Atouta - the second half of a Minyo (folk song)
Ayasugidou (Ayasugi) - Shamisen body that has jagged lines carved inside by a craftsman to create more vibrations and allows the sound to resonate.
Bachi - A tool to use when you play Shamisen. Many different materials such as ivory, plastic, and wood are used for a grip part and tortoiseshell is used for the main part that touches the Shamisen string / body when you play.
Bachizuke - to create rhythm by using Maebachi and Ushirobachi
Chiri-tere - a phrase that is played through Tsubo position 4300 with combination of Sukui and Hajiki
Dou - The Shamisen body.
Doukake (Body Cover) - A piece that is placed on one side of the Shamisen body so that the hand holding the Bachi can rest on it when playing the Shamisen
Hajiki - to pull off a string with index/ring finger of your string-hand to produce sound
Honchoshi - the tuning with the first string in C, the second string in F, and the third string in C
Hozo - A joint section (protruding joint, joint hole) of each seam when a Shamisen is disassembled. If the joint is decorated with gold, it is called Kin Hozo (gold Hozo).
Itomaki - The Tuning Pegs.
Itomichi - the groove on the nail of the index finger to hold mainly the 3rd string (sometimes 2nd string, depends on a player’s preference)
Kaihougen (open position) - a sound that is produced without holding any Tsubo
Kakegoe - a vocal expression to signify to either the audience or other players (when playing in an ensemble) you are about to move to the next section
Kamashi - a phrase that is used for ending of the song to stir up the crowd by changing repeated Chiri-tere to 030030
Kami Goma - The upper bridge - a metal part attached to the top of the Shamisen neck lifting the strings above the neck.
Kanberi - Originally, the term "kanberi" meant that the surface of the Shamisen neck was worn down by the strings and players hands from practicing. However, the term is also used to mean that the shamisen neck is being sent for repair.
Karin - The softest and cheapest wood that is used to make Shamisen.
Kawa - The skin that is white and covers the Shamisen body.
Koma - a bridge that is placed between the body of the Shamisen and the string. It supports the string and transmits the vibration of the string to the body. There are different heights of Koma that differ by less than 0.4 mm
Kouki - The hardest and most expensive wood that is used to make Shamisen.
Maebachi - to strike bachi at upper shamisen body (closer to neck) to produce a change in sound dynamics and rhythm
Maeuta - the first half of a Minyo (folk song)
Mitsuori - To disassemble a Shamisen into three parts
Naga-Case (Long Case) - A case that you use to put away/carry a Shamisen without disassembling. Mainly refers to a hard type case
Neo - The knot of rope attached to the bottom part of the shamisen, used as the anchor point to attach the strings.
Neo Gire - The breaking of a string at the point of the Neo.
Nezumi - a technique to play the shamisen with a clear small sound volume by touching Koma with your right pinky finger
Niagari - the tuning with the first string in C, the second string in G, and the third string in C
Nimaibachi - a double Tataki of one note within one Haku(beat) to produce sound
Oshibachi - to slide/push bachi across two strings next to each other, for example from the 1st to 2nd string or the 2nd to 3rd string to produce sound
Oto-awase / Bachizuke - to tune and synchronize rhythm at the beginning of a song. There are songs that has not Oto-awase as well
Sansagari - the tuning with the first string in C, the second string in F, and the third string in B flat
Sao - The Shamisen neck which you hold with your left hand.
Sawari - the section on the upper part of the shamisen neck just below the kami-goma (see below) that is raised or lowered in order to create a buzzing noise that brings our the true tsugaru sound. Note: some cheaper tsugaru shamisen may not have a sawari.
Shinobi Koma (Shinobi Goma) - Product name for a piece developed to practice with less sound
Sukui - producing sound through upstroke of the bachi
Suri - to slide across Tsubo on a string with index/ring finger to produce a sliding sound
Tataki - to strike a string and shamisen body with bachi to produce sound
Tate (leading player) - a leading player who leads the pace and tempo of the song as well as vocalizes Kakegoe to lead ensemble songs. There is one leading player per song
Tenjin - The top (head) part of the neck of a Shamisen
Tome - to mute the sounding note with your left hand
Tsubo - positions on Sao (shamisen neck) that indicate where to hold strings with the string-hand fingers to determine musical scale of sound
Tsugigi - A wood that is put on the removed part when a Shamisen is disassembled into three pieces. Every Shamisen has its customized Tsugigi
Tuning - to adjust the pitch of the Shamisen
Uchi - to produce sound through striking the string with left hand fingers
Ushirobachi - to strike bachi at the lower part of shamisen body (closer to the Koma) to produce a change in sound dynamics and rhythm
Washi bag - A Washi paper (traditional Japanese paper) bag that is used to put a Dou before a cloth bag
Yuri (Vibrato) - by holding and vibrating your string hand after striking bachi to prolong a vibrato sound