Shakuhachi vs Xiao

[greentea]

I was listening to music on youtube when I came across both of these instruments. They seem fairly similar in both looks and sound. but what is the main differences (Besides one being from japan and the other china)?

[Flolei]

The main differences are the form of the embouchure ("cut" for shakuhachi vs. U or V notch for xiao) and the number of fingerholes (5 holes for shakuhachi vs 6 or 8 for xiao). People who play the both instruments say that shakuhachi is more difficult to control than xiao.

[greentea]

oh ok. thanks ;D

[davidmdahl]

Besides what Flo wrote, for the price of an expensive xiao, you can buy a budget shak. From what I understand, the shakuhachi is much more finely crafted.

[Flolei]

Hope so, even if I noticed that all Japanese things - also scores - are more expensive than Chinese.

[ziman]

The shakuhachi also makes use of some playing techniques which are not commonly used on xiao. The most prominent ones in that regard are the techniques known as "meri" (メリ) and "kari" (カリ). "Meri" is adjusting the blowing angle to lower the pitch, and "kari" is adjusting the blowing angle to raise the pitch.

The corresponding Chinese terms for these techniques on xiao are "俯" (fǔ, meaning "lower") and "仰" (yǎng, meaning "raise"). On xiao, it's certainly possible to flatten or sharpen notes through blowing angle changes (especially if your xiao has the externally-cut "Tang-style" blowing edge (唐口); more on that later ). However, these techniques are uncommon in xiao-playing nowadays, while they are absolutely central to shakuhachi-playing. This is in part due to differing musical aesthetics in Chinese vs Japanese music, and in part due to traditional shakuhachi having five finger holes, necessitating meri/kari techniques to reach notes not playable through fingering alone. The externally-cut blowing edge of the shakuhachi allows for a greater amount of meri/kari as well.

This is one reason shakuhachi can be considered more challenging than xiao-- there are more variables to juggle. Whereas when playing xiao one has to worry about embouchure, breath control, and fingering, on the shakuhachi one has to worry about all the above plus how one's blowing angle is affecting the pitch, and by how much in which direction (too sharp? too flat?) A trained shakuhachi player can bend notes up or down by more than one full tone just by applying meri/kari techniques. You can imagine how confusing it would be for a beginner if he/she has no teacher to guide him/her to the correct blowing techniques.

The externally-cut blowing edge of the shakuhachi is often contrasted to the internally-cut U or V-shaped notches on xiao. However, there are xiao that have externally-cut blowing edges similar to shakuhachi-- these are known in Chinese as 唐口箫, meaning "Tang-embouchure xiao". The name highlights the fact that this mouthpiece design was most popular in China during the Tang Dynasty. (They aren't very popular or common now, although there seems to be a slow resurgence in Taiwan). Even on these xiao, however, pitch variation by blowing angle change tends to be more of an ornamentation technique to get more interesting tone colors rather than something done routinely.

There are a few flute-makers who make both xiao and shakuhachi-- one that I am aware of is the maker Xuan Mo (玄默) from Taiwan (his blog if you can read Chinese: tw.myblog.yahoo.com/blowbamboo/). His instruments enjoy a superlative reputation, but are about as expensive as shakuhachi. Not-so-good news for most of us...

[Blue]

Cool T-shirt:

tw.myblog.yahoo.com/blowbamboo/article?mid=4990&prev=5019&next=4959

[davidmdahl]

Great post, Ziman! We will have to remember this thread if someone else asks about the xiao vs shakuhachi.

The T-shirt mentioned on the site has the Kokopelli design that comes from the SW Native American cultures. It is not Japanese in origin, but its appeal is univeral, I think.

Best wishes,

David