Re: [Shaku] John Niemi Flutes

From: heirphoto@comcast.net
Date: Sat Feb 19 2005 - 09:33:17 PST


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Peter, Don,
Thanks for your input. I owned two myself in the past and was okay with t=
e way they played. Those I build myself are more similar to Mr. Niemi's t=
han those most would consider true shakuhachi. I play by myself for medit=
ation and relaxation. The sound is pleasing to me (and luckily many of my=
 customers) but then again I don't present them as any more than they are=
...... a simple bamboo flute for solo palying. Like John's mine serve to =
get a non-shakuhachi fan into palying the flute. Many have gone on to buy=
 "real" flutes from better makers.

Those I had from John did not play as freely as mine do. I did have to wo=
rk much harder to get consistant sounds. They were a test to me as a play=
er but the simple, raw look and feel appealed to me. If I could buy bambo=
o that looked like the multi-shaded stuff John used I would likely not be=
 looking for one of his flutes now.

Anyway, still very interested in buying one of his again.

Tony

-------------- Original message --------------=20

> Peter Ross wrote:=20
>=20
> > On 2/19/05 12:51 AM, "heirphoto@comcast.net"=20
> > wrote:=20
> >=20
> > Hello,=20
> > Does anyone here have a shakuhachi made by John Niemi in Japan=20
> > they would be interested in selling? He made very natural looking=20
> > shakuhachi, or as he called them, "simple flutes". I owned 2 many=20
> > years ago and did enjoy them. It ws his CD that got me started=20
> > playing and making flutes myself. I know they were not everyone's=20
> > cup of tea but I would love to find one again. Maybe a 1.7 to 2.0=20
> > or similar?=20
> > Please contact me off list if you have one to sell,=20
> > heirphoto@comcast.net=20
> > Thanks,=20
> > Tony Miller=20
> > Haunting Winds Shakuhachi=20
> >=20
> > > List subscription information is at:=20
> > > http://communication.ucsd.edu/shaku/listsub.html=20
> >=20
> >=20
> >=20
> > Hi Tony,=20
> >=20
> > The reason they were/are =93not everyone's cup of tea=94 is that they=
 are=20
> > grossly out of tune. I played half a dozen and the scale had no, I=20
> > repeat, no resemblance to the shakuhachi scale. It was obvious that=20
> > the maker had no idea what a shakuhachi scale is.=20
> >=20
> > A student of mine brought one to the lesson and after I explained to=20
> > him that it would be impossible to play or learn traditional=20
> > shakuhachi music on it he returned it. John Niemi I believe refunded=20
> > his money, but also sent along a video complaining about how the=20
> > Japanese were uptight about insisting that their shakuhachis have a=20
> > specific scale!=20
> >=20
> > The flutes did look nice and I believe John is well-meaning, but it=92=
s=20
> > good to know more about a flute if you are going to make and sell the=
m.=20
> >=20
> >=20
> >=20
> > Peter=20
> >=20
> >=20
> >=20
> > Peter Ross=20
> > http://www.cloudhandsmusic.com=20
> > APDO 542-4100=20
> > Grecia, Costa Rica=20
> > Central America=20
> > 011 (506) 494-5170=20
> >=20
> >=20
> The two I received in 1998 from him had good scale intervals. They were=
=20
> nominally 1.8 shaku long, about 21 1/2 inches, but ro was closer to B=20
> flat than the proper D. The fatter one is my favorite. Its ro is quite=20
> mystical and quiets my mind whenever I play it purposefully. The thinne=
r=20
> one has a bit of a preference for the upper octave over the lower=20
> octave, though.=20
>=20
> I thought the "original" Komuso flutes were solo instruments only and=20
> didn't have to be in tune with other instruments. My two Niemi flutes=20
> certainly fit that description since each one is only in tune with itse=
lf.=20
>=20
> Don=20
>=20
> _____________________________________________=20
>=20
> List subscription information is at:=20
> http://communication.ucsd.edu/shaku/listsub.html=20
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<html><body>
<DIV>Peter, Don,</DIV>
<DIV>Thanks for your input. I owned two myself in the past and was okay w=
ith te way they played. Those I build myself are more similar to Mr. Niem=
i's than those most would consider true shakuhachi. I play by myself for =
meditation and relaxation. The sound is pleasing to me (and luckily many =
of my customers) but then again I don't present them as any more than the=
y are...... a simple bamboo flute for solo palying. Like John's mine serv=
e to get a non-shakuhachi fan into palying the flute. Many have gone on t=
o buy "real" flutes from better makers.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Those I had from John did not play as freely as mine do. I did have =
to work much harder to get consistant sounds. They were a test to me as a=
 player but the simple, raw look and feel appealed to me. If I could buy =
bamboo that looked like the multi-shaded stuff John used I would likely n=
ot be looking for one of his flutes now.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Anyway, still very interested in buying one of his again.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Tony</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE style=3D"PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1=
010ff 2px solid">-------------- Original message -------------- <BR><BR>&=
gt; Peter Ross wrote: <BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; &gt; On 2/19/05 12:51 AM, "heirph=
oto@comcast.net" <HEIRPHOTO@COMCAST.NET><BR>&gt; &gt; wrote: <BR>&gt; &gt=
; <BR>&gt; &gt; Hello, <BR>&gt; &gt; Does anyone here have a shakuhachi m=
ade by John Niemi in Japan <BR>&gt; &gt; they would be interested in sell=
ing? He made very natural looking <BR>&gt; &gt; shakuhachi, or as he call=
ed them, "simple flutes". I owned 2 many <BR>&gt; &gt; years ago and did =
enjoy them. It ws his CD that got me started <BR>&gt; &gt; playing and ma=
king flutes myself. I know they were not everyone's <BR>&gt; &gt; cup of =
tea but I would love to find one again. Maybe a 1.7 to 2.0 <BR>&gt; &gt; =
or similar? <BR>&gt; &gt; Please contact me off list if you have one to s=
ell, <BR>&gt; &gt; heirphoto@comcast.net <BR>&gt; &gt; Thanks, <BR>&gt; &=
gt; Tony Miller <BR>&gt; &gt; Haunting Winds Shakuhachi <BR>&gt; &gt; <BR=
>&gt; &gt; &gt; List subscription information is at: <BR>&gt; &gt; &gt; h=
ttp://communication.ucsd.edu/shaku/listsub.html <BR>&gt; &gt; <BR>&gt; &g=
t; <BR>&gt; &gt; <BR>&gt; &gt; Hi Tony, <BR>&gt; &gt; <BR>&gt; &gt; The r=
eason they were/are =93not everyone's cup of tea=94 is that they are <BR>=
&gt; &gt; grossly out of tune. I played half a dozen and the scale had no=
, I <BR>&gt; &gt; repeat, no resemblance to the shakuhachi scale. It was =
obvious that <BR>&gt; &gt; the maker had no idea what a shakuhachi scale =
is. <BR>&gt; &gt; <BR>&gt; &gt; A student of mine brought one to the less=
on and after I explained to <BR>&gt; &gt; him that it would be impossible=
 to play or learn traditional <BR>&gt; &gt; shakuhachi music on it he ret=
urned it. John Niemi I believe refunded <BR>&gt; &gt; his money, but also=
 sent along a video complaining about how the <BR>&gt; &gt; Japanese were=
 uptight about insisting that their shakuhachis have a <BR>&gt; &gt; spec=
ific scale! <BR>&gt; &gt; <BR>&gt; &gt; The flutes did look nice and I be=
lieve John is well-meaning, but it=92s <BR>&gt; &gt; good to know more ab=
out a flute if you are going to make and sell them. <BR>&gt; &gt; <BR>&gt=
; &gt; <BR>&gt; &gt; <BR>&gt; &gt; Peter <BR>&gt; &gt; <BR>&gt; &gt; <BR>=
&gt; &gt; <BR>&gt; &gt; Peter Ross <BR>&gt; &gt; http://www.cloudhandsmus=
ic.com <BR>&gt; &gt; APDO 542-4100 <BR>&gt; &gt; Grecia, Costa Rica <BR>&=
gt; &gt; Central America <BR>&gt; &gt; 011 (506) 494-5170 <BR>&gt; &gt; <=
BR>&gt; &gt; <BR>&gt; The two I received in 1998 from him had good scale =
intervals. They were <BR>&gt; nominally 1.8 shaku long, about 21 1/2 inch=
es, but ro was closer to B <BR>&gt; flat than the proper D. The fatter on=
e is my favorite. Its ro is quite <BR>&gt; mystical and quiets my mind wh=
enever I play it purposefully. The thinner <BR>&gt; one has a bit of a pr=
eference for the upper octave over the lower <BR>&gt; octave, though. <BR=
>&gt; <BR>&gt; I thought the "original" Komuso flutes were solo instrumen=
ts only and <BR>&gt; didn't have to be in tune with other instruments. My=
 two Niemi flutes <BR>&gt; certainly fit that description since each one =
is only in tune with itself. <BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Don <BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; ____=
_________________________________________ <BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; List subscrip=
tion information is at: <BR>&gt; http://communication.ucsd.edu/shaku/list=
sub.html </BLOCKQUOTE></body></html>

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