Changes in acoustical design from ancient shakuhachi to modern shakuhachi

Abstract

The shakuhachi was originally introduced from China in the Tang dynasty around 750. Since this ancient shakuhachi has been preserved in the Shousouin of the Toudaiji temple, it is called the “Shousouin shakuhachi”. This shakuhachi, which has six tone holes to play a Chinese diatonic scale (e.g., A-B-Db-D-E-Gb-A, D-E-Gb-G-A-B-D), was adapted to play a Japanese pentatonic scale (D-E-G-A-B-D) by removing the second tone hole (Gb) around early 16th century. Moreover, the positions of five tone holes were modified to make effective use of the pitch bending (e.g., Eb) by drawing down player's jaw and half-covering the tone hole(s) around the 17th century, and a scale pattern D-F-G-A-C-D was established. Since this shakuhachi (made from the root end of bamboo) was played exclusively by a group of wondering priests (“Komusou”), it is called the “Komusou shakuhachi” and regarded as the origin of the modern shakuhachi. Changes in acoustical design from the Sousouin shakuhachi to the Komusou shakuhachi are considered based on the input admittance calculated from the inner geometry. The blowing conditions of the Shousouin shakuhachi are estimated from the investigation carried out during 1948 to 1952. Some problematic points in cross-fingerings of the Shousouin shakuhachi are also discussed.