Friends,
What is the role of personal preference in all of this? As a jazz
saxophone player (who also plays shakuhachi) I delight in the
broad range of sounds available to players of my instrument.
From Coleman Hawkins to John Coltrane to Stan Getz to
Michael Brecker, individual players manifest very different
concepts of what a beautiful sound is. I find myself strongly
resisting the academic inclination to come to consensus about
sound, as if there were some scientifically optimal "beautiful
sound".
As shakuhachi players, how much freedom do we have to say,
"I don't care what you think, this is MY sound!"?
P.S. I'm spending way too much time on this thread... I've got to
get some work done around here!
Mark Miller
On Tue, 05 Feb 2002 20:28:37 -0500 Brian Miller wrote:
> Very enlightening information, Monty.
>
> During this fasinating discussion I was thinking how it realtes
to
> stringed instruments, where the type and quality of material
have a
> major impact upon sound quality.
>
> Here is my theory, FWIW:
> The sound board of a stringed instrument is just that - it must
be able
> to vibrate in order to generate sound waves. It is the same, in
theroy,
> as a speaker cone. Flexibility, tensel strength, thickness,
regidity,
> and density (along with other things, I'm sure) all factor into
how
> efficiently it converts mechanical vibration of the strings into
sound
> waves. The soundbox, on the other hand should be a good
sound
> reflector; any vibration of this structure absorbs energy rather
than
> amplifying or projecting it. However, it's this vibration (along
with
> that of the soundboard and strings) that adds unique tonal
colorations
> to the instruments.
>
> In wind blown instruments, the purpose of the body of the
instrument is
> to set up the resonances in a column of blown air. Again,
vibrations in
> the body of the flute steal energy away from the air column.
Apparently
> Monty's experiments have proven that the degree of vibration
in a flute
> body has an insignifcant impact on the tonal coloration.
>
> BUT - the inspiring experience of a vibrating shak between
ones fingers
> is hard to deny. It is as if a second, and much stronger energy
- prana
> or Qi if you will - is awakened in the flute by passioned
blowing.
>
> I dount if this issue will ever be resolved to everyone's
agreement!
> Cheers,
> Brian
>
>
> "Monty H. Levenson" wrote:
> >
> > Hi Reid, Zachary, et al.
> >
> > Great discussion. Glad to see I'm not the only one losing
sleep over
> > these issues.
> >
> > My own experience as a shakuhachi maker totally
corroborates Coltman's
> > and Jakeway's conclusions:
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