Shamisen Week 14 Lesson

No moss is growing under the sao. As with last week's lesson, the sensei has moved on to new material. This week I learned two new techniques that act like new notes. The first is the "grace note."

Not sure why it is called that. Think of it as a koki on steroids. In the standard koki, you play the note (the note appears in the music with what looks like a large letter "C" underneath it), then you move your fingernail down the ito to the correct position, making a sound as you go. If it is Position 4, san no ito koki, then you play Position 4 and slide your finger nail down the ito to Position 5. If it is Position 4, ni no ito koki, then you play Position 4 and slide your fingernail down the ito to Position 7.

In the grace note, you quickly slide your fingernail down the ito without pausing to a new position on the sao. You move your entire hand down the sao to the correct position while pressing down with your index finger on the ito involved and then lifting quickly. In effect, it is a koki that is speeded up and does NOT stop on the next note listed after the grace note (as you do with a standard koki).

This is extremely hard to master and my fingers are flying all over the place making for some interesting noi...I mean music as the grace note is played. Fun stuff--weird sounds!

Much easier is the Uchi Yubi usually shortened to just Uchi. The uchi is a notation just to the left of the note that you are supposed to play telling you NOT to play the note by strumming the ito but instead quickly snap or press your index finger down at that note. This causes a different sound from the note originally intended.

For example, in an uchi on Position 2, ni no ito, the symbol for this note is listed in the tablature with the uchi symbol just to the left of it. When this uchi symbol appears, strum the ni no ito in the open position, then quickly snap your index finger down on Position 2.

My instructor, while discussing the difficulty of mastering the sangen, said again that it would take me about three years to play well. I still don't have a problem with that. I ain't doin' nothin' else interesting! However, the sensei continued on saying that we were near the end of learning new techniques and notes such that we will be through that phase of our lessons together and soon move on to mastering songs.

I find that hard to believe. I'm not sure if I understood the instructor correctly on that or not. If it's true, I'm surprised since new stuff just keeps on coming week after week! We'll see.