One of the instruments I've been keeping my eye on is the okinawan Sanshin. It's an interesting instrument with a great history. It traveled to Okinawa from mainland China where it started out as the Sanxian, and then eventually made it's way to mainland Japan. You may be familiar with it's younger cousin, the Shamisen.
The sanshin is an instrument with a distinct sound and playing style, and it's really cool to see companies like Asoviva start to encourage more and more contemporary playing styles. Some good examples of popular songs on the sanshin are here and here.
I think it's really great to live in a time when so much knowledge is available so quickly and easily. This is no more apparent than in the resurgence of certain instruments, as well as how many people are teaching themselves music without the use of a tutor. There's so many cool sounds out there to experiment with and thanks to the internet, those sounds are usually just a click away. Still, there are some sounds that would be hard to find a proper place for, but that's all part of the fun of music.
In any case, the sanshin is one of those instruments that are slowly making their way into pop culture, and it's exciting to see what direction it will go in.
If you are interested in learning more or purchasing a sanshin, click here, here, or here. (the last one may require Google translate)
Another great resource for sanshin information and playing techniques in the Simple Sanshin.
For a more rustic version of the sanshin, check out the Kankara Sanshin
.
The sanshin is an instrument with a distinct sound and playing style, and it's really cool to see companies like Asoviva start to encourage more and more contemporary playing styles. Some good examples of popular songs on the sanshin are here and here.
I think it's really great to live in a time when so much knowledge is available so quickly and easily. This is no more apparent than in the resurgence of certain instruments, as well as how many people are teaching themselves music without the use of a tutor. There's so many cool sounds out there to experiment with and thanks to the internet, those sounds are usually just a click away. Still, there are some sounds that would be hard to find a proper place for, but that's all part of the fun of music.
In any case, the sanshin is one of those instruments that are slowly making their way into pop culture, and it's exciting to see what direction it will go in.
If you are interested in learning more or purchasing a sanshin, click here, here, or here. (the last one may require Google translate)
Another great resource for sanshin information and playing techniques in the Simple Sanshin.
For a more rustic version of the sanshin, check out the Kankara Sanshin
.
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