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Tube of delight!

#1 2010-04-18 06:21:31

Kiku Day
Shakuhachi player, teacher and ethnomusicologist
From: London, UK & Nørre Snede, DK
Registered: 2005-10-07
Posts: 922
Website

Skype lessons

I am planning on doing a little research project on shakuhachi teaching over internet and the communities the digital communication creates.

I find it fascinating how skype lessons have enabled many shakuhachi interested to have lessons although they live far from a teacher. But this also created new sets of problems needing to be addressed.
The current discussion about teaching is very interesting for this topic as well.

I'd like to know more about skype teaching/leaning from players teaching and students learning.
How are your experiences? Good? Bad? And how does it make people connect to the community of shakuhachi players?

If you don't mind telling me about your activities, please email me about it. Or telling your experiences here would be appreciated as well of course.

Blow in peace and hope the spring weather (Northern hemisphere) where you are is as good as it is in London! smile


I am a hole in a flute
that the Christ's breath moves through
listen to this music
Hafiz

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#2 2010-04-18 12:17:33

Tairaku 太楽
Administrator/Performer
From: Tasmania
Registered: 2005-10-07
Posts: 3226
Website

Re: Skype lessons

Kiku Day wrote:

If you don't mind telling me about your activities, please email me about it. Or telling your experiences here would be appreciated as well of course.
)

Yeah tell it here so the wider community can get it.


'Progress means simplifying, not complicating' : Bruno Munari

http://www.myspace.com/tairakubrianritchie

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#3 2010-04-26 10:10:29

Kiku Day
Shakuhachi player, teacher and ethnomusicologist
From: London, UK & Nørre Snede, DK
Registered: 2005-10-07
Posts: 922
Website

Re: Skype lessons

Thank you to those who have sent me emails with their Skype experiences! Keep'em coming. It is actually very interesting. There is like a whole shakuhachi skype community out there.


I am a hole in a flute
that the Christ's breath moves through
listen to this music
Hafiz

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#4 2010-04-26 12:12:56

airin
Member
From: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Registered: 2008-10-17
Posts: 303
Website

Re: Skype lessons

Kiku, I think having Skype is a godsend to shakuhachi players!  I am a HUGE fan of skype lessons.  Of course, I should add that I work as a counsellor and educator in a virtual high school in BC so naturally I am biased towards the use of digital technology in education. :-)

Sometimes a student's learning style just does not match a teacher's teaching style so a teacher by skype is an better option even when a  face to face teacher is nearby as was my case. And then of course we know of so many students who have no shakuhachi teacher nearby and therefore would not be able to access teaching at all if it weren't for Skype.

Naturally I think face to face is optimal but I was amazed at how close to F2F skype actually brings me.  I hope to meet my teacher once a year or so face to face but in the meantime I am grateful, every time I have a shakuhachi lesson, that skype makes it possible for me to have lessons from a world class teacher while both he and I are in the comfort of our own homes and two time zones apart!

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#5 2010-04-26 12:39:58

BrianP
Member
From: Ocala, FL
Registered: 2006-11-03
Posts: 289
Website

Re: Skype lessons

I posted this in the past but will repost in answer to your post big_smile  I still take lessons every Monday and speak with Michael almost daily.  I am working on completing Okuden right now and have made my way through Shoden and Chuden using a mixture of in person and skype lessons.  I don't feel disadvantaged by skype at although it is more fun to drink some whiskey together and play in person then do it over the interenet.  The absence of the whiskey drinking doesn't hinder the learning at all and we still sit around an talk with whiskey over the phone anyway.  Isn't technology great big_smile  I still recommend them 110%!!


2009-04-30 07:49:40  from Reviews section on Michael Chikuzen Gould Online Skype Lesons!!:

Funny thing is that I just wrote about my lessons with Michael over at my blog ( http://gaijinkomuso.blogspot.com  ) To save anyone the time of leaving here to go read it I will just post it here.

Begin blog post:
How was your lesson tonight?
How was your lesson tonight? A question my wife asked me the other night. I answered "Great!" What made my lesson great? I started the lesson as many of you may have started a lesson a million times. I started off slightly frustrated with difficulties some of the pieces I have been working on were giving me and not necessarily feeling up to a lesson. As I have talked about on here many times my teacher is Michael "Chikuzen" Gould.

When I started my lesson I think Chikuzen could tell where my head was and did a great job of helping me work out the issues and break down my current piece in a way that was extremely helpful. Before I knew it I was being drawn excitedly into the piece I was working on and the frustration disolved into motivation. I think this is why it is critical to have a great teacher. I have worked with teachers in the past who seemed to be unaware of these things and only cultivated more frustration to the point where I was so discouraged that I no longer would work on a piece. Having had those kind of experiences in the past makes me even more appreciative of a great teacher like Chikuzen. He has helped me over "bumps" in my playing many times and after almost a year of near weekly lessons with him I cannot express how happy I am with the progress I have acheived. I am making this post to not only express how important I feel a great teacher is but to help those lost in the shakuhachi darkness to find the light so to speak.

If you are looking for a way to learn and don't live near a teacher or you are feeling frustrated with your current teacher you may want to contact Chikuzen for a skype lesson or an in person lesson if you are lucky enough to live close to him. I have been taking skype lesson with him from where I live in Florida and I have taken lessons with him in person at Ro camps and I can honestly say that the skype lessons are as good as the live lessons and just as beneficial. If you don't believe me you should try it. You won't be disappointed.

Sorry if this seems like a blatant "plug" but when you appreciate someone as much as I appreciate Chikuzen you want to let others know so they can benefit also.

End Blog Post

As you can see I am very happy with the time Michael has spent with me and the great strides he has helped me with over nearly the last year.  If you have ever thought about a lesson on skype or just getting any lessons at all, I recommend Michael Chikuzen Gould.  If you haven't thought of getting lessons and you want to make more progress and faster you should really start considering it more.  You won't be sorry and in the end, neither will your playing smile

Thanks,
Brian


The Florida Shakuhachi Camp
http://www.floridashakuhachi.com
Brian's Shakuhachi Blog
http://gaijinkomuso.blogspot.com

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#6 2010-04-26 15:19:01

Nyogetsu
Kyu Dan Dai Shihan
From: NYC
Registered: 2005-10-10
Posts: 259
Website

Re: Skype lessons

Hi Brian P., and everyone else who may find this interesting or useful,

I have posted this information before as well.
As the person who has been doing remote lessons the longest amount of time, I believe, I would like to again share my method. I have been doing this now for over 30 years ! Since I have been teaching remotely (at present over 50 students in 6 foreign countries and 26 states), I would like to share my method with those teachers who may want to offer it, and with students who may want to use it.

In the beginning, I was teaching students who did not have teacher's near them via cassette lessons. There was no internet or SKYPE in those years.

Now this part is important - SKYPE works fine for others, but not for me. I have found that it is important for me to be able to send a student a lesson - no matter how long (and this is why it doesn't work as an Attachment to an email), that he/she can play over and over again - or make a disc out of. It is also important for me to perhaps go over a students response to my recording more than once.

Toward this goal, a student of mine developed a system many years ago, for me, that doesn't require a student making a time-appointment with me, nor investing any money in technology. It would be too self- serving to go into details about this here (and too boring perhaps), but you can see how it works (step-by-step), if you go to this page on my website <http://www.nyogetsu.com/events.html> and scroll to the bottom paragraph. Of course, I would be happy to answer any questions on how this is done, and indeed, if anyone has trouble setting it up, the system's designer - Tim Larkin - is happy to patiently walk anyone through it.

Again, this is not a knock against SKYPE (I have SKYPE in my computer and can use it if I choose to).
It is just another option that has worked well for me for many years!

Most important thing for everyone is to follow your heart, and find a teacher with "Hahagokoro" (Mother's Love) !
Ronnie


The magic's in the music and the music's in me...
"Do you believe in Magic"- The Lovin' Spoonful

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#7 2010-04-26 19:58:24

Matt Lyon
Member
From: North Eastern Oregon
Registered: 2009-06-30
Posts: 92

Re: Skype lessons

Nyogetsu,

I was wondering if you might elaborate a bit more on what you don't like with skype or rather what you like better using your method?

I listened to some of the lessons and I liked what I heard. The main thing that I liked was having the lesson to listen to over and over again plus being able to go back over it many months later. The only thing lacking for me tho is that there isn't a direct dialog which I enjoy (I have a lot of questions).


Here is a question for all the other teachers: What are the main draw backs to distance learning and to what degree can they be overcome?

Matt

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#8 2010-04-26 20:13:35

Tairaku 太楽
Administrator/Performer
From: Tasmania
Registered: 2005-10-07
Posts: 3226
Website

Re: Skype lessons

Nyogetsu wrote:

Again, this is not a knock against SKYPE (I have SKYPE in my computer and can use it if I choose to).

How come you never Skype me Ronnie? I am hurt. sad

smile


'Progress means simplifying, not complicating' : Bruno Munari

http://www.myspace.com/tairakubrianritchie

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#9 2010-04-26 21:20:55

Musgo da Pedra
Member
From: South of Brazil
Registered: 2007-12-02
Posts: 332
Website

Re: Skype lessons

Matt Lyon wrote:

I listened to some of the lessons and I liked what I heard. The main thing that I liked was having the lesson to listen to over and over again plus being able to go back over it many months later. The only thing lacking for me tho is that there isn't a direct dialog which I enjoy (I have a lot of questions).

Hi Matt!

I don't know what kind of sound system you use in your skype lessons, but if you can use speakers without have feedback, you can think about record the lesson using any mobile recorder. I use to do this, it works very well, and you can also hear what yourself have been playing on the lesson. And of course you can hear it many months later. You can also edit the audio file to make smaller tracks of any desired parts of the lesson...

A big hug!


Omnia mea mecum porto

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#10 2010-04-26 22:04:04

Nyogetsu
Kyu Dan Dai Shihan
From: NYC
Registered: 2005-10-10
Posts: 259
Website

Re: Skype lessons

To answer Matt:
You have a good point about the "give-and-take" dialogue missing in my method.
i miss it as well. Of course, I encourage students to ask me all of the questions that they have and I do my best to answer them.
But it is best when they are sitting on a za-buton face-to-face with me.
Here are some more specific points:

1-I have tried to do the SKYPE or iChat method, and without more  technology, i am doomed to unacceptable feed back if I play at the same time as my students. For my style of teaching it is essential that the student can play WITH me (Japanese style) rather then "I play- You play" (Western Style).

2-Not all of my students have webcams or capability to do the recording if they want to save the lesson for future listening. Using AUDACITY (my system) or something similar, is a free download and one can keep the lesson forever.

3-I can do a "turnaround" of a new lesson immediately after listening to a students lesson, because no appointment is necessary. I only need to send the student an email, when I have uploaded her/his new lesson. I feel like once a student has uploaded their lesson they are ready (and entitled) to a new lesson as fast as possible.

Once more, the system i use really is best for me, and I believe that the systems that others - like Chikuzen and Al Ramos - use with SKYPE, is best for them. They are both great teachers and players !


The magic's in the music and the music's in me...
"Do you believe in Magic"- The Lovin' Spoonful

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#11 2010-04-26 22:05:23

Nyogetsu
Kyu Dan Dai Shihan
From: NYC
Registered: 2005-10-10
Posts: 259
Website

Re: Skype lessons

And Tairaku:
We chat enough on Facebook!

Ronnie


The magic's in the music and the music's in me...
"Do you believe in Magic"- The Lovin' Spoonful

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#12 2010-04-26 23:21:47

BrianP
Member
From: Ocala, FL
Registered: 2006-11-03
Posts: 289
Website

Re: Skype lessons

I'll visit with you on Skype if you have time for little old me Tairaku!  w00t!


The Florida Shakuhachi Camp
http://www.floridashakuhachi.com
Brian's Shakuhachi Blog
http://gaijinkomuso.blogspot.com

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#13 2010-04-27 07:48:39

Colyn Petersen
Member
From: Omaha, NE
Registered: 2009-11-20
Posts: 46
Website

Re: Skype lessons

What about recording Skype lessons? We have the technology. I saw a $14.95 option that places a record button in the Skype window. I know I often wish I could go back and hear/see something again. If I don't take good notes, I sometimes have to wait until the next lesson to ask again if I can't remember. Skype teachers, how do you feel about having sessions recorded?


Though images may appear on the surface of a mirror with clarity, they are neither in the mirror, nor sticking to its surface.

Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

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#14 2010-04-27 10:23:03

radi0gnome
Member
From: Kingston NY
Registered: 2006-12-29
Posts: 1030
Website

Re: Skype lessons

Nyogetsu wrote:

To answer Matt:
You have a good point about the "give-and-take" dialogue missing in my method.
i miss it as well. Of course, I encourage students to ask me all of the questions that they have and I do my best to answer them.

But how do you handle the basics like hand position, posture and proper breathing? For that kind of thing it seems face-to-face lessons would be required, although Skype seems somewhat OK. I'd say Skype would be totally OK except that almost every silver flute teacher I've had has adjusted my posture and hand positioning physically because imitation didn't always work.   

Nyogetsu wrote:

2-Not all of my students have webcams or capability to do the recording if they want to save the lesson for future listening. Using AUDACITY (my system) or something similar, is a free download and one can keep the lesson forever.

From my perspective as a student I kind of agree. OK, my computer is old, but the Logitech Quickcam webcam I got causes problems with other software. Even after I got everything cleaned up, when I just recently got my Akai keyboard I had to change registery settings (Akai's suggested fix) to avoid conflicts with the webcam. Even when I gave up on using the old computer for Skype lessons (which is still running fine other than Skype) and got a netbook, Skype still disconnects occasionally even when I have the netbook wired directly, never mind wireless where Skype becomes useless. Maybe wireless-N would work better than wireless-G, but not everybody has wireless-N yet.

When I say "kind of agree", my reason is that getting an Mp3 from Audacity can be a real techie learning experience even with the nice tutorial Nyogetsu has on his website (welcome to the wonderful world of DAW's), especially when you get to realizing that unless you already have worked it out almost every microphone you have laying around doesn't work.

From my experience I think it's a toss-up whether it's more difficult creating a mp3 or getting Skype working on an old machine, unless you use a standalone Mp3 recorder.

So, my conclusion is that Skype is the next best thing to face-to-face lessons, and even though there's a lot of overlap of what the two different online lesson formats cover, the recording exchange format seems best suited for those that already have had some face-to-face or Skype interaction somewhere at some point in the past.

I'm not bashing the "recording exchange" format here, right now I prefer it for my own learning purposes, and although it's tried, true, and proven effective (by Nyogetsu), I've still got to think it's not the best choice for everybody.

Last edited by radi0gnome (2010-04-27 11:45:51)


"Now birds record new harmonie, And trees do whistle melodies;
Now everything that nature breeds, Doth clad itself in pleasant weeds."
~ Thomas Watson - England's Helicon ca 1580

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#15 2010-04-27 10:58:12

lowonthetotem
Member
From: Cape Coral, FL
Registered: 2008-04-05
Posts: 529
Website

Re: Skype lessons

Frankly, I think that the technical issues are pretty minor compared to the benefit of just being able to take lessons when there are no teachers in your area.  Just being able to choose the teacher you like, that works best with you, instead of being relegated to having to work with those in your immediate area is HUGE.  I can see the benefits of cassette sessions in that they could train the student more for performance in that you have to play it all the way through correctly.  Still, I "enjoy" the aspect of having my mistakes pointed out as I make them in real time, instead of practicing my mistakes unknowingly and then having to unlearn them, which takes much more time than learning them.  My two cents.


"Turn like a wheel inside a wheel."

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#16 2010-04-27 12:03:33

Yu-Jin
Member
From: San Diego
Registered: 2005-11-30
Posts: 108

Re: Skype lessons

I am using Skype to talk to my friends in Russia. They don't really have many teachers over there, and the internet is the only way for most of them to get information. Since I am not a teacher, I can only share what I am learning myself.

Skype allows to create a chat. But AFAIK, there is no way to have a video conference for several people at the time, just 1-on-1
Shakuhachi Russian chat-room has been working for us well so far for 1.5 - 2 years

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#17 2010-04-27 12:45:27

Nyogetsu
Kyu Dan Dai Shihan
From: NYC
Registered: 2005-10-10
Posts: 259
Website

Re: Skype lessons

I think that every point that has been raised is a good one !
And so there are pluses and minuses to every system, and that is why I said that my method is best for me, and I can't (won't ) speak for anyone else.
Indeed, I would like to repeat again that you will not go wrong if you choose to study with Chikuzen or Al Ramos (my apologies to all other teachers who use SKYPE for not listing them).

Ultimately, it is important to reach out for those who can not do face-to-face lessons (agreed the best system when possible).

Did I ever mention that when Phil Nyokai James was living in Colombia, Missouri, we did the entire repertoire via cassettes!
But then again, Phil has always been extremely motivated as well as talented.
I received a beautiful photo of his son this morning......beautiful....


The magic's in the music and the music's in me...
"Do you believe in Magic"- The Lovin' Spoonful

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#18 2010-04-27 14:05:46

Kiku Day
Shakuhachi player, teacher and ethnomusicologist
From: London, UK & Nørre Snede, DK
Registered: 2005-10-07
Posts: 922
Website

Re: Skype lessons

Colyn Petersen wrote:

What about recording Skype lessons? We have the technology. I saw a $14.95 option that places a record button in the Skype window. I know I often wish I could go back and hear/see something again. If I don't take good notes, I sometimes have to wait until the next lesson to ask again if I can't remember. Skype teachers, how do you feel about having sessions recorded?

I personally would not mind at all. That is not much different to all the students recording lessons 'in person'. I recorded my own lessons too when I was learning - and the recordings were huge support then and much later in the process where I could go back and listen as well.


I am a hole in a flute
that the Christ's breath moves through
listen to this music
Hafiz

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#19 2010-04-27 14:25:05

Kiku Day
Shakuhachi player, teacher and ethnomusicologist
From: London, UK & Nørre Snede, DK
Registered: 2005-10-07
Posts: 922
Website

Re: Skype lessons

Wow this is really interesting!

I have been teaching Skype lessons myself for a while now since I live partly in London and partly in Denmark. I only started doing it as a means to give my English students more lessons than what I could give when I was in London... but now it has developed into more people are taking Skype lessons with me. Although I don't think it is as satisfying to teach on Skype as in person - I totally find this possibility of teaching to be mind-blowing! It is therefore really interesting for me to hear the different opinions and how this technology has changed people's lives. So thank you all for your posts!

So we have had the pro and contra of Skype and other long-distance systems...
I'd now like to ask you how taking Skype lessons makes you feel a part of a shakuhachi community and if you think there would be a difference in that community feeling if you were in a place where there was one or several shakuhachi teacher(s)? In case there is a difference how?
Also, as we all know we play a Japanese instrument. Playing shakuhachi in a place far away from Japan via Skype (it seems like most are taking lessons with non-Japanese teachers on Skype) - how connected do you feel to Japan via your activity of shakuhachi playing? I am not insinuating you have to feel connected to Japan when playing shakuhachi. I think the shakuhachi has moved beyond borders as a modern instrument of the world. But I find it fascinating as I have done all m training myself in Japan and therefore my own training and Japan are very intimately connected. And it was more of a necessity at that time (1989 - 2000, 2003 and 2007) - well unless you knew of Ronnie cassette tape method. I didn't! smile And this is just because I am pondering upon community building and what that means.


I am a hole in a flute
that the Christ's breath moves through
listen to this music
Hafiz

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#20 2010-04-27 15:04:34

Matt Lyon
Member
From: North Eastern Oregon
Registered: 2009-06-30
Posts: 92

Re: Skype lessons

Kiku Day wrote:

Wow this is really interesting!


I'd now like to ask you how taking Skype lessons makes you feel a part of a shakuhachi community and if you think there would be a difference in that community feeling if you were in a place where there was one or several shakuhachi teacher(s)? In case there is a difference how?

Also, as we all know we play a Japanese instrument. Playing shakuhachi in a place far away from Japan via Skype (it seems like most are taking lessons with non-Japanese teachers on Skype) - how connected do you feel to Japan via your activity of shakuhachi playing? I am not insinuating you have to feel connected to Japan when playing shakuhachi. I think the shakuhachi has moved beyond borders as a modern instrument of the world. But I find it fascinating as I have done all m training myself in Japan and therefore my own training and Japan are very intimately connected. And it was more of a necessity at that time (1989 - 2000, 2003 and 2007) - well unless you knew of Ronnie cassette tape method. I didn't! smile And this is just because I am pondering upon community building and what that means.

Kiku,

As far as community goes..... I personally don't really feel apart of the shakuhachi community. The lessons are very enjoyable and I learn a lot but there is no peer interaction or stimulation. If I were to start communicating with other students over skype then I think that would start to build something closer to a sense of community.

I have actually thought about your second point a fair bit. If I stand back on look at myself and what I would be able to offer a potential student in a few years I would have to say that I could teach them how to play but if they are interested in gaining any insight or appreciation of the Japanese culture then they would be best served to find someone who has at least studied in Japan.

My reason for saying this is even tho my teachers (Chikuzen and yourself) have spent time in Japan and teach from your knowledge that was gained there I don't think it is possible to share those experiences to a student and have them gain a full enough of a perspective to be able to pass on anything themselves. I enjoy hearing the stories and it puts things in context for me but it certainly would not help anyone I would share the same stories with.

One of the downsides of skype come into play in your statement "I think the shakuhachi has moved beyond borders as a modern instrument of the world." is that if knowledge and cultural context is not seriously guarded it will continually get watered down until much of it will be lost and then only found in books.

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#21 2010-04-27 15:08:22

airin
Member
From: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Registered: 2008-10-17
Posts: 303
Website

Re: Skype lessons

Kiku, in my case I am extraordinarily fortunate to be able to take lessons with a talented teacher via Skype and still be a part of a local shakuhachi community!  Locally there is a group of experienced shakuhachi players who are passionate about this instrument and have graciously and enthusiastically invited me to play with them once a week.  We play mostly long tones - a brilliant way for a beginner like me to be able to join in making shakuhachi sounds with much more skilled players and an opportunity I feel extremely privileged to have.

Our local teacher and professional shakuhachi musician also keeps in regular contact with the players here and he frequently invites us to shakuhachi performances.  Again, how lucky to have this connection!

Not only do I feel connected to my local shakuhachi community but also, for me, community extends around the globe thanks to contacts I have made on this forum and to the connections readers of my blog have made with me. 

Now with regards to your questions about connections to the traditional roots of this instrument....well I'd have to say that is not as strong for me.  Of course I have read a lot about the history of this instrument and though I have traveled to Japan on numerous occasions a long while ago, I did not study shakuhachi there so for me the connection to Japan is more of an intellectual one.  For good or for bad, I am probably solidly in the 'next generation' of shakuhachi players - firmly rooted in the west with a love for an instrument that was born in the east.

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#22 2010-04-27 15:35:21

MikeL
Member
Registered: 2008-05-18
Posts: 55

Re: Skype lessons

Colyn Petersen wrote:

What about recording Skype lessons? We have the technology. I saw a $14.95 option that places a record button in the Skype window. I know I often wish I could go back and hear/see something again. If I don't take good notes, I sometimes have to wait until the next lesson to ask again if I can't remember. Skype teachers, how do you feel about having sessions recorded?

From another thread here on the forum.

http://tryingtofollow.com/2006/03/31/5- … city-free/

Still an active link. I have not tried it myself though.

- Mike

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#23 2010-04-27 16:37:38

Nyogetsu
Kyu Dan Dai Shihan
From: NYC
Registered: 2005-10-10
Posts: 259
Website

Re: Skype lessons

As far as a Shakuhachi community, there are other things besides private lessons (face-to-face or cyber) that one can do. Unfortunately, they all cost some money!
If you can afford the price, here are some:

1- Avail yourself of some of the Master Classes that Japanese masters do in the USA, Kurahashi YODO II Sensei tours Winter and Summer. Less often, there are others who come from Japan and Australia (Riley Lee, Chris Blaisdel, etc.). I will leave the European and Australian activity to those who know more about it.

2- Go to the Shakuhachi Camp in the "Western" USA - the Boulder Camp.

3- Go to the Shakuhachi Camp in the "Eastern" USA- the KiSuiAn Camp.

4-Go to the European Shakuhachi Camp

5-Go to any Australian Shakuhachi Camp

6-Travel to Japan on one of the various annual Tours. (I have been taking groups annually since 1980. Al Ramos leads a wonderful Tour almost every year. James Nyoraku Schlefer leads tours as well).

7-Attend the International Shakuhachi Festivals. So far they have been:
1994-Bissei, Japan
1998-Boulder, Colorado
2002-Tokyo, Japan
2004-New York, NY
2008- Sydney, Australia
2012- (will be held in) Kyoto, Japan

All of the above are WONDERFUL ways to experience the Shakuhachi World-Wide community!
(I have probably forgotten a number of other ways , as well.)


The magic's in the music and the music's in me...
"Do you believe in Magic"- The Lovin' Spoonful

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#24 2010-04-27 19:56:52

Tairaku 太楽
Administrator/Performer
From: Tasmania
Registered: 2005-10-07
Posts: 3226
Website

Re: Skype lessons

airin wrote:

Kiku, in my case I am extraordinarily fortunate to be able to take lessons with a talented teacher via Skype and still be a part of a local shakuhachi community!

Our local teacher and professional shakuhachi musician also keeps in regular contact with the players here and he frequently invites us to shakuhachi performances.  Again, how lucky to have this connection!
.

If I read this properly you are studying on Skype even though there is a local teacher available. Why not just take lessons face to face with the local teacher?


'Progress means simplifying, not complicating' : Bruno Munari

http://www.myspace.com/tairakubrianritchie

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#25 2010-04-27 21:15:50

BrianP
Member
From: Ocala, FL
Registered: 2006-11-03
Posts: 289
Website

Re: Skype lessons

I would guess that the reason is because not every teacher is suited for every student.  I have had teachers in instruments that were local and were not the right instructors for my style of learning.  I could be wrong but I was trying to get my shakuhachi Forum posting fix so I took a whack at it smile


The Florida Shakuhachi Camp
http://www.floridashakuhachi.com
Brian's Shakuhachi Blog
http://gaijinkomuso.blogspot.com

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