麥浪

本文翻譯自網頁「shakuhachi tips」（2000. Aut）
http://www.kotodama.net/shakuhachi/tips.html
原作者：柿堺香
英文翻譯: Zachary Braverman
中文翻譯: 麥浪
中文校稿: 琰烺（陳佩筠）
版權所有：國際尺八研修館---柿堺香老師


基礎篇---第16篇：氣息掌控

    在1999年2月的專欄中，我提到過吹奏非常安靜的音符，以及吹奏很小聲很安靜的音符，會有多大的音樂價值。這一次，我想要談談有關氣息掌控的觀點。

    我經常要求初學者，吹奏輕聲音符給我聽。有一件蠻有趣的事是，他們所吹奏的輕聲和大聲，音長卻是一樣的。然而，因為他們是初學者，所以在大聲和輕聲的音量，並無多大的差別。這是因為他們並未能掌控好從嘴巴吹出的氣息。而且，他們的氣息是一下子吹盡，就好像氣球洩氣一般。

    氣息掌控是必須要做到的。最基本的氣息掌控模式是，不放掉任何氣息。例如，當吹奏長音的筒音時，一般人往往在吸一口氣後，立即把氣吹出。

    這是一個練習氣息掌控的機會，此處是我的忠告。在你吸氣之後，吹氣之前，做一個簡短的停頓。接著，當你要開始吹氣時，吹的很慢、很漸進地。試著去練習吹氣的開頭，盡量地慢、盡量的漸進。這將幫助你在氣息掌控上邁進一大步。

    巨大、短暫爆發式的氣息和聲音，是很重要的；但是，如同消失在虛無中的細微長音，也是一樣重要。



B-16.Breath Control


In my 2/99 column, I talked about playing very quiet notes, and how there was great musical value in playing very small, quiet notes. This time, I would like to talk about something related from the point of view of breath control.


I often ask beginners to play quiet notes for me. One thing that is very interesting is that the length of the notes they play is the same for small notes as for louder notes (and, since they are beginners, there is not much difference in volume between their loud and soft notes). This is because they don’t have very good control of how their breath leaves their lips, and, like air leaving a balloon, it all goes out at once.


What is required is breath control. The most basic form of breath control is not letting out any breath at all. For instance, when blowing long tones of Ro,people often start blowing out immediately after they have taken an in-breath.


This is one chance for exercising breath control they are wasting. Here is my advice. After you take your in-breath, pause very briefly before letting it out. And, when you do begin to breath out, begin the out-breath very slowly and gradually. Practice making the beginning of the out-breath ever more slow and ever more gradual. This will help you make great strides in controlling your breathing.


Large,short bursts of breath and sound are very important, but so are long, subtle pianissimo’s that seem to vanish into nothing.