spiralofhope

Shakuhachi, Culture >

• Kari - To play with a higher pitch.

• Utaguchi - 歌口 - Blowing edge

  • The blowing end head can be "shaped for comfort"
  • Inlays in the blowing edge are possible. e.g. tozan ryu utaguchi.
• An iki kaeshi ring can be inserted at the top end of wide bore flutes.

• Holes - The five holes covered by the fingers to make the different notes.

  • Seven holes are also possible, eliminating the need to partially-cover holes for certain notes.
  • They can be slightly oval shaped.
  • They can be aligned for left hand over right fingering, or the reverse.
  • They can be beveled for fluid playing and second register ease.
  • Offset holes allows for easier play with ones index fingers. Instead of needing to curve the fingers and play with the index tips, it becomes possible to use the index pads. "Pad" could mean any fleshy part of the finger and even the area between the first and second joints (closest to the hand).
  • Large Holes - Larger finger holes allow a more vibrant and open sound to be played. Not appropriate for people with small hands.
• Piper's grip - Used for very long Shakuhachi like the 3.0, where the bottom two holes are so far apart and are offset. It's possible to cover the top hole with the pad between the first and second knuckle of the index finger and to use the bottom hole with the tip of the ring finger or maybe the pinky.
• Fukuro - A bag for the flute.
• Binding - Twine wrapped around certain locations to protect the flute from deep cracks penetrating to the core and making it unplayable. Surface cracks are still possible.

• Bore - The hollow inside.

  • The insides can be lacquered (ji) to protect from moisture.

• Bamboo - The traditional material.

  • Root is the length of bamboo cut from the very root. The flute keeps the root look and sometimes has a curve. Non-root flutes exist.
  • Various woods exist: Madaké, Torachiku (Tiger Bamboo), perhaps more.
  • Alternative materials exist: PVC-plastic, resin, perhaps more.
• Tsuyutoshi - A cleaning cloth used after each practice.

• Chikusing - A leather cap used to protect the blowing edge.

  • Perry Yung makes some nice caps.
• Meri and Kari - Traditional blowing techniques used to manipulate the pitches to play shakuhachi music.
• Nobekan - A one-piece shakuhachi.
• Hanko - The stamp or seal by the manufacturer.
• Suizen - "Blowing Zen", the meditational shakuhachi practice.

• Urushi (漆) - The lacquer used.

  • video - David Zasloff talks about the lacquer used, and people with particular sensitivity to Poison sumac, Poison ivy, Western Poison-oak etc (see Urushiol) can react very badly to recently-repaired or new shakuhachi.
• Embouchure - The shape of the mouth when blowing.
• étude - A "learning piece". A piece of music created and played for a student.

• taimu shakuhachi - Large bore / lower pitch / longer.

  • Produced by Ken LaCosse
• ji - A laquer inside the bore to protect it from moisture.

• humidity - Moisture content in the air.

  • Wide/fast variations of it will damage bamboo over time, necessitating running a cloth through the bore after each use, and storing it in a special bag or other container.