Ronin

Through Zen, martial arts, aikido, and guitar, I have very clear understanding about the importance of having a teacher.  A teacher does not just demonstrate technique, but they recognize the process that the student is going through.  Having navigated that path before, and seen the challenges, the teacher can help the student steer their way.  Sometimes they prodding, sometimes they demonstrate, sometimes they just step back and let the expreience unfold.

Studying anything, without a teacher is difficult.  Studying the shakuhachi seems doubly so.  With so many technical details, both gross and subtle, it is hard to know where to focus.

Although I am making good use of the Taniguchi book "How to Play the Shakuhachi", I know it is not the same.  There are questions I just can't answer in this method.

I know that the my breath needs work, as does my embrochure. 

In the end I am going to have to make a priority of having a teacher.  Unfortunately, given the nature of life right now, that means saving up.  For the moment, I am appreciative of what I have, and I am learning.

Early Christmas

I have been playing on a Levenson 2.1 since I began playing the Shakuhachi.  Check out my first post for the backstory.

This year I got an early Christmas present from my wife and my mother;  a Shakuhachi Yuu,  an instructional book by Yoshinobu Taniguchi, and a cleaning cloth.

This is going to be of great benefit to my practice regime.  Taniguchi Sensei's book comes with sheet music and a CD.  Now that I have a shakuhachi tuned to the most common key, there is a lot I can play along with.

Having exchanged gifts with my Mom last night, I returned to use her sewing room today and made a bag out of some nice twill remnants that she had.  I am getting better at sewing, and the whole thing came out pretty well.

So as I set out to enjoy two weeks of for the Christmas break I have no end of opportunity to play.  Between now and New Year, I intend to set out some resolutions for practice in 2011.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Ready for Ro

It has been a difficult week or so at work.  In fact, it has been the worst week emotionally that I have ever had in my career.  I have missed Aikido and been thrown off of my entire schedule.  Things will be fine, and are in fact much better than they felt when they unfolded.

In the midst of all of this, practicing shakuhachi has been a great anchor.  In many ways, almost as valuable as zazen.  I am making a point of doing Ro-Buki for ten minutes at the start of each session, trusting in the advice of those who have walked this path before me.  I am starting to touch a point where notes in Kan don't feel so difficult to produce, but are not particularly steady.

This weekend I will be starting with a new practice book.  Actually, it will be my first.  My birthday closely follows Christmas, and when I was asked by my wife and mother what I wanted, I said "money for lessons".  The one lesson I had last year was a Skype lesson from Michael Chikuzen Gould.  I will return to him for a series of lessons in the new year.

One more day of work before a greatly needed vacation.  It is sure to be filled with rest, play and family.

Loose Ends

Last year I had one of my former students interested in making a PVC shakuhachi.  Unfortunately our time rarely lined up at school at the project stalled just as summer come around.  We still have to tune and drill.  This year was no better, but with CHristmas approaching I went down to the shop and picked up where we left off.

Things were a bit of a mess, but with some work, I repaired what damage neglect had done and should be able to finish before we break for Christmas.

Reworking my practice

I am making some changes to my technical practice. I am developing shakuhachi as art practice, but as beginner, I need to put good time into learning the technical skills. Add in the fact that I am doing this without a teacher (such is my karma for now), and I will just have to do my best to improve, without developing too many bad habits*.

*specifically, I know my embrochure needs some work, as does my tongue placement on octave changes.

For the next couple of weeks, this is what I have...

Ro

Ostsu fingering per long tones X2

Meri / Kari / Yuri exercises

Finger dexterity drill

Kimigayo
Sakura
God Save the Queen
We wish you a merry Christmas
Improv.

In two weeks I get an early Christmas present: A shakuhachi Yuu and an instructional book/CD. The Yu will let me play along with a lot of tracks that I have notation for but can't manage to play along, since my main flute is in 'B'. As well the instructional book has quite a few songs that I will then be able to learn. I look forward to start work on my first honkyoku in the new year.

Settling In

This is not the first time I started blog for my shakuhachi practice. However, much like my Zen practice, the longer I keep at it, the more it gets under my skin. The longer I keep at it, the more I want to play.

my current practice routine.

1. Blowing long tones with each note in Otsu.
2. Octave changes.
3. Repeats (up and down Otsu X2)
4. Trills (up and down Otsu X2)
5. head movement drills -meri, kari, in and out, muwashi

Kimigayo X2
Sakura X2
God Save the Queen* X2
Kagome Kagome X2
We Wish You a Merry Christmas* X2

* I like these because they are getting me used to utilizing Meri.


In a couple of weeks I will be getting a Shakuhachi Yuu and a book that I will be working from, at least in terms the songs, if not the exercises. I am looking forward to it.