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#1 2006-02-07 14:50:14

kyoreiflutes
Member
From: Seattle, WA
Registered: 2005-10-27
Posts: 364
Website

Do you play any other Instruments?

I think that there must be other multi-instrumentalists on this forum, so I thought I'd ask what you folks are into playing besides shakuhachi, if anything.

I consider Shakuhachi to be my main Melodic instrument, but I also play Brush Snare with a local "Jass" group (think 20's-era Parisian Jazz), anything with keys of just about any type, and some guitar. I'm getting much better at guitar, but I'm still nowhere near where I'd like to be, which really is just to be able to change chords more quickly, lol. I'm slow at playing guitar. I also play a little slide, and I'm surprisingly good with Upright Acoustic Bass. I once played in a local art/rock band as the keyboardist/accordianist, but found myself filling in for drums and bass when the regular players didn't get the "groove" of the song, so I found a new love in Drums and Bass.

I'm also a big big fan of Vibraphone, Xylophone, Marimba, Kalimba, Gamelan, you name it. Usuually, if it has a set of mallets, I'm all over it. Someday I plan on buying at least one good, full-sized Marimba and a Full-Sized Vibraphone, with a few other mallet intruments, and start writing soundtracks and the like again.

Otherwise, I try to play just about anything my hands are capable of touching, and I'm always on the lookout for new and interesting intruments. If I won the Lottery, Lark in the Morning would be bought OUT. wink

So, who else? I'm just curious as to what you folks like to play.

-Eddie


"The Universe does not play favorites, and is not fair by its very Nature; Humans, however, are uniquely capable of making the world they live in fair to all."    - D.E. Lloyd

"Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bells tolls; it tolls for thee."    -John Donne

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#2 2006-02-07 15:32:41

Bogert
Member
From: Amagasaki-shi, Hyogo-ken
Registered: 2005-12-05
Posts: 203

Re: Do you play any other Instruments?

Lets see, well I have many pennywhistles I like to play.  My friend gave me some shinobue that are fun to play, but I'm not very good at them yet.  I want to start playing irish fiddle, I have my great-grandfather's, but I need to re-furbish it.  But really shakuhachi is my favorite instrument of all time.
                                                                                                              Chris


理趣経百字の偈
菩薩勝慧者 乃至尽生死 恒作衆生利 而不趣涅槃 般若及方便 智度悉加持 諸法及諸有    一切皆清浄 欲等調世間 令得浄除故 
有頂及悪趣 調伏尽諸有 如蓮体本染 不為垢所染    諸欲性亦然 不染利群生 大欲得清浄 大安楽富饒 三界得自在 能作堅固利

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#3 2006-02-07 16:54:22

jumbuk
Member
From: South-eastern Australia
Registered: 2005-12-15
Posts: 85

Re: Do you play any other Instruments?

Fingerstyle guitar has been my main instrument for 30 years, with Appalachian dulcimer and fretless bass being alternatives on occasion.  I had a brief affair with tenor banjo (Irish style) and mandolin.  More recently, I have been heavily into irish flute styles, and this is what really lead me to shakuhachi.  In another life, I play a little bit of keyboard to help me with my recording and composing projects.  With luck, the shakuhachi will end up as part of this.  Even at my beginner stage, I find that shakuhachi tones record beautifully and love a bit of articial reverb.  The possibilities are unlimited!


... as if nothing is happening.  And it is!

Paul Mitchell, Jumbuktu 2006

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#4 2006-02-15 01:40:16

Daniel Ryudo
Shihan/Kinko Ryu
From: Kochi, Japan
Registered: 2006-02-12
Posts: 355

Re: Do you play any other Instruments?

I've been playing harmonica/blues harp longer than I've been playing shakuhachi and once was in a group called the Elevator Band where the four or five of us -- trombone, washtub bass, wooden flute, harmonica, and bongos -- played in the general classroom building elevators at Georgia State University, going up and down the ten floors and sometimes changing elevators.  We thought we'd graduate to the Peachtree Plaza Hotel and their elevator but one band member moved to California, another joined the navy, and the trombonist got married and switched to piano.  I've been trying to learn some Irish tunes on tin whistle now and again, and have a pair of tabla, a kalimba, and also a djembe that I like to occasionally pound on; need to find a teacher of the tabla, though; I love many types of percussion instruments and have enjoyed watching taiko bands like Kodo and Ondekoza, as well as gamelan, and something out of Java called horse trance dancing.  I'm also fan of slide guitar; generally I'm terrible at playing stringed instruments through.  I used to play trumpet and French horn in junior high and high school bands but haven't touched brass in over two decades.

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#5 2006-04-29 03:25:47

Michael Howard
Member
From: Kingston WA
Registered: 2006-03-22
Posts: 44
Website

Re: Do you play any other Instruments?

In addition to Shakuhachi I play acoustic guitar (Taylor 410 CE) & Classical, Bass, Piano, transverse flutes and Native American as well as  various types of percussion instruments including my favorite cow hide drum from Uganda!

Last edited by Kolbeflutes (2006-04-29 03:26:37)


The Tao is (like) the emptiness of a vessel; and in our employment of it we must be on our guard against all fulness. How deep and unfathomable it is, as if it were the Honoured Ancestor of all things!

www.kolbeflutes.com       http://www.myspace.com/bushidoshakuhachi

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#6 2006-04-29 19:01:31

bluespiderweb
Member
From: Southeastern PA USA
Registered: 2005-10-31
Posts: 66

Re: Do you play any other Instruments?

Welcome, Michael!

I just recently have begun to play the Native American flute, as well as the Shakuhachi just a little longer, and I'm enjoying every minute I play now.

Anyone who is interested in the NAF, please stop by the Chiff NAF forum, join in and say hello too, here:

http://www.chiffandfipple.com/naf/index.php  It's a nice but small (so far) membership  forum, with nice people like here.

I have played acoustic guitar on and off since I was about 14 (1967), and also now play a little dobro, fiddle, and mandolin (when I get my hands on one), Irish flute and pennywhistle, and still want to play piano and cello, maybe bagpipes (if I could find a place to play)!  I'm with you, too, Eddie-if I won the Lottery, Lark would be a place I'd like to visit (before you bought them out)-and, an Oud, a Guqin, and a Xiao would be 3 fast picks, with many more to come!  Maybe a harp too!  There's something powerful about making your own music!

Last edited by bluespiderweb (2006-04-29 19:02:34)


Be well,  Barry

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#7 2006-04-30 01:02:31

Michael Howard
Member
From: Kingston WA
Registered: 2006-03-22
Posts: 44
Website

Re: Do you play any other Instruments?

How are ya on that dobro? That's one instrument that when played right get's my blood pumpin'!


The Tao is (like) the emptiness of a vessel; and in our employment of it we must be on our guard against all fulness. How deep and unfathomable it is, as if it were the Honoured Ancestor of all things!

www.kolbeflutes.com       http://www.myspace.com/bushidoshakuhachi

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#8 2006-04-30 12:55:25

bluespiderweb
Member
From: Southeastern PA USA
Registered: 2005-10-31
Posts: 66

Re: Do you play any other Instruments?

I play well enough on the dobro to please me, and bad enough to annoy others.  Just about right!  In other words, I won't be going on the road anytime soon, unless I get kicked out.

Last edited by bluespiderweb (2006-04-30 12:58:54)


Be well,  Barry

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#9 2006-04-30 22:03:02

Daniel Ryudo
Shihan/Kinko Ryu
From: Kochi, Japan
Registered: 2006-02-12
Posts: 355

Re: Do you play any other Instruments?

Welcome to the forum, Michael.  I think dobro and shakuhachi go quite well together.  There's an excellent dobro player up in the mountains of Shikoku, a guy named Fujishima, who busked for a living for a decade or more on several continents;  he's got a cafe named Missy Sippee with free lodging for international travelers equipped with sleeping bags.   We'll be playing a little concert up in his town of Motoyama on May 19th, also joined by fiddle and some other instruments.  Happy Blowing.

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#10 2006-05-06 14:17:28

sakurashakuhachi
Member
Registered: 2006-04-08
Posts: 18

Re: Do you play any other Instruments?

Hi there; I play Shamisen (though not particularly well!); Crwth (a welsh folk fiddle type instrument - search lark in the moening for one) Uillean Pipies, Slide Guitar and am slowly gettin the hang of Qin... though I have no teacher sad Rory

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#11 2006-05-11 02:07:39

evan kubota
Member
Registered: 2006-04-10
Posts: 136

Re: Do you play any other Instruments?

Electric and classical guitar, bass, and trying to learn shakuhachi and piano...

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#12 2006-05-11 02:18:01

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

Re: Do you play any other Instruments?

Multi-instrumentalists.. oh yes!
Hi!
Good to see al the different instruments people make sounds on!
I still at times play piano (also pipe organ if a church will let me), Western flute (in klezmer band), kurdish Iranian daf, darbuka and mbira... but really I am a horrible multi-instrumentalist and I play all these other instruments terribly. I even play modern shakuhachi pretty badly. I am a ji-nashi shakuhachi player and the breathing techniques are quite different.
And the sakurashakuhachi, in case you are in Europe, we will have a shakuhachi/koto/shamisen summer school in London 19th - 22nd July with superb teachers in shamisen as well... so come on over! You can see the webpage here: www.shakuhachisummer-soas.com

Bye for now,
Kiku


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

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#13 2006-05-11 02:26:40

kyoreiflutes
Member
From: Seattle, WA
Registered: 2005-10-27
Posts: 364
Website

Re: Do you play any other Instruments?

Kiku, if you're ever in Seattle, I could try and get you into St. Mark's Cathedral, if you've never been there. The pipe organ is gigantic, and sounds amazing. I've been there when they were playing some very low timbres, and it really sounded amazing. I believe they still rent it out for recordings, with several mics hung from the cieling, feeding into a digital recorder of some kind. I know they used to have some proprietary system, but I'm guessing they have a Mac or something now. The place is also cavernous, and I'd lov eto take some flutes in there sometime, especially my big ones. What a Ro THAT would be.  Geez, even being able to record for a bit on my Mac with a good USB mic...that'd be sweet.

-Eddie


"The Universe does not play favorites, and is not fair by its very Nature; Humans, however, are uniquely capable of making the world they live in fair to all."    - D.E. Lloyd

"Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bells tolls; it tolls for thee."    -John Donne

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#14 2006-05-11 19:13:40

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

Re: Do you play any other Instruments?

Hi Eddie.

i would love to go to St Mark's Cathedral, but I suppose my organ skills are too rusty for a great instrument like the one you describe.
I have never been to Seattle, so it would be nice to go and play shakuhachi there.
What size shakuhachi do you play?


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

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#15 2006-05-11 20:20:32

kyoreiflutes
Member
From: Seattle, WA
Registered: 2005-10-27
Posts: 364
Website

Re: Do you play any other Instruments?

My organ skills aren't so awesome, but I wouldn't be able to resist hitting a few of the lower tones on that. In fact, since the organ is so timbre-flexible, I've thought about composing some modernist music for it. I'm into Arvo Part, Philip Glass, etc, and I've always wanted to hear some pieces like that on the organ. I suppose one could even transpose some of that music for the organ. I just think it could sound really interesting.

Can you imagine having some low tones playing while you play shakuhachi? Could sound great.

I'm currently working a lot with my 2.0s, 2.7, and when I feel like just playing Ro to really calm down and relax, I play my bastard 3.7. It's not tuned right, but it sounds great, and has a super low Ro...I can't remember what note. The holes are roughly tuned to a 2.7, although I was just playing around, and it's not really in tune. I'm going to make another one like this out of better bamboo, and better in tune. It plays through four octaves in Ro, and I can even get some amazing little harmonic effects by going from Ro and "hovering" above some of the other holes.

I was inspired by Watazumido and you when I made the bigger flutes, actually. I had been looking at your site, and just loved the pics with you and these huge flutes, and then found some pics of Watazumido and his flutes, although I wish I could find better pics. I began listening to more stuff like that, and fell in love with the rich undertones of the larger ji-nashi and hocchiku. I'd like to make a Ji-Nashi out of some root culm soon, probably no smaller than 2.5-3.0. I have to play around with hole position and all that before I tackle a normal 3.0, but I think I can do it. My hands are smaller but flexible.

Anyway...Seattle's a cool place, with a large Japanese population, but they're not as organized as in other cities, such as SanFran. There was a Cherry Blossom Festival recently, and they have very little to do there, and most of the music was either Taiko (which is great, but expected) or this girl with a Kawai keyboard. I didn't want to stay for that. There were no Bonsai growers present, only Silk Bonsai (which no one cared about), no authentic food, not much in the classical arts, nada. It was a little sad, and I was only there for a few minutes before leaving. They didn't even advertise the event on the web or anything, no newspaper ads, no website or email.

I mention that because I've thought about trying to put on a shakuhachi event here in Seattle, hoping that the older Japanese population would come, as well as players from all over. Seeing this Sakura event, though, has me wondering. However, I know I'm far better at marketing than these guys. We also have a pretty high Buddhist population, and I think I could tap into that through the new Center down the street. I'd also want to have some more modern stuff played, some interesting pieces, perhaps ensemble, stuff like that, as well as classical honkyoku and the like.

Maybe someday... sigh...

But it is a nice town, with lots of greenery and such. I've been here a long time now, and I suppose I've grown bored of it, but it is a nice place. We have a small but nice Japanese Garden with a tea house, right next to a larger Arboretum. In fact, if you like arboretums, Seattle's your town.

So what's your favorite size of flute to play, Kiku?

-E

Last edited by kyoreiflutes (2006-05-11 20:23:41)


"The Universe does not play favorites, and is not fair by its very Nature; Humans, however, are uniquely capable of making the world they live in fair to all."    - D.E. Lloyd

"Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bells tolls; it tolls for thee."    -John Donne

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#16 2006-05-11 22:21:38

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

Re: Do you play any other Instruments?

kikuday wrote:

Multi-instrumentalists.. oh yes!
Hi!
Good to see al the different instruments people make sounds on!
I still at times play piano (also pipe organ if a church will let me), Western flute (in klezmer band), kurdish Iranian daf, darbuka and mbira... but really I am a horrible multi-instrumentalist and I play all these other instruments terribly. I even play modern shakuhachi pretty badly. I am a ji-nashi shakuhachi player and the breathing techniques are quite different.
And the sakurashakuhachi, in case you are in Europe, we will have a shakuhachi/koto/shamisen summer school in London 19th - 22nd July with superb teachers in shamisen as well... so come on over! You can see the webpage here: www.shakuhachisummer-soas.com

Bye for now,
Kiku

Hi Kiku,

It's refreshing to hear a musican say that they are not good at certain things. But that's the case for all of us, isn't it? In the shakuhachi world there seems to be an idea that we should be good at everything. For example people are always telling me to learn Tozan or master gaikyoku because "in Japan all the professional shakuhachi players do that". It's great to study a bit of everything, but we should only try to get really good at the things we like. Why bother mastering things that we don't want to do? Life's too short. I like your style and I think it's interesting that you do everything on jinashi, even when others approach certain materials on hi-tech modern instruments. If you only like jinashi, why waste your time on the rest?

Regards,

Tairaku


'Progress means simplifying, not complicating' : Bruno Munari

http://www.myspace.com/tairakubrianritchie

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#17 2006-05-12 00:06:46

Karmajampa
Member
From: Aotearoa (NZ)
Registered: 2006-02-12
Posts: 574
Website

Re: Do you play any other Instruments?

I started on ukelele when I was 7, then guitar, not enough piano, but a bit, then classical guitar, bugle, and the usual whatever came along. I think growing up in a church society gave me good singing and rhythm experiences. But before I became competent or could complete any of my training, I was moved on so feel somewhat incomplete. I now have my own small studio with recording ability and all sorts of sample sounds but my preference is now the Shakuhachi, and it makes me smile !

And it makes others smile too, what more could I desire !

Kel.


Kia Kaha !

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#18 2006-05-17 19:42:09

James
Member
From: Seattle, WA, USA
Registered: 2005-12-03
Posts: 23

Re: Do you play any other Instruments?

kyoreiflutes wrote:

if you're ever in Seattle, I could try and get you into St. Mark's Cathedral, if you've never been there.

I have also wondered what it would be like to play in St. Mark's. I rather suspect it wouldn't be pleasant though. It's a huge space, much taller than it is wide with a long decay time. I've heard music in there (at a Christmas service) and I thought the echoes detracted from the music rather than added to it.

It might work really well for really slow honkyoku played on a really big flute.

James

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#19 2006-05-17 23:58:40

philipgelb
Chef, musician, teacher
From: Oakland, California
Registered: 2005-10-08
Posts: 135
Website

Re: Do you play any other Instruments?

a room such as St Marks becomes part of the instrument! If you play to the room, it can be quite an amazing experience.  Seattle based trombone player, Stuart Dempster often performs in spaces such as this. Quite interesting!!


Philip Gelb
shakuhachi player, teacher & vegetarian chef
Oakland, CA
http://philipgelb.com  http://myspace.com/philipgelb, http://myspace.com/inthemoodforfood

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#20 2006-05-18 11:22:44

kyoreiflutes
Member
From: Seattle, WA
Registered: 2005-10-27
Posts: 364
Website

Re: Do you play any other Instruments?

Yeah, with that size space you really do start playing the room. It's not for everyone, but I like having notes hang in the air sometimes like that. It makes for some interesting chords and the like.

A big flute would sound great in there. I'm going to have to look into it.

-E


"The Universe does not play favorites, and is not fair by its very Nature; Humans, however, are uniquely capable of making the world they live in fair to all."    - D.E. Lloyd

"Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bells tolls; it tolls for thee."    -John Donne

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#21 2006-05-18 20:23:34

philipgelb
Chef, musician, teacher
From: Oakland, California
Registered: 2005-10-08
Posts: 135
Website

Re: Do you play any other Instruments?

kyoreiflutes
Today 08:22:44 Yeah, with that size space you really do start playing the room. It's not for everyone, but I like having notes hang in the air sometimes like that. It makes for some interesting chords and the like.

A big flute would sound great in there. I'm going to have to look into it.

-E




it is all about listening...then again all music making is about listening. And to a great extent, one always has to play to the room and adjust and work with acoustics.
The idea of notes being suspended and being able to build chords without the use of electronics is quite interesting and fun to work with!
Ironically, this afternoon i was hired to cater Stuart Dempster's 70th birthday celebration this summer which will be in Berkeley.

phil


Philip Gelb
shakuhachi player, teacher & vegetarian chef
Oakland, CA
http://philipgelb.com  http://myspace.com/philipgelb, http://myspace.com/inthemoodforfood

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#22 2006-09-04 18:08:47

Osorno2
Member
From: Holland
Registered: 2006-09-03
Posts: 11

Re: Do you play any other Instruments?

Hmmmm I guess I got a little carried away in woodwinds.......
I play flute (and alto flute, piccolo and bassflute), bassoon, oboe/english horn, clarinet (from E-flat to bass), panpipes (both roumanian and south-american), recorders (sopranino to bass), shakuhachi, traverso, bansuri, tinwhistles, quena/quenacho and didgeridoo (I make my own from bamboo).

furthermore a little piano and backingvocals

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#23 2006-09-05 07:04:30

matthew
Member
From: Okayama, Japan
Registered: 2006-07-16
Posts: 25

Re: Do you play any other Instruments?

I wonder if anyone else out there struggles with the fact that they are a multi-instrumentalist.  I too play low whistle, tenor recorder, Native American flute, quena, quenacho, xun, didgeridoo and so on and so forth.  It seems that the world of wind is infinite.  Oh yea, and I try to play a little shakuhachi too. 

So as the years go by the list gets longer and longer, right?  I can’t help but feel like I’m spinning my wheels at times.  It seems like when I am asked to play one of the above mentioned instruments in public, I have to go back and work out the rust and spend time just getting back up to speed with something.  I feel a bit like forward progress is stunted on any one instrument or in any particular style.

Long story short, I’ve been tempted to hang it all up to focus on one instrument for a while.  Not with the hopes of being the worlds greatest at something, but to see what I am capable of.  I wonder if I will always regret not pushing myself a bit.  I feel like I’m living one big musical identity crisis and I never know what the heck to play when I squeak out a few minutes to unwind.  Dang…it can be frustrating! 

Anyone else relate?
Matt

Last edited by matthew (2006-09-05 07:05:47)

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#24 2006-09-05 08:12:44

jumbuk
Member
From: South-eastern Australia
Registered: 2005-12-15
Posts: 85

Re: Do you play any other Instruments?

matthew wrote:

Anyone else relate?
Matt

Very much so!  There is something to be said for keeping it simple and focusing.  I wasted too much of the 80's and 90's trying to simultaneously master umpteen different synthesisers, while learning keyboard chops and trying to keep my guitar playing up to scratch.  I am kind of falling into that trap again by playing Xiao, Irish flute and shakuhachi at the same time.  My solution has been to focus on one for a period of maybe months (with occasional informal practices on the others).  This has helped me a lot - the improvements in one transfer to the others as well.

I have stopped my tendency towards thinking I can only make music after I have "mastered" an instrument - as if that could ever happened.  The breakthrough for me was when I heard a great Indian Bansuri player make a tune out of one note.  I realised then that I already had all I needed to make music now, in the present, right where I am.  Sounds kind of Zen-like, but it is really quite simple.


... as if nothing is happening.  And it is!

Paul Mitchell, Jumbuktu 2006

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#25 2006-09-05 20:32:23

Osorno2
Member
From: Holland
Registered: 2006-09-03
Posts: 11

Re: Do you play any other Instruments?

matthew wrote:

I wonder if anyone else out there struggles with the fact that they are a multi-instrumentalist. 

Anyone else relate?
Matt

Yeah sometimes it's difficult to keep everything in  "perfect" shape: so I'm not trying anymore (less perfect is also very good ;o) .......)
Most of the wind-instruments I focused on for a month or so in the past, and I'm now able to bring that level back in a few minutes.
There are some instruments on which that doesn't work however: shakuhachi and bassoon are good examples of that hehe

Luckely my lips and fingers take the right form when I pick up an instrument, and I almost never confuse fingerings from the different instruments

B.t.w if anything was thinking of picking up bassoon as a side-instrument: think again lol. It's a very very very beautifull instrument, but sooooo hard (hence the challenge), it takes years to get to a decent level.....

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