how to play the shakuhachi: a guide to the japanese bamboo flute by yoshinobu taniguchi

It is highly recommended for beginning students of the instrument. Some of the chapters in this guide include notes on care of the shakuhachi, proper ways to hold the shakuhachi, and initial steps in making a sound.Detailed instruction is also provided for learning how to read traditional Kinko Ryu notation. A fingering chart is accompanied by extensive notes as well as a complete analysis of meter, duration, and modes of performance as they relate to shakuhachi music.Taniguchi provides sheet music for several practice pieces of Japanese and American folk songs and Koten Honkyoku which are included on the accompanying compact disk.Although it may seem a bit strange playing American folksongs on a Japanese shakuhachi, it is actually quite fun, refreshing, and is good for our practice. For most Americans, playing Japanese classics is unfamiliar to us and we are not always sure of the quality of our playing. However, playing familiar American folksongs, we get a clearer sense of the quality of our sound and our timing because we know what these songs are supposed to sound like.