I have been interested in the discussion of shakuhachi quality. However, I
can't quite understand the characteristics that make a shakuhachi good. For
example, my understand is that the sound comes from the vibration of the
column of air, not the material that makes the shakuhachi. Therefore, as
long as the material doesn't set up a sympathetic vibration, it shouldn't
matter what the material is (only the shape matters). Obviously, the shape,
the placement and size of the holes, etc., would matter, but that is all
workmanship, not material.
Also, by coating the bamboo in a protective covering of lacquer, it would
seem to negate any bamboo-ness of the flute.
So, why wouldn't a good quality (i.e., good workmanship) plastic shakuhachi
be as good as a bamboo flute? (This is largely the case with recorders.)
I wonder what the original shakuhachis might have sounded like. Perhaps the
original bamboo was not smoothed or coated inside, so the vibration of the
air column may have been affected in interesting ways to create unique
sounds (more harmonic or inharmonic partials, perhaps).
Finally, has anyone that has used a zen-on shakuhachi been happy with it?
Thanks.
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