My problem

Recently I have a problem.

When I became a geisha in Hachioji about 2 and a half years ago, I just wanted to play the shamisen at ozashiki parties.

In my first year my geisha mother didn’t permit me to play the shamisen solo because my shamisen skill was not up to her level of expectation.
So my goal in my first year was just to play the shamisen as a solo shamisen player.

Happily in my second year my geisha mother finally permitted me to play the shamisen solo at the ozashiki parties.
So I asked her to check my shamisen performance after I learnt each new song.

However this year, now my third year, I have a problem.

There are various types of shamisen songs; for example, Nagauta, Minyo, Hauta and Kouta.
In the geisha world, these shamisen songs are played at ozashiki parties.
However, my shamisen teacher only teaches Hauta and Minyo songs, so I have been learning the Nagauta and Kouta songs by myself.

My geisha mother and other geisha sisters are learning Nagauta, Hauta and Kouta songs from different teachers.
Each type of shamisen song has a different way of playing the shamisen and a different way of singing.

When I asked my geisha mother to check my shamisen playing skill of Nagauta songs, she said to me that there was no problem, however my way of singing was not good, because I had not learned the basic singing skill of Nagauta songs.

The way of singing Nagauta songs is different for each Nagauta singer, however she pointed out my lack of basic singing skill.

I realized my problem.

My geisha mother said to me that I should learn Nagauta songs from a teacher, however if I start to receive such lessons, naturally I have to pay for the lessons.
So, she didn’t force me to take lessons.

As for the Kouta songs, I have the same problem.

Now I’m learning Nagauta and Kouta songs from CDs or cassette tapes on which my geisha mother is singing.