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Hello everyone. I have been in possesion of a shakuhachi yuu for a few weeks now and I have looked at many teaching resources on the internet to help me learn to make a sound, particularly Perry Yung's site which was very helpful . However, any sound i have made on the shakuhachi has been a fluke and I am unable to replicate it until, by chance, I fluke it again. I understand this is probably something I need to go and see a teacher for but is there any advice anyone can give an absolute beginner like me?
Thank you for your time
David
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David,
A couple suggestions:
For the time being, hold your flute in the normal position, but do NOT cover any of the holes (all five open). It's much easier to get a sound that way. If this works for you, stay with it until you get a bit more confident with your sound with all holes open, then gradually work your way down the flute, closing the fifth hole next (the one in the back of the flute), working on getting comfortable with that sound, then close the fourth hole, work on that, and so forth, until all holes are closed. Take your time. This could easily be a matter of days, not hours...
I also recommend keeping your initial practice sessions shorter rather than longer, ie, 20-30 minutes at most a couple times a day is better than one hour-long session. This keeps your embouchure from getting fatigued and increasing your frustration.
Relax as much as possible. Sit in a straight-backed chair, keep your shoulders and elbows relaxed, and don't blow your brains out--easy does it.
Once you start to get the hang of it, things will move along more quicklly...
eB
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Many thanks to your response edosan. I really appreciate it. I've been getting more and more succesful at creating a sound, however, somehow I am having better lucky at making deeper notes with four or five holes covered.
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Couple of observations from a fellow beginnner.
I actually found Re (3 holes) the easiest note to get initially, I suspect that it is highly subjective, and flute dependent.
Straight back (AND NECK.. feel the phantom string pulling your head up!).
I found holding the shakuhachi out near horizontally, finding the Utugashi with my top lip, then dropping it down to 45degrees to the chin helped.
Make the stream of air between you lips as "fine" as possible. - you shouldn't need to blast it.
Little and often. Pick it up, try for a note, if you get it - PUT IT DOWN again - until the next time. Saves an awfull lot of Aaaargghhh!
Have Fun (my version of the "interesting Times" Curse!)
Ambi
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Check this out:
http://www.japanworldmusic.com/sigh.htm
And also the other tips on the site, particularly the "don't blow" item.
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Ambi wrote:
Couple of observations from a fellow beginnner.
I actually found Re (3 holes) the easiest note to get initially, I suspect that it is highly subjective, and flute dependent.
You may be quite right, since for me, the easiest sound was definately Ro with all holes closed. Even now, I can get that sound by holding the flute in just about any strange position and having my head positioned all wrong. Most other notes sound at least very distorted unless I put some effort into it. Opening all holes is fairly tricky on my shakuhachi, since blowing slightly wrong usually leads to whistle-like sound that disappears quickly.
Another suggestion from a beginner who learned to make his first sound no more than a year ago. I used to keep my mouth much too far from the blowing edge. I thought that I was close enough, but in reality there was so much gap that if I did get a sound, it was a fluke and disappeared as soon as I moved at all. What fixed this for me was moving my mouth so it almost touched the edge and then working back from there. Eventually I found the distance that works for me to create a constant sound. It took 3-4 months before I could just pick up the flute, play and get a sound without really thinking about it.
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This is great to see and makes me smile. The most challenging notes for me are Tsu, RO and RE I suspect this has something to do with the fact that I chose to start with a 2.4 as I tried a 1.8 and it seemed to be easier.
I have no words of wisdom on this subject as I share in the wonderful struggle.
I am reading Blowing Zen by Ray Brooks, and I highly recommend it if you have not read yet - its awesome reading every one should engage in, but especially us new folks
Great stuff!!!
Thank you all so much,
Anthony
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