Christmas Carols on Shamisen – Resources Overview

Playing and Technique

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Christmas is around the corner, and I can’t help but sing Christmas Carols all day long nowadays. If you’re like me and love Christmas Carols or if you want to surprise you family and friends on Christmas or at a Christmas Party, you could try and twang a Christmas Carol on shamisen!

Although these songs are not originally “made for shamisen”, there’s a handful of songs that are fun to play on the shamisen. I transcribed a couple of my favorites over the past years and I am sure you’re gonna like at least one of them 🙂

I ordered the songs according to difficulty level, from easy to harder. The “harder” ones can be learned by beginners, too – you just need to spend a little more time on them and be patient with yourself.

A general note on Playing: You can always switch out techniques (left and right hand) with normal bachi downstrokes. The techniques are there to reduce the number of bachi movements. But if they make you feel stuck and you prefer just hitting the string with your bachi, please go ahead and change as much as you want 🙂 In the end, the way that’s easiest to you is the right way!

 

Advent, Advent

Details

  • Level: Beginner
  • Tuning: Niagari (C-G-C)
  • Techniques: none
  • Special Features: few different positions

Ressources

Schneeflöckchen, Weißröckchen

Details

  • Level: Beginner
  • Tuning: Niagari (C-G-C)
  • Techniques: uchi (ウ hammer on), hajiki (ハ pluck with sao hand)
  • Special Features: few different positions

Ressources

O Du Fröhliche

Details

  • Level: Beginner
  • Tuning: Niagari (C-G-C)
  • Techniques: none
  • Special Features: few different positions

Ressources

Silent Night

Details

  • Level: Beginner
  • Tuning: Niagari (C-G-C)
  • Techniques: none
  • Special Features: many string switches

Ressources

Jingle Bells

Details

  • Level: Anfänger
  • Tuning: Niagari (C-G-C)
  • Techniques: sukui (ス upstroke)
  • Special Features: few different positions

Ressources

Am Weihnachtsbaume die Lichter brennen

Details

  • Level: Beginner to Advanced Beginner
  • Tuning: Niagari (C-G-C)
  • Techniques: none
  • Special Features: lots of shifts

Ressources

Morgen, Kinder, wird’s was geben

Details

  • Level: Beginner to Advanced Beginner
  • Tuning: Niagari (C-G-C)
  • Techniques: sukui (ス upstroke)
  • Special Features: quick sukui

Ressources

Kling, Glöckchen, Klingelingeling

Details

  • Level: Beginner to Advanced Beginner
  • Tuning: Niagari (C-G-C)
  • Techniques: sukui (ス upstroke)
  • Special Features: up to position 12

Ressources

Lasst Uns Froh und Munter Sein

Details

  • Level: Beginner to Advanced Beginner
  • Tuning: Niagari (C-G-C)
  • Techniques: none
  • Special Features: quick shifts

Ressources

Fröhliche Weihnacht überall!

Details

  • Level: Advanced Beginner to Intermediate
  • Tuning: Honchōshi (C-F-C)
  • Techniques: sukui (ス upstroke), hajiki (ハ pluck with sao hand)
  • Special Features: technique combos

Ressources

Joy to the World

Details

  • Level: Intermediate
  • Tuning: Niagari (C-G-C)
  • Techniques: sukui (ス upstroke)
  • Special Features: unusual positions

Ressources

Tochter Zion, Freue Dich

Details

  • Level: Intermediate
  • Tuning: Niagari (C-G-C)
  • Techniques: sukui (ス upstroke), hajiki (ハ pluck with sao hand), uchi (ウ hammer-on)
  • Special Features: flowing tempo (few breaks)

Ressources

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