My Shakuhachi Tip for 2/99 was "Can you play atlow volume?" This month I would like to write a little bit more about the topic of volume control.
This is obvious, but under normal blowing you will start out at a high volume and gradually get softer and softer. There are of course some times when the loudest part of the phrase will come in the middle, but almost always the final parts of a phrase will be quiet as your breath runs out.
Indeed,the fact that sound volume must decrease as your breath runs out is a great determinant of the structure of shakuhachi music.
Since a decrease in sound volume is the inevitable result of running out of breath,we would have to call this a default result, and not the result of active volume control.
Volume control place a crucial role in musicianship. Indeed, exhortations to"sing with the instrument more" can often be taken to mean "make changes in volume more skillfully."
However,there are many players who do not actively practice volume control. Instead,they let the natural tendency of volume to soften as they run out of breath determine everything for them.
Try playing softly while you still have plenty of breath. It’s surprisingly hard.If you can play the quiet notes in a piece skillfully and confidently during a performance, it will make a significant difference for the better.