Knowra Shamisen Shamisen The shamisen is a three-stringed Japanese lute played with a large plectrum called a bachi. Its fretless neck and skin-covered resonator give it a distinctive range of tones.
Bachi : A large plectrum used to strike the strings of the shamisen. Its shape and striking technique shape the instrument’s attack and characteristic percussive sounds.
Sanxian : A Chinese three-stringed lute with a long, fretless neck and a skin-covered resonator. The shamisen developed in Japan from the sanxian through an Okinawan intermediary.
Nagauta : A long-song genre of Japanese music, commonly performed with shamisen in Kabuki theater. Nagauta showcases the shamisen’s role in lyrical singing and theatrical ensemble music.
Koto : A Japanese plucked zither with movable bridges and typically thirteen strings. Unlike the shamisen’s three-string lute form, the koto is a multi-string zither played horizontally.
Shamisen tuning : The system of tuning the shamisen’s three strings to suit a musical piece or performance. Different tunings help performers adapt the instrument to vocal ranges, genres, and repertoire.
Ryukyu Kingdom : A historical kingdom based in Okinawa that maintained extensive trade and cultural ties across East Asia. Its exchanges with Japan helped carry the sanshin northward, where it was adapted as the shamisen.
Jiuta : A genre of Japanese chamber music and song associated with shamisen, often performed with koto or shakuhachi. Jiuta uses the shamisen in an intimate, refined setting distinct from theater accompaniment.
Biwa : A Japanese short-necked lute with a pear-shaped body, used in both court and narrative music. The biwa is another Japanese lute, but its body, fretting, and plectrum technique differ from the shamisen’s.
Sawari : A buzzing resonance produced by a string vibrating against a surface near the shamisen’s neck. This built-in buzz enriches sustained notes and is especially prominent on the lowest string.
Edo period : The period of Japanese history from 1603 to 1868, marked by Tokugawa rule and flourishing urban arts. The shamisen spread through urban entertainment and theatrical traditions during this period.
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