Shakuhachi flute is one of the most popular traditional Japanese instruments. We have some types of beginner shakuhachi for sale. Let's learn how to play shakuhachi flute. 

1. Is the shakuhachi hard to play?

For beginners who are interested in learning to play the shakuhachi flute, the most common question is whether it is easy to play or not. Don't worry. Playing the shakuhachi flute is not hard than people expect if they get the tip for it (though, of course, practice is needed as well as other musical instruments). This article will help beginners to find what to know to make a sound of shakuhachi. Let's learn with us from scratch.

How to Hold Shakuhachi Flute

Basically, most shakuhachi has 5 finger holes (4 on front and 1 on back) and is made for right handed players. Player places right hand on lower holes and left hand on upper holes.

[Right Hand] Place ring finger and index finger on  lower two holes.

[Left Hand] Place ring finger and index finger on upper two holes and place thumb on a hole on the back.

Fingers should be straight rather than bent so that the player holds shakuhachi firmly and makes it stable. For remaining fingers, just put lightly. Relax is important. If your body is too much tensioned, the instrument doesn't make sound well. Are your arms and shoulders tensioned when you play? Make them relaxed.

How to Blow Shakuhachi Flute

First, make embouchure for shakuhachi like an image by making a gap between upper lip and lower lip so that the blow air comes out. Then, put the blow hole's edge of shakuhachi under your lower lip.  Blow the air into blow hole and the other side of the edge which is cut diagonally. For your first time, you might not find the best condition to make a sound. Just keep trying.

• Make your body relaxed
• Put shakuhachi's edge of blow hole under your lower lip
• Close your mouth and pull your lips left and right a little
• Make a gap between upper lip and lower lip
• Blow "Foo" or "Woo"

Tips & Check List

If you want to make a sound but cannot do well, the problem might be the embouchure,  the speed of the blow, the area you blow into, and the angle you put the edge of blow hole under your lower lip. It may take time to find the best condition to make a sound. If you have an experience to play other wind instruments, you may find tips easier than beginners who have no experience. But, you don't need to practice so long time a day. The important is to keep touching it and trying even 5 minutes every day. Your body will fit the instrument to make a sound with relax. Usually, players don't be conscious of their body when they play the instrument. So, you don't think too much and be sensitive. Your body will learn the best condition to play the instrument.

• Check your embouchure
• Check the speed of the blow
• Check the area you blow into
• Check the angle you put the edge of blow hole under your lower lip
• Check your posture
• Check the air comes from your stomach

There are some general points to check. But, so people have different mouth shape and play in different ways, it's important to learn yourself and the instrument by continuing to touch the instrument and practice it everyday. Take it easy and have fun.