Getting the hang of sanshin playing! Practice for Beginners

Mastering the basic posture

Begin by holding the sanshin correctly.
As a beginner, place the sanshin on your left knee and support it firmly so that the instrument is stable.
Correct posture is the first step in producing a beautiful sound.

Learning the Basic Playing Techniques

There are two basic ways to play the sanshin: "down" and "up.
First, play the sanshin "down" correctly.
Practice plucking the strings with your fingers and plectrum, and try to make each note sound beautiful.
The "up plucking" is often used in fast tempo songs, especially in kachashis,
It is recommended that you start playing it after you have become accustomed to the sanshin.

Start with easy songs

It is important for beginners to start with relatively easy songs.
　We recommend songs such as "Jyukyu no Haru" and "Asariya Yunta.
By practicing repeatedly, you will gradually become accustomed to playing them.

Practice short phrases repeatedly

Choose a part of a song or a short phrase and practice it repeatedly.
This is effective for songs in which difficult phrases appear locally, such as hiyamikachi verses.
This method will help you get used to difficult positional shifts, etc., and improve your playing technique.

Practice making the correct sound.

The sound of the sanshin varies greatly depending on where the strings are plucked.
The transposition of the strings can cause unevenness in pronunciation.
This is because the position where the strings are struck is not stable.
By practicing to produce the sound with the correct position of the strings,
you will be able to produce a clear and beautiful sound.

Developing a Sense of Rhythm

Practicing with a metronome helps develop a sense of rhythm.
For beginners, rhythm fundamentals before groove and rhythm independence are
A metronome is effective.
Practice so that you will be able to accurately beat the rhythm to the tune.

Practice while having fun

The most important thing about practicing the sanshin is to have fun while doing it.
Practice while challenging yourself to your favorite songs and feeling the joy of playing them,
You will stay motivated and improve faster.
The sanshin goes well with pop music as well as Okinawan music.
So don't be afraid to try your hand at playing pop songs.

Sanshin playing skills will certainly improve with repeated practice.
As a beginner, don't be in a hurry and practice the basics.
Take time to stabilize your technique and try playing more technical songs.