Shamisen Week 24 Lesson

This was an exciting and frustrating week combined. The excitement came when the sangen I purchased from a friend of the sensei finally arrived from Japan.

The instrument was made sometime in the 1950s in Japan. It was used professionally by the friend's mother before the mother passed the instrument down to her daughter (at about the age of 10). This individual then used the instrument for the past 50 years (also professionally). When my sensei was in Japan for a concert tour, she contacted this friend to see if she had any sangens to sell. The friend graciously consented to sell me this instrument.

The sao is made of Kokutan. Kokutan (ebony) is from the native Okinawan tree Ryukyu Kokutan or Ryukyu Symplocaceae. In olden times, this tree was often used to make ebony saos for sangens. Unfortunately, for the most part, this is way too expensive today. There are not many sangens now being played that have solid ebony saos. In fact, the only ebony sao on a sangen that I have seen is the one my sensei plays and some pictures of sangen museum pieces.

Additionally, the sao has gold inlay where the joints of the three pieces fit together. The cut lines are so fine and the joints so tight you have to hunt for them--they are not easily discovered. A new dog skin covers the dou. Pre-ban ivory itomaki finish this work of art.

I don't wish to sound corny, but I am surely not worthy of playing this fine instrument. However, I will try my best. At the very least, I can admire both its sound and beauty.

The frustration came with understanding playing on the "off-beat" and understanding the musical notation of 1/8 notes on the beat and on the off-beat. I wish I could explain it better or that the sensei could explain it better. I am struggling with this. Let's just say I don't completely "get" the right tempo and timing of one practice piece we have been playing (Lesson 19 on this blog). Timing, tempo, pauses, etc. are everything (obviously) in music. So this lack on my part is disheartening. But I keep on trying.