Mujitsu and Tairaku's Shakuhachi BBQ

andy the flutemaker · 2011-02-14 06:32:05

Hi the bamboo that i have available tends to be a bit on the wide side.My question is if i have a 55cm shack and its base note is B what can i do to reduce the width and bring it up to D

Musgo da Pedra · 2011-02-14 11:45:44

If your 55cm shakuhachi which should sound a D is in B, your bore is VERY VERY wide. You will need a ton of paste to bring it to the desired size!!!

Good luck!

Yungflutes · 2011-02-14 12:23:31

andy the flutemaker wrote:
Hi the bamboo that i have available tends to be a bit on the wide side.My question is if i have a 55cm shack and its base note is B what can i do to reduce the width and bring it up to D

Hi Andy, traditional shakuhachi makers use a mixture of Urushi Lacquer and Tonoko Powder to make a paste or plaster that cures into a hard, stone-like material. This plaster is carefully applied inside the bore then shaped later.

If you've already drilled your finger holes, you'll need to stat a new flute as they will not be in tune with the new bore.
Good luck.
Best, Perry

Musgo da Pedra · 2011-02-14 15:14:19

Independent of the material you will use to fill it (the way Perry told is traditional, but you can find other kind of things to use as paste, like epoxy or glue with bamboo dust, and so on), try to start with a bore that is not so wide (closer to a tradicional jiari the best if you want a 1.8 in D), otherwise you will need too much paste to make it sound in D.

Do you have some bore specs of a standard 1.8 jiari? I am sure you can find it useful: http://mujitsu.com/howtomakeshakuhachi.pdf

Last edited by Musgo da Pedra (2011-02-14 15:17:42)

andy the flutemaker · 2011-02-15 08:35:09

thanks for the input guys.here in sunny cornwal england the bamboo seem to have thin walls and wide bores.I have only seen pictures of shakuhachi and they tend to look quite thick

airin · 2011-02-15 12:21:36

Andy, I find it impressive that you are trying to fashion an instrument that you have never seen in person and are not able to play....can't help think of carts before horses....but then, that may be just my narrow take on your project.... ;-)

andy the flutemaker · 2011-02-15 12:57:53

I would just like to say i have made about ten flutes two of which are quite good .Yes it was a bit tricky making an instrument that i have never seen but not impossible. If i say so myself i now play quite well which is why i am on a quest to make a (perfect flute)

airin · 2011-02-15 13:33:26

Good to know Andy. Might I respectfully ask if you can post a soundfile of some of your flute playing?

Taldaran · 2011-02-15 13:45:34

I wanted to learn to play, and built my first from PVC from online plans from Kinya Sogawa. Once I figured out how to play RO within a few minutes, and trimmed the pipe so that I was getting a solid "D", I drilled the holes, and I was hopelessly hooked.

The only thing about making them and not knowing how to play is beginners play flat, so the flute is not globally in tune for an experienced player, but a year later, my teacher played a couple of my homemade bamboos and was able to adjust, and said that it wasn't bad for a jinashi! He still wanted me to practice using my wooden flute I had bought previously.

Andy, the most important thing is to fully be in the moment and enjoy the experience of making them, and whatever you do, don't rush!

Mujitsu · 2011-02-15 15:49:33

airin wrote:
Andy, I find it impressive that you are trying to fashion an instrument that you have never seen in person and are not able to play....can't help think of carts before horses....but then, that may be just my narrow take on your project.... ;-)

andy the flutemaker wrote:
I would just like to say i have made about ten flutes two of which are quite good .Yes it was a bit tricky making an instrument that i have never seen but not impossible. If i say so myself i now play quite well which is why i am on a quest to make a (perfect flute)

Thanks Erin and Andy.

It's interesting to think about what the best approach is to shakuhachi making. The conventional wisdom is to study as soon as possible to gain an understanding of what the instrument is for. If asked, that is what I tell prospective makers. However, for me, that may be a "do as I say and not as I do" kind of thing.

My first experiences with shakuhachi were strictly attempts at making them and trying to play them. There were months of making before I saw one in person or even heard anyone else play one. It was also a few years before I took my first lessons. Looking back that seems crazy now but at the time it felt perfectly natural. Maybe it's not crazy for everyone.

It's certainly slower going by putting the cart before the horse. There are also many bad habits to be unlearned later (both in making and playing). It's a more difficult way to go all around, but may not be necessarily a bad way to go for some.

In my experience, the perception of my own flute quality is relative to flutemaking experience. I'm glad for that. Shakuhachi making is hard enough. It's nice to be able to recognize your best work at the time, regardless of experience. That helps the confidence which is usually battered by shakuhachi making. It's even nicer to see one's perception of quality change over time. After 30 years of shakuhachi making, Tom Deaver once told me that he feels every five years or so he experiences a flutemaking breakthrough. I always liked that one!

Good luck!

Ken

Moran from Planet X · 2011-02-15 16:36:12

Just for the record, with all due respect to all involved past, present and future:

A shakuhachi is never a "shack" nor is it "shack" spelled without the "c". It is always a "shakuhachi." It can also be referred to as a "flute" or a "bamboo flute" or a "vertical bamboo flute."

"Shakuhachi" is also used for singular and plural references: 1 shakuhachi or 1,253 shakuhachi. Same with "utaguchi". You can make 1 utaguchi or you can make 43 utaguchi.

Thanks,

-- X
Your Shakuhachi Grammarian

Toby · 2011-02-15 22:33:23

And never forget that the best shakuhachi are always made of 'boo.

andy the flutemaker · 2011-02-17 05:18:56

Thanks for that Moran i meant no dis respect. I will put a sound file on as soon as i sus out how to do it.My plan now is to make a bore using dowel insert it into the bamboo greased and then fill with resin.

Mujitsu · 2011-02-17 11:23:50

andy the flutemaker wrote:
My plan now is to make a bore using dowel insert it into the bamboo greased and then fill with resin.

Andy,

Here is some discussion about that. Good luck.

http://www.shakuhachiforum.com/viewtopic.php?id=458

http://www.shakuhachiforum.com/viewtopic.php?id=2593

Mujitsu and Tairaku's Shakuhachi BBQ

#1 2011-02-14 06:32:05

reducing bore width

#2 2011-02-14 11:45:44

Re: reducing bore width

#3 2011-02-14 12:23:31

Re: reducing bore width

andy the flutemaker wrote:

#4 2011-02-14 15:14:19

Re: reducing bore width

#5 2011-02-15 08:35:09

Re: reducing bore width

#6 2011-02-15 12:21:36

Re: reducing bore width

#7 2011-02-15 12:57:53

Re: reducing bore width

#8 2011-02-15 13:33:26

Re: reducing bore width

#9 2011-02-15 13:45:34

Re: reducing bore width

#10 2011-02-15 15:49:33

Re: reducing bore width

airin wrote:

andy the flutemaker wrote:

#11 2011-02-15 16:36:12

Re: reducing bore width

#12 2011-02-15 22:33:23

Re: reducing bore width

#13 2011-02-17 05:18:56

Re: reducing bore width

#14 2011-02-17 11:23:50

Re: reducing bore width

andy the flutemaker wrote:

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