I got it backwards... I read in "Hollow Bell" about some teacher that had
his students just sit and play RO for a practice session. So I got it into
my head that the best way to start was just to play RO. Joke was on me... I
had several players and teachers tell me no, that was a hard note to play, I
should start with something else. But I am a very stubborn fellow (I try to
blame it on old age, but I think I have always been a very stubborn
fellow)... as a result, it took me almost a month to play my first note...
one day, without thinking, I suddenly picked up my shak off my shrine, and
covering all the holes, played a single RO and then sat the flute back down
on the altar. About 15 minutes later, I realized what I had done... there
followed a about a month of playing nothing but RO...
Now I'm not sure I have the tone right on RO, but if I have trouble playing
any notes, it's the higher notes, whatever they are called... you may call
me the one note shakuhachi player if you wish... ;*) Playing RO sometimes
makes my scalp tingle, perhaps the hair will grow back in on top of my bald
head? BTW, I really like the Gillespie quote, perhaps my RO is "my little
piece of it"?
RO RO RO your boat, gently down the stream...
merrily, merrily, merrily merrily,
life is but a dream....
Brett "Bud" Breitwieser ( bud@zenbud.com <mailto:bud@zenbud.com> )
please visit my zen site at http://zenbud.com
zen hermit mailing list: http://www.coollist.com/group.cgi?l=zenhermit
Impermanence:
"To what shall
I liken the world?
Moonlight, reflected
In dewdrops,
Shaken from a crane's bill."
-Dogen-Zenji
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Tots Tolentino [mailto:tots@quickweb.com.ph]
> Sent: Tuesday, November 20, 2001 1:26 PM
> To: Shakuhachi
> Subject: searching for Ro
>
>
> Hi list,
> I've been practicing like a maniac on this flute and
> enjoying it so much. The sound and feel has been coming on
> real nice. Long tones especially have been an experience.
> Only thing bugging me is the Ro. I seem to lose the tone on
> the Ro. I've been listening to recordings and all these
> players seem to get this big, reedy sound on the Ro and all
> i get is a real hollow sound. Is this normal? Am I expecting
> to much at this time? Even long tones on the Ro are a bit
> frustrating as compared to the other notes. Other than that
> I can't seem to put this flute down.
> As always , thanks for all your replies.
>
>
> Tots Tolentino
> tots@quickweb.com.ph
> http://www.geocities.com/totst
>
>
> All of the music is out there in the first place, all of
> it. From the beginning of time the music was there. All
> you have to do is try to get a little piece of it. I
> don't care how great you are, you only get a little piece
> of it."
> - Dizzy Gillespie, conversation with Nat Hentoff, 1983
>
>
>
>
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