AmenoFuri

ShamiFuri

A physically modeled instrument with a shamisen feel

ShamiFuri is a physically modeled virtual instrument inspired by the structure of the shamisen. I couldn’t afford a nice virtual instrument, let alone a shamisen, so I decided to play an imaginary shamisen made of numbers. I listened closely to songs featuring the shamisen and spent all day tweaking numbers, using publicly available information about the materials used to make the instrument. It may cost money someday, but this version is free.

Redistribution is strictly prohibited. The developer accepts no responsibility for problems arising from use of this software. If you have suggestions or run into problems, please email the developer using the address at the bottom left of this site. :)

WindowsVST3 · VERSION 1.0.3x64 · 3.7 MB MacVST3 · VERSION 1.0.3Intel + Apple Silicon · 3.6 MB
SHA-256
Windows
5b7e163759a71fafacf7a972d627aaa6cfc2be3533359847f521a149692d7d29
Mac
f4c394a5003c206fbfc940a52cba8d8a6690c6222545fee532869b914f04b058

Audio demo · UI preview

Sakura Sakura

UI preview

ShamiFuri virtual instrument UI
Engine
Choose the V1 or V2 sound engine. The same notes sound different on each engine.
ROOT · Key
Choose the open-string reference pitch from C to B. This transposes all three strings of the selected tuning while keeping incoming MIDI note pitches unchanged.
Tuning
Choose the tuning of the three strings. With ROOT set to C: Honchoshi (C–F–C), Niagari (C–G–C), or Sansagari (C–F–A♯).
Fingering display
Shows which string is being played and the finger position on it.
Articulation
Choose a downstroke, sukui, hajiki, or uchi. Smart mode alternates downstrokes and sukui. After 0.25 seconds with no notes held, the next strike starts with a downstroke again.
Damping
Adjusts how quickly the strings decay. Higher values make the sound fade faster.
Sawari
Adjusts the stiffness of the sawari mechanism, which produces the shamisen’s characteristic buzz. The setting is kept separately for V1 and V2.
Bachi
Choose the bachi material: resin, keratin, or ivory. Each model has a different attack and tone.
Strike
Adjusts where the bachi strikes the string. Available only with the V2 engine.
Suri
When enabled, overlapping notes glide into one another. The slider below controls the glide time.
Vibrato
Adjusts the depth of pitch modulation. You can also control it with the MIDI CC1 modulation wheel.
Room
Turns virtual room reverberation on or off.
Reset
Restores the other controls to their defaults while keeping the selected engine.

Installation guide

Please contact the developer for the ZIP password.

Windows
Close your DAW, extract the ZIP, and copy the entire ShamiFuri.vst3 folder to:
C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3
You may be asked for administrator permission. Reopen your DAW and scan for VST3 plug-ins.
If the plug-in window does not open, install the Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime ↗, then restart your DAW.

Mac
Close your DAW, extract the ZIP, and copy the entire ShamiFuri.vst3 bundle to the location below. In Finder, open Go → Go to Folder and paste this path:
~/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3
Create the VST3 folder if it does not exist. Reopen your DAW and scan for VST3 plug-ins.

If a security alert blocks the first scan, check System Settings → Privacy & Security for an option to allow the plug-in. After approving it, scan again in your DAW. Apple guidance ↗

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