Yasaburō Bushi

Get the notation for Yasaburō Bushi plus super useful play along files in three speed versions to help you learn and practice the song!

You can download the files from your customer account page after the purchase – a link will be provided in the order confirmation e-mail.

Wanna have a short listen to see if you like the tune? Here’s the beginning of Yasaburō Bushi:

About the song:

Yasaburō Bushi has been my favorite song ever since I learned it. It was one of the first songs I ever learned and I fell in love with its unusual serious vibe. It is one of the very few songs in sansagari tuning (see below).

This song is attributed to Aomori prefecture, and as with every Japanese folk song it comes in countless variations. This version is written out for shamisen in bunkafu (tabulature) notation. It is suited for beginners.

• Tuning: Sansagari
• Techniques: sukui, double-hajiki, oshibachi/suberi, multiple string strums

Tuning:

In every tuning, the strings are tuned in a certain relation to each other. For folk songs, there’s no fixed rigid tuning to a definite pitch (in contrast, the A-string on the violin is always tuned to 440 or 442hz) but what’s 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:

Honchōshi: C-F-C

Niagari: C-G-C

Sansagari: C-F-Bb

Access to the pdf:

Please note that this item is downloadable once only – just as receiving a physical copy of the scores would be. Consider it a “direct delivery”.

After the purchase, you can download the file from your account page under “downloads” or via the link in your order confirmation email.

Make sure you save your file in an easy to locate directory. Please don’t hesitate to contact us via email if you need further assistance.