Testatessaan

Testatessaan is the Japanese term referring to a measure of the tightness of the string on a shamisen, a traditional Japanese stringed instrument. The word is composed of two elements: "tesa" meaning "string" and "tessaan" which is derived from the word "tessa" meaning "to tighten" or "tighten up".

The concept of testatessaan is essential in the traditional music of Japan, particularly in the classical style known as gagaku, as well as in the more contemporary forms of music played on the shamisen. Players must carefully adjust the tension of the strings to achieve the desired tone and to be able to play the required rhythms and patterns.

In the traditional method of adjusting the strings, the musician engages in manual stretching of the string using hands and fingers, to control its pitch. Testatessaan in this context can be either tightening or loosening the string, according to the need of the piece. The tension in the strings should be ideally regular, so that the musician can swiftly execute different articulations.

Depending on the type of shamisen, the strings are tightened to various degrees, from slightly stretched to very tight. Even small variations in tension may significantly affect the instrumental tone, so control and precision in playing are crucial to produce the sound the musician wants. Mastery of testatessaan is considered one of the key elements of playing the shamisen, requiring practice and experimentation.