THE PROJECT

THE PROJECT

The Vision

Why I Do This

For me, there’s nothing more beautiful than making music. That’s why I’ve made it my mission to bring more music into the world — and especially to inspire more people to play an instrument themselves. For several years now I’ve been completely hooked on this gorgeous Japanese instrument, which looks so graceful and elegant with its long neck, only to surprise you with its wild, striking character. Since so many people are already doing a wonderful job supporting other instruments, I thought it would be an excellent idea to inspire more people with my passion for shamisen. 
With a lot of heart, effort, and nerves, I finally managed to create this place to make German-language resources available. Here you’ll find learning videos to get you started on shamisen, tips and tricks for care and maintenance, and background knowledge about the instrument and its history. Piece by piece, I’m creating articles and tutorials that all have their home here.

 How It Works

I’m designing video courses for flexible, location-independent learning. I can see there's a real need for this format, so I’m now working hard to create quality content.
I’m also building a system for rental instruments, because not everyone wants to buy their own right away. After all, you first want to see if it’s really for you, am I right?

The foundation of my “master plan” is in place, and the work continues at full speed. As a one-woman show, I do absolutely everything myself — and I’m constantly amazed at how much time all the small and big tasks take to keep this project moving forward. But one thing is clear: there simply cannot be *no* proper shamisen information in Germany. And if you’re going to revolutionize the cultural landscape, you might as well do it right. In March 2021, I reached a big milestone: the launch of Europe’s very first shamisen shop — Shami-Shop There, you can buy shamisen directly from Germany, along with carefully curated new and refurbished accessories. All straight out of Berlin. That means shorter shipping routes and lower costs.

But let's get back to the bigger vision…

The Journey So Far

Eleven years ago, I co-founded Shamisen Berlin, which to this day is the only shamisen association in Germany. As chairwoman from the very beginning, I’ve been delighted to see how much interest there is in shamisen music across the country, even though it’s still rare in concerts and mainstream music. People are consistently fascinated by this multifaceted instrument — and rightly so. At the same time, it quickly became clear that many people couldn’t take part in the association’s activities simply because of distance. Even though I’ve always been a strong advocate of in-person lessons, I had to acknowledge that access to instruments is a kind of luxury. Growing up in Berlin with a music-loving mother, it always felt normal to me, but for most of Germany, that’s not the case. Much of the country isn’t metropolitan or structurally well-connected. So for many people, self-study with books or video platforms has become the go-to — and not just for “exotic” instruments, but for mainstream ones like guitar too. And with modern digital formats, this kind of learning now offers new freedoms and opportunities. 

So in the winter of 2019, I started planning: a mix of gradually rolling out video courses and the big undertaking of bringing shamisen into different corners of Germany. I personally acquired used instruments, restored them, and began traveling across the country to give people the chance to hold one in their hands and try it out — hoping they’d then find others to continue learning with. Then the pandemic hit. Travel plans canceled. Train tickets not refunded. “How long can this really last?” … well. 

So online lessons came to the forefront, along with creating tutorial videos on YouTube , arranging sheet music, and recording play-alongs for practice. Only recently have live performances and workshops become reliably possible again, and a sense of normality is returning. A lot has changed—and now I’m also spending much more time teaching in English, even leading workshops in the U.S. Life has a way of surprising you!

Even though I’ve already been able to put a lot into practice, I’m still bursting with exciting ideas—more than ever, to be honest! And I’m eager to bring them to life: making shamisen playing more accessible and spreading a culture of curiosity and open-minded music-making. So here I am today, sharing this with you in black and white, thrilled to be working on something truly special.

Who’s Behind This

Allow me to introduce myself: Su Bunjamin, from Berlin, Germany. By training, I’m a sociologist and musicologist, and I’m completely devoted to the Japanese shamisen. I was born with an unshakable sense of idealism and a drive to share the beautiful sides of life with others. Shamisen komplett verfallen. Von Natur aus ausgestattet mit einem unverrückbaren Idealismus und dem Drang, anderen Leuten die schönen Seiten des Lebens zu zeigen.

A Personal Note: For many adults, getting into music isn’t easy, because they feel it’s “too late.” To anyone reading this who feels that way, here’s my heartfelt message: go for it! Music is a world that has endless gifts to give, and it’s beautiful and diverse. Don’t miss out on that. Be bold, stay curious, and enjoy the process! Never give up — and learn to embrace the hurdles too. 

This project takes a huge amount of time, energy, and nerves — much more than I first imagined. That’s why it means so much to me to have your support. If my articles and videos bring you joy and help you better understand the shamisen and its context, I’d be thrilled if you supported me on Patreon or invite me to a virtual coffee :) That way, I can keep pushing this project forward and take you even deeper into the fascinating world of shamisen music.

I’m so glad you’ve found your way here and I look forward to enjoying this journey of music together for a long time to come.

With warm regards,

Su Bunjamin