Mujitsu and Tairaku's Shakuhachi BBQ

I think one's idea about playing shakuhachi is more important than talent. Rather than letting the untalented people weed themselves out, I prefer to think that its the people who are most determined and able to forge and develop their idea about sound on shakuhachi that learn. After all, not many (if any) people pick a shakuhachi and develop the ability to play it well without serious training. Yokoyama sensei says it wasn't talent that propelled him, but his desire to carry the tradition of shakuhachi at least another generation further.

Last edited by caffeind (2006-04-21 22:50:05)

I am studying to memorize the Saji pieces: Neri Saji and Yuri Saji as well as Jyakunen. There are many more to memorize! Eariler I use do play some western classical pieces on shakuhachi, now I mainly concentrate on playing honkyoku, to memorize all the pieces. Honkyoku is so demanding! Working with jinashi (hocchiku) that I've made myself and feeling the raw bamboo with the honkyoku is also something I'm working on. Of course jiari shakuhachi is also a great pleasure to play as well which I divide my time between equally. When it is called for, I read western music and play gaikyoku and shinkyoku, which of course takes lots of practice/rehearsal time as well, but honkyoku is the most important for me, I feel. I want everything I play to be affected by honkyoku so I spend lots of time with it. 

I think it helps students to play some western songs in the beginning to help get a foothold on some technical aspects of playing. I often teach Amazing Grace to students; some minyou; otherwise it's all honkyoku.   


Some suggestions for technical  practice for honkyoku:

* Whole-body awareness warm-up: any kind of calesthenics, stretches, yogic breathing, tai-chi, etc.

* Silent listening for several minutes

* RO-BUKI (10 minutes or more)
--focus on how long you can extend the breath
--focus on  kari buki (blowing upwards) and how loud you can make your sound (especially with jiari)
--focus on how silent you can make your sound (especially with jinashi)
--focus on keeping the pitch even

* long tones on all the notes in the open scale as well all meri and daimeri notes; making sure each pitch and interval is on; using the sonic shapes: bamboo leaf (sasa),wedge (kusabi/kyosui), drum (tsuzumi), etc.

* Strong meri practice

* Yuri techniques (oshiki, tate, yoko, mawashi)
--emphasis on meri being heavy on the bottom and light on kari

* Komi-Buki (pulse-packed breathing) in different speeds;
--focus on keeping the pulses even

* Mura-iki (turbulent breath)

* Cho-kan (long flute) training (2.4 and up)

* Tamane (throat fluttering)

* Playing the honkyoku through several times and then concentrating on problematic parts then isloating those and slowing down the part to get it right then working to speed up to normal.

* Trilling and double hitting on the thumb and finger of the 3rd hole (ring finger).

* Korokoro (making sure that at one point both the first and second hole are closed before opening the other hole; and keep the fingers as close to the bamboo as possible.)



Best,

Alcvin
www.bamboo-in.com