Finding the Shakuhachi

Have you ever watched a Japanese horror movie and get creeped out by the music? You know; that eerie flute music that makes your skin crawl. There is a Japanese musical instrument that can be used to produce those tones. This instrument is called a Shakuhachi.

Shakuhachi dates back to the 8th century China and Japan. It has been and is currently used by monks in the practice of suizen (blowing meditation). The instrument is tuned to the minor pentatonic scale making it a very versatile instrument.

It is originally made from bamboo, however, you can now get one that is made of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) or hardwood. A shakuhachi is usually hand carved from the root end of a bamboo culm. Therefore, each shakuhachi design can vary based on how the crafter produced it.

Shakuhachi is made with the blowing end cut obliquely outward. The instruments bottom ends in almost a bell shape like a clarinet. The instruments name comes from the instruments original length.

Professional shakuhachi players can produce virtually any pitch they wish on this instrument. Different fingerings and embouchures produce tone colouring and depth of sound. Zen music, ensemble music (koto, biwa, and shamisen), folk, jazz, and other modern pieces of music can be played on the shakuhachi.

Playing the shakuhachi requires great skill and time to develop said skill. There are three important postural components to playing the shakuhachi.
“1) Good upright vertical body, neck and head alignment

1. Correct position of the back of the shakuhachi mouthpiece below the bottom lip.
2. The angle of the flute axis.” (http://www.japanshakuhachi.com/blowing.html)
   Players need to learn how to blow into the instrument, breathing techniques, producing long tones and the second octave, and tone tweaking. Due to the difficulty of playing the shakuhachi; it is recommend to be taught by a professional teacher; however, some players have managed to learn on their own.
   Due to the skill required, the time involved, and the range of quality in materials, you can expect to pay a large sum of money for this instrument. Each piece of bamboo is unique therefore the shakuhachi cannot be mass-produced like other woodwind instruments. Plastic or PVC ad wood shakuhachi due cost less but most players prefer bamboo because of tonal qualities, aesthetics, and tradition.

After finding a shakuhachi at a small antique/junk shop for next to nothing, it is interesting to discover the nature of this instrument and its history. I am glad I found such a unique musical instrument with a rich historical background. The complexity of the playing the instrument is intriguing. Never pass up an odd find. You can end up learning a lot.

Sources:

"Blowing the First Notes." Blowing the First Notes. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Aug. 2016.

"Shakuhachi." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 07 Aug. 2016.

"Shakuhachi." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 07 Aug. 2016.