Interpretation - Tang Xiao: characteristics and playing technique

Here's another interpretation made of Master Winson Liao's video.

Do note I had not asked him to verify my interpretations so any errors are purely my own. For clarity sake, I may make expansions to better illustrate some points that do not have a direct translation, for example, due to cultural references.

In this video, he introduces the Tang Xiao and how to approach playing it. For clarification, these are some terms to be aware of:

• 箫 Xiao - the Chinese Xiao is currently crafted with 8 finger holes. Traditionally it was 6 holed. Mouth piece has a U shaped cut for blowing.
• 北箫 Northern Xiao - usually a narrower bore and thinner walled instrument compared to the Southern Xiao. It is much longer and mostly made with black bamboo (commonly called purple bamboo 紫竹 in Chinese).
• 南箫 Southern Xiao - a thick bore and thick walled Xiao whose mouth piece can be U or V shaped. The madake bamboo (桂竹) is often used. Its appearance is very much like the Japanese Shakuhachi as the root end is used, and instrument lengths are similar. This Xiao is sometimes still called the 尺八, referring to its length. So although the Kanji or Chinese words are the same as the Japanese Shakuhachi, they are distinct instruments with different musical cultures developed around them.
• Tang style Xiao 唐式箫 or Tang mouthpiece Xiao 唐口箫 or 唐尺八 Tang 1‘8“ - I abbreviated it to Tang Xiao. This is a more recent development where the Tang Dynasty mouthpiece (straight cut) is integrated with the more modern Xiao body, i.e. 8 or 6 finger holes. One can easily mistake this with the Japanese Shakuhachi due to the similar design of mouth piece used.

So here's my interpretation: 

00:00 - I'll be covering the characteristics of the Tang Xiao and how to play it. This piece I'm using is a Tang mouthpiece Xiao, it's 8 holed. The Tang Dynasty version had only 6 holes: 5 at the front, and 1 at the rear. When we play the 8 holed version, the retention fingers 保留指 can be used to get the traditional scale of the 6 holed instrument.

(Note the retention fingers are on holes 2 and 6. When using the 8 holed playing approach, these fingers often provide as support to grip the flute)

00:35 - When I make such flutes I retain the musical aesthetics of the traditional 6 holes, so the modern version can still play traditional scaled tunes.

Keeping the retention holes closed, you will get the traditional Southern Woodwinds 南管 scale.

Frequency of each flute can be customised, setting them at 442Hz, 440Hz, 453Hz (referring to concert pitch A).

01:00 - This piece is made from Indian red sandalwood 印度小叶紫檀. It was taken from a demolished home and about a century in age. So the resonance quality is excellent.

01:15 - We'll use this for demo. The Tang Xiao has a wide blowing edge/mouth piece, and it's an external cut. This conforms better to the shape of our lips. 

Thus for those used to playing U mouthpiece it will be tough to adapt. Even if sounds are produced, the tone quality is that of the U mouthpiece Xiao -- it's not so expansive and open.

01:56 - The critical factor is that the embouchure is too tight/small. It should be more natural. Lips are relaxed and gently closed. The lips are already wide so a naturally closed embouchure would result in a wider aperture for blowing. This will match well with the wide blowing edge. 

 

02:17 - Obviously if we already play the Dizi or U mouthpiece Xiao, the habits are hard to break and we won't reach the desired tone quality. The quality of the Xiao is another factor, especially when making a Tang mouth piece instrument, a lot more precision is required to ensure good resonance. Tang Xiao without resonance will have poor tone quality, even worse than U mouthpiece Xiao. Overall Tang Xiao has more stringent craftsmanship requirements in terms of resonance.

03:00 - In terms of blowing, keep the lips naturally closed. The air expelled is flat, and if well aimed at the flat mouth piece will produce an expansive sound. 

If the aperture is narrow, the tone quality won't be open and bright. It sounds just like a U mouthpiece instrument. 

03:48 - Importantly, playing the Tang Xiao one should aim to get its full expansive sound.

For me, I feel that Tang Xiao is well suited for performing ancient tunes, to produce a certain texture.

Because the Tang mouthpiece allows a more intimate relationship to be established between player and instrument, thus very delicate tones and dynamics can be portrayed. There will be richer layering and expressiveness. The texture can vary from soft and delicate to harsh and windy. The effects are more exaggerated.

04:41 - I'm going to use an ancient tune, originating from guqin 古琴, to illustrate. This piece, Geese Descending on Sandbanks 平沙落雁, has a slow melody, so if you play it flatly without guqin accompaniment, it will sound awfully monotonous. 

We can use tone contours and textured layering to enhance a solo performance, creating sensory perceptions that make it attractive. It helps one perceive the sandbanks with the feel of scenic autumn, a wide open space where geese settle down.

05:35 - Demo of 平沙落雁 is played as a solo Xiao piece.

07:10 - The breath can be finely controlled and released. leading to the gentle closing and opening of the sound.  Earlier we demonstrated contours and textures, and if we added breath sounds you'll hear the effect of wind blown sand.

07:33 - Demo of 平沙落雁, with addition of breath sounds.

09:12 - When you are mindful of the shifts in breathing and intonation, you are fully concentrated, and you enter into the music itself. It's a very enjoyable experience for self and also for the audience. It's a good utilisation of the Xiao.

For me, after having reconstructed the ancient Tang Xiao and played it for a period, I find it very appealing and fascinating, and became my favourite. Of course, the U mouthpiece has its own unique characteristics. The Tang Xiao paves another pathway for Xiao aficionados. 

It's also a helpful instrument for practising meditative blowing. There's no burden on the lips and facial area, the body can be relaxed. Being aware of the ongoing breath and sound relationship easily brings us into a calm state.

10:40 - Next, I'll talk about embouchure refinement. To find the ideal embouchure, one can aim to get the 水润声 in the higher register notes. It comes from adjusting the angle, forming a focused breath, basically where the expelled breath lands.

(水润声 - I interpret it as as a sound that's moist and polished)

10:59 - Demo of high register notes.

11:13 - What I just played has the "water" sound.

Demo briefly.

11:16 - This one does not have as much "water" sound.

11:20 - It's a very polished, very sweet tone. The sweetness comes from precise cutting of the air, leading to rich overtones. 

11:30 - Demo.

11:35 - Now if you revert to normal playing ... 

11:40 - That is, no more "water" sound.

11:48 - This rounded, polished, sweet sound can be achieved.

You maintain similar angle for both high and low register notes.

12:09 - Same angle is used for blowing high and low notes. 

An important point for low notes, don't always play with full resonance. 

Yes, resonance needs to be practised but let's not forget that without resonance, the fundamental frequency is the primary sound of the flute. 

A lot of people play with strong resonance, however, the fundamental frequency is not clear. There's resonance but the proportion of the main frequency is tiny. 

12:40 - Demo of resonance lacking in clarity for fundamental frequency. 

12:50 - The overtones are obvious but the fundamental frequency is weakened.

If you want to maintain the thick solid overtones, use relaxed blowing. 

13:02 - Demo of blowing that keeps the solid overtones and does not diminish the fundamental frequency.

13:08 - How should one practise the fundamental frequency? You'll need to start from practising without the resonance.

13:18 - Demo of playing without resonance.

13:25 - Lesser resonance with louder fundamental frequency -- use an exhalation that is relaxed and slower.

13:31 - Demo again on same principle.

13:39 - Absence of resonance means there's just the fundamental tone.

Once you've the foundation established of playing the fundamental note, you can add in the resonance.

13:49 - Demo of resonance.

14:00 - Without resonance, the airflow is relaxed, slow, weak. It is pure, no overtones, just a single main note.

Many tend to forget that the fundamental frequency is also an expression of the music. 

In displaying the aesthetics of 浓淡美学 the fundamental frequency remains important.

(浓淡美学 - an aesthetics of dense vs. light, or yang vs. yin)

14:30 - Demo of this aesthetic.

14:44 - Often the soft/relaxed tone is used to lead and open a phrase until a turning point.

14:52 - Demo of soft tone leading and turning into a denser tone.

15:21 - This layering brings out the effect of a mountain and water scene, a far and near experience (depth). 

So the tone quality and texture is important. Moving from no resonance towards resonance, and back. This ebb and flow is very important.

15:41 - Another aspect, is the purity of the sound. 

15:48 - Demo.

15:54 - Find the ideal spot, a focus point on the mouthpiece. 

Another consideration is for low register notes. To use the horizon (the flat edge) as a guide, aim to expand the utilisation of it. 

16:11 - Demo.

16:19 - If you didn't activate it fully width wise, then it will become ...

16:26 - Demo. 

16:30 - The expansiveness of the sound is limited, the tone quality's brightness and openness can't be achieved.

Therefore the characteristics of Tang Xiao can't be fully harnessed.

The embouchure is important. The Tang mouthpiece's width requires fine control in embouchure in terms of controlling the width and focus of the expelled air.  Tone quality/colour is dependent on the lips/embouchure. 

Do practice diligently, 10,000 hours is a necessary foundation. That's all for my sharing today, thank you.

 

 

Interpretation - Switching from U to Tang mouth piece

As part of my learning journey in the Xiao and Shakuhachi, I've found Master Winson Liao's videos to be helpful in breaking down common beginner mistakes and misunderstandings. Thankfully I have sufficient proficiency in Mandarin to benefit from these videos. I believe his detailed analysis and explanation can help more learners break new ground so I'll attempt to select some of his videos for interpretation. Do note I had not asked him to verify my interpretations so any errors are purely my own. In addition, for clarity sake, I may make expansions to clarify some points that do not have a direct translation, for example, due to cultural references.

In this video, the topic is on how to switch from U mouth piece (used in Xiao) to Tang mouth piece (used in Tang Xiao and Shakuhachi). Enjoy the video.

00:00 - Now we'll talk about what to look out for when switching from a U mouth piece to a Tang mouthpiece.

00:10 - I'll use this mature madake (Taiwan) Tang Xiao in E to demo. Initially I had wanted to keep this piece but am letting it go, so this video serves as a personal record and also as sound test (for the buyer).

00:25 - Those playing U blowing edge are used to a narrower width for blowing, thus the embouchure is kept more rounded. Another habit is to have the upper lip protruding over the lower lip, which is quite typical for players of the Northern Xiao. This is not a natural position for playing Tang Xiao. Both habits are taboo.

00:58 - These habits limit/tighten the blowing. Another point, is that the cheeks are tensed up which becomes a barrier towards playing the Tang mouth piece. The Tang embouchure is essentially a lot simpler: rest the lips together. You can blow at your hand to test, the landing spot should be on your palm. Your nose should be in line with the second segment of your middle finger, and the breath will hit the palm.

01:42 - The degree of focus or width can be fine tuned. This palm exercise is to simulate for own observation. 

01:49 - Next, when placing the Tang Xiao to the mouth, align the flat edge to the middle line between the lips. Firstly pick it up and do the alignment horizontally, then tilt the bell/tail of the instrument downwards.

[A mirror can be a good aid]

02:25 - Another thing to note, touch the upper lip to the edge. This touching provides 3 sets of information:

1) the lateral position (left-right) of the mouth piece relative to the lips

2) the vertical position (up-down) of the mouth piece relative to the lips

3) the lateral slant position (roll axis) of the mouth piece relative to the lips

02:18 - When you align the flat edge, ensure both corners of the edge are in contact with your lips. For lateral positioning do likewise and sense it for yourself.

02:33 - While you are performing, you can also do a brief check-in using this method. When you get an optimum tone, check-in also to recognise the position. Do it regularly. This will help cultivate accuracy in positioning of the instrument with the body. 

02:58 - The consequence (of natural, relaxed embouchure) is that your breath utilisation can then be natural, unobstructed, and smooth.

03:08 - Pay attention to having a natural, relaxed embouchure, then you can enter a state of Zen via the Tang Xiao.  This is crucial. If you use a tight, tensed embouchure, then it will be very difficult, you'd be far from the Path. Because it's too deliberate, too fixated. So we need to "put it down" (let go); let go of our mind, body, breath.

03:35 - When we're blowing, the first key factor is fixing/stabilising the position: the flat edge is aligned well with our lips (as described earlier) before bringing the bell/tail end downwards forming an angle of between 25 to 30 degrees away from our body.

For U mouth piece, the instrument can be tilted higher. For Tang mouth piece, lower it.

The Tang blowing edge is already cut at a slant of 22.5 degrees, so you can tilt the instrument more sharply.

4:08 - Just blow out directly. The blowing edge is straight/flat, so to achieve a fuller sound you can laterally shift the lower jaw a bit. It will help widen and shape the aperture more flatly.

4:25 - If you use the Song 松口 mouth piece (Winson's innovation), then you can simply open up the lips.

4:52 - You need to listen for the sound quality. It should be open and bright. Breath use becomes very efficient, and you'll be able to play in a more natural, relaxed state.

5:12 - For high register notes, narrow the aperture. As a beginner, practice with long tones. The sound should be flat, like calm water in a pond. This helps to stabilise the tone and your breath. Your mind-body will also settle down.

6:00 - When you switch to higher register, reduce the blowing aperture. It's not done forcefully. It's a gentle narrowing. Just like a water hose, if you pressed the opening, the expelled water will speed up. 

6:23 - It's the same for high notes, you want to save energy and sustain its duration.

6:40 - Naturally keeping the lips closer. Another point is that the inner lips should have a guiding effect on air expelled, that is, don't purse the lips which uses only the outer surface to shape the airflow. Just bring the lips closer while keeping the cheeks relaxed.

7:15 - When you do this, air volume can more easily build up within the mouth (the cheek area naturally puffs up). This will introduce different velocity to the air expelled which results in greater resonance. A blend of slow and fast air expulsion will result in more overtones/multi-harmonics.

[This is Winson's theory which some may disagree with]

7:50 - Air flow that comes with diverse speeds leads to resonance.

Slower air speed is used for lower register notes, and higher speeds activate the higher register. It's that straight forward.

8:07 - Of course, we need to be in control of the air speed but priority should be on sustaining stable long tones. Don't be in a rush to play pieces of music. Get the foundation right, that is, stable long notes. Only then is the relationship between instrument and person strong enough to make variations and enhance playing. Your mind and spirit can then focus well on the playing.

8:56 - Once you've established these, and able to play the Tang or Song mouth piece, you can then reach for the "awakened" sound. Through precise and mindful playing, the sound can appear to be reed like. This means the overtones are richer. The embouchure has to be very efficient, very focused, very precise in relation to the mouth piece. In addition, the Xiao has to be very responsive, then you can find the sweet spot. These two types of sound quality are different ("awakened" vs normal).

As a beginner do not strive to achieve this "awakened" sound yet, just focus on establishing stable and clear single tones. Eliminate the "sa-sa-sa" wind-noise as that means wastage of breath, which results in breathlessness.

10:39 - A typical person would have sufficient breath capacity, the key is in air flow control. Just a fine air stream ... playing the Xiao can be slow inhale and exhale.

12:00 - Let your breath be focused on the sweet spot, let your mind and spirit be attentive on the relationship between breath and sound. You can gain much clarity on this, and thus attain an in depth experience of the Xiao sound. This means you've also reached the depths of your own mind/heart.

12:28 - Thus for playing the Tang Xiao, do not rush to learn pieces of music. First, get into the internal workings of producing the tones. Focus on your breathing and how it relates to sounds produced. With eyes closed, feel your lips, feel your breath, feel your sounds. These are inter-related and become an element for reaching a state of samadhi. Your mind can be very clear, undistracted.

There is no short-cut, each step has to be taken concretely on the path. Each step leads further into insights about the sound. Keep going further, don't think you're already the best because there's still a lot more ahead of us.

Awakening of Shakuhachi II

In sharing about "awakening" my Shakuhachi, I thought I'd better share some technical tips to make it less abstract. This is not expert advice but based on personal experience, which means it can be highly subjective due to various factors such as instrument used, learner's body type and conditions, degree of sensitivity in interception and proprioception, and even interpretations of what is written here. Indeed a teacher's presence would help make it an experiential learning rather than a conceptual or academic exercise.

Breath Support

Any body posture or positioning that limits air flow should be fine tuned. Most learners would know that chesty breath is not advised as it is shallow and would not sustain for long phrasings of music. What we're less familiar with is that the in-breath should not be just an abdominal movement. Tips are often given to check for abdominal movement but in fact many more areas will move, to different degrees, when the diaphragm is activated. This includes the sides around the ribcage; imagine a wide inflatable belt around the waist, including the abdomen. Apparently the term "belly" breathing is different from diaphragmatic rib-cage breathing and thus can lead to misunderstandings.

The other aspect that I was taught and also realised, is that just doing diaphragmatic breathing is not sufficient, especially when trying to play the higher octaves on the Shakuhachi or Xiao 箫. As a beginner, hitting the higher Kan 甲 register was straight forward if practised as a single note on its own. And I happily assumed I could join the dots and enjoy taking on more advanced pieces. Instead I faced more struggles as follows:

• Shifting from lower Otsu 乙 to Kan 甲 note while playing on the same exhale within a few bars of music: 
• the volume jumps suddenly
• the higher note becomes unstable, e.g., windy, incorrect pitch (often overblown)
• there is insufficient breath to "push" to the upper register and so it fizzles out
• The score says to play softly, e.g., piano for a Kan note within the phrasing:
• the note could barely be produced
• the note goes beyond the dynamic/volume required

The challenges are due to two key factors: unstable embouchure, and lack of breath support. Let's stay with the topic of breath support for now.

What had been lacking for me is the appropriate tension in the "belt" area mentioned above. It's relatively easy to do a one time powerful blow and thus produce a Kan note regardless of the level of refinement in embouchure. The trick is in understanding this elementary equation:

Speed = Distance / Time

Higher notes require overtones to be activated by higher speed air across the blowing edge (utaguchi 歌口). When we use a powerful exhale (while we're still fresh from a recent inhale), we cause the air to rush at sufficient speed to cause a higher frequency vibration at the blowing edge. Essentially we shortened the Time variable in the equation to up the Speed. But this is at great cost as a larger volume of air is lost, which explains why we can't sustain a long high note with this method.

To overcome this, a finer embouchure is needed. If we gently close down the aperture of our lips to a smaller slit, the expulsion of air would speed up naturally. It's the common phenomenon we see when we squeeze on the end of a water hose causing it to expel water more quickly and thus farther. Now the trick here is to tension the "belt" area so that the exhale is controlled. There’re probably some formulas involving air flow pressure to explain this but that's a little more complicated. So for high notes, my mantra is: relax the upper body, hold the note with the lower body.

Another obstacle comes from the Xiao teaching literature where higher registers are described as needing 急吹 (rushed blow) and 超吹 (over blow). Unfortunately these are precisely what Xiao and Shakuhachi players need to avoid. I’ve heard that these terminologies were borrowed from the Dizi 笛子 pedagogy, likewise my Shakuhachi teacher had also shared on the need to blow "harder" for the Dizi based on his experience as a Dizi player/teacher prior to learning the Shakuhachi.

Relaxed Embouchure

This was probably the most challenging for me, especially in trying to do the following:

• sustaining good quality high register notes (as described earlier)
• sustaining a resonant low register note
• obtaining a blasting Ro ロ note

Subconsciously when I see Kan notes, especially the upper Kan (チハヒ) and Dai Kan 大甲, I would tense up my mouth area and finger grip. Basically there is lack of confidence in getting a clean correct pitch at the onset which then brings on a stress reaction. 

The way to counter this is with regular practice of long tones including the higher registers. The drills help condition the tiny facial muscles and program the embouchure shifts into muscle memory. It sounds simple but it is tedious and requires diligence.

Language can be a handicap at times. What I mean by relaxed should not be equated to a collapsed state. Chinese language has this term called 松而不散, which I feel captures this essence of having suppleness and not losing structure. Viewing Taijiquan 太极拳 might give you a hint of this, a balance of hardness and softness.

In terms of embouchure, my lips are neither pursed nor pouted, and they are brought together naturally. Exhaled air is released as the aperture closes and occasionally I let the lips gently pop open (minimise the popping sound) especially for high register notes. Master Winson Liao describes in the first 3 minutes of his video (below) on this, emphasising how the inner lips' surface (内唇) is what acts as a smooth straight conduit for the expelled air. Even though the video shows the Xiao, I found it applicable to the Shakuhachi too. This gives a more precise method of focusing the air stream compared to pursed lips which causes the air to go out in disarray.

I see that there is often attention placed on embouchure but less on the other mechanisms around the mouth. Firstly I find the “gentle smile” tip misleading for Shakuhachi, in fact it feels more like a “gentle frown” for me to get good tone and resonance. The logic is this, the blowing edge of a Shakuhachi is flat, unlike the Xiao or Dizi. So to maximise alignment of expelled air onto a wider section of the edge, the mouth aperture should be close to flat, or rectangular as my teacher advised. Thus a no-smile or slight frown plus natural lips closure gets you there. Go look at Shakuhachi masters’ performances and you’ll notice they mostly don't wear a happy face (good music is hard work).

The throat and back of mouth cavity play an important role too. One tip often heard is to imagine holding a small ball at the back of the mouth. The difficulty is in gauging how big that imaginary ball should be. My advice is not to over strain, and just remember the principle is in keeping the throat passage open so there’s minimal resistance for the air flowing up from the lungs. I prefer another tip that asks you to feel your yawn and how it opens up the mouth-throat area, at least it provides an experiential reference point. I found that having this openness in the mouth cavity also opened up my tone quality: better resonance and volume. So while doing this, we have to keep the embouchure steady.

Summary

These are general ideas that need experimentation to find your personal sweet spot. For example, I would let my lower lip be at ease while slightly tensing the upper lip. Somehow that gives me an optimal sound quality for both low and high registers. These are internal sensations that I use as a personal guide but likely would not work for others. Just as with life, we learn better through trials and making corrections to steer us on the right track. Fortunately the outcomes are not that elusive, the sound of success is clear and unmistakable.

Awakening of Shakuhachi I

It was around winter solstice, 22 Dec 2020, that my Shakuhachi (尺八) awakened. Or from a more scientific perspective, my mind-body adapted to the instrument and thus found its sweet spot. The process took around 5 months of regular practice.

In the Shakuhachi world, the base sound or tonic 筒音 which is when all finger holes are closed is an important tone to stabilise and strengthen. It is taught that establishing and maintaining this foundation helps one improve all other tones. Having learnt the Xiao 箫 earlier on also helped me better appreciate the similarities and differences between these two instruments. It is interesting that despite the common lineage, the two cultures of teaching and playing developed rather differently. 

The base note for Shakuhachi of any length is simply called Ro ロ, so you'd often hear about Ro-buki ロ吹き (Ro breath practice), with an emphasis on sustaining long notes. Generally this is similar for all wind instruments, that is, acquiring an efficient breathing technique that produces a stable tone and volume. However, in the Shakuhachi fraternity, players also aim to achieve a blasting Ro sound, like a roaring jet engine. This emphasis on intensity is rather distinct from Xiao, perhaps due to the pervasiveness of "soft" music for the Xiao. Words to describe the Xiao include 敛内，清幽，古朴，清虚，roughly meaning reserved, deeply serene, quaint/simple, clear/elusive. Possibly such words could be stereotyping the Xiao by only highlighting these characteristics.

I suspect there's also a misunderstood image of the Xiao due to the fact that there are two further categories of Xiao: the Northern Xiao 北箫 and the Southern Xiao 南箫. The slimmer and longer northern version produces the above mentioned "soft" characteristics. Thus it is often paired up with "soft" instruments such as the guqin 古琴. Understandably, the Northern Xiao is not included into the modern Chinese orchestra as it would be drowned out. 

On the other hand, the Southern Xiao is much closer to the Shakuhachi in both its design, tone quality, and dynamics. From my understanding, ancient Chinese cultural elements such as language, music, and customs, had migrated southwards and thus were preserved in these parts of China, away from the strife in the central and northern regions. So it is not surprising to find that the Chinese word for Shakuhachi, 尺八, is also used to describe the Southern Xiao.

The migration of the ancient Xiao to Japan happened in the religious context of Zen Buddhism, and this influenced how spiritual practice became intertwined with this instrument. Sound was used as a tool for meditation and brought forth such statements as 一音成佛 enlightenment through one sound. There was less emphasis on performing a piece that had melodic appeal.

Somehow along its development in Japan, the resonance of each tone in the Shakuhachi grew in importance. It is admirable that the craftsmen made refinements that now make the Shakuhachi an outstanding instrument. One of which is the coating of plaster paste (ji 地) and lacquer (urushi 漆) to the inner bore to achieve correct pitch and quality of tone.  The number of finger holes were also reduced from 6 to 5 and there are various theories on this revolving around music scales. In contrast, the modern Xiao is commonly found with 8 finger holes. For me this reduction is emblematic of a Zen approach, which adds a layer of technical difficulty towards playing the right pitch "between" the full clear tones. This is the well known head/flute tilting used to shift the angle and thus the pitch of sound produced. And this uncertainty in the production of microtones also reflects a spiritual approach of how one can accept imperfection and its inherent beauty.

Perhaps the value placed on direct experience of sound and just being present with the instrument contributed to the difference in emphasis between the playing of Shakuhachi and Xiao. For a Shakuhachi to be "broken in", "opened up", or "awakened", the benchmark is one can produce the blasting Ro sound. For some instruments, it can be easy to reach but for others it may take months of patience to find the connection between embouchure, angles, and breath pressure. This is a satisfying endeavour which you may wish to consider.

Musicality, Meditation, Amusement

On the journey of learning and practising the shakuhachi, there are different ways how one might approach this unique instrument. What I noticed is a gradation and intermingling of three intentions: musicality, meditation, and amusement. Certainly there are other possible ways of categorising so this is just a personal perspective.

Musicality

Musicality is perhaps exemplified in present times by Fujiwara Dozan, the prince of shakuhachi. He produces pieces that appeal to a wide audience. The music has to sound "right", which means being in pitch, having a rhythmic structure, being melodious, and nuanced. 

Learning and playing with this in mind means adhering to "natural" musical ideas. I do not construe that as trying to create "pop music". Without resorting to formal music theories, which I'm not equipped with, perhaps one can say that there is a deliberate performance for an audience. One has to ensure the music connects with the listeners and moves them in some way.

There are expectations placed on the performer that adds a little stress, but there is also an exchange taking place: pleasing an audience brings pleasure to the performer as well. The "stress" requires the performer to stay in form which is achieved through regular long hours of practice.

Meditation

On the other hand, there is also music that is aimed at the self for various purposes: calmness, concentration, and contemplation. Shakuhachi has a colourful history of this during ancient Japan, when Komuso (虛無僧) monastics used it as a hoki (法器) for their daily ritual practice. Thus there is supposedly no audience and no performance involved, since the music was not meant to engage the external world.

Musicality would not have been a priority and thus the precise reproduction of a piece of music would not be emphasised as much. This can be deduced from existing Honkyoku (本曲) pieces, especially those passed down from the Kinko-ryu and earlier traditions; the written scores were only meant as personal memos to aid in recalling the skeletal structure of a piece. Using the metaphor of a tree, these scores were like the tree trunk. The student would need direct guidance from a teacher in order to "see" the branches and leaves, and thus capture the complete piece in their memory. Oral and experiential transmission ensured the pieces could be preserved across generations.

There is a tension in this imperfect mode of handing down a piece: each individual adds their unique flavour, and yet how does one know it reflects the original music. This openness also brings in a risk, such as when some decide to misuse this freedom and become sloppy, e.g., not playing within reasonable pitch, disregarding the implicit meter of the piece.

Even though Honkyoku originated from spiritual practice, it can be surmised that they had some musical appeal that supported their preservation. One can also reasonably assume that there were many other pieces that got lost in time.

Amusement

Play is necessary not just for children but also adults. It nurtures creativity, problem solving, joy, and closeness with others. Therefore we often say "play" an instrument or a song rather than "perform".

The shakuhachi is a challenging instrument to perform with, which also means it is excellent as a play thing: to fiddle around, make mistakes, sound funny, or pretend to be someone else. Being involved with the culture and community surrounding this instrument also adds novelty to life, and expands one's social circles. 

Enthusiasts and hobbyists may not wish to invest too much effort to learn or practise the instrument in a disciplined manner, which often occurs for those leaning towards musicality and meditation. 

What then?

We may want to reflect on our intentions and see where they'll bring us towards in our shakuhachi learning journey. In brief, my interpretations are:

• Musicality - extends music beyond the self, benefitting others
• Meditation - music that nurtures personal growth and provides healing
• Amusement - nurturing curiosity, creativity, socialising

Walking in the footsteps of my father

This is the period of Singapore's COVID-19 lock-down, unusually called "Circuit Breaker", maybe a remnant of the "Uniquely Singapore" branding mindset. In order to keep a healthy mind-body, I go for solo long walks. Usually they are unplanned and I'd just pick a route based on curiosity, wanting to see what I normally miss out while driving, or to explore less familiar places.

I ventured into a route that had been familiar when young but very much bypassed as newer roads served my needs. Canberra Road used to be the only way to get from Sembawang to Woodlands via Admiralty Road West. I recall the long bus rides after mass to get to the old Woodlands Town Centre where there was a large hawker centre, lots of retail shops, and an Oriental Emporium. In those days we still had non-airconditioned buses and I could enjoy the cold evening air at my favourite window seat as the bus sped along the almost deserted expanse of Admiralty, at one point the air would be punctuated by the strong scent of Kikkoman soy sauce.

Canberra Road would have been a familiar path for my father as he used to cycle daily to get to work at the Naval Base, which later became Sembawang Shipyard. It's amazing looking back at how he did it for at least 20 years (my guess) under rain or shine. Unfortunately I never picked up cycling as I had a poor sense of balance.

I recall one time he fell off the bike and landed in a drain but that didn't bring him down a bit. He continued to work for many years after the offical retirement age of 55. Looking back, he's actually rather resilient. He suffered a fall after missing a stair step at a much older age and recovered well, he got into hospital twice for pneumonia and recovered. He continued to have a calm and stable mind, and consumed all foods without having to resort to tube-feeding even in his last days at a nursing home.

His work life and social circles seemed rich; this is a part of him that I could only get glimpses of when he bumps into ex-colleagues and business contacts (he used to be a purchasing clerk). I could see he was well liked and respected. It speaks volumes despite his introversion at home.

I'm grateful that there are some things left untouched by the relentless pace of urbanization. Man seeks changes thinking life can be made better, but life is already good enough if we care to observe and appreciate.

10,000 Hours

Kōhachirō Miyata 宮田 耕八朗 (81 yrs old in 2019), performing Tsuru no Sugomori 鶴の巣籠

If it takes 10,000 hrs to master something, then that’s equivalent to around 27 years if one practises for an hour each day!

I doubt if that’s the case though having done a career switch 12 years ago to become a therapist. The initial years seemed tough but also exciting as there was so much ground to cover, so much to explore and try out, mistakes to be made and experiences gained.

I believe some possible factors that helped enhance my professional progress can be applied to learning the Shakuhachi:

1. Passion
One needs to have slow burning passion in order to stay on the long learning journey. The initial love is like love at first sight but that won't last very long. So we've to continually find new ways to rekindle that love.

I find the Shakuhachi has a varied personality, at times it sounds like a Sax, at times like a Dizi or Xiao, and other times like the human voice, a bird, the wind. It is a versatile instrument for meditation, ancient tunes, rituals, folk music, anime themes, pop songs, swing, new age, and much more. It opens up endless play opportunities.

Besides the actual sound/music, there's also the history and culture surrounding this instrument. It adds to the sense of belonging to a lineage, a heritage handed down for generations. And for someone who has very little formal music theory, that's also a whole new realm of knowledge.

Other than cognitive exploration, another way to sustain the passion is to immerse ourselves in the experience of the music by attending concerts (rare in Singapore) or watch online performances.

I had benefitted in my professional work from meeting like minded people in an interest group, so communal support is helpful in keeping us engaged in regular conversations and exchanges. The social element keeps us warm.

2. Reflective learning and reflexive practice
Audio and video recordings are often used as supervision tools in therapy, either done with a supervisor or for self reflection. I’d say this is what brought significant learning for myself and also for people that I supervise. It can bring about anxiety initially as we’re afraid to face our shortcomings.

Listening to my own Shakuhachi recording and even sharing with friends to get feedback helps wake me up to reality. Sometimes we’re so engrossed in enjoying the playing that we lose objectivity, such as getting the rhythm wrong, going off pitch, varying the tempo, inappropriate phrasing, etc.

Music making is itself a reflexive process because there is a continuous feedback cycle: we read the score, blow the Shakuhachi, it produces a note, we listen and make fine adjustments to fingering, embouchure, mouth cavity, throat, holding position, body posture, etc. Good playing involves much “listening” both at auditory level and in terms of receiving other signals from touch and sense of body positioning (proprioception).

This is where the term “deliberate practice” becomes important. It’s not that hard to produce a sound on the Shakuhachi so just practising making a sequence of notes is akin to a therapist just meeting clients without any structure or directions. I think the Singapore phrase that fits this is “anyhow whack”, or one can call it blindly practising or going through the motions. Even if one hits 10,000 hrs much of it is wasteful.

3. Enjoyment
Practice involves repetition and the human mind bores easily leading many to get distracted or give up. I guess sometimes we’re too hard on ourselves and push ahead (Singaporean kiasu-ism?) at all cost, which can lead to burn out. This is probably what differentiates passion from purpose.

Do we need to justify a reason for play, leisure, and enjoyment? As a therapist, I see that play is beneficial for people of all ages. For adults, it can be a whole-brain and body engagement free of unnecessary tension. Play can help enhance cognitive functioning and enhance creativity and learning. After all, musical instruments such as flutes were crafted mainly out of leisure when humans were resting and at peace.

4. Teacher
In learning therapy, I found it most appealing when I admire a certain master therapist in the way that he/she works or for their idealogy and vision. This is not idolizing the teacher but being inspired and fascinated by their skills and methods.

A formal teacher in music can offer valuable guidance, so we can avoid common pitfalls and mistakes. And just like a gym partner helping you to spot, a teacher can push you beyond your own perceived limits.

If one can't find or can't afford having a teacher, there is still the self as a teacher. Way before there was recording technology, people would find a reverberation space to practise. The reflected sounds help to enhance the feedback, and makes playing much more enjoyable.

5. Mastery as a journey
Even after 12 years as a therapist I still feel there's much to improve on. The danger is in feeling complacent because we believe we have attained mastery.

To counter this we should consider the wisdom of Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido: Masakatsu agatsu 正勝吾勝 - true victory is self victory/mastery. So the end goal is somewhat elusive and unattainable. Aikido was not meant to be competitive and I find Shakuhachi can be similar, it's about overcoming our Self.

Basics for playing Xiao/Shakuhachi

I'm going to attempt to translate and share this basic guidance video by Master Winson Liao (廖錦棟/文松), who is an accomplished Xiao player and maker. It won't be exactly in verbatim but will do my best to convey the essence of what he is emphasizing. These principles are applicable to the Shakuhachi as it is also an open ended rim-blown instrument.

Note: the Xiao he makes are all open ended (通口箫/无顶盖箫)

Here is the original video:

This talk will cover the basics about the Xiao (箫).

Some people attribute the term Dong Xiao (洞箫) to the Purple Bamboo Xiao or Northern Xiao (紫竹箫/北箫) while Southern Xiao (南箫) with its big "head"/root end is often regarded as a separate category on its own.

Note: the Northern Xiao has narrower bore, thinner bamboo wall, and a longer length, while the Southern Xiao is opposite in these atributes

Depending on whether you're from the north or south of China, you'd call your type of Xiao the Dong Xiao. In fact, Dong Xiao is a general term that encompasses both types of Xiao and is not region specific.

In ancient times, a different term was also used: Tong Xiao (筒箫). References to this use can be found from the Qing dynasty and Taiwanese texts. The term Dong Xiao, or Xiao with holes (洞), has its origin from Pai Xiao/panpipes (排箫). As people started using a longer length of bamboo (1 "foot" 一尺 and 8 "inches"八寸, which is what the Japanese refer to as 1 shaku and 8 sun) and added finger holes, these were then called Dong Xiao to differentiate it from Pai Xiao. The Northern Xiao appears longer but when you examine it closely, the effective length is much shorter if you measure from the sound holes upwards.

Note: the sound holes are usually a set of 4 holes nearer the tail end 

There used to be only 6 finger holes, so in the modern 8 holed Xiao it can still be played in the traditional way by keeping the 2nd and 6th hole (count from tail end) closed. The fingers sealing these two holes are used as supports for holding the Xiao.

The key aspect of playing the Xiao is the alighment of our mouth to the blowing edge of the Xiao. Regardless whether you're a beginner or an experienced player, one has to ensure that the positioning is consistent and accurate. This alignment forms the foundation to ensure that an effective embouchure can be formed. If your alignment wavers then it becomes difficult to develop a good embouchure.

I need to emphasise that this is an essential skill which I hope you'll remember. If you watch my videos you'll see that I regularly re-calibrate my alignment during a performance. Once you find a consistent position, you'll experience ease in playing the Xiao.

Different Xiao may have contrasting bore diameters and thus different sizes of blowing edge, but don't let this distract you as the key factor is to ensure your breath hits the blowing edge at the correct angle.

The method to achieve a good angle is the same across different bores. First, naturally close your lips and align the mid-line formed between the lips to the blowing edge (Xiao is held horizontally). The air stream that comes out will naturally exit at an angle below the horizon. Gradually tilt the Xiao (tail end) downwards and soon the blowing edge will be hit by this stream and produce a sound.

If you can't produce a sound yet, try practising blowing at your palm. First hold up your palm about 10cm in front of your face, align the second section of your middle finger to the tip of your nose. And if you blow naturally, your air stream should land in the middle of your palm. It should feel like a focused stream of air on your palm.

Once you get the feel of this, try it with the Xiao. The upper lip is just touching down on the rim. Do not purse your upper lips else the blowing edge will be placed too low.

The angle of the Xiao can be flexibly adjusted by pivoting it. The blowing should be relaxed and natural. This is an instrument that can aid us in reaching a calm, stable state. It helps us cultivate qi (气 breath) and jing shen (精神 spirit). Whether in the blowing or holding of the instrument, one should maintain a relaxed and natural posture where the the breath is lengthened.

So we need to let go of tensions and not forcefully create an embouchure. Initially you can have a gentle smile to help stretch the lips sideways so it becomes flattened. After which, allow a sliver of a gap to form between the lips. This gap/air stream can be finely focused by adjusting the left-right and upper-lower boundaries formed by the lips. 

The angle of the air stream is dependent on the lower jaw's movement, either minutely jutting outwards or pulled in. As a beginner if the jaw movement is not possible, then adjust the Xiao itself to find the best angle for sound production. Once proficient with lower jaw adjustment, then the angle of the Xiao can be kept fixed. The fine jaw movement can be useful for finding the sweet spot for a clear, crisp note.

Some people wonder if they should exercise to train up lung capacity, e.g., taking up some sports. Actually lung capacity does not vary much across individuals. The most important factor is the formation of an effective embouchure that produces a fine, focused air stream. The exhalation will then last longer.

Breath wise, use abdominal/diaphragmatic breathing, avoiding movement of the chest area. It is breath work that is supported by internal movements/organs rather than just the lungs. Breathe in all the way to fill the abdominal area so that it expands. And as you breathe out, it deflates. To get you started, try making blasts of "hoo" sound or laughing sound of "ha", which would activate the abdominal area (dantian 丹田). Or you can imagine imitating a dog's panting. The deeper the activation of the breath, the stronger the energy it carries. Then there can be explosiveness in the sound produced. 

Consider the blowpipe used by aboriginal peoples: the long and narrow pipe ensures the dart can be precisely aimed at a distant target. Imagine our breathing system can be like that. The abdominal area drives the breath through the airways acting like a long pipe.

In addition, we need to keep the mouth cavity in a relaxed state. First, rest the tongue downwards and produce an "O" sound, which helps clear the pathway and create an air chamber in the mouth. You'll find that this supports a richer, fuller sound for low pitched notes. 

Slow down your breathing, which starts with taking longer exhales that fully exhausts the breath, and taking inhales that fill up the abdominal area. Therefore, when playing don't use a large embouchure. It's not about the breath/lung capacity but having a fine embouchure that allows a long slow exhale. So I reiterate, first train to use abdominal breathing. Use the natural cycle of breathing and not the reverse 逆势 approach (inhale causes abdominal deflation and exhale causes abdominal expansion). The reverse approach is used in internal martial arts.

Next, we look at holding posture. Use the natural holding method. The lower hand is especially important, it is positioned slanting away from the instrument. It is more ergonomic to use the different segments of the fingers rather than the fleshy finger pads to seal the finger holes. There is tension build up when one uses the fleshy tips. A natural relaxed holding posture allows qi to circulate. Some people may think it limits agility but that is not true.

Note: the natural method is known as piper's grip in the western context

In ancient times, the more deft hand was placed on the top part rather than the bottom half of the Xiao. I happened to be a lefty so my left hand is placed on top. The convention is now for right hand (assumed master hand) to be placed at lower part of Xiao. Regardless, the importance is to use a natural grip so that one can maintain a relaxed state and cultivate a stable mind/spirit.

To Be (fixed) or not to Be

The shakuhachi like other traditional hand crafted instruments has its quirks. Or maybe one should say each culture has its uniqueness, and it appears the older forms of shakuhachi music preferred some notes to be more flat or sharp. This defies the current Western convention of equal temperament which society has accepted as the norm.

The design of this instrument allows great freedom due to its openness in the blowing edge with multiple degrees of freedom (up/down, left/right, yawing, pitching, rolling), providing fine control at microtonal level to the player. This is what makes it a difficult instrument to master as it means self mastery of the breath, embouchure, body and flute positioning, in addition to other aspects of music training.

I found Jon Kypros’ description about these pitch idiosyncrasies clear and helpful:
http://flutedojo.com/shakuhachi-guides/pitches-on-shakuhachi

For now my “antique” 玉井 竹仙 instrument will need a bit of DIY fix up (blue tac works wonders) advised by my teacher to bring it up to contemporary times. The higher pitched third hole (チ) note is lowered near to A4 frequency so that it is closer to equal temperament. I don't blame the seller for passing this flute to me, the "imperfection" created opportunity for me to learn more than I would have on a perfect instrument (is there such a thing anyway).

The First Sound

I advocate learning the shakuhachi at the onset with a teacher in person as it can greatly prevent unnecessary mistakes that if left unchecked becomes a deep rooted habit that impinges growth and development.

Learning the shakuhachi one can encounter a major paradox: it is both easy and difficult to produce a good sound.

It can be described as playing with ease because a relaxed mind-body produces clear, resonant notes. But the challenge is in the player because such relaxation is counter intuitive especially for a beginner.

In the beginner's mind it often becomes a struggle between the self and the instrument. There can be much striving to master the instrument via controlling the body. There is also the lack of patience especially in the current technogical age where the idea of instant gratification is lavished on us.

Bodily awareness requires mindfulness -- being mindful of sensations, movements, positions, and understanding how these are linked to sound production. Both interoception and proprioception are needed. Proprioception would include learning to be aware of lip tension, mouth cavity volume, finger contact position, and even vibrations of the flute. Interoception would include learning to be aware of abdominal breath activation, volume of breath, and internal rhythm. 

Awareness leads to fine adjustments that unlock the rich sounds of the shakuhachi. Such awareness does not come naturally, thus the need for hours of practice to build it up gradually, and for retention in body memory to take place.

This also means there can be no single standard set of steps to ensure one gets a first sound on the shakuhachi because each learner has unique anatomy, degrees of awareness, and ability to relax.

Initial guidance fortunately can still help the self-learner. They are like markers left by preceding travellers on their own learning path. We just need to try and use what works for us.

Here are some resources to get started. But the rest of the journey we have to figure it out on our own.


In English:
Jon Kypros
https://youtu.be/vsLZmSCr7r4

Shawn Renzoh Head
https://youtu.be/mQChlXy7kDM

Alcvin Ryūzen Ramos
https://youtu.be/HC_Yij3Nl0I

Perry Yung
https://youtu.be/in-Ifh-s7R8


In Mandarin:
Flying NaN
https://youtu.be/86j60SmSs8E

周文壕
https://youtu.be/Z9cLU6vST50
https://youtu.be/cW8a9rrqkUU

In Japanese:
Keisuke Zenyoji
https://youtu.be/LGhhQEWzzuI

三塚幸彦
https://youtu.be/Xp7nnaKQiqE

Intermediate/advanced (in Mandarin):
Winson Liao 廖錦棟
https://youtu.be/bzApkJ-HeXw
https://youtu.be/jTmtGUTYz7Y

Bamboo Grows in Marble

Shakuhachi flutes have a certain appeal as they are specially made with root ends from mature bamboo. The beauty of the smooth stem contrasts with the gnarly roots, reminding us that life manifests in similar fashion: happiness and suffering are not separate.

Bamboo's appearance is deceptive, looking like a tree but is actually a grass. In fact it is often viewed as an unwelcome weed because it is difficult to eliminate once it populates an area.

Harvesting it is a tedious manual task in the first stage of flute making. It would seem the plant lost its life, but at the hands of a craftsman it takes on a new life, transformed from a weed into a lively instrument. In the Edo period of ancient Japan it was regarded as a dharma instrument (法器, hoki) that helped monastics in their meditation practice. The humble bamboo continues beautifully in a new form, the shakuhachi (尺八) -- "death" does not bring an end. 

Beauty in Imperfections

The Shakuhachi (尺八) is elegant through its simplicity - 5 finger holes being sufficient to bring out the chromatic scale reaching up to 3 octaves.

It is interesting how the Japanese innovated on this by looking outside of the box. A typical wind instrument has precise finger holes to determine the pitch. To illustrate, a hole can be in two states, either opened or closed, and each state produces its own pitch so there are two notes available.

For the Shakuhachi, each finger hole has a wider diameter than say a Xiao or recorder. This means each hole can be partially covered or shaded to access the finer pitches in-between two discrete notes. This in itself is not unique as there are other flutes like the North American Flute (NAF) that have half-hole techniques.

For greater versatility, the Shakuhachi can be blown with variation in the angle between the blowing edge and the lips (embouchure). And this gives the performer another means to control pitch. Such pitch variations through head tilting plus instrument shifting is also used for vibrato effects.

For example, the note D is played by covering all holes (on a 1.8 Shakuhachi) while lifting finger off the first (lowest) hole plays F. The notes E and Eb (E flat) are "hidden" between D and F. Magically through partial fingering and angle adjustment, these notes shyly manifest.

These "half" sounds are usually softer in volume and differ in timbre from a fully opened/closed finger hole note. Such imperfections contribute to the distinct sound signagure of a Shakuhachi, enriching the palette available to an expert player to convey different moods and imagery.

There is an inherent "uncertainty" or variability to each note produced, therefore the same song can sound anew when repeated even by the same performer.

Dragon Leaping, Phoenix Prancing; Dong Xiao of the North, Shakuhachi of the South

龙腾凤舞；北有洞箫，南有尺八


Took a break yesterday from practising the Shakuhachi 尺八 so my Xiao 箫 won’t go rusty (rather to prevent mould).
Putting the two side by side shows the contrast in appearance 小巫见大巫. Actually they each have their own “powers”; one can’t say the dragon is more superior to the phoenix.

The two instruments have a common history but naturally developed into a kind of Yin and Yang 太极生两仪 after the Tang dynasty. The Shakuhachi is like the majestic dragon that bursts into mighty leaps and wreaks stormy weather. It can be a tough ride on such a beast, needing stability and strength. When it’s rested there’s still tension, a dormant energy 藏龙.

The Xiao is refined and elegant like the phoenix gliding through the clouds. Soothing and flowing sounds are deceptively simple - execution requires tempering the power of the breath. Patience and virtue seems to be the foundation. A certain Romanticism surrounds this instrument with tales of love match made through music and ascensions into the heavens 吹箫引凤.

The Shakuhachi frees the spirit and the Xiao calms the senses, at least that’s my perception. Just like how Yin and Yang are interdependent, the dragon can have phoenix like qualities and vice versa.

Shakuhachi and Xiao duet:

On practical experience, the Shakuhachi having a wider bore does require a firm breath before a good tone is produced, whereas on the Xiao one may get away with it for a while before it becomes an obvious problem. Both instruments are driven by abdominal/diaphragmatic breathing coupled with lower dantian 下丹田 control. The lungs are secondary in support. Switching back to the Xiao was an unusual feeling (beyond adapting the embouchure) as I had to adopt a more restrained 内敛 approach so as not to overpower the instrument.

Technical notes: the Shakuhachi 尺八 referred to here is the traditional Japanese 5 holed bamboo instrument with a slanted cut at one end for blowing. There are actually variants of this in Chinese culture referring to the Southern Xiao 南箫 as 尺八 also. And to add confusion there are 6 and 8 holed Xiao using the same style of blowing edge as Shakuhachi. One way to look at an instrument is not to decouple it from its culture and history: the Shakuhachi includes the approach and nuances of playing, its notation system, it’s link to Zen practice, its relationships to other instruments such as koto, and the craftsmanship of making it.

Mantra 2: It's not the instrument (it's insufficient practice)

Perhaps it is human nature that when things go wrong we easily externalize and blame everything else. It could be a way of survival, being self-centred, or reflecting a need to feel in control.

In my encounter with my new shakuhachi (or it could be anything new in life such as a person) there was that bit of doubt: is this tuned correctly, does it have some flaw, would a more expensive piece be better. Fortunately in the case of an instrument, the teacher can use his experience to clear such doubts, and the student has to honestly face his own shortcomings and practise more!

This creates spaciousness and clarity for the student to grow with the instrument. There is confidence that comes from the solidity of a teacher. Herein lies a parallel with therapy where clients similarly benefit from the solidity of a counsellor who does not waver in the face of confusion, chaos, uncertainty.       

Another challenge is self awareness and in the shakuhachi (or any music) it's about the pitch, volume, and tempo while playing the instrument.

I had assumed that I was sustaining a regular tempo while practising. not realizing that I often slow down as a piece progressed. I suppose our mind plays tricks on us when there is some distraction that may come from fatigue/stress. Sometimes it could be due to our emotional shifts that affect the pace.

In the end, I needed to invite an old "teacher" to resume work: the Nikko mechanical metronome. It was bought eons ago when I learnt the classical guitar and languished when I suffered a finger injury which led to the "break-up" with guitar. There's something assuring about this simple mechanical tool in comparison to the modern electronic version. It has greater presence that cuts above my own playing compared to a beeping/blinking version. Like a Jedi master, my teacher guided me back to the "ancient" ways of metronome practice.

Mantra 1: Use the (full) Force

I had to get reacquainted with this approach of practising for rim-blown wind instruments that somehow I had overlooked. It's more likely that I had gotten complacent or "lazy" and had been putting attention on the pitch quality rather than getting a full bodied sound.

There is now greater clarity why practising with full force is helpful (other than breaking a sweat). This is the means to explore the periphery of the instrument's limits, for example, when does a note break and cross into overtones. That threshold is also the point where the sound can be full bodied with greatest resonance. And there's a certain logic that when one can use full force then tuning it down poses less of a problem, which then avails us a more dynamic range to portray a piece of music.

This video of shinobue master Yasukazu Kano (2018 Traditional Flute Festival) helps illustrate what I mean. It is rather liberating when the breath feels unrestricted.



Thus it is very fortunate to have a teacher to point out blind spots such as these. The shortcoming of self learning is that we tend to swing one of both ways: either be too self critical and give up, or too contented and remain stagnant. Of course, such outcomes are not "wrong" as long as we can accept it. So I guess my yearning helped drive me forward.

The new year was a tough period of experiencing another seasonal flu onslaught. Flu can be frustrating because it affects the breathing system and introduces aches that bring lethargy.

It can also be a fruitful experience of persisting with shakuhachi training. And this brings another lesson: how we can still practise but not having to be perfectionistic about the sound quality. This aspect probably highlights one of my weaknesses, the tendency to seek perfection.

It can be quite paradoxical but it works: continue to practise with full force and disregard the slight variations in quality. After a period of time the tone will improve. Looking back, I tended to compromise by blowing with less force, that is, playing it too safe/conservatively.