Re: Hiki and meri

From: Karl Signell (signell@cpcug.org)
Date: Wed Jul 16 2003 - 13:21:06 PDT


At 07:49 AM 7/15/03 -0400, Timothy Larkin wrote:
>I am trying to learn Choshi from Robert Grous's book, "Introductory Manual
>for Kinko Honkyoku". I am stumped by his explanation of how to play u
>hiki. He writes that hiki "...is played similarly to a meri; however it
>is made mainly by bowing the head. The third finger does not cover the
>third hole.... in effect it lowers the respective note a half tone in pitch."

I don't know Grous's book, but it sounds like he's talking about "u no san"
(1, 3 open), a half-step lower than regular "u" meri (3 open). He could
have explained it more clearly.

>But u is already meri, which means to me that the head is already
>bowed. So what does hiki add? And u dropped a half-tone is re, so why
>not play re?

"Same" pitch, different fingering, different tone color = different
note. That's common in honkyoku. He should have said that.

>I had understood that meri notes are created by the combination of
>half-holing (usually) and dropping the chin. But Grous says that these
>are two different ways to make meri notes. "...one of two ways that a
>meri note is produced...is by bowing the head downward and blowing
>slightly flat.
>The other way is by closing a specific hole part way with the
>finger...." From this I conclude that a meri note is made either by
>half-holing or by bowing while blowing the corresponding kari note, but
>not both techniques at the same time. If this is the case, then the
>description of hiki makes sense. I produce u just by the fingering, and u
>hiki by an additional bowing of my head.

Yeah.

Karl



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