Hi Stav,
There is absolutely no SUBSTITUTE for a GOOD teacher.
I've been playing for a year and I do not have regular access to a teacher.
I used to question the value of a teacher as you do now until I started
taking lessons. I quickly realized that left to one's own devices, one will
do whatever it takes to mimic the sounds of a CD and assume that the music
notation has everything you need to play music.
My lessons with the several teachers I've had the fortunate opportunity to
study with showed me that I would be a crippled mess without their guidance.
By "crippled", I mean that I would have never corrected a host of bad habits
I developed in the quest for a good sound. The earlier you find a teacher,
the better off you'll be in the long run. Although I'm only a beginner, I'm
very satisfied with my first year's progress. If it was not for my lessons,
I suspect that it would have taken up to three years to reach where I am now
(and I'd have the bad habits that I wasn't made aware of).
Several teachers? (I know, not quite traditional - and it has its pros &
cons)
I can really only claim 2 as regular teachers (one of which I have to fly
700 miles to see). Because of my lack of access to regular one-on-one
sessions, I've had to go to great lengths to obtain any instruction.
I'm mentioning this to underscore how important I see personal instruction
is to your development.
You may want to consider attending the Shakuhachi Camp this summer to
experience a spectrum of great teachers. (It'll be my first time attending)
I hope this helps,
Duke.
>From: "Stav Tapuch" <tapuch@hotmail.com>
>To: shakuhachi@weber.ucsd.edu
>Subject: Teachers
>Date: Sun, 06 Jan 2002 18:44:25 +0000
>
>
>
>In learning how to play the shakuhachi, how crucial is live instruction? It
>seems that the most difficult part is developing the muscles of your lips
>and abdomen - and how could a teacher speed this process up, besides
>ensuring that you stick to a regular regime of increasingly challenging
>exercies? Would a very well disciplined student stand to gain much from the
>pedalogical framework of a teacher?
>
>Of course, without a teacher once can not be inducted into the traditional
>lineage of shakuhachi teacher-student relationships,and an unbroken
>transition of a cultural bounty of great beauty, which is undoubtably
>something of tremendsous value. But from a strictly technical persepective
>- the value of a teacher above a good insturctional guide and accompanying
>disc is not apparent to me.
>
>I would enjoy hearing the persepctives others on this issue.
>
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