Saitara Bushi Bundle
Traditional fishing folk song (Minyo) for shamisen.
This is what youโll get:
- 3 pdfs with 3 pages total: tabulature notation in two levelsย with lyrics, plus lyric overview sheet
- Level 1 (Beginner-Friendly): Simplified notation focusing on core melody and rhythm. Perfect for building confidence with the song’s structure.
- Level 2 (Intermediate): Full arrangement with ornamentation, advanced techniques, and authentic stylistic detail.
- 6 mp3 files:ย mp3 play along files in three speed versions for each level
Song specifications:
- beginner to advanced beginner level
- niagari tuning (C-G-C)
- Techniques in advanced level: sukui [ ใน ], hajiki [ ใ ], oshibachi [ โก ]
3,95 €
Details
Get the notation for a moody folk song from Hokkaido called “Saitara Bushi” – in two difficulty levels and with lyrics plus super useful play along files in three speed versions to help you learn and practice the song!
The notation comes in two different versions: the basic version, and the advanced version with more intricate ornamentations. There’s an additional lyrics sheet for more singing fun!
The basic version (Level 1) gets by without any techniques so you can fully focus on the song’s beautiful melody. The range of positions only goes until position 7 and there’s no quick shifts involved. This makes Saitara Bushi a great song for beginners.
The advanced version stays true to the main melody but adds embellishments to make it a bit more challenging. The techniques you will find are sukui [ ใน ] (upstroke) and hajiki [ ใ ] (pull-off), plus an oshibachi [ โก ] (play two strings in succession without lifting the bachi in between).
The mp3 play along files come in three different speed versions: 60 bpm, 75 bpm, and 90 bpm.
You can download the files from your customer account page after the purchase – a link will be provided in the order confirmation e-mail.
Sound Preview:
Have a short listen to see if you like the tune! Here’s the beginning of Saitara Bushi:
Level 2
Level 1
About the song:
A traditional fishermen’s work song from Hokkaido, born from the herring fisheries that once defined the region. The driving rhythm and distinctive kakegoe (call-and-response shouts) capture the raw energy of rowing and hauling nets at sea.
Though rooted in Hokkaido’s fishing communities, the song gained national recognition through Gotล Tosui’s early 20th-century arrangement in Tairyล Utaikomi. It remains a favorite at festivals and a vital piece of Japan’s maritime folk tradition.
A General Note on Tuning:
In every tuning, the strings are tuned in a certain relation to each other. For folk songs, thereโs no fixed rigid tuning to a definite pitch (in contrast, the A-string on the violin is always tuned to 440 or 442hz) but whatโs most important is how the strings are tuned in relation to each other.
A good rule of thumb is to tune your instrument over the base of C. This means, the big string will be tuned to C and the other strings according to the tuning of the song:
Honchลshi: C-F-C
Niagari: C-G-C
Sansagari: C-F-Bb
Access to the pdf and mp3:
Please note that this item is downloadable once only โ just as receiving a physical copy of the scores would be. Consider it a โdirect deliveryโ ๐
After the purchase, you can download the file from your account page under โdownloadsโ or via the link in your order confirmation email.
Make sure you save your file in an easy to locate directory. Please donโt hesitate to contact us via email if you need further assistance.