本文翻譯自網頁「shakuhachi tips」（2004. Apr）
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37篇：換氣過急
這個月的話題，與2000年10月所提到的「氣息掌控」話題有關。本月將從不同的觀點，來談到一些相同的觀念。
在本曲吹奏中，把「間(ネ)」掌控好是一件重要的事。有時，這個難以理解的字「間(ネ)」，會與延長音的長度有關聯；或者有時，它會和兩個音符之間的空檔有關聯。幾乎總是，你會在兩段樂句中的「間(ネ)」，做一個換氣。就這麼簡單，對不對？
但是，當一段樂句確實結束了呢？它不像表面上那麼簡單了。如果你能夠順利地吹好尾音，並沒有突然地結束或是讓音準掉下來，那麼，即使聲音已經消失了，它會繼續在空氣中迴響。此點是吹好尺八的關鍵，尤其是本曲。
在重要的時刻換氣，會毀掉了樂句。反而，在面對下一段樂句要換氣之前，做一個短暫的停頓，將有助於保留前一段樂句的迴響。（當然，這只有對某些樂句是適用的，在許多情況下，你必須盡你所能快速地換氣。）
同樣的相反情形，發生在樂句的開頭。許多的吹奏者，會自動地吸一口氣，而且在他們吸氣之後，就馬上開始吹奏。然而，並非所有的樂句都需要馬上開始的。有些段落中的「間(ネ)」，需要你在吸氣後和吹奏前，做一個短暫的停頓。
等待一下子，吸一口氣，然後在恰當的時機開始吹奏，將有助於樂句的連貫性，而不要停下來去換氣，然後吸氣後就馬上吹奏。
以這種方式來掌控換氣，將能增進你本曲的吹奏能力，尤其是那些認為吹奏本曲有缺少某些東西的人。請試著去傾聽沒有音符的空檔，並檢視你自己是否也有效地運用這個技巧！
B-37.Breathing Too Soon
This month's tip is related to my tip of October, 2000: Breath Control. This month covers some of the same ideas from a different perspective.
It is important to have good ma in honkyoku. Sometimes this elusive word can refer to the length of an extended note, or sometimes it can refer to the space between notes themselves. Almost always, you take a breath during the ma between phrases. Simple, right?
But,when does a phrase really end? It's not as simple as it sounds. If you succeed in drawing out the end of the note well, without it either ending suddenly or dropping in pitch, then the sound will seem to remain in the air even though it's already vanished. This is key to good shakuhachi playing, especially honkyoku.
Taking a breath during this precious moment can destroy it. Instead, wait an extra moment before drawing your breath for the next phrase to help preserve the lingering impact of the previous one. (Of course, this is true only for certain phrases. Many times you have to take breaths as fast as you can.)
The same thing happens in reverse at the beginning of phrases. Many players automatically take a breath and then start playing as soon as they've finished inhaling. However, not all phrases should begin as soon as possible. The ma for some sections will require you to wait a moment after inhaling and before playing.
Rather than waiting to take a breath and then playing as soon as you've inhaled, it can help the continuity of the piece to breath in, wait for an instant or two,then beginning breathing out at exactly the right time.
Controlling your breathing like this will improve your honkyoku playing. Especially for those who think their honkyoku lack a certain something--try listening to the spaces where there are no notes and see if you are using them effectively.
