As the title says… what’s the instrument you want to play and you wish to play, but you don’t have one? And why? I would love to learn a loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooot of stuff! Well… the koto because it inspired me when I discovered of the guild for blind. I also love the 25-gen, because you can do ALL you want… musically talking. I mean, it has full potential to “compete” with some Western parents such as the harp… the harp! Or the biwa? Yeah, do you imagine? It’ll be kinda a coincidence… I’m blind… ahahah ok ok ok… yeah, but I’m more interested in the katarimono aspect… ahah! When I was 4, my parents wanted to give to me a violin. Oh sweet moments! I remember when I was trying to make a sound ahahah and it seemed something like “I was playing a camancheh instead”… unfortunately we sold the violin… what nostalgy! Yeah! I also want to play cello… I LOVE its sound! Or why not… hmmm… tar?
For now, it’s just the shamisen. For me, a uke and classical / flamenco guitar player mostly, the shamisen was a very exotic stringed instrument. I always respected the Japanese culture working at one of the biggest Japanese companies, loving the story of 47 ronin, and samurai history. So when I was hanging out in Los Angeles Little Tokyo and saw a couple playing, I just sat there mesmerized by the sound … and just 3 strings lol! And I thought the uke was minimalist lol. Of course later I found out they were playing shansin so go figure lol.
But struggling with Rokudan, I now realize this is far more than just 3 strings but calls for a lot of coordinated motion in both left and right hand (I’m talkin bout that darn bachizuke that is currently the bane of my existence right nowlol). Actually the coordination and timing / rhythm reminds me a lot of flamenco canta. Anyway for me, shamisen lol.
The only instrument at the moment that is really like to learn someday but don’t have at the moment is probably electric bass, as normal as that sounds 
I have a friend who’s learning and since I also play guitar it seems like a natural progression.
Shamisen is my main instrument though, and I wouldn’t have it any other way!
And hey Rob, if you re having trouble with bachizuke try drilling with Tsugaru Jinku, if you haven’t - it’s not an overly complex melody but the practically whole thing is in bachizuke. Sounds great too!
Ian, thanks for that! I didn’t see a lesson in the school so I will check with the interwebs.
You’re welcome! Yeah, I don’t think there is one, but sheet music is abundant (it’s also in kyles book) for this song and there are plenty of videos. Best of luck!
Both in California and here in Japan I’ve had the chance to study and practice the four stringed Chinese Pipa with various teachers. I even started to get “pretty good” at one point . However time really does not permit me to find any time to practice it these days. When I have practice time during the day it immediately goes to Shamisen and guitar and if I’m lucky I might get some Violin time in but it’s the Pipa that I really want to be able to shred on. It’s been a dream of mine for over a decade. I still have my Pipa which often makes appearances in the background of my YouTube videos but sadly I really haven’t sat down to practice it in a really painfully long time.
It’s gotten to the point that I’m actually a little scared to pick it up now for fear of being unforgivably rusty with everything I used to be able to do. But yes. If there is one instrument I wish I could have more time with its Definately the Pipa. Second place would probably go to the Indian Sitar.
Aside from shamisen?
Kokyuu, no doubt. It pops up in a lot of the local min’yo where I live.
I love the melancholy sound, and it’d be really cool to be able to play two instruments that work so well together. I’d be happy just to have a player around to play with though, ha.
But also the sound of someone who doesn’t know how to play violin (or basically someone who is just starting) can make a kokyu sound, lololololololololololol!
Pipa! Pipa? Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo PLEASE DON’T SAY “ok”… I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE it but don’t want to learn… because here if you want to know a pipa teacher… it’s better to move! Ahahah!
Even for more common (common… doubt) instruments (more diffused) it’s hard… such as celtic harp…
I mean, DIFFICULT
Ah Kevin, I inform you there is my friend in New York who plays pipa. Her name’s Lu