Re: Quality of Sound???

From: Derek Choice (dvc@funklogic.com)
Date: Mon Aug 25 2003 - 17:34:00 PDT


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Hi Javier...

I am not truly qualified to answer your question, as my experience is =
still very limited. Nonetheless, I often wondered the same thing, and I =
don't want your question to go unanswered.

To me, it seems that as my embouchure and comfortability with the =
instrument increases, so does the clarity and roundness of tone (if that =
is the intent), thus slightly less "airy", or whispy, especially in the =
Kan octave. My guess is that the vast majority of that clarity is =
attributable to the player (probably 85 - 90%, maybe more), though I do =
feel that the flute certainly plays a part. Very responsive =
instruments, in my said limited experience, may be slightly more =
forgiving to the less-experienced embouchure, in some cases, and allow =
more purity than others. Each note also may need its own tiny little =
adjustment in blowing angle and/or finite head movement, to achieve the =
purist tone, for that note, on that flute. I do have one instrument =
that maintains a beautifully clear, soft tone, while I seem to struggle =
with airyness on another one. Tension (lips, hands, body, etc.) may =
also contribute slightly to "airyness". Again, though, I think the =
biggest factor is experience, proper technique, and spending enough time =
with each instrument to learn the sweet spots (and Zen-ically letting it =
learn yours); at that point, it might become clear, in any manner of =
speaking.

But, I could be very wrong about this, and would humbly and happily =
welcome all contridictions and corrections.

:)

Derek=20

______________________________

Quality of sound??
From: Javier Garc=EDa Palma (javgpal@terra.es)
Date: Sat Aug 23 2003 - 17:24:10 PDT=20

>>>
>>>My dear Shakuhachi friends:=20

I' ve noticed in several recordings by grand masters (i.e. Kohachiro =
Miyata) that shakuhachi sounds so beautiful...
It's a clear sound just like clarinet, without any 'airy' effect (at =
least, 90% pure tone - 10% airy sound) My questions are:=20
1. The less 'airy' sound >>>> the better sound? (is this a notable sign =
of quality?)=20
2. How can I reach that sound? (years of practice..? embochure..? =
quality of the instrument..?)=20
Please enlighten me with your wisdom.=20
Greetings from Spain.=20

<<<
<<<

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<DIV>Hi Javier...<BR><BR>I am not truly qualified to answer your =
question, as my=20
experience is still very limited.&nbsp; Nonetheless, I often wondered =
the same=20
thing, and I don't want your question to go unanswered.<BR><BR>To me, it =
seems=20
that as my embouchure and comfortability with the instrument increases, =
so does=20
the clarity and roundness of tone (if that is the intent), thus slightly =
less=20
"airy", or whispy, especially in the Kan octave.&nbsp; My guess is that =
the vast=20
majority of that clarity is attributable to the player (probably 85 - =
90%, maybe=20
more), though I do feel that the flute certainly plays a part.&nbsp; =
Very=20
responsive instruments, in my said limited experience, may be slightly =
more=20
forgiving to the less-experienced embouchure, in some cases, and allow =
more=20
purity than others.&nbsp; Each note also may need its own tiny little =
adjustment=20
in blowing angle&nbsp;and/or finite head movement, to achieve the purist =
tone,=20
for that note, on that flute.&nbsp; I do have one instrument that =
maintains a=20
beautifully clear, soft&nbsp;tone, while I seem to struggle with =
airyness on=20
another one.&nbsp; Tension (lips, hands, body, etc.) may also contribute =

slightly to "airyness".&nbsp; Again, though, I think the biggest factor =
is=20
experience, proper technique, and spending enough time with each =
instrument to=20
learn the sweet spots (and Zen-ically letting it learn yours); at that =
point, it=20
might become clear, in any manner of speaking.<BR><BR>But, I could be =
very wrong=20
about this, and would humbly&nbsp;and happily&nbsp;welcome all =
contridictions=20
and corrections.<BR><BR>:)</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Derek&nbsp;<BR><BR><BR>______________________________</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<H1><FONT size=3D3>Quality of sound??</FONT></H1>
<DIV><!-- received=3D"Sat Aug 23 17:21 PDT 2003" --><!-- =
isoreceived=3D"20030824002100" --><!-- sent=3D"Sun, 24 Aug 2003 02:24:10 =
+0200" --><!-- isosent=3D"20030824002410" --><!-- name=3D"Javier =
Garc=EDa Palma" --><!-- email=3D"javgpal@terra.es" --><!-- =
subject=3D"Quality of sound??" --><!-- =
id=3D"001001c369d6$0aa66260$02001aac@F" --><STRONG>From:</STRONG>=20
Javier Garc=EDa Palma (<A=20
href=3D"mailto:javgpal@terra.es?Subject=3DRe:%20Quality%20of%20sound??&am=
p;In-Reply-To=3D<001001c369d6$0aa66260$02001aac@F>"><EM>javgpal@terra.es<=
/EM></A>)<BR><STRONG>Date:</STRONG>=20
Sat Aug 23 2003 - 17:24:10 PDT </DIV>
<P><!-- next=3D"start" -->
<DIV>&gt;&gt;&gt;<BR>&gt;&gt;&gt;My dear Shakuhachi friends: <BR></DIV>
<P>I' ve noticed in several recordings by grand masters (i.e. Kohachiro =
Miyata)=20
that shakuhachi sounds so beautiful...<BR>It's a clear sound just like =
clarinet,=20
without any 'airy' effect (at least, 90% pure tone - 10% airy sound) My=20
questions are: <BR>1. The less 'airy' sound &gt;&gt;&gt;&gt; the better =
sound?=20
(is this a notable sign of quality?) <BR>2. How can I reach that sound? =
(years=20
of practice..? embochure..? quality of the instrument..?) <BR>Please =
enlighten=20
me with your wisdom. <BR>Greetings from Spain.=20
<BR><BR>&lt;&lt;&lt;<BR>&lt;&lt;&lt;<BR></P></FONT>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV></BODY></HTML>

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