Since much of the recent (and ever so eloquent and informative) list posts
have related to tone, this might help some to visualize the feel of each.
I imagine many, or even most of the players/performers on the list have been
exposed to the concept or relating each pentatonic tone of the shakuhachi to
a specific element. It is new to me, however, as I just ran across the
below page (by Miura Taro). Interestingly, trying to rearrange the elements
to another tone just does not feel right, as the timbre of each note seems
to fit perfectly with its assigned element. Intriguing...
:)
http://www.h3.dion.ne.jp/~take23/eindex.htm
(Pasted in from the above site)
It is said that all things are made up of five elements:
Earth, Water, Fire, Wind and Space.
The shakuhachi too has five holes, and each hole has a sound, making up five
sounds.
The sounds that the shakuhachi makes are ephemeral and hardly remain in
one's memory.
In order to visualize the five sounds, compare them to the five elements
respectively,
that is,
Earth --- (RO)
Water --- (TSU)?
Fire --- (RE)
Wind --- (DHI)
Space --- (RI) or (HA)
Though each person may have different ideas and concepts about these five
elements, try to relate them to the sounds.
Then come the control of breath and the tranquility of mind.
Ask yourself,
Does (RO) have the sublimity of earth?
Does (TSU) have the flow of water?
Does (RE) have the warmth of fire?
Does (CHI) have the freshness of wind?
Does (RI) have the infinity of space?
Seek the sound which is evoked from within ... improved, polished and
developed inside yourself.
The shakuhachi demands of you your candid self~thus, put your whole being
into the shakuhachi.
Exhale once and expire. There is no second chance in life.
Each exhalation must be pure.
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