Flutes are one of the most basic musical instruments available. The vibration of air across the mouthpiece or reed produces sound, and they are made up of a basic tube with finger holes, a sound hole, and a mouthpiece. The majority are made of metal or wood. The shakuhachi, or Japanese bamboo flute, is an end-blown flute that is played similarly to blowing over the end of an open bottle to produce a variety of tones. The shakuhachi’s structure allows for a wider range of tones than recorders or similar flutes, which are limited to specific pitches.
The shakuhachi bamboo flute is about 21.65 inches (55 cm) long, and its name comes from the medieval Japanese equivalent measurement. On top, there are four finger holes, and on the bottom, there is one. The base note on a standard shakuhachi is tuned to D, just above middle C, with the other four notes being F, G, A, and C. The flute is held in both hands, with the index and ring fingers covering the finger holes. Different finger patterns can change the sound, such as covering one-third, half, or two-thirds of the hole.
On a bamboo flute, pitch variation entails more than finger placements; the player must also tilt his or her head up and down to change the angle of airflow. Lowering the pitch is referred to as meri, while raising it is referred to as kari. The octave at which the shakuhachi plays is altered changing the airflow speed. The otsu, kan, and dai-kan scales have a range of two octaves and half an octave, respectively. Attempting to play a note on the flute that is too high will result in a dissonant squeaking sound.
Because each flute is made from a live bamboo stalk, no two pieces of bamboo grow the same, a bamboo flute must be handcrafted to produce a high-quality sound. Shakuhachi must also be made to order for their owners. Longer ones have a lower pitch and more widely spaced finger holes.
There are three main ways to play the shakuhachi. Honkyoku is a solo instrument; sankyoku is a traditional ensemble with a stringed instrument and a woodblock; and shinkyoku is a Western-influenced ensemble. The bamboo flute appears frequently in orchestral film soundtracks due to its sound versatility.