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#1 2010-02-16 12:23:45

Megus
Member
From: Yoshkar-Ola, Russia
Registered: 2010-02-16
Posts: 15
Website

Greetings from Russia

Hello! My name is Roman, I live in a small city in Russia - Yoshkar-Ola. I became interested in shakuhachi in 2000, when I've bought an album by Kazu Matsui. I never thought I will play shakuhachi myself but last year something have changed and I ordered Shakuhachi Yuu smile

Last week I recorded short video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjJ6DomgoA8
This is the best I can do with shakuhachi at the moment but I'll do my best to become better smile

Last edited by Megus (2010-02-16 12:24:26)

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#2 2010-02-16 12:27:56

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

Re: Greetings from Russia

Thanks for sharing the fine video, Roman, and welcome to the forum!

You are well on your way, sir.


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

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#3 2010-02-16 18:51:51

Moran from Planet X
Member
From: Here to There
Registered: 2005-10-11
Posts: 1524
Website

Re: Greetings from Russia

Very nice, Roman, I wish that I had the good form and tone you have when I was starting out. Not to mention the confidence.


"I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass...and I am all out of bubblegum." —Rowdy Piper, They Live!

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#4 2010-02-16 22:07:07

Yuusui
Member
From: Minneapolis
Registered: 2008-04-30
Posts: 61
Website

Re: Greetings from Russia

That was a great video. It was fun hearing you play some of the same songs that I have been learning. Keep up the great work!


http://yuusui.wordpress.com/

"Sit in zazen as if engaged in the fight for your very life!" Dogen

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#5 2010-02-17 01:30:43

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

Re: Greetings from Russia

That's great. You play well in kari position and everything! Good work!
I have been in contact with some players of Japanese music in Moscow hoping to be able to make Russia the host country of an ESS Shakuhachi Summer School perhaps in 2014. If it happens I hope to at least see you then! smile

Keep up the good work!
And let us hear how you are getting along on the shakuhachi path.

I am planning - in the near future - to go to Kazakhstan to pick up a kol kobyz. But that is also far away from where you are, isn't it? Well... Kazakhstan is a big country and Russia is immense.... so I guess it all depends where. smile


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

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#6 2010-02-17 02:12:06

Megus
Member
From: Yoshkar-Ola, Russia
Registered: 2010-02-16
Posts: 15
Website

Re: Greetings from Russia

Thank you all for nice responses. I'm really happy to join this forum. I study by Masayuki Koga's book and never had a lesson with a teacher because there are no teachers in my small town. As far as I know there are only 2 teachers in Russia, both live in Moscow.

These days I'm working on meri and highest notes in kan register and try to play "Sakura" smile I'll record more videos when I learn more pieces.

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#7 2010-02-17 07:14:36

Yungflutes
Flutemaker/Performer
From: New York City
Registered: 2005-10-08
Posts: 1061
Website

Re: Greetings from Russia

Добро пожаловать!


"A hot dog is not an animal." - Jet Yung

My Blog/Website on the art of shakuhachi...and parenting.
How to make an Urban Shakuhachi (PVC)

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#8 2010-02-17 07:46:17

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

Re: Greetings from Russia

Welcome to the forum Megus. We have several other Russian members, it's great to see shakuhachi spreading around the globe.


'Progress means simplifying, not complicating' : Bruno Munari

http://www.myspace.com/tairakubrianritchie

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#9 2010-02-17 08:06:31

Megus
Member
From: Yoshkar-Ola, Russia
Registered: 2010-02-16
Posts: 15
Website

Re: Greetings from Russia

I'm here because of the link at Russian shakuhachi related forums and I already found here some people I know smile
Thank you

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#10 2010-02-17 13:54:10

TCB
Member
Registered: 2006-09-25
Posts: 34

Re: Greetings from Russia

Welcome. What a great video. I had a teacher for 2 years, and I cannot even play Yu-yake Ko-yake !!! Excellent work.

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#11 2010-02-17 14:18:40

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

Re: Greetings from Russia

Very impressive. I have been studying with a teacher and playing for about a year now and yet I still struggle to play those same pieces with good tone and even long breaths.

Well done - I don't know if I find your progress inspiring or disheartening....LOL!

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#12 2010-02-17 14:23:27

TCB
Member
Registered: 2006-09-25
Posts: 34

Re: Greetings from Russia

airin wrote:

I still struggle to play those same pieces with good tone and even long breaths.

... I don't know if I find your progress inspiring or disheartening....LOL!

same here wink

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#13 2010-02-17 14:30:16

Megus
Member
From: Yoshkar-Ola, Russia
Registered: 2010-02-16
Posts: 15
Website

Re: Greetings from Russia

Well, people say that Shakuhachi Yuu which is made of plastic is easier to play than a bamboo shakuhachi, so who knows if I could be able to play this on bamboo flute after 6-7 months of self training smile
Another "secret": if you think I recorded each piece from the first take - you're wrong smile It took me up to 10 minutes of constant retakes for each tune.

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#14 2010-02-17 17:57:05

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

Re: Greetings from Russia

Megus wrote:

Well, people say that Shakuhachi Yuu which is made of plastic is easier to play than a bamboo shakuhachi, so who knows if I could be able to play this on bamboo flute after 6-7 months of self training smile

That really depends on the particular bamboo shakuhachi; some play easier than others (true even for 'good' shakuhachi). All shakuhachi Yuu's will
play pretty much the same (although there are some out there that have been 'enhanced' by Monty Levenson).


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

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#15 2010-04-04 14:04:21

Megus
Member
From: Yoshkar-Ola, Russia
Registered: 2010-02-16
Posts: 15
Website

Re: Greetings from Russia

I recorded "Sakura" tune today, just wanted to show to you all: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awEyKQ8TmVM
I hope there's some noticeable progress between first video and this one smile

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#16 2010-04-04 14:42:18

Megus
Member
From: Yoshkar-Ola, Russia
Registered: 2010-02-16
Posts: 15
Website

Re: Greetings from Russia

I started to take lessons via Skype recently. And it's my teacher (Alexander Ivashin from Moscow) who taught me to play U with 1st and 3rd holes shaded smile As far as I know this note is played differently in different shakuhachi schools.

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#17 2010-04-04 19:32:30

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

Re: Greetings from Russia

Megus wrote:

I started to take lessons via Skype recently. And it's my teacher (Alexander Ivashin from Moscow) who taught me to play U with 1st and 3rd holes shaded smile As far as I know this note is played differently in different shakuhachi schools.

Sakura is a folk song, are these really played differently depending on the school?

Regardless of the answer to that question, my opinion is that since it is a folk song it doesn't really matter. I've noticed Japanese players seem to have few reservations of playing folk songs on 7 hole shakuhachi or choosing a key for the song that avoids meri (head bent) notes. Eventually learn it both ways, but you might as well do it as your teacher suggests for right now.


"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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#18 2010-04-05 02:20:36

Megus
Member
From: Yoshkar-Ola, Russia
Registered: 2010-02-16
Posts: 15
Website

Re: Greetings from Russia

Jon wrote:

I am glad to hear you are taking Skype lessons. Yes U is one of those notes with many variations!

I couldn't find your teacher on google but just read of the events in Moscow. My thoughts are with your fellow countrymen in Moscow.

I'm not sure if Alexander is well known outside Russia. He is one of 2 teachers in Russia and has Chuden certificate in Kinko-ryu. I took several lessons via Skype and when I was at Moscow couple of weeks ago I took a lesson with him in person.

radi0gnome wrote:

Sakura is a folk song, are these really played differently depending on the school?

Regardless of the answer to that question, my opinion is that since it is a folk song it doesn't really matter. I've noticed Japanese players seem to have few reservations of playing folk songs on 7 hole shakuhachi or choosing a key for the song that avoids meri (head bent) notes. Eventually learn it both ways, but you might as well do it as your teacher suggests for right now.

I think shakuhachi players of different schools will play folks songs differently smile At first I learned to play U note with only 3rd hole open in meri position, it sounds more melodic and less windy this way. But now I follow my teacher's suggestions.

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#19 2010-04-06 14:39:30

Dun Romin
Member
From: Holland
Registered: 2008-04-19
Posts: 136

Re: Greetings from Russia

Welcome in shakuhachi universe, Megus. We like clear sounds here, but we also love windy sounds. smile If sometimes we have to struggle mightily to get them the right way.
Who knows, maybe we'll meet at the next European Shakuhachi Summmerschool end of August in Prague.


Tomorrow's wind only blows tomorrow. (Koji)

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