> This message is in MIME format. Since your mail reader does not understand
this format, some or all of this message may not be legible.
--B_3099642393_709077
> In my experience , at least 80% of all players also choose to use the le=
ft
> hand on top style. Indeed, if you are thinking of ever playing the really=
long
> flutes (as Monty has mentioned), they are almost always =B3set-off=B2 to favo=
r the
> left-hand-on-top style. So, if by some chance (unlikely) that it feels t=
he
> same with either hand on top, one may seriously consider using the
> left-hand-on-top style.
>=20
> However, when a person starts playing the Shakuhachi ,I don=B9t (and I have=
n=B9t
> heard that other instructors do either) tell the person which hand to put=
on
> top. There is no difference other than the one noted above. I believe tha=
t
> wherever your hands tell you that they want to be, is the correct way.
>=20
> Ronnie
>=20
>=20
> Hi Tony and Doug,
>=20
> Observing that some of the best known players in Japan -- including Yoko=
yama
> Katsuya and Kurahashi Yoshio -- hold their shakuhachi with the right hand=
on
> top, I broached this question to Nakamura Ginetsu, my bamboo harvesting
> teacher and a shakuhachi maker for over 40 years. (He too hold the flute =
in
> this way.) Most players I know outside of Japan use the opposite arrangem=
ent.
>=20
> Nakamura-sensei explained that since left-handedness is uncommon in Japan=
,
> many players purposely train themselves to hold the shakuhachi in this ma=
nner.
> Three of the five holes on the flute, including the all-important back ho=
le
> requiring great dexterity, can thus be fingered with the dominant right h=
and.
> You might say this is an attempt by these players to get the "upper-hand"=
in
> performing honkyoku. (Ouch!).
>=20
> As a maker, I am a proponent of offsetting the finger holes on the longer
> instruments starting with the 2.1'. Shakuhachi is hard enough without hav=
ing
> to struggle with the physiological demands of holding the bamboo. Ergonom=
ic
> arrangement of the finger holes allows the player to focus on the many ot=
her
> demands and challenges of learning to blow shakuhachi. In longer instrume=
nts I
> have made for Koga Masayuki-sensei of the Japanese Music Institute, he fi=
rst
> insisted on a straight alignment, but was later won over by the staggered
> arrangement. For folks who use the right hand on top, the offset is the s=
ame
> but reversed. Another issue to consider is which part of the index finger=
is
> used to cover the #2 or TSU hole. The tip, second or, on very long chokan=
,
> even the third joint can be used. Hole offset must be designed with this =
in
> mind.
>=20
> By the way, alignment of the finger holes on the shakuhachi has no effect=
on
> pitch which is only affected by vertical distance of the hole to the blow=
ing
> edge.
>=20
> All the best.
>=20
> Monty
>=20
> =20
>=20
> Subject: Left handed / Right handed ?
>=20
>> I have a related question. When I started playing a little less than a =
year
>> ago, it just felt more natural for me to have my right hand on top and l=
eft
>> on bottom. I'm left handed. I'm not sure if that is the "normal" right
>> handed way or not. But it concerns me in the sense of getting a longer =
flute
>> where the maker would probably offset the finger holes for easier finger=
ing.
>> How are the holes placed on a long flute where right hand is on top vs. =
left.
>>=20
>>> I was just curious as to the differences with what I would call left or
>>> right handed Shakuhachi. Were they traditionally made one way or the ot=
her
>>> or was it always a personal thing as to which hand is upper most and wh=
ich
>>> is lower. Does dexterity really play a part here as it seems both hands=
are
>>> used equally to me. When I see photos of others playing I have noticed =
about
>>> half and half.
>>>=20
>>>=20
>>>=20
>>>=20
--B_3099642393_709077
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Re: Left handed / Right handed ?</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<BLOCKQUOTE><FONT SIZE=3D"2"><FONT FACE=3D"Tahoma">In my experience , at least =
80% of all players also choose to use the left hand on top style. Inde=
ed, if you are thinking of ever playing the really long flutes (as Monty has=
mentioned), they are almost always “set-off” to favor the left-=
hand-on-top style. So, if by some chance (unlikely) that it feels the =
same with either hand on top, one may seriously consider using the left-hand=
-on-top style.<BR>
<BR>
However, when a person starts playing the Shakuhachi ,I don’t (and I =
haven’t heard that other instructors do either) tell the person which =
hand to put on top. There is no difference other than the one noted above. I=
believe that wherever your hands tell you that they want to be, is the corr=
ect way.<BR>
<BR>
Ronnie<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
Hi Tony and Doug,<BR>
<BR>
Observing that some of the best known players in Japan -- including Y=
okoyama Katsuya and Kurahashi Yoshio -- hold their shakuhachi with the right=
hand on top, I broached this question to Nakamura Ginetsu, my bamboo harves=
ting teacher and a shakuhachi maker for over 40 years. (He too hold the flut=
e in this way.) Most players I know outside of Japan use the opposite arrang=
ement.<BR>
<BR>
Nakamura-sensei explained that since left-handedness is uncommon in Japan, =
many players purposely train themselves to hold the shakuhachi in this manne=
r. Three of the five holes on the flute, including the all-important back ho=
le requiring great dexterity, can thus be fingered with the dominant right h=
and. You might say this is an attempt by these players to get the "uppe=
r-hand" in performing honkyoku. (Ouch!).<BR>
<BR>
As a maker, I am a proponent of offsetting the finger holes on the longer i=
nstruments starting with the 2.1'. Shakuhachi is hard enough without having =
to struggle with the physiological demands of holding the bamboo. Ergonomic =
arrangement of the finger holes allows the player to focus on the many other=
demands and challenges of learning to blow shakuhachi. In longer instrument=
s I have made for Koga Masayuki-sensei of the Japanese Music Institute, he f=
irst insisted on a straight alignment, but was later won over by the stagger=
ed arrangement. For folks who use the right hand on top, the offset is the s=
ame but reversed. Another issue to consider is which part of the index finge=
r is used to cover the #2 or TSU hole. The tip, second or, on very long chok=
an, even the third joint can be used. Hole offset must be designed with this=
in mind.<BR>
<BR>
By the way, alignment of the finger holes on the shakuhachi has no effect o=
n pitch which is only affected by vertical distance of the hole to the blowi=
ng edge.<BR>
<BR>
All the best.<BR>
<BR>
Monty<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
Subject: Left handed / Right handed ?<BR>
</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE=3D"Helvetica"><BR>
</FONT><BLOCKQUOTE><FONT COLOR=3D"#0000FF"><FONT SIZE=3D"2"><FONT FACE=3D"Arial">=
I have a related question. When I started playing a little less than a=
year ago, it just felt more natural for me to have my right hand on top and=
left on bottom. I'm left handed. I'm not sure if that is the "no=
rmal" right handed way or not. But it concerns me in the sense of=
getting a longer flute where the maker would probably offset the finger hol=
es for easier fingering. How are the holes placed on a long flute wher=
e right hand is on top vs. left. <BR>
</FONT></FONT></FONT><FONT FACE=3D"Helvetica"><BR>
</FONT><BLOCKQUOTE><FONT SIZE=3D"2"><FONT FACE=3D"Arial">I was just curious as =
to the differences with what I would call left or right handed Shakuhachi. W=
ere they traditionally made one way or the other or was it always a personal=
thing as to which hand is upper most and which is lower. Does dexterity rea=
lly play a part here as it seems both hands are used equally to me. When I s=
ee photos of others playing I have noticed about half and half.<BR>
</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE=3D"Helvetica"><BR>
<BR>
<BR>
</FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE><FONT FACE=3D"Helvetica"><BR>
</FONT>
</BODY>
</HTML>
--B_3099642393_709077--
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Mon Feb 03 2003 - 09:09:51 PST