Shakuhachi Music, Notes, and More | |
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The Shakuhachi is an Japanese end-blown bamboo flute. It is tuned | |
to the pentatonic minor scale, but is capable of producing | |
virtually any pitch in a roughly 3 octave range. It is a Zen | |
medatative instrument, but can also be used for traditional | |
Japanese ensemble music, western folk, jazz, and more. | |
Not only is the instrument capable of any pitch, but it offers | |
extreme variety in tones and coloring by subtle changes in | |
embouchere and movement of the head to modify the air-flow over | |
the blowing edge (utaguchi). | |
Music for the Shakuhachi spans a lot of different styles. | |
In the eastern traditions there are the following general styles: | |
doyo - Children's songs | |
minyo - Folk tunes | |
shinkyoku - Music composed between 1900-1950 | |
gendai kyoku - Modern music | |
san kyoku - Trio music for shakuhachi, koto, and shamisen | |
honkyoku - Classical shakuhachi music for Zen meditation, | |
or a free-form in this style | |
Music |