[Shaku] FW: Re: Embouchure, sound, exercise

From: Dale Koenig (ourtrouvere@hotmail.com)
Date: Mon May 16 2005 - 15:38:44 PDT


Hi Bruce............sorry about that, here it is in plain
text............drk

One of the most usefull tips I got was from a vocal teacher, and I've
carried it over into my shakuhachi playing. And that is to achieve that
open relaxed feeling is to inhale through both the mouth and nose and allow
the breath to drop into a relaxed abdomen.

I've even taken it a step further by lifting the rib cage an keeping it
'open' throughout inhalation and blowing; In doing so it allows more
expansion space in the chest, waist, back, and abdomen. From an anatomical
view, there is more capacity in the bottom of the lungs than in the top.

I also like to think of the shakuhachi as an extension of the throat, and
mouth; in essence the flute is an speaker and amplifier of the moving
breath.

Moving the jaw forward makes more space in the back of the mouth/throat.
I've gotten validation in doing this from watching performers like Steve
Emery, trumpeter with the Bostom PoPs, and the tenor Placido Domingo.

All of this give more space for the air, and more freedom of movement to the
torso equalling a better sound.

I think the blending of the two styles of teaching, western with focus on
technique instruction, and the eastern with the picking it up by observation
and imitation, are good and enhance the understanding of the students.

Dale

_____________________________________________

List un/subscription information is at:
 http://communication.ucsd.edu/shaku/listsub.html



This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Fri Jan 06 2006 - 10:00:46 PST