gen tuning (2014) & gen expanding (2014)

gen tuning (2014) & gen expanding (2014)

for shamisen and sinetones

gen tuning

gen expanding

composed by Ryoko Akama
realised by Tsukakoshi Takashi
mastered by Girilal Baars

I worked with a Japanese traditional lute instrument, shamisen, which has an unique characteristics. The three stringed lute has a notch under the top string called ‘sawari’ that produces intentional noise when plucked. Because of the nature of the instrument, the quality of sound is rather thin, harsh and discordant, that employs fascinating harmonic bearings.

Shamisen also has not absolute pitch. The fundamental pitch is decided depending not on each composition but on a singer’s voice frequency. It is a very strange instrument, however, represents Japanese music and is recognised in different form of musical events.

gen tuning

gen tuning examines the tuning method. A performer hears the basic pitch (in this case B) a very short moment of a second at the beginning of the recording and with the reference, he is asked to tune all three strings into hon cho chi (refer to the score). The sine tone is the referential pitch given at the beginning. Theoretically, all detuned strings must be in accord with the sine tone, which results in beating patterns.

gen expanding

It is a piece that experiments with bows. Hours of bowing shamisen is recorded in relation to the score and later on edited down to the epic of 50 minutes. Shamisen string is originally silk and a resonant area is covered with either cat or dog’s skin. This affects how the body resounds when strings are bowed. Their texture is extremely horrifying that infuses cacophonic sentience, in which I find wonderful joy.

As far as I am aware, there is a solo album by Yumiko Tanaka who plays shamisen professionally and experiments with it in improvisation field. (tayutauta on improvised music from Japan) but nothing more. I wanted to expand the quality of the instrument in extended duration of time and also instead of competing with Western instruments, I magnified the characteristics of the instrument to the most obvious.