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#1 2007-04-16 10:28:49

amokrun
Member
From: Finland
Registered: 2006-08-08
Posts: 413

Blowing Zen by Carl Abbott (book & CD)

Review

This book is designed to be somewhat like a virtual teacher that works with you every day and teaches new things as you progress. It starts with some history of shakuhachi and even goes a bit into other types of flutes as well. The instructions start with simple things like how to hold a flute, how to blow correctly and how to get started in general. Each step is explained rather well and the more important aspects also have pictures that show you the correct way to do things.

The pieces have been arranged in order of difficulty. Each piece usually brings something new but the steps are quite reasonable. The book also provides some estimates on how long it most likely takes to reach a level where you can move on. It is the next best thing for actually having a teacher tell you this.

The first group of pieces consists of various traditional japanese songs. They are intended to teach you the basics of playing. Once you have gone through them and learned the concepts you have several choices. You could either try some of the western melodies that contain only the relevant notation but no explanations or move on to the sankyoku (ensemble) pieces which typically have short explanations included. After you feel confident enough, you can try the honkyoku (buddhist) pieces that are included in the book. Out of these, the first one (Hi Fu Mi Hachigaeshi) is explained extremely precisely with every single note spelled out. The other honkyoku pieces are covered much more lightly.

Apart from playing instructions, this book comes with a rather detailed instructions for actually making your own shakuhachi. There are instructions for a simple plastic shakuhachi that anyone can make at home as well as a complete guide for making real bamboo shakuhachi together with pictures of every single step. Even if you don't plan to actually make one the instructions are interesting to read and help to explain various aspects of why shakuhachi is the way it is.

Overally I recommend this book to people who want to have a book that walks you through the steps. You will find that there are new pieces of information you didn't see or understand earlier over the years. The book should easily give you enough to work on for years.

The book includes a CD where most of the pieces included in the book are played. The playing style is very simple and it is easy to play along and try to make your playing match the recording. The only issues I had were that in few cases there are rather obvious mistakes in the playing that really stand out. This can be problematic if you try to play along with the tape because your playing - if you do it right - will sound entirely different in those parts and trying to sound like the recording will simply teach you to play wrong. You'll encounter these problems first in the pieces Sakura and Kojo no Tsuki. Strangely enough the problem goes away at some point and only the early pieces seem to be affected. My best guess is that someone else plays the beginner pieces while the others are played by the author himself.

Included notation for:

Minkyoku (folk) Pieces:
Hi No Maru No Hata
Haru No Ko Gawa
Yu Yake Ko Yake
Kimigaeyo
Kazoe Uta
Kojo no Tsuki
Sakura
Haru Ga Kita
Hotaru no Hikari

Sankyoku (ensemble) Pieces:
Kuro Kami
Sode Koro
Shodan
Tsuru no Koe
Kon Go Seki
Rokudan
Chidori

Western Pieces (not played on the CD):
Santa Lucia
Londonary Air
Amazing Grace
The Tennessee Waltz
Venezuela
Rock of Ages
Lock Lomand
Old Folks At Home
Scarborough Fair
Shanendoah
El Condor Pasa
Swing Low Sweet Chariot
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
Shule Shule
Silent Night
Greensleaves
Beautiful Dreamer

Honkyoku (buddhist) pieces:
Hi Fu Mi
Kumoi Jishi

Conclusion:

I very much recommend this book to people who are only just beginning to play. While it cannot be quite the same as a real teacher would, this is the next best thing for people who for one reason or another cannot study with one or who want something to go along with rest of their training. For people who plan to only study honkyoku pieces this may not be the best book because there is only one piece that comes with enough explanation to teach the finer points. Regardless, even people who eventually want to study honkyoku will find this book invaluable in bringing their skills to a point where beginning to play such pieces is much easier.

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#2 2007-04-29 09:25:59

Ash
Member
From: Melbourne, Australia
Registered: 2007-04-29
Posts: 9

Re: Blowing Zen by Carl Abbott (book & CD)

Cheers for posting up this review. smile

Over the past few weeks I've been doing a little research into the various beginner guides available out there. So far I've narrowed it down to this one (Abbott), Koga, ot Taniguchi. This forum has been a great resource for finding out more about these guides!

Too bad I'm so horribly indecisive. wink

Last edited by Ash (2007-04-29 09:35:17)

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#3 2007-11-27 01:23:01

axolotl
Member
From: Los Angeles
Registered: 2007-11-16
Posts: 215
Website

Re: Blowing Zen by Carl Abbott (book & CD)

Amokrun, that's a nice review.  I purchased this book after looking around online and noting that it was recommended by Riley Lee.  I share the sentiment that the CD tracks are not good guidelines for practice--the meri notes are either so sharp to be the wrong note, or they are extremely pinched and muffled.  Not that I can play them that well myself, but I expect better from a teacher!  This can be really confusing, and to add to the problem, Carl clearly states in the manual that if one's notes are not matching his, there's probably something wrong with your tape speed (an outdated reference, I know) or your technique.  Tch tch. 

That caveat aside, it's a clear manual for what it is: a primer of the basics of shakuhachi, in Kinko notation only, with lots of good advice, an interesting if not exactly relevant section on how to make shakuhachi (neat stuff, but I have no interest in gathering bamboo and working with urushi...I'll leave that to experts), and yes, a very detailed introduction to one honkyoku piece.   Carl's cool Taoist attitude comes through in the writing, which is a nice touch. 

If I could do it all over again, I might have grabbed a different manual, but I'll use this one up first.

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#4 2007-11-27 03:26:02

amokrun
Member
From: Finland
Registered: 2006-08-08
Posts: 413

Re: Blowing Zen by Carl Abbott (book & CD)

axolotl wrote:

I share the sentiment that the CD tracks are not good guidelines for practice--the meri notes are either so sharp to be the wrong note, or they are extremely pinched and muffled.  Not that I can play them that well myself, but I expect better from a teacher!  This can be really confusing, and to add to the problem, Carl clearly states in the manual that if one's notes are not matching his, there's probably something wrong with your tape speed (an outdated reference, I know) or your technique.  Tch tch.

If I recall correctly, the worst offenders are the Tsu Meri notes in Kan. Difficult note to get right, certainly, which makes it that much more annoying that the example is just plain wrong. The note played comes closer to Tsu Chu Meri except that it sounds so wrong that anyone who hears the piece can tell regardless of if they have heard the piece before. I can kind of imitate that by playing a normal Tsu and then dropping it just slightly meri while blowing weakly. It is an unfortunate problem with a book that is otherwise a great resource for beginners. Strangely enough the problem goes away in more difficult pieces. As I mentioned, my best guess is that a student played the easy pieces and then Carl himself played the Sankyoku and Honkyoku parts. That would explain why the quality of the recordings differs.

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#5 2007-11-27 12:00:37

Seth
Member
From: Scarsdale, NY
Registered: 2005-10-24
Posts: 270

Re: Blowing Zen by Carl Abbott (book & CD)

Great review.  Carl Abbott's book was my first shakuhachi reference, long before I had a teacher.

It was a great introduction and very informative.  And obviously it did something right because I am still with the shakuhachi...

However, I have to say that I found his description of how to play honkyoku very difficult to understand - and the notation used for the honkyoku is, in my opinion, overly challenging for a new student.   So if you are looking for a guide on how to play honkyoku I think there are better options out there.

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#6 2007-11-27 12:34:34

amokrun
Member
From: Finland
Registered: 2006-08-08
Posts: 413

Re: Blowing Zen by Carl Abbott (book & CD)

Seth wrote:

However, I have to say that I found his description of how to play honkyoku very difficult to understand - and the notation used for the honkyoku is, in my opinion, overly challenging for a new student.   So if you are looking for a guide on how to play honkyoku I think there are better options out there.

I'm not entirely sure how to even approach learning honkyoku from a book. It is certainly true that the notation was a bit scary at times. I never understood why they didn't provide the honkyoku notation using the same look at the rest of the pieces. For some reason it changes from very readable and plain font to something that tries to look like a piece of calligraphy. Great if you are there for the art but not so great if you still have trouble telling a Ro from Re. Even now it takes me a bit of work to go through the notation for Hi Fu Me while I have never had any trouble reading the notation that my teacher has given me.

There are all sorts of things to be said about this book but I still think that it's a great resource for someone who for one reason or another can't take lessons at that point. I would love to see an updated version of it come out with fixes with the errors and some new material.

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#7 2007-11-27 18:18:55

edosan
Edomologist
From: Salt Lake City
Registered: 2005-10-09
Posts: 2185

Re: Blowing Zen by Carl Abbott (book & CD)



There is no written 'guide' on how to play Honkyoku, full stop.



eB


[The closest thing to being one, IMO, is Taniguchi-sensei's little booklet, but it is still like reading Chinese upside down if you don't have a
teacher handy.]

Last edited by edosan (2007-11-27 18:20:49)


Zen is not easy.
It takes effort to attain nothingness.
And then what do you have?
Bupkes.

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#8 2007-11-27 19:20:07

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

Re: Blowing Zen by Carl Abbott (book & CD)

edosan wrote:



There is no written 'guide' on how to play Honkyoku, full stop.



eB

I like Takashi Tokuyama's books and CD's for learning simple honkyoku.


'Progress means simplifying, not complicating' : Bruno Munari

http://www.myspace.com/tairakubrianritchie

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#9 2007-11-27 19:54:00

edosan
Edomologist
From: Salt Lake City
Registered: 2005-10-09
Posts: 2185

Re: Blowing Zen by Carl Abbott (book & CD)

Tairaku wrote:

I like Takashi Tokuyama's books and CD's for learning simple honkyoku.

Can't argue much with that; emphasis on simple, though. I got tired of them pretty quickly.


Zen is not easy.
It takes effort to attain nothingness.
And then what do you have?
Bupkes.

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#10 2007-11-27 20:00:17

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

Re: Blowing Zen by Carl Abbott (book & CD)

edosan wrote:

Tairaku wrote:

I like Takashi Tokuyama's books and CD's for learning simple honkyoku.

Can't argue much with that; emphasis on simple, though. I got tired of them pretty quickly.

Still, it's the one I would recommend for people who don't have access to a teacher. The other ones are elusive.

Art tends toward simplification. Look at Michelangelo's Pieta in St. Peter's and then compare to the one he made at the end. I like simple honkyoku. Eventually we will probably forget all that finger stuff anyway! wink


'Progress means simplifying, not complicating' : Bruno Munari

http://www.myspace.com/tairakubrianritchie

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#11 2007-11-28 00:13:10

axolotl
Member
From: Los Angeles
Registered: 2007-11-16
Posts: 215
Website

Re: Blowing Zen by Carl Abbott (book & CD)

amokrun wrote:

If I recall correctly, the worst offenders are the Tsu Meri notes in Kan. Difficult note to get right, certainly, which makes it that much more annoying that the example is just plain wrong. The note played comes closer to Tsu Chu Meri except that it sounds so wrong that anyone who hears the piece can tell regardless of if they have heard the piece before.

Yep, it's Tsu Meri, in both Kan and Otsu.  Being in my first month or so of playing, I don't have this note yet (except on rare and isolated occasion), but I know where it should be. 

I'm also relieved to hear that honkyoku notation is not necessarily so flourish-y.  It's beautiful to look at, his notation, but it scares the crap outta me.  All in good time, I suppose.

*edit* all these quips aside, I will certainly always be grateful to Carl for this extremely positive and helpful book.

Last edited by axolotl (2007-11-28 00:14:29)

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#12 2009-03-21 21:49:33

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

Re: Blowing Zen by Carl Abbott (book & CD)

edosan wrote:

Tairaku wrote:

I like Takashi Tokuyama's books and CD's for learning simple honkyoku.

Can't argue much with that; emphasis on simple, though. I got tired of them pretty quickly.

Are you guys talking about his "Path of Bamboo A Beginner's Guide to Learning Shakuhachi Honkyoku"? I ask because I see he has some honkyoku notation and CD's aside from the "Path of ..." book. Despite the title, I don't see any honkyoku in it although I'm not sure I'd recognize it if it was in there. I've been working from the book for over two months now, and from the perspective of a beginner who went into it being able to play most of the notes already but not knowing the notation or any Japanese music, I like it. I'm almost all the way through it, I'm kind of stuck on Tsu meri a couple pages from the end. After I get past it, I think I'll need another month or so to memorize the short melodies in it. 

So, being a book that will be lasting me 3 plus months, I'd say it's worth it for someone at my level. I find it simple enough to be approachable but not so simple I don't have anything to work on. I can see where more advanced students would think it's too simple though.


"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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#13 2009-03-24 17:41:54

Larry Tyrrell
Moderator
From: Pacific Northwest
Registered: 2005-11-09
Posts: 73
Website

Re: Blowing Zen by Carl Abbott (book & CD)

Hello,

Has anyone ever contacted Carl Abbott to question him about his appropriation of Chikuyu-sha (Kawase Junsuke) published notation for his book?
I've looked at his book a few times and have yet to see either permission or proper credit given for the use of those scores. I'd be happy to
be proven wrong.

In this sense I think we're comparing apples and oranges to liken his book to Koga's or Taniguchi's books. They have clearly created
their own work therein.  It is also worth mentioning John Neptune's textbook (is it still in print?) which is an excellent guide to Tozan
playing and a very good book for beginners.

Larry

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#14 2009-03-24 18:00:47

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

Re: Blowing Zen by Carl Abbott (book & CD)

Larry Tyrrell wrote:

Hello,

Has anyone ever contacted Carl Abbott to question him about his appropriation of Chikuyu-sha (Kawase Junsuke) published notation for his book?
y

A lot of the Kawase scores are now unavailable. What happens is when they run out of a score, if it's not a popular one such as Rokudan or Kurokami, they don't print up another order because they figure it will take decades for them to sell 1000 copies. It's a shame.

Chikuyusha should set up a website with Paypal where you can download individual scores, then we wouldn't have as much bootlegging. I know many teachers who make copies of those pieces for their students. Technically that's copyright infringement. Or is it? Maybe they're in the public domain by now. Any lawyer types on the forum who would know?


'Progress means simplifying, not complicating' : Bruno Munari

http://www.myspace.com/tairakubrianritchie

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#15 2009-03-25 00:18:43

madoherty
Moderator
Registered: 2008-03-15
Posts: 366

Re: Blowing Zen by Carl Abbott (book & CD)

Copyright stuffs...
In the U.S., at least, copyright is valid for the originator for a work for their lifetime, technically for 70 years, unless it's rights are willed to a heir (I believe), after which it enters the public domain.  To prove copyright infringement one must prove that a substantial loss of profit has occurred from the copying, selling, etc., of the "work".  On the flip side it is legal to make one copy of a work protected by copyright (digital or not) as long as the original is not used at the same time.  Things may very well be different for a work originating in a country other than the U.S. and its territories, of which I have absolutely no knowledge.

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#16 2009-03-25 20:56:08

Larry Tyrrell
Moderator
From: Pacific Northwest
Registered: 2005-11-09
Posts: 73
Website

Re: Blowing Zen by Carl Abbott (book & CD)

Hello,

In the context of these postings I'm not sure infringement is the proper lens through which to view this. This work was reviewed as an original work which happens to be an assemblage of a majority of elements derived from another work or works without any citation or credit.  My point is not about illegality but about inauthenticity.  This is, of course, for every potential buyer to evaluate themselves.

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#17 2009-05-12 14:03:55

cuetzpalin
Member
Registered: 2009-05-09
Posts: 6

Re: Blowing Zen by Carl Abbott (book & CD)

Hello,

I'm new to the forum, and to shakuhachi too.

I was wondering if anyone here, have read Abbott's Blowing Zen II and Blowing West...

Regards,
Israel RN

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#18 2009-05-12 14:41:18

edosan
Edomologist
From: Salt Lake City
Registered: 2005-10-09
Posts: 2185

Re: Blowing Zen by Carl Abbott (book & CD)

cuetzpalin wrote:

Hello,

I'm new to the forum, and to shakuhachi too.

I was wondering if anyone here, have read Abbott's Blowing Zen II and Blowing West...

Regards,
Israel RN

Not a great deal to say that's not in the blurbs where you can buy them (shakuhachi.com).
     Blowing Zen II is just more of what's in Blowing Zen: 26 Honkyoku in Kinko notation, some ensemble pieces (Sankyoku) and some Minyo.
   
     Blowing West is a collection of western music, mostly classical, such a opera arias, symphony themes, minuets, etc. Fine if you want to
     learn some western music on the shakuhachi, but you should have a good grasp of how to play the shakuhachi first to get much from it.

     Neither book has accompanying recordings. An important thing to have, IMO.

     Welcome to the forum.

Last edited by edosan (2009-05-12 14:42:11)


Zen is not easy.
It takes effort to attain nothingness.
And then what do you have?
Bupkes.

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