本文翻譯自網頁「shakuhachi tips」（1998.May）
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49篇：精準的節奏和”ネ；ma”(基礎篇完)
本月議題的靈感，來自於一位讀者的電子信件，這位讀者對節拍時間的掌握有困難，他問我是否有良好的練習方法。我想，既然有許多人有著類似的問題，因此，我將我所回覆他的方法，在此重複說明。
你的練習方法，將會因為你所練習的歌曲類型，而有著些微的差異。因此，我建議使用節拍器。第一步是，去判定樂譜上的哪一個音符，是跟節拍器的「卡搭聲」同步一致。接下來，以一種緩慢的速度，再三地吹奏同一首歌曲。吹奏時，節拍的速度要慢到，足夠讓你能夠確認及檢核你所吹奏的音符，是否落在適當的時間點上。
到底要多慢，並不是重點。一旦你具備了精準的節奏感，那麼你就可以很容易地逐漸加快速度。最後，重複地去練習最困難的部份。你將發現，這樣的練習不僅有助於你使用節拍器時所吹奏的歌曲，別的歌曲也會有同樣的效果。
有一個特殊的因素，會導致你脫離節拍節奏，那就是你的呼吸對你所吹奏歌曲的速度，所產生的對應結果。常見的是，一般人在氣息飽滿時和在氣息用盡時，所吹奏的速度有著些微的不同。
請記住，下面兩點是蠻重要的：
1、即使你還留有足夠的氣息，每一個音符該結束時，就結束它。
2、即使你氣息已經用盡，在下個音符開始前，用適當的時間去等待。
第2點尤其重要！
大部分的本曲沒有明確的固定節奏，因此經常聽說，本曲是用「自由節奏」來吹奏的。然而，這是經常被誤解的事。它並非意味著：「隨你所想要的去吹奏」。那些將「自由節奏」解釋為：「可以隨心所欲地安排樂句時間長短」的人，是沒辦法吹好本曲的。
要做好它，最需要的是，要有對「ma」（時間拿捏）的敏感度。
（英譯者註：「ma」(ネ；間)，很難將它明確定義為一個觀念，但是可以意味著是「理想的時間拿捏」，或是「兩個音符之間的時間空檔」）
你必須努力去學習，掌握最適當的「ma」。在本曲裡的某些地方，如果你完全沒掌握到「ma」，那麼將會毀了整首曲子。
就好像保持精確的節奏一樣，「ma」也會被呼吸所影響。如果你的氣息已經用盡，那麼就會很容易搶拍子和趕急似地執行「ma」。
如果你能夠客觀地聆聽你自己的吹奏，你就可以精通尺八。如果你能夠從別人的觀點來聆聽自己吹奏時的「ma」和音準，那麼你的吹奏將會有戲劇性的改善。
B-49.Precise Rhythm and Ma
The inspiration for this month's column came via email from a reader. This reader has trouble keeping time, and asked if I knew a good practice method.Since I think many people have similar problems, I'll repeat what I told him here.
Your practice method will differ slightly depending on what kind of song you are playing, but I suggest the use of a metronome. The first step is to determine which notes on the score should coincide with the "click" of the metronome. Next, play the song over and over again at a speed slow enough so that you can check to make sure the notes are falling where they should.
It doesn't matter how slow this is - once you have the feeling of the precise rhythm down, it is easy to gradually increase the speed. Finally practice the most difficult sections repeatedly. You will find that this practice helps not only the song you practice with the metronome, but others as well.
One reason in particular which can cause you to fall off rhythm is the effect of your breath on how fast you play. It often happens that people play at slightly different speeds when they have full breath and when they are running out of breath. It is important to remember the following two points:
- Even if you have breath remaining, cut off the note at the appropriate place.
- Even if you run out of breath, wait the appropriate amount of time before beginning the next note.
The second of these is particularly important.
Most honkyoku have no exact rhythm determined. It is often said that honkyoku are played with "free rhythm". However, this phrase is often misinterpreted. It definitely does not mean "play however you want".People who think that "free rhythm" is license to time phrases at their whim do not play good honkyoku.
What is required is a sense of ma [translator's note: ma is hard to pin down as a concept, but can mean perfect timing, or the space between then otes]. There is an optimal ma which you should strive to find. There will be some places in a honkyoku where missing the ma entirely will ruin the whole piece.
Just as with keeping precise rhythm, ma can be influenced by breathing. If you are running out of breath, it is easy to hurry up a phrase and rush the ma.
You can master the shakuhachi if you are able to listen to your playing objectively. If you can hear the ma and pitch of your playing from the perspective of someone else, your playing will improve dramatically.
