AL
I appreciate your reporting on the Yokoyama lecture very much. Arigato
Gozaimasu!
Jim
----- Original Message -----
From: "Takegawa AR" <komuchiku@hotmail.com>
To: <shakuhachi@weber.ucsd.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, July 11, 2001 8:19 AM
Subject: RO-buki clarified
> Dear shakuhachi friends,
>
> I must apologize for not clarifying some of the terms in my report of
> Yokoyama-sensei's lecture. A few people asked me what "RO-buki" means----
> As we all know RO is the first note on a shakuhachi, with all finger holes
> closed. "Buki" is the Japanese verb stem from "fuku", which means "to
blow".
> Therefore "RO-buki" means "to blow RO", without meri (flat) or kari
(sharp).
>
> In Yokoyama-sensei's style, the practice of RO-buki, specifically in the
> otsu-no-RO position, as the starting point of shakuhachi playing is very
> important. It prepares the embrochure for the demands of the music about
to
> be undertaken. There are various forms of RO-buki that one can practice to
> develop blowing technique and dynamics. The following are some that I've
> learned through the years, and (can also be practiced with all the basic
> tones of the shakuhachi). If anyone knows anymore, please let us know!
>
> 1. "Bamboo leaf"--which is starting out as quietly as possible, then
> gradually getting louder and louder and gradually trailing off to nothing
> again.
>
> 2. "Tsuzumi" (Noh drum, which is the shape of two triangles connected at
> their tips--here start out with a blast of air (e.g. muraiki) and quiet
down
> to almost nothing and then ending on another muraiki.
>
> 3. "Sankaku" (triangle) or "kusabi (wedge) buki" --just one side of the
> tsuzumi where I start out as quiet as possible and increase volume to
> muraiki. And
>
> 4. "Snakebite" (another kind of kusabi-buki) --one side of the tsuzumi
where
> you start with muraiki and trail off to nothing.
>
> 5. Also play as quietly as possible till the end of your air.
>
> 6. Another excercise I picked up from Minoru Sumimoto in Vancouver is
> practicing long tones while facing in the wind. It helps in developing
> control of your embrochure. More esoterically, I also do long tones with
the
> wind while sending good thoughts to people. In winter practicing long
tones
> waist deep in the cold ocean water is a good shugyo (spiritual practice)
for
> me. (100 long tones is all my body can take!)
>
> To get a nice, powerful, big sound, pretend there is a ping-pong ball in
the
> back of your mouth while you blow. Blowing at the proper direction is
> important to get proper pitch. Many people develop the habit of blowing
> downwards so they are too flat most of the time and limit range of motion
> for hitting meri.
>
> Note: Using kubi-furi (vibrato with neck) or any kind of vibrato, while
> doing RO-buki excercise is discouraged by Yokoyama-sensei.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Al
>
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>
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