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#1 2010-12-24 03:15:03

cy23
Member
From: Germany
Registered: 2009-05-09
Posts: 36
Website

Looking for a jazz shakuhachi - or is a jinashi ok?

Hello all,

I am a passionate Jinashi player and of course i want to keep this as my way. However, I would like to do some other musical experiments with a Shakuhachi and feel that a Jinashi is maybe not the best kind of shakuhachi to do this.

So, what are your experiences? Is it possible to get a shakuhachi, probably a tozan or a kinko style shakuhachi, which is already good in tune with the western scales? Or is a Jinashi doing fine and I have tuning problems with all shakuhachi? I am lost here, I have never played anything else then jinashi

I am open to recommendations. For this experiment I don't want to have a very expensive flute - at least its for pop music recording, and so the sound of it is not so important as played solo.

Best regards + Thanks for you help,
Christian

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#2 2010-12-24 08:24:51

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

Re: Looking for a jazz shakuhachi - or is a jinashi ok?

Perhaps you should consider getting a Yuu:

Small investment; proper pitch for what you want to do, and with western intonation. Besides, 'in tune' has more to do with the player than the flute,
even if the shakuhachi is 'perfect'.


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

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#3 2010-12-24 08:28:15

cy23
Member
From: Germany
Registered: 2009-05-09
Posts: 36
Website

Re: Looking for a jazz shakuhachi - or is a jinashi ok?

I actually considered a Yuu but was not sure about the sound quality or if its good and easy to play.
I will check out the Yuu-samples again

About you 'in tune' comment: yes I am aware about that.

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#4 2010-12-24 08:48:43

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

Re: Looking for a jazz shakuhachi - or is a jinashi ok?

Gutentag Christain, Have you tried making shakuhachi?  If you like Jinashi, this maybe the least expensive way to get a shakuhachi that can play in tune for you.

This old thread on how Americans purchased shakuhachi before the internet may help. http://www.shakuhachiforum.com/viewtopic.php?id=3055

- Perry


"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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#5 2010-12-24 08:54:29

cy23
Member
From: Germany
Registered: 2009-05-09
Posts: 36
Website

Re: Looking for a jazz shakuhachi - or is a jinashi ok?

Thanks Perry
I have not made shakuhachi before. It seemed to me very time intensive and sometimes complicated. But the story is very inspiring. I am not sure if I will make one next year or later. For now it seems to me that I am very busy with practice and composing some music.
However, I will think about this option while the next days
Cheers
Christian

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#6 2010-12-24 09:42:30

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

Re: Looking for a jazz shakuhachi - or is a jinashi ok?

cy23 wrote:

So, what are your experiences? Is it possible to get a shakuhachi, probably a tozan or a kinko style shakuhachi, which is already good in tune with the western scales? Or is a Jinashi doing fine and I have tuning problems with all shakuhachi? I am lost here, I have never played anything else then jinashi

What kind of jinashi are you talking about? Low-price bamboo sticks with holes, or something selected and painstakingly worked into a fine instrument? Not all jinashi are out of tune, even some of the low-end ones aren't, and you should be able to do jazz improvisation even on the quirkier ones although you may need to get creative. That's something looked upon highly in jazz, but since you mention pop, your creativity may be limited in that you have to play in tune in a certain range of the instrument. You'll have those restrictions if you wanted to throw part of the melody of the song in a strategic part of the jazzy improvisation.

If you haven't stumbled across that jinashi that plays in tune easy enough to do what you want, try a yuu or a wooden shakuhachi. I haven't tried the yuu yet but the 3 wooden shakuhachi I've owned worked for playing melodic jazz or Western melodies well. If you learn it on one of those at least you know what obstacles are possible to overcome. I like using a nice jiari that I'm pretty sure plays well, especially now that with some stick-tuitiveness I'm beginning to impress myself some. I wasn't nearly as convinced it was possible when I started, but it is.


"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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#7 2010-12-24 15:39:27

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

Re: Looking for a jazz shakuhachi - or is a jinashi ok?

I use jinashi for jazz. They just have to be good jinashi. For jazz it doesn't really matter what the flute is as long as it does what you want it to do.


'Progress means simplifying, not complicating' : Bruno Munari

http://www.myspace.com/tairakubrianritchie

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