How to Make Shamisen Sheet Music (Bunkafu) in Shami

You can create a shamisen score (bunkafu) from scratch in Shami's editor: pick a string, enter finger-position numbers, add note lengths and playing marks, then play it back to check by ear. The bunkafu editor can be tried before you sign in, so the fastest way to learn is to open it and try.

What to know before you start

Bunkafu uses three horizontal lines as the shamisen's three strings, with numbers on the lines showing where to press (the finger position, or kandokoro). 0 is an open string and larger numbers are higher. The numbering is covered in the finger-position guide, and why the same number sounds different under different tunings is in the tuning guide.

Steps to create a bunkafu score

1. Choose "Start from blank" — On the Shami home screen, or from "New score" on the scores page, choose "Start from blank".
2. Set the title and settings — Enter a title and choose settings such as tuning (honchōshi, niagari, sansagari), honsuu and tempo, then create the score. You can change them any time later in the score settings.
3. Pick a string and enter positions — Select the first, second or third string, then click a number in the Fret panel or type it on the keyboard. The half-step positions (sharp and flat) are in the panel too.
4. Set note lengths — Choose quarter, eighth or sixteenth notes, optionally dotted. Rests and Hold (tie) have their own buttons.
5. Add playing marks, fingering and lyrics — Add ornaments (suri, hajiki, uchi, sukui), fingering (index, middle, ring finger) and lyrics as needed. Lyrics are typed right under the notes; press Enter to move to the next one.
6. Play it back — Press play and check by ear. Wrong numbers usually give themselves away when you listen. Lower the tempo to check fast passages.
7. Save, and share if you want — Save the score. To show it to someone, use the Share menu to issue a link. It is view-only by default.

Tips for entering a score

• Copy, cut and paste work, so duplicate a repeated measure instead of retyping it.
• Repeat marks, da capo / dal segno, and the final bar line are in the symbols menu.
• When you change the tuning later, you can either rewrite the positions so the same pitches are kept, or change only the tuning name (which changes the sound). Notes that can't be played in the new tuning are left unchanged.

If you already have a paper score or staff notation

You don't have to type everything. A paper bunkafu score can be imported from a photo: AI makes a draft of strings, positions and rhythm, and you correct it in the editor. A MusicXML file exported from software such as MuseScore can also be converted into bunkafu (see staff notation to bunkafu). Both are drafts, so compare them with the original. Importing from photos or PDFs requires a free account; entering by hand and importing MusicXML work without signing up. For other ways to create bunkafu, see apps and tools for creating bunkafu.

Notes on sharing and export

• A share link is view-only by default, and the person opening it must be signed in with a registered account. When you share, you confirm that you have the right to publish the score.
• For a manually entered score, you can also allow recipients to save an independent copy, and allow people who save it to edit, export, print and re-share their own copy (your original is not changed). Exported files can be used freely by the recipient, so you confirm you hold the rights to permit this.
• Scores imported from photos or PDFs cannot be shared.
• Copyright-managed songs in Shami's catalog can only be viewed and played in the app; export, printing and sharing are not available.