Some thoughts on playing and listening to the music of Hildegard von Bingen
When singing or playing a wind instrument, many or even most people forget that a breath has four parts. Most of us pay almost zero attention to three of those four parts. The four parts are the inhalation, the exhalation, and the two ’transitions’ in between, the bits that are neither inhalation nor exhalation. Occasionally, […]
How to take apart a shakuhachi
The best method to take apart a Shakuhachi
Blowing edge inlays and about the flutes I use and play
I have found that inlays do very little to the texture of the sound. I’ve broken inlays and the flutes played no differently. I’ve played on flutes with the inlay totally knocked out. The sound was a little bit fuzzier; that’s all. I have flutes made by Yamaguchi Shugetsu (Nara), the Kôno family (the deceased […]
Differences in Sound and Playing Between Ji-nashi and Standard Instruments
There are many differences between ji-nashi flutes and flutes made with ji. But then, there is also an infinite number of differences between all of the flutes that are made with ji. In other words, it’s hard to generalise. Many people (including me) think that excellent ji-nashi flutes are very desirable. But this might be […]
FU HO U AND RO TSU RE
The only theory behind the kana used in shakuhachi notation that I have heard of goes like this: The earliest notation (early 1600s) used the kana fu, ho, u, e, ya, i. These were chosen because they evoked the breathy or airy sounds of the solo shakuhachi. At this period in time, most if not […]
How many octaves should a good shakuhachi be able to play?
The answer depends, I suppose, on your definition of a ‘good shakuhachi’. Most decent 1.8 length flutes can produce in the third octave, the pitches e, f#, g, g#, a, b, (or is it a# and not b?) and c. Some can produce a fourth octave d on a good day. These are all pitches […]
How much should one spend on a shakuhachi?
In my opinion, one should buy the best instrument one can afford. How much one can afford depends not only upon one’s financial situation, but also one’s commitment to the instrument, and one’s priorities. For example, as a professional player, I can ‘afford’ more expensive flutes than I could if I wasn’t a professional, with […]
How to produce ‘kan’ (upper octave)
Upper octave needs more ‘energy’ than lower octave. That is, the air has to go through the flute faster. You can do this two ways. One is by blowing ‘harder’, that is, by pushing more air through the same sized opening in your lips. The second way is by making your embouchure smaller, ie, pushing […]
How to become an iemoto
Anyone can claim themselves to be an ‘iemoto’. There is really no prerequisite to becoming one. One doesn’t have to do anything. You and anyone reading this can proclaim themselves ‘iemoto’ tonight, and tomorrow they will be iemoto! On the other hand, being recognised as iemoto by others is a different matter. One gains recognition […]
Interesting historical questions around the Shakuhachi
The most important change that occurred to the shakuhachi after the instrument was imported into Japan from China was not the change of bamboo, but rather the reduction of finger holes from six to five, and to a lesser degree, the enlargement of these holes. The reduction was primarily due, so the theory goes, to […]