Mujitsu and Tairaku's Shakuhachi BBQ

Seth wrote:

The artistic and spiritual traditions of shakuhachi are in conflict.

The Curse (or blessing) of Watazumi!, perhaps?

I think it is great that the shakuhachi is getting so much attention. What better way to spread the knowledge.

Tairaku wrote:

Now we know what the consumers think, I'd be interested in hearing more from the makers.

At $150 - $250 I make inexpensive Shakuhachi.
I have no teacher or lineage other than every detail of information and experience I can glean from any source.
In 2004 I was given a lovely beginner 2.1 non root end with utaguchi insert. It took me quite a while to get much of a sound out of it. Then I went down to some black bamboo growing on my property and cut a culm and made my first flute using the 2.1 as a model though my version was a wider bore and more extreme blowing end. It sounded great and I made a few more.. I even put together a workshop and showed fifteen more people what I was doing and they made themselves several flutes. They all had a good time.

Then I was given a $2,000 cast bore 1.8 from Monty. By this time I had been blowing for 18 months and getting better but still no contact with any teacher. I could not play the Monty flute very well and mostly blew my other flutes but kept integrating it as a reference, as I dit with that first 2.1 beginner.

In 2008 I attended the Sydney Festival and Camp. This was my first contact with Shakuhachi teachers and makers. By this time I had made over 150 flutes and had sold probably 100 of them. Most of my expenses for myself, my wife and daughter to go to Sydney, I had saved from my shakuhachi sales. And virtually all of these flutes had been requested from me by absolute novices as there is next to no other source for a starter flute here in Aotearoa.
I learned a lot at the festival, mostly about blowing than making, but what did encourage me was to have a young Chinese player, who could not afford the flutes that were for sale by makers at the Festival, enquire about the flutes I had in my backpack. for the first time I heard an experienced player blow one of my flutes and I really could hardly believe that that sound was coming from a flute I had made. He was a good player, participating in the young players compertition. He loved my flute and I traded him for his Xiao.

Now, to date I have made about 250 Shakuhachi and held three summer workshops introducing the joy of making to at least 35 people. some of whom are still blowing and have gone on to purchase a Yuu and are also now considering purchasing a more expensive flute.

Frankly, it has been a joy to me to have had this develop in my life and I make no apology to anyone.
But.......even if one has an expensive well made Shakuhachi, until you have developed a strong blow through disciplined practice you can't blow it much better than one of my flutes.
Now my own blow has improved a lot since Sydney and I play my cast bore Monty more than my other flutes mainly because now I can make it sound as it was made to sound, but also my flute making has improved as my blow has improved as I now know what kind of sound a Shakuhachi should be able to make.

I have planted my own Madake and now use those culms. I know how difficult it is to make a Shakuhachi, there are usually more hours in one than the dollars would indicate. They are in tune and will blow two octaves and more, but even the potential of one of my inexpensive flutes will not be reached by a novice until they have put in the hours.

I would reccommend getting the best flute you can afford, I reccommend the Yuu as a good starter, and I would like any flute made by a master Japanese maker myself.

Meantime, "back at Mill......"

Kel.

Is probably best to speak hypothetically, or theoretically here, from a maker's perspective.

I feel Dust and Edosan are absolutely correct:  "Do what you do best".  I also think approach depends on intent, and every maker may vary slightly there (or maybe not so slightly).  I think a portion of vintage, quality, unsigned shakuhachi are probably what I referred to above, regarding Stradivarius'.   If a maker's vision and approach include the desire for a solid reputation, the early flutes could likely be unsigned and given as gifts, or sold through other teachers, etc., if it is felt that there are significant weaknesses that can/should be corrected on subsequent instruments, as experience matures.  When the stamping begins, it must then be felt they have reached a level suitable for, and inline with, their initial intent.

Conversely, if monetary gain is the primary intent, as with the plethora of "non-shakuhachi shakuhachi" found online, a token stamp (or, gasp, 2 or more stamps) at that stage, may lure in the unaware to pay a bit more.

The middle ground is the toughest.  A progressing maker might have a substantial quiver of "fair to decent" instruments lying around... when and where do they go?  A stack in the closet for a future return to a problem as knowledge increases, or a gift to a beginner to spark their own journey is absolutely, err... could be, optimal, thus lessening the abundance of mediocrity.  However, if someone just loves to "tinker" every weekend, to fulfill an internal desire by knocking out a new bamboo "thing",  they, too, will end up with a lot of instruments around, knowing full well they are not true "shakuhachi" in the detailed sense.  Where do these go, as well?  Again, gifts, a $9.99 ebay special, etc.  That maker pursued their passion and drive, and it would be a waste to simply throw them away when someone might very well appreciate it, for low cost, or free.

For almost any instrument in the world, there will always be great ones, and bad ones, available.  As I think was mentioned above, the mere fact there are those concerned about the latter, speaks highly to those with a respect for its inception, evolution, teaching lineage, and continued historical presence.  Those with a deep interest there, ultimately come to know.  Those without, don't, but have fun noodling around with this hard to play thing made from bamboo.  I'm sure the same topic abounds in the Katana forums, though there are far fewer makers in that genre, I imagine?

Last edited by Derek Van Choice (2009-03-24 21:15:05)

Taldaran wrote:

The winner loves it and is very happy, and so am I.

Isn't that what it's all about?

Not necessarily so.  And that's what Ken, Brian, Gishin and others are concerned about (albeit in their own unique ways and tones...)

There may be more to it than just "if it feels good do it" when it comes to a traditional art.

Hi Brian, Thanks for revisiting this topic with the intention of true enlightenment. I see some great views already shared.

Tairaku wrote:

2. Make a variety of flutes in different price ranges from materials of varying quality materials. Even Picasso drew on napkins sometimes. And once you've made them, why not sell them for a fair price?

This one capture my approach the best so far. As an artist, I enjoy working in many media and at different levels. People need not only enjoy only the Mona Lisa, but should also be able to appreciate the cave paintings at Lascaux. I mean, have you seen Michelangelos's sketches?! He didn't sell them back them but the world benefits from them today.  I have flutes that take a year or more to finish and others that I can make in under an hour. I enjoy both processes for different reasons.

Mujitsu wrote:

...My concern is not the change that comes with the Western shakuhachi migration. I welcome that and find it exciting. It is the the slow dilution of the art that stems from a general lowering of quality standards which concerns me. I know that many don't care about this wider view (or don't see it) which is understandable. I wouldn't either if I wasn't so immersed in shakuhachi. This would have never entered my mind in probably my first ten or fifteen years of making shakuhachi.

It was also uneasy for me at the beginning because all my art and performance work is somehow based on cultural awareness. I was worried about it from day one and always consulted with two accomplished Japanese musicians - Yukio Tsuji and Genji Ito. Neither played traditionally, but certainly had a great musical understanding of the instrument. After about five years of making, I decided to find a way to get to Japan. This was around 2000.

marek wrote:

But couldn't then the solution be to pick the master who's sound you like the best and ask him about the maker(s) of the flutes he likes for which kind of music. Or even, if you are lucky, he'll pick the flute for you. With such flute you will know which side of the equation is not correct.

When I received the Japan US Friendship Commission grant to study in Japan, I felt like the luckiest person on the planet. I screamed at the phone when the secretary informed me of the award. She suggested I sit down. I was lucky to have both a teacher and the government introduce me to potential makers to study with. Out of the three makers I met, Kinya stood out like a honking Ro. His level of musicianship was the over riding factor. Additionally, aside from the modern two-piece shakuhachi, he also made Hocchiku. He did this because he truly enjoyed making and playing them for himself. Please know that Kinya full filled his time as a live-in shakuhachi apprentice with Chikusen Tamai and left as the top apprentice. Tamai is the same maker who apprenticed some of the biggest shakuhachi maker's in Japan today. Kinya also likes to make experimental bamboo flutes and PVC flutes. He told me a story of where he once made a shakuhachi with a found piece of bamboo and a campfire-heated metal rod while camping. On top of this, Kinya is one of the top shakuhachi session musicians in Japan. His shakuhachi is heard even on some Hollywood soundtracks. This is the reason why I choose to study with Kinya: he comes from a traditional Japanese system yet does his own thing. Kurahashi sensei said tha that Kinya was one of his favorite people on Earth.

I should also say, from what I saw in Japan, that not every respected traditional craftsman had to go that route for recognition or respect. The relatively young maker, Motofumi Tatekawa, is one example. I met Motofumi san at Neiro one day. Neiro translate as Tone. It's an antique shakuhachi shop in Yokoyama that also sells bamboo.  We hit it off and he invited me to his workshop in Tokyo. I was struck by how enthusiastic Motofumi san was in sharing his craft with me. He would call me and say in his good but limited English, "Peddy San, I am making nakatsuki today, wouldu you come by to see? Prease do not bring giftu." Over a period of a few months, I came to know him as an extremely talented, generous and open person (much like Kinya). I also came to know his family as he always made me stay for dinner.  He sent a Teddy Bear when my son was born and his son stayed with me when he visited New York City. Motofumi is a traditional temple craftsmen by trade. He rehabilitates old Buddhist temples. His high sense of craft allowed him to be a self taught shakuhachi maker. He probably started in his 40's. Today, he makes under the name Oshu and is enthusiastically supported by Mejiro, the international source for quality shakuhachi. If Mejiro sells his flutes, one would not need to contest the quality. He also has Aoki Reibo's endorsement. Motofumi san is just one example of the success a gifted artist can achieve without going through the master/apprentice path.

Here's a pic of a PVC flute a friend in Japan sent me. This is supposedly produced by the Seikado Shakuhachi Company, run by the Kitaharas, one of the highly respected shakuhachi families in Japan. The literature that came with this flute has the Seikado name on it.





This label does indeed say one shakuhachi.

Kinya is an extraordinary player and steeped in different traditions in both playing and making. And, his Hocchiku are fine instruments made to play music informed by his 30+ years of shakuhachi experience. Some people are calling their flutes Hocchiku without understanding what they are or what they should be able to do. I do not have an answer for this. Does an American need to study in France to paint Impressionism? Is it OK for Remo to make fibreglass Djembes?

I make a variety of flutes that I feel comfortable in calling shakuhachi because of my experience with Kinya. My children were blessed with Kinya's San An when they were in the womb (San An is a honkyoku played by Komuso for a safe and easy birth). The midwives at both births commented on how the deliveries were amazingly easy. My wife, however, did not agree. Kinya played San An on the same Hocchiku both times. And, both times his wife Laurie poured rice through the bamboo before the piece was played.  This is my shakuhachi experience. I have no problems proudly and respectfully sharing it with the world. I understand that another person will have a totally different experience of the shakuhachi and whether or not I agree with the flutes they make or their method of teaching, they have my respect.

The difficulty in all this is that it may make it more complicated for teachers. That's why I state on my website or auctions whether a flute is good for lessons or not. Kinya taught on a good Jinashi. So can I. But I certainly understand that most teachers do not do this. Kinya would certainly not teach if the student had a poorly made Jinashi, nor would I.

Thanks to those for their kind support.

Perry, awsome post!!!

Yungflutes wrote:

This label does indeed say one shakuhachi.

Hi Perry, just to keep things real, the label on the PVC flute doesn't say 'one shakuhachi' , but rather, '1 shaku 8 sun' which is defining the length and not the validity of the instrument.
cheers!

Different perspective here. I make cheap (free) shakuhachi.................................................................notation. Would things be better if I moved to Japan, learned Japanese, studied calligraphy, ground my own ink, made my own brushes, learned to make rice paper, studied various notation systems, and then posted my scores for sale for (insert 3 or 4 USD figure) each? I don't know from better, but I am reasonably certain I wouldn't have 9200+ downloads. (Thank you everyone!) Why do I bother, if I'm not producing master-teacher-certified works of art? I floated the idea as a trial balloon and it was accepted for what it was; non-traditional music to be played by whomever for whatever reason. Is it honkyoku or works of art? Certainly not, that was never the intent. Is the corpus valid on its own terms, in its own niche? I think so, and apparently so do a not insignificant number of others. Nature teaches us that, for a given environment, an appropriate life form will appear. Lots of environments out there, room for everyone!

later...

"Dilution," this is an interesting concept. Say you can roughly divide the extra-Japan shakuhachi community into people who have teachers and a lineage and those who are learning mostly on their own. It's true that this community as a whole is more "diluted" than a hypothetical 100% direct-transmission alternative. But I don't think that that alternative is what we would have if it were in fact impossible to buy a cheap flute and get started on your own. Instead, we would have roughly the same number of dedicated "lineage" types, and all the rest would be playing their cheap xiao or mbira or whatever took the place of cheap shakuhachi in this alternate universe.

In other words, you can see the community as a unified whole with a gradually decreasing "average fidelity to Japanese practice", or as a core of people who are just as dedicated to tradition as ever, plus a surrounding corona of folks who just want to do their own thing and don't mind not being part of the grand formal precession of generations.

Also, is traditional one-on-one transmission really so dominant in Japan? It seems to me that here too, there is a core of "lineage" players and a corona of "hobbyist" players. Virtually any music store will have a few "How to play shakuhachi" books designed for solo learners, plus books containing popular songs, enka, and/or min'yo in shakuhachi notation. Someone must be buying this stuff, or it wouldn't be taking up valuable shelf space, and I don't think it is the same people who spend years practising their teacher's teacher's alternate fingerings for Shika no Tone.

(Side note: Seems to me that min'yo players have a much higher cultural profile here than any kind of honkyoku players in the first place.)

Perhaps the difference is that in Japan, even the hobbyist players invest in expensive shakuhachi and therefore support traditional, time-consuming levels of craft? But I do see cheap flutes on Yahoo! auctions quite often...

(Note: None of the above is intended to disparage, in absolute or relative terms, any variety of player, maker, style, tradition or anything else. Even my use of the word "cheap" is a descriptor of price, not a value judgment. Just trying to throw some extra ideas on the fire.)

Last edited by No-sword (2009-03-25 10:23:52)

Madoherty- Yes, since we all possess original buddha nature then essentially there is nothing Un-Buddhist like, the point I was trying to make is that there seems to be a lot of grasping by playing several different shakuhachi instead of just focusing on learning on a select amount, perhaps even one flute for a while.

If You Meet the Buddha on the Road, Kill Him
If you Meet Tradition on the Road, Screw It...
Blow your Heart and Soul into your Instrument... the rest is all Ego Games