Difference between revisions of "Shakuhachi" - New World Encyclopedia

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The {{nihongo|'''shakuhachi'''|尺八|extra=[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]: {{IPA|[ˈʃakʊˌhatʃi]}}}} is a [[Japan]]ese [[end-blown flute]] which is held vertically like a [[recorder]], instead of transversely like the Western [[transverse flute]]. Its name means "1.8 foot", its size. It is traditionally made of bamboo, but versions now exists in wood and plastic. It was used by the monks of the [[Fuke Zen|Fuke sect]] of [[Zen]] [[Buddhism]] in the practice of ''[[suizen]]'' (blowing meditation). Its soulful sound made it popular in Western 1980s pop music.
+
The {{nihongo|'''shakuhachi'''|尺八|extra=[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]: {{IPA|[ˈʃakʊˌhatʃi]}}}} is a [[Japan]]ese end-blown flute which is held vertically like a [[recorder]], instead of transversely like the Western [[transverse flute]]. Its name means "1.8 foot", its size. It is traditionally made of bamboo, but versions now exists in wood and plastic. It was used by the monks of the Fuke sect of [[Zen]] [[Buddhism]] in the practice of ''suizen'' (blowing meditation). Its soulful sound made it popular in Western 1980s pop music.
  
== Overview ==
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== Description ==
  
<!-- Please keep both "shakuhachi means" and "shaku-hachi means" for Google —>
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The name ''shakuhachi'' (shaku-hachi) means "1.8 foot", referring to the length of the instrument. It is a compound of two words:
The name ''shakuhachi'' means "1.8 foot", from its size. It is a compound of two words:
 
  
* {{nihongo|''[[shaku]]''|[[wiktionary:|尺]]|}} means "foot" (an archaic measure of length), equal to 30.3 [[centimeters]] (0.994 of the English [[Foot (unit of length)|foot]]) and subdivided in ten (not twelve).
+
* ''shaku,'' 尺 means "foot" (an archaic measure of length), equal to 30.3 centimeters (0.994 of the English foot) and subdivided in ten (not twelve) units.
  
* {{nihongo|''hachi''|[[wiktionary:|八]]|}} means "eight", here eight ''sun'' or tenths of a ''shaku''.
+
''hachi'', 八 means "eight," here eight ''sun'' or tenths of a ''shaku.''
  
 
Thus, "shaku-hachi" means "one foot eight" (almost 55 centimeters), the standard length of a shakuhachi. Other shakuhachi vary in length from about 1.3 shaku up to 3.3 shaku. (The longer the shakuhachi, the lower its tuning.) Although the sizes differ, they are all still referred to generically as "shakuhachi".  
 
Thus, "shaku-hachi" means "one foot eight" (almost 55 centimeters), the standard length of a shakuhachi. Other shakuhachi vary in length from about 1.3 shaku up to 3.3 shaku. (The longer the shakuhachi, the lower its tuning.) Although the sizes differ, they are all still referred to generically as "shakuhachi".  
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[[Image:JapaneseShakuhachiSection.jpg|170px|thumb|left|A shakuhachi showing its ''utaguchi'' (歌口, blowing edge) and inlay ]]  
 
[[Image:JapaneseShakuhachiSection.jpg|170px|thumb|left|A shakuhachi showing its ''utaguchi'' (歌口, blowing edge) and inlay ]]  
  
A recorder player blows into a duct, also called "fipple", and thus has limited pitch control. The shakuhachi player blows as one would blow across the top of an empty bottle, but the opposite edge of the shakuhachi has a sharp edge, allowing the player substantial pitch control. The five finger holes are tuned to a [[pentatonic scale]] with no half-tones, but the player can bend each pitch as much as a whole tone or more, using techniques called ''meri'' and ''kari'', in which the blowing angle is adjusted to bend the pitch downward and upward, respectively. Pitches may also be lowered by shading or partially covering finger holes. Since most pitches can be achieved via several different fingering or blowing techniques on the shakuhachi, the [[timbre]] of each possibility is taken into account when composing or playing. The shakuhachi has a range of two full octaves (the lower is called ''otsu'', the upper, ''kan'') and a partial third octave (''tai-kan''). The different octaves are produced using subtle variations of breath and [[embouchure]].
+
A recorder player blows into a duct, also called "fipple", and thus has limited pitch control. The shakuhachi player blows as one would blow across the top of an empty bottle, but the opposite side of the shakuhachi has a sharp edge, allowing the player substantial pitch control. The five finger holes are tuned to a [[pentatonic scale]] with no half-tones, but the player can bend each pitch as much as a whole tone or more, using techniques called ''meri'' and ''kari,'' in which the blowing angle is adjusted to bend the pitch downward and upward, respectively. Pitches may also be lowered by shading or partially covering finger holes. Since most pitches can be achieved via several different fingering or blowing techniques on the shakuhachi, the timbre of each possibility is taken into account when composing or playing. The shakuhachi has a range of two full octaves (the lower is called ''otsu'', the upper, ''kan'') and a partial third octave (''tai-kan''). The different octaves are produced using subtle variations of breath and [[embouchure]].
  
A 1.8 shakuhachi produces D4 (D above Middle C, 293.66Hz) as its 'base' note - the note it produces with all five finger holes covered, and a normal blowing angle. In contrast, a 2.4 shakuhachi has a base note of A3 (A below Middle C, 220Hz). As the length increases, the spacing of the finger holes also increases, stretching both fingers and technique. Longer flutes often have offset finger holes, and very long flutes are almost always custom made to suit individual players. Many of the [[honkyoku]] in particular are intended to be played on these longer flutes to achieve the appropriate feeling.
+
A 1.8 shakuhachi produces D4 (D above Middle C, 293.66Hz) as its 'base' note - the note it produces with all five finger holes covered, and a normal blowing angle. In contrast, a 2.4 shakuhachi has a base note of A3 (A below Middle C, 220Hz). As the length increases, the spacing of the finger holes also increases, stretching both fingers and technique. Longer flutes often have offset finger holes, and very long flutes are almost always custom made to suit individual players. Many of the honkyoku in particular are intended to be played on these longer flutes to achieve the appropriate feeling.
  
Much of the shakuhachi's subtlety (and player's skill) lies in its rich tone colouring, and the ability for its variation. Different fingerings, [[embouchure|embouchures]] and amounts of ''meri'' can produce notes of the same pitch, but with subtle or dramatic differences in the tone colouring. The [[honkyoku]] pieces rely heavily on this aspect of the instrument to enhance their subtlety and depth.
+
Much of the shakuhachi's subtlety (and display of the player's skill) lies in its rich tone coloring, and the ability for its variation. Different fingerings, [[embouchure|embouchures]] and amounts of ''meri'' can produce notes of the same pitch, but with subtle or dramatic differences in the tone coloring. The honkyoku pieces rely heavily on this aspect of the instrument to enhance their subtlety and depth.
  
Shakuhachi are usually made from the root end of a [[bamboo]] [[culm]] and are extremely versatile instruments. Holes can be covered partially (1/3 covered, 1/2, 2/3, etc.) and pitch varied subtly or substantially by changing the blowing angle. Professional players can produce virtually any pitch they wish from the instrument, and play a wide repertoire of original [[Zen]] music, ensemble music with [[koto (musical instrument)|koto]], [[biwa]] and [[shamisen]], folk music, jazz, and other modern pieces.
+
Shakuhachi are usually made from the root end of a [[bamboo]] culm and are extremely versatile instruments. Holes can be covered partially (1/3 covered, 1/2, 2/3, etc.) and pitch varied subtly or substantially by changing the blowing angle. Professional players can produce virtually any pitch they wish from the instrument, and play a wide repertoire of original [[Zen]] music, ensemble music with [[koto (musical instrument)|koto]], biwa and [[shamisen]], folk music, jazz, and other modern pieces.
  
Due to the skill required, the time involved, and the range of quality in materials to craft bamboo shakuhachi, one can expect to pay from [[United States dollar|USD]] 500 to USD 5,000 for a new or used flute. Because each piece of bamboo is unique, shakuhachi cannot be mass-produced, and craftsmen must spend much time finding the correct bore shape for each individual flute to result in correct pitch over all notes. Specimens of extremely high quality, with valuable inlays, or of historical significance can fetch USD 10,000 or more. Plastic or [[Polyvinyl chloride|PVC]] shakuhachi have some advantages over their traditional bamboo counterparts: they are extremely durable, nearly impervious to heat and cold, and typically cost less than USD 100. Shakuhachi made of wood are also available, typically costing less than bamboo but more than synthetic materials. Nearly all players, however, prefer bamboo, citing tonal qualities, aesthetics, and tradition.
+
Due to the skill required, the time involved, and the range of quality in materials to craft bamboo shakuhachi, one can expect to pay from US$ 500 to US$ 5,000 for a new or used flute. Because each piece of bamboo is unique, shakuhachi cannot be mass-produced, and craftsmen must spend much time finding the correct bore shape for each individual flute to result in the correct pitch over all notes. Specimens of extremely high quality, with valuable inlays, or of historical significance can fetch US$ 10,000 or more. Plastic or PVC shakuhachi have some advantages over their traditional bamboo counterparts: they are extremely durable, nearly impervious to heat and cold, and typically cost less than US$ 100. Shakuhachi made of wood are also available, typically costing less than bamboo but more than synthetic materials. Nearly all players, however, prefer bamboo, citing tonal qualities, aesthetics, and tradition.
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
  
[[Image:A begging criminal-J. M. W. Silver.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Sketch of a [[komuso]] (right) playing shakuhachi]]
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[[Image:A begging criminal-J. M. W. Silver.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Sketch of a komuso (right) playing shakuhachi]]
The bamboo flute first came to [[Japan]] from [[China]] via [[Korea]]. The shakuhachi proper, however, is quite distinct from its continental ancestors, the result of centuries of isolated evolution in Japan.
 
  
During the medieval period, shakuhachi were most notable for their role in the [[Fuke Zen|Fuke sect]] of Zen Buddhist monks, known as ''[[komuso|komusō]]'' ("priests of nothingness"), who used the shakuhachi as a spiritual tool. Their songs (called "[[koten honkyoku]]") were paced according to the players' breathing and were considered meditation (''suizen'') as much as music. 
 
  
Travel around Japan was restricted by the [[shogunate]] at this time, but the Fuke sect managed to wrangle an exemption from the Shogun, since their spiritual practice required them to move from place to place playing the shakuhachi and begging for alms (one famous song reflects this mendicant tradition, "hi fu mi hachi gaeshi", "one two three pass the alms bowl"). They persuaded the Shogun to give them "exclusive rights" to play the instrument. In return, some were required to spy for the shogunate, and the Shogun sent several of his own spies out in the guise of Fuke monks as well. (This was made easier by the wicker baskets that the Fuke wore over their heads, a symbol of their detachment from the world.)
+
The bamboo flute first came with gagaku music to [[Japan]] from [[China]] via [[Korea]].  The shakuhachi proper, however, is quite distinct from its continental ancestors, the result of centuries of isolated evolution in Japan.
  
In response to these developments, several particularly difficult honkyoku pieces became well-known as "tests": if you could play them, you were a real Fuke (e.g. ''shika no tone''). If you couldn't, you were probably a spy and might very well be killed if you were in unfriendly territory.
+
Around the tenth century, four Chinese monks were invited to teach the xiao, an ancestor of the shakuhachi, to Japanese monks, and it slowly attracted their interest.  During the medieval period, shakuhachi were most notable for their role in the Fuke sect of Rinzai Zen Buddhist monks, known as ''komusō'' ("priests of nothingness"), who used the shakuhachi as a spiritual tool. Their songs (called "koten honkyoku") were paced according to the players' breathing and were played as a form of meditation (''suizen'').  
  
When the [[Meiji Restoration]] occurred in 1868, the shogunate was abolished and so was the [[Fuke]] sect, in order to help identify and eliminate the shogun's holdouts. The very playing of the shakuhachi was officially forbidden for a few years. Non-Fuke folk traditions did not suffer greatly from this, since the tunes could be played just as easily on another pentatonic instrument. However, the honkyoku repertoire was known exclusively to the Fuke sect and transmitted by repetition and practice, and much of it was lost, along with many important documents.
+
During the Edo period (1615-1868), the shakuhachi underwent major changes.  Until then it had been a thin and long flute, similarly to the Chinese xiao.  During the 17th century, shakuhachi makers started to use a thicker bamboo found in the mountains of Japan's southern island of Kyushu, maintaining its original 5 holes. Instead of having a straight flute, four rows of the bamboo roots were used at the bottom of the flute, and the embouchure became larger.  
  
When the [[Meiji government]] did permit the playing of shakuhachi again, it was only as an accompanying instrument to the [[koto (musical instrument)|koto]], [[shamisen]], etc. It was not until later that honkyoku were allowed to be played publicly again as solo pieces.
+
Travel around medieval Japan was restricted by the shogunate, but the Fuke sect obtained an exemption from the Shogun, since their spiritual practice required them to move from place to place playing the shakuhachi and begging for alms (one famous song reflects this mendicant tradition, "hi fu mi hachi gaeshi", "one two three pass the alms bowl"). They persuaded the Shogun to give them "exclusive rights" to play the instrument. In return, some were required to spy for the shogunate, and the Shogun also sent his own spies out in the guise of Fuke monks.   (This was made easier by the wicker baskets that the Fuke wore over their heads, a symbol of their detachment from the world.)  Several particularly difficult honkyoku pieces became well-known as "tests;" if the monk could play them, he was a real Fuke (''shika no tone''). If he couldn't, he was probably a spy and might be executed if he were in unfriendly territory.
  
 +
When the shogunate was abolished during the [[Meiji Restoration]] (1868), the Fuke sect was also dissolved because many undesirable people were posing as mendicants.  The playing of the shakuhachi was officially forbidden for several years. This did not have much effect on Non-Fuke folk traditions, since the tunes could be played just as easily on another pentatonic instrument. However, the honkyoku repertoire was known exclusively to the Fuke sect and transmitted by repetition and practice, and much of it was lost, along with many important documents. 
 +
 +
When the [[Meiji government]] did permit the playing of shakuhachi again, it was only in ensembles accompanying the [[koto (musical instrument)|koto]] and [[shamisen]] in ensembles. It was not until later that honkyoku were allowed to be played publicly again
 +
as solo pieces.
 +
 +
== Honkyoku ==
 +
'''Honkyoku''' (本曲, "original pieces") are the pieces of shakuhachi or hocchiku music played by [[mendicant]] monks of the Fuke Zen sect (komusō).  Komusō played honkyoku as a form of meditation and to solicit alms as early as the Muromachi period (1138-1573 C.E.).  Honkyoku is the practice of suizen ("blowing Zen").  A verbal and written lineage of many honkyoku continues today, though the music is now often practiced in a concert or performance setting.  There are many schools (ryū) , or schools, of honkyoku, each with its own style, emphasis, and teaching methods.
 +
At one time, the Fuke-Sect consisted of over one hundred temples throughout Japan. During the eighteenth century, a high ranking komusō named Kinko Kurosawa was commissioned by the Ichigetsu-Ji Fuke Temple to travel to the various other temples to collect honkyoku pieces. Kinko spent three years on the road and collected and revised a repertoire of 36 pieces, now known as "Kinko Ryu Honkyoku."  The 36 pieces of the Kinko Ryū Honkyoku repotoire as currently played were significantly changed and codified by later generations, including Miura Kindo and others.
 +
'''Watazumi Doso''' (海童道祖) '''Roshi''' (1910 - December 14, 1992), a master of the end-blown Japanese [[bamboo]] flute who attained the title of roshi in the school of Rinzai Zen, assembled the Dokyoku Honkyoku repertoire of pieces during the 1950s.  Watazumi played the unlacquered hocchiku, in contrast to the modern shakuhachi, stressing that to truly understand nature and oneself, one had to use an instrument of the most raw and natural origin.  This belief inspired him to create and lead the Watazumi-do ("Way of Watazumi") school of spiritual discipline.  He frequently performed on large bass instruments.  Watazumi was also referred to as '''Watazumi-do Shuso''' (also spelled '''Watazumido Shuso''' or '''Watazumido-Shuso'''), "shuso" meaning "head student," a Zen term referring to the student selected by the Zen master to instruct the other students.
 
== Recordings ==
 
== Recordings ==
  
New recordings of shakuhachi music are relatively plentiful, especially on Japanese labels and increasingly so in North America, Europe, and Australia. Although the instrument is sometimes considered quaint and outdated in Japan, it is experiencing growth overseas.  
+
New recordings of shakuhachi music are relatively plentiful, especially on Japanese labels and increasingly in North America, Europe, and Australia. Although the instrument is sometimes considered quaint and outdated in Japan, it is experiencing growing popularity overseas.
 +
 
The primary genres of shakuhachi music are:
 
The primary genres of shakuhachi music are:
  
* [[honkyoku]] (traditional, solo)
+
*honkyoku (traditional, solo)
* [[sankyoku]] (ensemble, with koto and shamisen)
+
*sankyoku (ensemble, with koto and shamisen)
* [[shinkyoku]] (new music composed for shakuhachi and koto, commonly post-[[Meiji]] era compositions influenced by western music)
+
*shinkyoku (new music composed for shakuhachi and koto, commonly post-Meiji era compositions influenced by western music)
  
=== Synthesized shakuhachi ===
+
=== Synthesized Shakuhachi ===
  
The ''sound'' of the shakuhachi is also featured in western genres of music, from electronica to pop-rock to jazz music, especially after being commonly shipped as a "preset" instrument on various synthesizers and keyboards beginning in the 1980s<REF>The "[[E-mu Emulator II]] shakuhachi" is #9 in [http://www.synthmania.com/Famous%20Sounds.htm "20 Sounds That Must Die"] by David Battino, ''[[Keyboard Magazine]]'', October 1995</REF>. Here is a short list of well-known tracks from various musical genres where you can hear the sound of an electronic or emulated shakuhachi:
+
The ''sound'' of the shakuhachi is also featured in western genres of music, from electronica to pop-rock to jazz music, especially after being commonly shipped as a "preset" instrument on various synthesizers and keyboards beginning in the 1980s. Here is a short list of well-known tracks from various musical genres where you can hear the sound of an electronic or emulated shakuhachi:
  
 
{| CLASS="wikitable"
 
{| CLASS="wikitable"
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|-
 
|-
 
| 1974
 
| 1974
| [[Tangerine Dream]]
+
|   Tangerine Dream
| ''[[Phaedra (album)|Phaedra]]''
+
| '' Phaedra (album)|Phaedra ''
 
| "Sequent C'&nbsp;" [full 2:18 track]
 
| "Sequent C'&nbsp;" [full 2:18 track]
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 1985  
 
| 1985  
| [[Tangerine Dream]]
+
|   Tangerine Dream
 
| ''Le Parc''
 
| ''Le Parc''
 
| "Yellowstone Park" [0:00-0:05, 2:23-2:50]
 
| "Yellowstone Park" [0:00-0:05, 2:23-2:50]
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 1985
 
| 1985
| [[Tangerine Dream]]
+
|   Tangerine Dream
| ''[[Legend (Tangerine Dream soundtrack)|Legend OST]]''
+
| '' Legend (Tangerine Dream soundtrack)|Legend OST ''
 
| "Opening" [0:00-0:30]<!--short but inspired Peter Gabriel et al.—>
 
| "Opening" [0:00-0:30]<!--short but inspired Peter Gabriel et al.—>
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 1985
 
| 1985
| [[Tangerine Dream]]
+
|   Tangerine Dream
| ''[[Legend (Tangerine Dream soundtrack)|Legend OST]]''
+
| '' Legend (Tangerine Dream soundtrack)|Legend OST ''
 
| "Unicorn Theme" [0:00-0:10]<!--short but inspired Peter Gabriel et al.—>
 
| "Unicorn Theme" [0:00-0:10]<!--short but inspired Peter Gabriel et al.—>
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 1985
 
| 1985
| [[Wang Chung (band)|Wang Chung]]
+
|   Wang Chung (band)|Wang Chung
| ''[[To Live and Die in L.A.]]'' [[To Live and Die in L.A. (soundtrack)|(OST)]]
+
| '' To Live and Die in L.A. ''   To Live and Die in L.A. (soundtrack)|(OST)
 
| "Wake Up, Stop Dreaming" [???-???]
 
| "Wake Up, Stop Dreaming" [???-???]
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 1986
 
| 1986
| [[Coil (band)|Coil]]
+
|   Coil (band)|Coil
| ''[[Horse Rotorvator]]''
+
| '' Horse Rotorvator ''
 
| "The First Five Minutes After Death" [1:15-1:45, 2:38-3:38, 4:30-end] - morbid shakuhachi.
 
| "The First Five Minutes After Death" [1:15-1:45, 2:38-3:38, 4:30-end] - morbid shakuhachi.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 1986
 
| 1986
| [[Peter Gabriel]]
+
|   Peter Gabriel
| ''[[So (album)|So]]''
+
| '' So (album)|So ''
| "[[Sledgehammer (song)|Sledgehammer]]" [0:00-0:16, 3:16-3:34]
+
| " Sledgehammer (song)|Sledgehammer " [0:00-0:16, 3:16-3:34]
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 1987
 
| 1987
| [[Coil (band)|Coil]]
+
|   Coil (band)|Coil
| ''[[Gold Is the Metal]]''
+
| '' Gold Is the Metal ''
 
| "The First Five Minutes After Violent Death" [0:30-1:30, 2:45-3:45, etc.] - morbid shakuhachi.
 
| "The First Five Minutes After Violent Death" [0:30-1:30, 2:45-3:45, etc.] - morbid shakuhachi.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 1987<!--1987 material,1997 collection—>
 
| 1987<!--1987 material,1997 collection—>
| [[Coil (band)|Coil]]
+
|   Coil (band)|Coil
 
| ''Unnatural History III''
 
| ''Unnatural History III''
 
| "Music for Commercials": Liqueur [0:41-1:26] Natural Gas [03:15-04:00]
 
| "Music for Commercials": Liqueur [0:41-1:26] Natural Gas [03:15-04:00]
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 1987
 
| 1987
| [[Roger Waters]]
+
|   Roger Waters
| ''[[Radio K.A.O.S.]]''
+
| '' Radio K.A.O.S. ''
 
| "Me or Him" [0:09-0:22, 1:27-1:35, 2:06-2:20, etc.]
 
| "Me or Him" [0:09-0:22, 1:27-1:35, 2:06-2:20, etc.]
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 1988
 
| 1988
| [[And also the trees]]
+
|   And also the trees
 
| ''The Millpond Years''
 
| ''The Millpond Years''
 
| "The Sandstone Man" [0:33-0:39, 3:25-4:36]
 
| "The Sandstone Man" [0:33-0:39, 3:25-4:36]
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 1988
 
| 1988
| [[Sade Adu|Sade]]
+
|   Sade Adu|Sade
| ''[[Stronger Than Pride]]''
+
| '' Stronger Than Pride ''
 
| "Love Is Stronger Than Pride" [0:28-0:33, 2:08-2:14, 2:28-2:33, 3:08-3:30, etc.]
 
| "Love Is Stronger Than Pride" [0:28-0:33, 2:08-2:14, 2:28-2:33, 3:08-3:30, etc.]
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 1989
 
| 1989
| [[The Sugarcubes]] <BR /> ([[Björk]]'s ex-band)
+
|   The Sugarcubes   <BR /> ( Björk 's ex-band)
| ''[[Here Today, Tomorrow, Next Week!]]''
+
| '' Here Today, Tomorrow, Next Week! ''
 
| "Pump" [2:06-2:22]
 
| "Pump" [2:06-2:22]
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 1990
 
| 1990
| [[Enigma (musical project)|Enigma]]
+
|   Enigma (musical project)|Enigma
| ''[[MCMXC a.D.]]''
+
| '' MCMXC a.D. ''
| "[[Sadeness (Part I)|Sadeness (Principles of Lust, Part 1)]]" [1:14-1:54, 2:56-3:16]
+
| " Sadeness (Part I)|Sadeness (Principles of Lust, Part 1) " [1:14-1:54, 2:56-3:16]
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 1993
 
| 1993
| [[Dave Brubeck]]
+
|   Dave Brubeck
| ''[[Late Night Brubeck]]''
+
| '' Late Night Brubeck ''
| "Koto Song" [4:30-9:50] - [[Bobby Militello]]'s flute emulation<!--really sounds like a shakuhachi—>
+
| "Koto Song" [4:30-9:50] -   Bobby Militello 's flute emulation<!--really sounds like a shakuhachi—>
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 1994
 
| 1994
| [[Klaus Schulze]] as <BR /> [[Richard Wahnfried]]
+
|   Klaus Schulze   as <BR />   Richard Wahnfried
 
| ''Trancelation''
 
| ''Trancelation''
 
| "The End - Someday" [2:17-2:36]
 
| "The End - Someday" [2:17-2:36]
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 1995
 
| 1995
| [[Michael Bolton]]
+
|   Michael Bolton
| ''[[Greatest Hits (1985-1995)]]''
+
| '' Greatest Hits (1985-1995) ''
 
| "Can I Touch You... There?" [0:00-0:04, 3:26-3:50, 4:24-5:07]
 
| "Can I Touch You... There?" [0:00-0:04, 3:26-3:50, 4:24-5:07]
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 1998
 
| 1998
| [[Symphony X]]
+
|   Symphony X
| ''[[Twilight in Olympus]]''
+
| '' Twilight in Olympus ''
 
| "Lady of the Snow" [0:00-0:26]
 
| "Lady of the Snow" [0:00-0:26]
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 2003
 
| 2003
| [[Linkin Park]]
+
|   Linkin Park
| ''[[Meteora (album)|Meteora]]''
+
| '' Meteora (album)|Meteora ''
 
| "Nobody's Listening" [0:00-2:57]
 
| "Nobody's Listening" [0:00-2:57]
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
==Miscellanea==
+
==Additional Information ==
  
* It is said {{fact}} that in the medieval era there was also a martial art based around using a shakuhachi to defeat a swordsman. This is not entirely implausible, as the root end of a piece of bamboo (especially one with some root remnants intact) is extremely tough and heavy, making it effective as a blunt weapon. Further, many ''[[komuso|komusō]]'' were actually ''[[ronin]]'', who would have been willing and able to learn a new martial art for protection if nothing else.
+
* It is said that in medieval Japan there was also a martial art based upon using a shakuhachi to defeat a swordsman. This is not entirely implausible, as the root end of a piece of bamboo (especially one with some root remnants intact) is extremely tough and heavy, making it effective as a blunt weapon. Further, many komusō were actually ''ronin'' (wandering samurai), who would have been willing and able to learn a new martial art for protection if nothing else.
  
 
* Shakuhachi has traditionally been played almost exclusively by men in Japan, although this situation is rapidly changing. Many teachers of traditional shakuhachi music indicate that a majority of their students are women. The 2004 Big Apple Shakuhachi Festival in New York City hosted the first-ever concert of international women shakuhachi masters.
 
* Shakuhachi has traditionally been played almost exclusively by men in Japan, although this situation is rapidly changing. Many teachers of traditional shakuhachi music indicate that a majority of their students are women. The 2004 Big Apple Shakuhachi Festival in New York City hosted the first-ever concert of international women shakuhachi masters.
 +
== References ==
 +
*Blasdel, Christopher Yohmei;  Kamisango, Yuko. The Shakuhachi: a manual for learning. Ongaku No Tomo Sha Corp, 1988.
 +
*Blasdel, Christopher Yohmei. The Single Tone: A Personal Journey into Shakuhachi Music Printed Matter Press, 2005. 
 +
*Miyata, Kohachiro.Shakuhachi: The Japanese Flute. Nonesuch Explorer, 1977.
  
* In Japanese slang, "shakuhachi" or "shaku" means a [[oral sex|fellatio]]<REF>[http://www1.mahoroba.ne.jp/~sailor/english/papers/grossary.htm Slang "shaku" in ''Glossary of Japanese Fuzoku Service'']</REF><REF>[http://www.insultmonger.com/swearing/japanese.htm Slang "shakuhachi" in ''Japanese Language Swearing'']</REF>.
 
 
== See also ==
 
 
* [[hocchiku]] (a similar, less refined, end-blown bamboo flute)
 
* [[embouchure]]
 
* [[:Category:Shakuhachi players]]
 
 
==Sources==
 
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==References==
 
  
<DIV CLASS="references-small"><REFERENCES /></DIV>
 
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==
  
{{Cleanup-spam}} <!-- as per [[WP:SPAM]] and [[WP:EL]] —>
 
 
; Shakuhachi info links
 
; Shakuhachi info links
 
+
* http://www.zenflute.com/kinko.html  John Singer
 
* [http://www.yungflutes.com/log Blog of Perry Yung], shakuhachi craftsman
 
* [http://www.yungflutes.com/log Blog of Perry Yung], shakuhachi craftsman
 
* [http://www.shakuhachi.com/TOC-Articles.html Archive of articles about the shakuhachi]
 
* [http://www.shakuhachi.com/TOC-Articles.html Archive of articles about the shakuhachi]

Revision as of 14:38, 5 December 2006

A shakuhachi flute, blowing edge up.
  • Left - top view, four holes.
  • Right - bottom view, fifth hole.
  • The shakuhachi (尺八 IPA: [ˈʃakʊˌhatʃi]) is a Japanese end-blown flute which is held vertically like a recorder, instead of transversely like the Western transverse flute. Its name means "1.8 foot", its size. It is traditionally made of bamboo, but versions now exists in wood and plastic. It was used by the monks of the Fuke sect of Zen Buddhism in the practice of suizen (blowing meditation). Its soulful sound made it popular in Western 1980s pop music.

    Description

    The name shakuhachi (shaku-hachi) means "1.8 foot", referring to the length of the instrument. It is a compound of two words:

    • shaku, 尺 means "foot" (an archaic measure of length), equal to 30.3 centimeters (0.994 of the English foot) and subdivided in ten (not twelve) units.

    hachi, 八 means "eight," here eight sun or tenths of a shaku.

    Thus, "shaku-hachi" means "one foot eight" (almost 55 centimeters), the standard length of a shakuhachi. Other shakuhachi vary in length from about 1.3 shaku up to 3.3 shaku. (The longer the shakuhachi, the lower its tuning.) Although the sizes differ, they are all still referred to generically as "shakuhachi".

    A shakuhachi showing its utaguchi (歌口, blowing edge) and inlay

    A recorder player blows into a duct, also called "fipple", and thus has limited pitch control. The shakuhachi player blows as one would blow across the top of an empty bottle, but the opposite side of the shakuhachi has a sharp edge, allowing the player substantial pitch control. The five finger holes are tuned to a pentatonic scale with no half-tones, but the player can bend each pitch as much as a whole tone or more, using techniques called meri and kari, in which the blowing angle is adjusted to bend the pitch downward and upward, respectively. Pitches may also be lowered by shading or partially covering finger holes. Since most pitches can be achieved via several different fingering or blowing techniques on the shakuhachi, the timbre of each possibility is taken into account when composing or playing. The shakuhachi has a range of two full octaves (the lower is called otsu, the upper, kan) and a partial third octave (tai-kan). The different octaves are produced using subtle variations of breath and embouchure.

    A 1.8 shakuhachi produces D4 (D above Middle C, 293.66Hz) as its 'base' note - the note it produces with all five finger holes covered, and a normal blowing angle. In contrast, a 2.4 shakuhachi has a base note of A3 (A below Middle C, 220Hz). As the length increases, the spacing of the finger holes also increases, stretching both fingers and technique. Longer flutes often have offset finger holes, and very long flutes are almost always custom made to suit individual players. Many of the honkyoku in particular are intended to be played on these longer flutes to achieve the appropriate feeling.

    Much of the shakuhachi's subtlety (and display of the player's skill) lies in its rich tone coloring, and the ability for its variation. Different fingerings, embouchures and amounts of meri can produce notes of the same pitch, but with subtle or dramatic differences in the tone coloring. The honkyoku pieces rely heavily on this aspect of the instrument to enhance their subtlety and depth.

    Shakuhachi are usually made from the root end of a bamboo culm and are extremely versatile instruments. Holes can be covered partially (1/3 covered, 1/2, 2/3, etc.) and pitch varied subtly or substantially by changing the blowing angle. Professional players can produce virtually any pitch they wish from the instrument, and play a wide repertoire of original Zen music, ensemble music with koto, biwa and shamisen, folk music, jazz, and other modern pieces.

    Due to the skill required, the time involved, and the range of quality in materials to craft bamboo shakuhachi, one can expect to pay from US$ 500 to US$ 5,000 for a new or used flute. Because each piece of bamboo is unique, shakuhachi cannot be mass-produced, and craftsmen must spend much time finding the correct bore shape for each individual flute to result in the correct pitch over all notes. Specimens of extremely high quality, with valuable inlays, or of historical significance can fetch US$ 10,000 or more. Plastic or PVC shakuhachi have some advantages over their traditional bamboo counterparts: they are extremely durable, nearly impervious to heat and cold, and typically cost less than US$ 100. Shakuhachi made of wood are also available, typically costing less than bamboo but more than synthetic materials. Nearly all players, however, prefer bamboo, citing tonal qualities, aesthetics, and tradition.

    History

    Sketch of a komuso (right) playing shakuhachi


    The bamboo flute first came with gagaku music to Japan from China via Korea. The shakuhachi proper, however, is quite distinct from its continental ancestors, the result of centuries of isolated evolution in Japan.

    Around the tenth century, four Chinese monks were invited to teach the xiao, an ancestor of the shakuhachi, to Japanese monks, and it slowly attracted their interest. During the medieval period, shakuhachi were most notable for their role in the Fuke sect of Rinzai Zen Buddhist monks, known as komusō ("priests of nothingness"), who used the shakuhachi as a spiritual tool. Their songs (called "koten honkyoku") were paced according to the players' breathing and were played as a form of meditation (suizen).

    During the Edo period (1615-1868), the shakuhachi underwent major changes. Until then it had been a thin and long flute, similarly to the Chinese xiao. During the 17th century, shakuhachi makers started to use a thicker bamboo found in the mountains of Japan's southern island of Kyushu, maintaining its original 5 holes. Instead of having a straight flute, four rows of the bamboo roots were used at the bottom of the flute, and the embouchure became larger.

    Travel around medieval Japan was restricted by the shogunate, but the Fuke sect obtained an exemption from the Shogun, since their spiritual practice required them to move from place to place playing the shakuhachi and begging for alms (one famous song reflects this mendicant tradition, "hi fu mi hachi gaeshi", "one two three pass the alms bowl"). They persuaded the Shogun to give them "exclusive rights" to play the instrument. In return, some were required to spy for the shogunate, and the Shogun also sent his own spies out in the guise of Fuke monks. (This was made easier by the wicker baskets that the Fuke wore over their heads, a symbol of their detachment from the world.) Several particularly difficult honkyoku pieces became well-known as "tests;" if the monk could play them, he was a real Fuke (shika no tone). If he couldn't, he was probably a spy and might be executed if he were in unfriendly territory.

    When the shogunate was abolished during the Meiji Restoration (1868), the Fuke sect was also dissolved because many undesirable people were posing as mendicants. The playing of the shakuhachi was officially forbidden for several years. This did not have much effect on Non-Fuke folk traditions, since the tunes could be played just as easily on another pentatonic instrument. However, the honkyoku repertoire was known exclusively to the Fuke sect and transmitted by repetition and practice, and much of it was lost, along with many important documents.

    When the Meiji government did permit the playing of shakuhachi again, it was only in ensembles accompanying the koto and shamisen in ensembles. It was not until later that honkyoku were allowed to be played publicly again as solo pieces.

    Honkyoku

    Honkyoku (本曲, "original pieces") are the pieces of shakuhachi or hocchiku music played by mendicant monks of the Fuke Zen sect (komusō). Komusō played honkyoku as a form of meditation and to solicit alms as early as the Muromachi period (1138-1573 C.E.). Honkyoku is the practice of suizen ("blowing Zen"). A verbal and written lineage of many honkyoku continues today, though the music is now often practiced in a concert or performance setting. There are many schools (ryū) , or schools, of honkyoku, each with its own style, emphasis, and teaching methods. At one time, the Fuke-Sect consisted of over one hundred temples throughout Japan. During the eighteenth century, a high ranking komusō named Kinko Kurosawa was commissioned by the Ichigetsu-Ji Fuke Temple to travel to the various other temples to collect honkyoku pieces. Kinko spent three years on the road and collected and revised a repertoire of 36 pieces, now known as "Kinko Ryu Honkyoku." The 36 pieces of the Kinko Ryū Honkyoku repotoire as currently played were significantly changed and codified by later generations, including Miura Kindo and others. Watazumi Doso (海童道祖) Roshi (1910 - December 14, 1992), a master of the end-blown Japanese bamboo flute who attained the title of roshi in the school of Rinzai Zen, assembled the Dokyoku Honkyoku repertoire of pieces during the 1950s. Watazumi played the unlacquered hocchiku, in contrast to the modern shakuhachi, stressing that to truly understand nature and oneself, one had to use an instrument of the most raw and natural origin. This belief inspired him to create and lead the Watazumi-do ("Way of Watazumi") school of spiritual discipline. He frequently performed on large bass instruments. Watazumi was also referred to as Watazumi-do Shuso (also spelled Watazumido Shuso or Watazumido-Shuso), "shuso" meaning "head student," a Zen term referring to the student selected by the Zen master to instruct the other students.

    Recordings

    New recordings of shakuhachi music are relatively plentiful, especially on Japanese labels and increasingly in North America, Europe, and Australia. Although the instrument is sometimes considered quaint and outdated in Japan, it is experiencing growing popularity overseas.

    The primary genres of shakuhachi music are:

    • honkyoku (traditional, solo)
    • sankyoku (ensemble, with koto and shamisen)
    • shinkyoku (new music composed for shakuhachi and koto, commonly post-Meiji era compositions influenced by western music)

    Synthesized Shakuhachi

    The sound of the shakuhachi is also featured in western genres of music, from electronica to pop-rock to jazz music, especially after being commonly shipped as a "preset" instrument on various synthesizers and keyboards beginning in the 1980s. Here is a short list of well-known tracks from various musical genres where you can hear the sound of an electronic or emulated shakuhachi:

    Year Artist or band Album Song, range, notes
    1974 Tangerine Dream Phaedra "Sequent C' " [full 2:18 track]
    1985 Tangerine Dream Le Parc "Yellowstone Park" [0:00-0:05, 2:23-2:50]
    1985 Tangerine Dream Legend OST "Opening" [0:00-0:30]
    1985 Tangerine Dream Legend OST "Unicorn Theme" [0:00-0:10]
    1985 Wang Chung (OST) "Wake Up, Stop Dreaming" [???-???]
    1986 Coil Horse Rotorvator "The First Five Minutes After Death" [1:15-1:45, 2:38-3:38, 4:30-end] - morbid shakuhachi.
    1986 Peter Gabriel So Sledgehammer " [0:00-0:16, 3:16-3:34]
    1987 Coil Gold Is the Metal "The First Five Minutes After Violent Death" [0:30-1:30, 2:45-3:45, etc.] - morbid shakuhachi.
    1987 Coil Unnatural History III "Music for Commercials": Liqueur [0:41-1:26] Natural Gas [03:15-04:00]
    1987 Roger Waters Radio K.A.O.S. "Me or Him" [0:09-0:22, 1:27-1:35, 2:06-2:20, etc.]
    1988 And also the trees The Millpond Years "The Sandstone Man" [0:33-0:39, 3:25-4:36]
    1988 Sade Stronger Than Pride "Love Is Stronger Than Pride" [0:28-0:33, 2:08-2:14, 2:28-2:33, 3:08-3:30, etc.]
    1989 The Sugarcubes
    ( Björk 's ex-band)
    Here Today, Tomorrow, Next Week! "Pump" [2:06-2:22]
    1990 Enigma MCMXC a.D. Sadeness (Principles of Lust, Part 1) " [1:14-1:54, 2:56-3:16]
    1993 Dave Brubeck Late Night Brubeck "Koto Song" [4:30-9:50] - Bobby Militello 's flute emulation
    1994 Klaus Schulze as
    Richard Wahnfried
    Trancelation "The End - Someday" [2:17-2:36]
    1995 Michael Bolton Greatest Hits (1985-1995) "Can I Touch You... There?" [0:00-0:04, 3:26-3:50, 4:24-5:07]
    1998 Symphony X Twilight in Olympus "Lady of the Snow" [0:00-0:26]
    2003 Linkin Park Meteora "Nobody's Listening" [0:00-2:57]

    Additional Information

    • It is said that in medieval Japan there was also a martial art based upon using a shakuhachi to defeat a swordsman. This is not entirely implausible, as the root end of a piece of bamboo (especially one with some root remnants intact) is extremely tough and heavy, making it effective as a blunt weapon. Further, many komusō were actually ronin (wandering samurai), who would have been willing and able to learn a new martial art for protection if nothing else.
    • Shakuhachi has traditionally been played almost exclusively by men in Japan, although this situation is rapidly changing. Many teachers of traditional shakuhachi music indicate that a majority of their students are women. The 2004 Big Apple Shakuhachi Festival in New York City hosted the first-ever concert of international women shakuhachi masters.

    References
    ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

    • Blasdel, Christopher Yohmei; Kamisango, Yuko. The Shakuhachi: a manual for learning. Ongaku No Tomo Sha Corp, 1988.
    • Blasdel, Christopher Yohmei. The Single Tone: A Personal Journey into Shakuhachi Music Printed Matter Press, 2005.
    • Miyata, Kohachiro.Shakuhachi: The Japanese Flute. Nonesuch Explorer, 1977.


    External links

    Shakuhachi info links
    Shakuhachi groups links


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