My time has come to an end with the weekly Sangen (shamisen) blog postings. I started in late April of 2013. I was going to go one year but the final weeks in March and April of this year will be devoted to practicing Hana No Uta as we will be performing this piece in late April. Thus, there will not really be any news regarding my Sangen saga except for continuing to practice this song.
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
Many highs and lows with learning this instrument. First, based on my experience, it is a real handicap not to have a solid foundation in Western music (the general concepts and principles). I started with no knowledge whatsoever. In many cases, as the instructor tried to relate Japanese notation along with basic music terminology (like counting, rhythm, timing, upbeat, downbeat, rest, full note, half note, etc), I felt like I was learning three languages at the same time.
True, with no prior background, I could concentrate on Japanese notation and not worry about converting notes to Western notation in my head. But I have struggled not with the notation but with general music concepts of which I had no knowledge.
Second, the instructor is teaching me the same way past Sangen students have learned. Most of the pieces are concert pieces. That is, most of the music I have learned so far is to be played not as a solo but as accompaniment to the Koto and Shakuhachi.
I understand the reasoning behind this approach. However, I did not take up the Sangen to play with other instruments or to play before other people (outside of my immediate family). I wanted to learn the traditional Jiuta style of slow, melancholic, solo pieces that were played by Geishas as they entertained their guests. I wanted to entertain myself, not anyone else. Selfish? Perhaps. But this is what I desired when I began. This has been a huge disappointment.
As I continue with the Sangen in the future, I know I will have an opportunity to explore those types of pieces on my own. Why? Because when I retire, I will be moving out of state and thus will have little opportunity to continue lessons with my current instructor or anyone else. Sangen Masters are few and far between.
My disappointment is just as great with myself. After nearly a year playing, I have learned exactly four songs. When I say "learned," that is, I can read the sheet music and play it, after a fashion. I am not very good--even after a year and hundreds of hours of practice.
My instructor tells me that every person learns at their own pace. The Master is extremely patient and always encouraging. But frankly, my "pace" is just too darn slow. Too often I just don't get it. I want to get it, but I don't. I have kept this frustration mostly in check, but sometimes it overwhelms me.
On the upside, I love the instrument and the sound it makes WHEN I play it correctly, which, as mentioned above, is not very often. It is challenging and makes my old brain do things it is not used to doing. Practicing daily brings a peaceful consistency and normalcy to my life; Zen-like meditation, if you will.
The Sangen, along with the Koto, are the only musical instruments I have ever wanted to learn. And so, with continuing faith in the future, I will start learning the Koto in about a month.
I will not be giving up the Sangen, but learning the Koto concurrently. This will definitely slow me down on both instruments, but I like challenges. Will I do any better with the Koto? I doubt it. Those people blessed with musical abilities can usually transfer those to another instrument with ease. Those with limited musical talent (that's definitely me), often find other instruments just as challenging as the one they first learned on.
So why learn the Koto? Again, because of the sound it makes and the way it makes me feel inside when I hear it played. As I near retirement, I will have plenty of time to play the only instruments I truly love. Play them well? Probably not. But if we only did the things we excel in, we would soon grow bored and too self-content.
So, this is the end of the Sangen blog. I will begin a Koto blog soon. Look for it in the future and join me in the journey. But as for now, goodbye. Thanks for coming along for the ride.
