Simplify the following text for a Grade 8 native English-speaking person.
Original: The shamisen or samisen ( Japanese : ä å ` ç , literally `` three taste strings '' ) , also called sangen ( literally `` three strings '' ) is a Japanese musical instrument with three strings , that is played with a big plectrum called a bachi .
Simplified: The shamisen or samisen , also called sangen is a three-stringed musical instrument played with a plectrum called a bachi .