Nov
15th
Sat
15th
Chindami: Tuning to honchoushi （本調子）
Question: How do I tune my sanshin? What notes should I tune it to?
There are several different tunings for the sanshin that I’ll cover later on, but the most commonly used one is “honchoushi,” which I’ve learned is C-F-C (do-fa-do). You can use this MP3 I uploaded to tune to:
| ちんだみ（本調子）.mp3 |
[Tuning from uujiru, nakajiru, to miijiru.]
The MP3 starts from uujiru, the lowest sounding string, and works it’s way up to miijiru, the highest. You can see from the image that I’m not jamming the karakui in from one side, but applying pressure to both sides using four fingers to turn the peg while keeping my thumb/pinkie on the other side for balance. No matter what notes you may be tuning to, this method for adjusting is pretty much the common rule.
Some people have trouble with their karakui slipping when they tune. For possible fixes, check this post: Karakui keep sliding.
