Mujitsu and Tairaku's Shakuhachi BBQ

Yu-Jin wrote:

Hi everybody,
Can somebody tell me how koto is tuned to play with shakuhachi? Or maybe you can point at the right direction where I can find the info?
Thanks.
Eugene

If you mean how the tuning happens, they listen to your ro pitch (which can be different depending on whether you use 1.8, 1.9, 1.6 or 2.1) then they tune to that. Sometimes they use an electronic tuning device after they figure out if you are A 440, A438, A445 or whatever. There is really a large span even with 1.8's. Many of the older ones were around A438, which is quite low by modern standards. Then they use whatever tuning is standard for the piece. There are several tunings. As far as the shakuhachi is concerned they really want you to match the meri pitches which are very low.

Or if your question means, "How is the koto tuned?" in terms of scales and pitches here is a good web site in English which talks about the subject. This site also lists many players. If you have the opportunity to play with them, by all means do so, because you can learn as much from string players as from shakuhachi teachers.

http://koto.home.att.net/tuning.html

Tairaku wrote:

they listen to your ro pitch (which can be different depending on whether you use 1.8, 1.9, 1.6 or 2.1) then they tune to that.

Thanks a lot!
If I understand correctly, the first note is tuned to ro, and the rest of them are relatively tuned to the first one according to the scale used to play the particular piece?

Just an extra note (no pun):

There's also the issue of the shakuhachi changing pitch as the temperature goes up, caused either by the flute being warmed by the player, or the ambient lighting (which is often quite hot), or both.

It's the bane of shakuhachi/koto ensembles....

eB