
I would agree with Karl too. It’s very solid, only the ichi no ito might need some more concentration in order to match with the rest of your performance on the other two strings. I would heartily suggest swinging from the arm more than the wrist. Though your wrist does move too, you should feel 80%+ of the power coming from the force of the arm. Once the arm swing started feeling natural, my ichi no ito tone became waaay more consistent.
It’s nice to see your musical update. You’re continually going in the right direction! 
(and that’s what it’s all about, right? None of us will ever reach “perfection”, but it’s always satisfying when we feel to be making progress.)
Where are you playing? I couldn’t help but notice all the koto behind you! 
Thanks Kyle!
It’s nice to have something post-worthy again!
Bachi control has always been a point of concern for me and the arm swing is something I admit to neglecting. I’ve noticed as I attempt to steady my wrist as I put more power through the swing I end up tensing my wrist quite a lot. It’s time to really focus on break old habits and building some newer ones. I’ll report back with my take on this as I continue working on it.
I think for now I’m going to apply a low speed limit while playing and see how that works for muscle development.
As for a quick *me update:
I chose to move on from the previous conversation school gig in favor of assistant teaching in public schools. Took a salary cut but gained lots from it. One thing being access to my school’s music room which, as you keenly noted, has about 10 koto in it.
Might get my hands on some lessons with our schools instructors help!
I really like it! I think Karl and Kyle have both fully addressed the technical issues so now it’s time for the Ass Clown Ego Maniac (Me) to add his two cents. Are you ready? Ok. I hope so, cause here I go…
So the one thing I felt is that in my humble opinion you are a bit too “Serious”. Perhaps some might use the expression “Stiff” in place of serious but for me it felt a bit like you could have used a little more Craziness /Wildness . My favorite Yosare Bushi’s are the ones that just sound like they are going nuts. I strongly feel that the “Best” Tsugaru Shamisen examples are from people who are totally uninhibited. Chikuzan was like that for me. Almost like they are tripping or heavily intoxicated but still totally in control of the music they are creating. Like I said, I really like your performance here but I just felt that if you let loose more it would elevate the whole thing up to an Epic level.
I know all of this is easy to say but might be confusing in terms of “How do I go about creating a more wild feeling in my Shamisen playing?” well for me personally the answer has always been to take from life. It’s all about the energy of extremes and feeling the good and bad together. Having a bad day. Getting your heart broken, dealing with stress or having an especially good day in which your energy seems to flow effortlessly are all chances to get into the wild zone. When you have negative experiences you might feel a block in your energy flow. Use that like a rubber band. If you can snap back from any kind of negative feeling by the power of the Shamisen strings the result tends to be quite a bit more powerful and wild in terms of emotion.
Similarly if you are in the peak moment of a good experience you might have a “I don’t give a ¥&@$ !” attitude. In this case you can also freely express a wider range of emotion and let your inner craziness burst forth through pure excitement.
I strongly feel that however you go about achieving this, through positive or negative emotion that your playing will blossom ten fold when you can reach a deeper emotional Craziness. Don’t worry so much about playing perfectly. Don’t make it such a “Serious” endevour! Let go of the need to sound good In front of other people and just let the playing come from your inner emotional center ! Whatever emotion you are feeling. Play only for that. Screw everything else. Know what I’m sayin homie?
Bachi On !!!
Good tips Kevin. I think we all need that. A happy musician making mistakes is still entertaining for the listener.
Hey Karl, can you meet up later?
Kevin! Send me your domestic phone number sometime! I have to tell/ask you a few things!
Kyle, let’s meet on Skype. No more domestic phone here. Just cell phones.ごめんね！
Oh snap! Ryoukai!
Hey Karl, can you meet up later?
Yes, I’ll be online at the time you suggested! This thread is getting hijacked!
Ah, I’ll ask now while I have you here, were you able to send Masahiro the box of Resonance? He’s been gaman-ing for a super long time.
Also! Just reminding that when you have some free time, if you could make a short introduction video for your Schoolhouse Instructor profile, that would be awesome!!
Yes, I’ll be online at the time you suggested! This thread is getting hijacked!
Call it my Supremo Privilege.
All of this has been in code. It’s all actually comments and critiques on Josh’s video. Let’s see if Josh can break the code . Hint= Domestic and Skype stand for the opening and closing riffs of Yosare bushi!
Hey Kevin! Thanks for the input! I’ll try to decipher everything in good time!
As for being “serious” - yeah, in the clip I’m actually still reading the tabs and playing along so I felt a bit overly focused for sure. But I hear ya! Sometimes there are good days, and then there are good days if you know what I’m saying. So hopefully I can channel everything in a bit more towards that kind of playing. I’ll try to make mental notes as I continue and share any revelations I come upon on this quest!
S’all good about the “hijack” as it kicks this thread back up again, but I do intend to keep this going a for while longer so whatever’s’clever!
That’s a great point by Kevin. I think amazing musicianship and hilarious joke telling require the same skill - Emotion!
I might’ve mentioned this before, but a few years ago, our honky tonk group (The Abbott Brothers) was joined by a 16 year old violin prodigy. Amazingly good, but neither his face nor his playing had expression. My friend in the audience was almost regretful. He could see the kid was good, but didn’t feel anything because the he was like a statue.
Many bluegrass friends I know spend hours a day practicing their riffs and licks, thinking that the better you play, the better a performer you are. On the other hand, I’ve been thoroughly entertained by players half as proficient, but their emotion is pouring through their instrument. They’re giving it all they have, and that is the spark! Though we may not all know the same musics or the same art, I think all of us connect when the artist can express their emotion through their craft.
Comedians are the same way. You can make a science out of comedic timing and setting up punchlines, but what really makes a comedian stand out is the emotion they give. Comedians like Kevin Hart or Bill Burr (personal favorites) have great timing and tell stories hilariously, but what also adds depth is the emotion they express. Amid laughing at their stories, you can almost feel their frustrations in life.
So, what’s my point… ah yes! Though I’m not ‘denouncing’ striving for proficiency, I do think the effort to connect one’s emotions through their craft is an often overlooked aspect of art, but is more influential than actual proficiency. The best part is, there’s no right or wrong way to express emotions. Like comedians, their personalities are all different! You can express happiness, confusion, calmness, rage, anything you’re feeling at the moment! When you figure out how to connect your feelings to your craft, it won’t require practice, and we can all feel it instantly, because if there’s one thing that connects us social creatures together, it’s emotion.
Owari!
Hell, I just wish I could play that well.
Hey Keith!
Whoa nellie, imagine my surprise to see your profile picture! Wow, it is a small world, indeed!