How To Use The Care Kit

This guide is for those that have purchased my shakuhachi care kit.

For those with a lacquered bore use the swab after playing and for those with a natural bore only use it for periodic cleaning. To clean a natural bore lightly dampen the swab with clean water mixed with some of the tea tree oil solution and run it through the bore as many times as desired. I recommend doing this only once per month at maximum unless you live in a humid place with mold problems. Since lacquered flutes can be swabbed after every playing session they only require cleaning once or twice per year. To clean a lacquered bore shake the tea tree oil mixture well and place a few drops down the bore then run the swab through.

Make sure to let the swab and flute dry before placing them into the tube to prevent any molding.

Use the storage tube to protect your flute at all times. It can also be fun to decorate the outside of the tube as you like : )

Should the flute ever require repair contact me for information on how to get it serviced.

Beginner Shakuhachi Flute Playing Guide

Part 1. How To Hold

I am a left on bottom player. With flutes that have straight holes right or left is up to you. Some larger flutes have shifted holes for comfort. Most of these are oriented for right on bottom players.

Take a look at the picture bellow. I am playing a very large flute with holes offset for right hand on bottom. Notice how I use the pads and middle meaty portions of the figures to assume a correct arm and wrist alignment.

Make sure to relax the arms and maintain a good posture with the back and neck. Take breaks to avoid stress or injury to the body. Remember to keep the middle fingers on the flute at all times as well as the thumb of the bottom hand as these stabilize the instrument and keep strain off of the playing fingers which must remain limber and mobile. Always use the pads of the fingers. Avoid jamming the tips of the fingers into the holes as this is bad practice.

Part 2. Embouchure (how to get a sound)

To get the first sound direct a pressurized air stream at the blowing edge by using the mouth and lip muscles. See the image bellow for an example of how the lips look playing the first harmonic notes. The first harmonic notes become audible with the minimal amount of air. The first harmonic has a range of volume which is decided by how much pressure and air you use; from the lowest sound up to the fullest sound just before the instrument produces the second harmonic which is a higher pitched sound.

You should have the sensation that the air in your mouth is pressurized. You can easily achieve this by forcing more air into your mouth than what can escape through the lips. Using the mouth muscles to form the lips becomes essential in achieving this pressure. To create this pressure you have to hold the lips firm otherwise the air escapes too fast.

Bellow is a photo of the lips playing the second harmonic. The pressure of the air must increase so the lips are pursed even more.

Part 3. The Notes

Second harmonic notes are fingered the same and are played by increasing the air pressure. It is sometimes necessary to experiment with the combination of holes 1 and 2 when playing Ri and Ii in the second harmonic. A difficult or slightly out of pitch sounding Ri or Ii in the second harmonic can be remedied by experimenting with holes 1 and 2. Sometimes with very large wide-bore flutes it is advisable to open both 1 and 2.

Finally, Further Study!

If you are interested in learning more of the traditional notes and music there are very good internet lessons. My teacher Ronnie Nyogetsu can continue instructing you through live Skype internet video chat, personalized mp3's over the internet or by cassette in the mail. He has been teaching long distance for over 30 years with much success.

You can reach him at nyogetsu@gmail.com

So, have fun and thank you for endeavoring to learn this wonderful instrument! Jon~

Holding The Shakuhachi Extended Picture Guide

(Please see the beginner's guide for basics on shakuhachi holding and playing before reading this)

When holding the shakuhachi it is important to use the pads of the fingers or sometimes the upper parts of the fingers. We do not plunge the fingertips into the holes or close them too strongly. If you see rings created by the holes on your skin you are pressing with too much force. In these pictures I am holding a 2.4 with holes straight. The thumb placement should be noted as well.







This final photo shows my fingers slightly shifted off the holes to show just where they are under my fingers with this hand position. Give it a try!