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#1 2008-08-29 10:34:36

James Nyoraku Schlefer
Dai Shihan
From: New York City
Registered: 2005-10-07
Posts: 104
Website

New practice book for shakuhachi

Hi Everyone:

I wanted to let you know about a new book of exercises, scales, meri practice, intervals, etc., that is available. "The Practical Shakuhachi." It contains 90 pages of etudes for developing embouchure, intonation, sound and rhythm. Hours of painstaking hard work... uh I mean fun. Check it out. It's available through my site or Monty's.
http://www.nyoraku.com/
http://www.shakuhachi.com/PG-Schlefer-PS.html
Here's the official blurb: The Practical Shakuhachi is a companion to my earlier Shakuhachi Workbook and presents a new set of technical challenges. Part I contains warm up exercises, interval exercises, and a series of exercises to help with meri notes. The second part of the book is devoted to practicing Western, diatonic scales on the shakuhachi as well as intonation study.
http://www.nyoraku.bizland.com/images/Cover.jpg

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#2 2008-08-29 18:51:27

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

Re: New practice book for shakuhachi

I have played through this. it's good. These kinds of exercises are particularly good for those of you who do not have regular access to lessons as a means of developing pitch, stamina and technique so you'll be in shape when you have the opportunity to learn some music.


'Progress means simplifying, not complicating' : Bruno Munari

http://www.myspace.com/tairakubrianritchie

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#3 2008-08-29 19:50:38

geni
Performer & Teacher
From: Boston MA
Registered: 2005-12-21
Posts: 830
Website

Re: New practice book for shakuhachi

Congrats Nyoraku!! I will get a copy.

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#4 2008-09-14 11:20:05

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

Re: New practice book for shakuhachi

I got this book at the KiSuiAn camp and it is excellent!  Thanks for the hard work!!!


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

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#5 2008-10-06 14:00:37

chuck091956
Member
From: Arizona, USA
Registered: 2006-07-02
Posts: 32
Website

Re: New practice book for shakuhachi

I got this book a couple weeks ago. As a self learner of Shakuhahci this kind of practice is great! smile

I've made the long tone, interval & meri exercises part of my morning practice.  This book and the Shakuhachi tone meter on my computer really help with my pitch and building my embouchure.


Chuck Peck

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#6 2008-12-28 07:39:11

froggyantbear
Member
Registered: 2008-12-28
Posts: 12

Re: New practice book for shakuhachi

Hm... If Tairaku(my sensei) says its good, then I should look into getting it.

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#7 2008-12-28 13:45:54

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

Re: New practice book for shakuhachi

froggyantbear wrote:

Hm... If Tairaku(my sensei) says its good, then I should look into getting it.

It's good. Get it. wink


'Progress means simplifying, not complicating' : Bruno Munari

http://www.myspace.com/tairakubrianritchie

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#8 2008-12-28 13:54:23

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

Re: New practice book for shakuhachi

Do you have to know shakuhachi notation to use it?


"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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#9 2008-12-28 14:47:28

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

Re: New practice book for shakuhachi

radi0gnome wrote:

Do you have to know shakuhachi notation to use it?

Of course.

Here's a sample page: http://www.nyoraku.bizland.com/Practical.html

Good excuse for you to take a couple weeks and learn it.

Last edited by edosan (2008-12-28 14:54:11)


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

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#10 2008-12-28 15:10:20

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

Re: New practice book for shakuhachi

edosan wrote:

radi0gnome wrote:

Do you have to know shakuhachi notation to use it?

Of course.

Here's a sample page: http://www.nyoraku.bizland.com/Practical.html

Good excuse for you to take a couple weeks and learn it.

I thought it took a year or more with a teacher to learn the notation, not exactly unsurmountable, it's pretty much the same with western staff notation if you include time signatures, dynamics, ornaments, and tempi. I guess you're right that it's a good excuse to learn the notation, but it sort of negates the idea mentioned in an earlier post that it's a good way to to get your technique in shape before going to a teacher. You can't practice the exercises if you can't read them.


"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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#11 2008-12-28 17:26:38

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

Re: New practice book for shakuhachi

radi0gnome wrote:

edosan wrote:

radi0gnome wrote:

Do you have to know shakuhachi notation to use it?

Of course.

Here's a sample page: http://www.nyoraku.bizland.com/Practical.html

Good excuse for you to take a couple weeks and learn it.

I thought it took a year or more with a teacher to learn the notation, not exactly unsurmountable, it's pretty much the same with western staff notation if you include time signatures, dynamics, ornaments, and tempi. I guess you're right that it's a good excuse to learn the notation, but it sort of negates the idea mentioned in an earlier post that it's a good way to to get your technique in shape before going to a teacher. You can't practice the exercises if you can't read them.

You can easily have the basics well in hand (sic) in two-three weeks if you pay attention.

The notation indicates fingerings, not pitches, as in western notation. Sometimes the fingerings can get a bit woolly in the upper registers, but that will
work itself out.

Piece of pie.

If you like I can send you some exercises to get you going.


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

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#12 2008-12-28 20:37:23

Zakarius
Member
From: Taichung, TAIWAN
Registered: 2006-04-12
Posts: 361

Re: New practice book for shakuhachi

radi0gnome wrote:

I thought it took a year or more with a teacher to learn the notation, not exactly unsurmountable, it's pretty much the same with western staff notation if you include time signatures, dynamics, ornaments, and tempi.

As I was learning on my own for the first year, I had to learn the notation on my own, as well. I'd say that it took about a week to learn the most common notes and I picked up less common ones as they appeared as a footnote explanation to a piece.

Zak


塵も積もれば山となる -- "Chiri mo tsumoreba yama to naru." -- Piled-up specks of dust become a mountain.

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#13 2009-01-14 18:29:13

Austin Shadduck
Member
From: New York, NY
Registered: 2008-09-21
Posts: 38
Website

Re: New practice book for shakuhachi

Can anyone tell me how the book is bound? I've been working out of the latest edition of The Shakuhachi: A Manual for Learning and I think the book's fantastic, but it's a challenge to keep the book open while working on the exercises.


“His first, last and only formal instruction for me was embodied in one word: observe.” -Billy Strayhorn on Duke Ellington

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#14 2009-01-15 04:12:15

Bruce Hunter
Member
From: Apple Valley CA
Registered: 2005-10-10
Posts: 258

Re: New practice book for shakuhachi

Austin,

My copy came comb bound.

A depiction should be here -

https://www.bindingmachine.com/Plastic- … pecial.htm

later...


Develop infallible technique and then lay yourself at the mercy of inspiration. - Anon.

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#15 2009-01-15 14:05:56

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

Re: New practice book for shakuhachi

Austin Shadduck wrote:

Can anyone tell me how the book is bound? I've been working out of the latest edition of The Shakuhachi: A Manual for Learning and I think the book's fantastic, but it's a challenge to keep the book open while working on the exercises.

Do you have a music stand?

     http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/667/musicstandgr6.jpg


$15-18 at your local music store.


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

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#16 2009-04-07 07:17:09

lizzie01
Member
Registered: 2009-04-07
Posts: 3

Re: New practice book for shakuhachi

A very informational book indeed! For me especially, as a self-learner, since I don't really have sufficient time to access lessons. Currently, every morning I do some warm up and interval exercises.

Last edited by lizzie01 (2009-04-17 16:31:08)

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#17 2009-04-07 10:03:04

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

Re: New practice book for shakuhachi

Austin Shadduck wrote:

Can anyone tell me how the book is bound? I've been working out of the latest edition of The Shakuhachi: A Manual for Learning and I think the book's fantastic, but it's a challenge to keep the book open while working on the exercises.

Xerox the exercise pages, and put them in a music stand.

Last edited by edosan (2009-04-07 10:14:35)


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

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#18 2009-04-07 11:04:42

ABRAXAS
Member
Registered: 2009-01-17
Posts: 353

Re: New practice book for shakuhachi

edosan wrote:

Austin Shadduck wrote:

Can anyone tell me how the book is bound? I've been working out of the latest edition of The Shakuhachi: A Manual for Learning and I think the book's fantastic, but it's a challenge to keep the book open while working on the exercises.

Xerox the exercise pages, and put them in a music stand.

The notation in the Blasdel manual is also very small and difficult to read as is - I had them enlarged when I had copies made.

Last edited by ABRAXAS (2009-04-07 11:36:52)


"Shakuhachi music stirs up both gods and demons." -- Ikkyu.

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