How shamisen are playedĪ shamisen player sits in the seiza position (on the knees, legs folded under) on the floor with the resonator resting on the right thigh and the neck at about a 45-degree angle. To protect the side of the resonator in contact with the performer's plectrum wielding arm, a decorative embroidered cover (dokake) is tied on. A patch of hide (bachigawa) is glued to the soundboard between the bridge and the rim of the resonator frame to help strengthen the kawa against frequent contact with the sharp edge of the plectrum (bachi) used to pluck the strings. At the top end each is wound around a tuning peg, at the other end each is tied to a silk string holder (neo) that loops around the end stub of the neck (nakagosaki) where it exits from the bottom of the resonator and serves as the tailpiece.Ī low bridge (koma) is placed under and held in place by the strings on the top face of the resonator. Three nylon (or, traditionally silk) strings of differing gauges run the length of the instrument. A buzzing effect, also called sawari, is created when this particular string is vibrating. Only the lowest-tuned string actually is in contact with the upper edge of this niche. Secondly, a shallow trough or niche (sawari) is carved across the fingerboard just below the nut. At the point where the neck becomes the pegbox a subtle but important pair of features are in place that contribute to the desired sound of this instrument.įirst, a nut/bridge (kami-goma) made from rolled-up brass runs partially across the neck, so that the two higher-pitched strings pass over it, but not the third string. A pegbox (itogura) with three laterally mounted friction tuning pegs (itomaki) tops the neck. ![]() The long fretless neck (sao) is typically constructed of three joined segments of wood, and can be disassembled for ease of transport. The top and bottom openings of this frame are covered with stretched hides (kawa) of dog or cat skin that are glued to it. The resonator (do) is a square wood frame about four inches deep constructed from four slightly arched slats of wood (usually redwood or Chinese quince). I hope you will discover this “buzzing” sound and enjoy the richness of shamisen music.The shamisen is a spike lute, meaning that the neck passes through the walls and interior of the resonator. The overtones resonate with the 2nd and 3rd (highest) strings, and the whole instrument resonates to produce a more vibrant sound. Sawari is created because the 1st (lowest) string slightly touches a small bump called the sawari-yama at the top of the neck. The word also refers to the instrument’s structure that produces these sounds. Sawari is comprised of overtones that create shamisen’s unique “buzzing” sound and is one of the most important aspects of shamisen music. Most of the strings are made of silk, but recently, more durable strings that are made of nylon were developed. When the strings are plucked with a plectrum, it also strikes the body at the same time and creates a unique percussive sound.ĭifferent types of bridges and plectrums are used to perform various genres. The vibration of the strings is transferred to the body, and the whole instrument resonates. Three strings are strung to the instrument, and a bridge is placed on the body. Shamisen is consist of a drum-like body and a long neck. Shamisen has been one of the most beloved Japanese instruments not only because of its versatility as an accompaniment for songs and jyōruri but its appeal as a virtuosic instrument. In Osaka, Giday ū Tekemoto created a very popular form of jyōruri called gidayū-bushi, which has been performed in puppet theater.Ĭurrently, there are three types of instruments – hosozao (small), chūzao (midsize) and futozao (large) – and various genres were developed to utilize the strengths of each instrument. Shamisen music flourished the most during the mid-Edo period, and many new genres that are still being performed to this day, such as nagauta and jiuta, were born. Since then, shamisen has been used to accompany jyōruri (Japanese ballad drama) as well as shamisen-kumiuta, a genre of songs that are sung while playing the instrument. At first, the instrument was played by biwa (Japanese lute) minstrels but was modified during the early Edo period (1603 – 1867), and the current form of shamisen was created. Shanshin was first introduced to Japan during the Eiroku era (1558 – 1570) of the Muromachi period (1338 – 1573) when it was brought to the port of Sakai City. Here, it was modified to a smaller instrument called sanshin. ![]() The origin of shamisen can be traced back to China’s sanxian, which was brought to Okinawa during the Ming dynasty (1368 – 1644).
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