July 1997

Posture for Long Flutes

Posture is important for good shakuhachi playing. This is true for standard 1.8 flutes, but doubly so for choukan (flutes over 2.4 shaku in length). When playing choukan, improper posture can lead to both joint damage and poor playing.

Many people have problems getting notes out of choukan, and the cause is almost always air leakage. If you are closing the hole in an improper way, further struggling to seal the holes can just lead to greater leaks. This is especially true when playing Ro.

When playing choukan, it is wrong to the tips of your fingers to close holes 1 and 2 in the same manner as for a 1.8. It leads to air leakage, and, more importantly, strain on your wrist that can cause serious damage. Instead, try closing the second hole with the pad of your index finger closest to your palm. You can use the tip of your finger to close the first hole. Next, if sitting down, place the bottom of the shakuhachi on your right knee (if you are playing with your left hand on top). In order to avoid facing away from your audience you will want to shift your position about 45 degrees so that even with the shakuhachi resting on your knee you are facing directly forward.

Even adjusting your finger positions this way may not be enough. You may find you need to adjust the position of the holes, such as moving hole 3 to the right and hole 1 to the right (if you play left hand on top - reverse otherwise). This will reduce the burden on your hand and allow you to play better.

Good posture (including hand position) will contribute to good playing by easing breathing and finger movement. Try watching yourself in a mirror or even take a video.