As the lesson begins, I am still having some difficulty holding the bachi consistently for any length of time. It continues to get out of position in my hand as the lesson (or practice for that matter) progresses. Maybe my hand is built wrong! I am seriously considering investigating making my own bachi with plastic resin and a custom mold to fit my hand better. I'll let you know if I pursue that.
In addition, the positioning of the sangen often needs correction. I hold it one way at the lessons and another way at home during practice. I need to be more consistent in how the sangen is held along with the height of the sao in relationship to my body. Frustrating.
My instructor has determined we need to go on to new material and we do so in a big way. A little overwhelming. I'm a bit slow on the uptake so I think it has taken me longer than the instructor would have liked for me to have some kind of consistency in playing the sangen, especially in regards to transitioning the notes. It has taken me a long time to get any better at strumming an ito at the same time my finger has been placed into the right position on the sao. By no means have I mastered this technique, but I am getting better.
Although briefly introduced in Week 6, we go headlong into the back strumming of the san and ni no itos. This technique is known as "sukui bachi." As mentioned in the last post, it is where you back strum the ito with the bachi. Gives you a completely different sound.
The sukui bachi technique is introduced using the san and ni no itos. In addition, we move on to 1/16 notes where the sukui bachi technique is used very quickly on the itos with an initial downward stroke and then backward with a rapid flip of the bachi edge. Going slow is easy--going this faster speed is not.
Next, we tackle a new position--position 4 on both the san and itchi no ito. I get confused at first because I assumed we would first learn the number 2 and 5 positions on the itchi no ito before moving to the number 4 position--like we did with the san and ni no itos. My confusion is apparent and so I ask my instructor why the jump to the 4 position before exploring the number 2 and 5 positions on the itchi no ito.
My teacher explains that with the open string notes, the number 2 and 5 positions on the san and ni no ito, the sukui bachi technique, and now the number 4 position on the san and itchi no ito, I will be able to play a lot more songs--with the addition of one more technique. That's when I am also introduced to hajiki, the plucking of the itos on the sao with the fingers.
The ito plucking with the fingers sounds easy but it's not. For now, the hajiki is done only on the san no ito, in the open position and in position 5. I keep missing the san no ito in the open position as the technique requires you to open your left hand completely, your thumb anchored against the sao, and then curve downward all four fingers catching the san no ito with your first finger.
Hajiki is a bit easier in the number 5 position on the san no ito because you use your third finger (ring finger) to strum the ito. You wouldn't think plucking some strings with your fingers would be tough, but the special technique you have to use complicates matters.
With the positions and techniques now learned (but definitely not mastered), the ability to play many more notes is possible. Surprisingly, I am having an easier time with the number 4 position on the san no ito than I did when first introduced to the number 5 position. Maybe this is because of the previous practice with number 5 or perhaps it is just simpler to locate. The number 4 position is halfway between the number 1 position and the number 5 position on the sao.
The number 4 position on the itchi no ito is a little more difficult because you have to reach all the way over to the top string with your index finger. Remember, at this point in the sangen instruction, you are using only one finger, your index finger, to play the notes on the sao.
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