Ken LaCosse The shakuhachi is a deceptively simple
Japanese bamboo flute.
With only five finger holes and
a sharp, angled blowing edge, it is capable of producing both sounds of simplicity and vast complexity.
Its
efficient design provides a player with a...
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Ken LaCosse The shakuhachi is a deceptively simple
Japanese bamboo flute.
With only five finger holes and
a sharp, angled blowing edge, it is capable of producing both sounds of simplicity and vast complexity.
Its
efficient design provides a player with a level of subtle
tone control found in no other flute.
By adjusting the
blowing angle or by partially covering the finger holes,
its basic pentatonic scale can be expanded to include
slides, halftones, quarter tones as well as subtle microtones.
Historically, the shakuhachi has a connection to
Zen Buddhism.
In its religious context, it is played not
for entertainment, but as a way of Blowing Zen.
The deceptive simplicity of the shakuhachi can also be
found in the experience of constructing one.
In it’s most
basic form, the shakuhachi can be made in minutes.
In
it’s most complex form, it can take months or years
of diligent labor before a flute is considered finished.
Regardless of approach, shakuhachi making can be
used as a tool to p
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