Your fingers can make a big difference in improving your shinobue tone!
Published 2 days ago • 3 min read
Weekly Newsletter for Shinobue Lovers
October 13, 2024
You must completely seal the holes to produce a clean tone from the shinobue.
This may seem like common sense, but it is often challenging for beginners to accomplish. When you're playing the shinobue, even a small 1 mm opening on the hole can make the tone sound windy and fuzzy. Since you can't see your fingers while playing, it isn't easy to realize it when the holes are not completely sealed. You might think your sound is off because of your embouchure or lack of support, but it could actually be due to your fingers.
Here is how you can learn to seal the holes completely.
Hold the shinobue correctly.
Yes, your posture affects your finger position GREATLY!! Make sure your body is positioned to point at 2 o'clock, while your face is directed towards 12 o'clock. If your body is facing 12 o'clock, too, it will be challenging for your left hand to consistently seal the hole with the ring finger when reaching into the shinobue.
Watch this video and learn how to hold shinobue correctly.
Since you cannot see if you are sealing the hole with your finger completely, you must learn how your finger feels when it's sealing the hole completely. When the hole is completely sealed, the hole feels snug to me. As you practice more, your finger becomes more sensitive to that feeling.
Do not seal the hole slowly and softly.
Your finger needs to cover the hole quickly. The hole should be either completely open or completely closed - on or off. You shouldn't have it "kind of closed." If you seal the hole softly and slowly, it creates a fuzzy tone because when you close the hole slowly, there will be a moment when it's "kind of closed, but not really."
Use flat fingers that are perpendicular to the shinobue to seal the holes.
This depends on the teacher, but Bunta sensei tells his students to use flat fingers since there is more flesh there than the finger tips. You can watch this video to learn how to use flat fingers.
If your shinobue is wobbly and moving about, there is no way your finger can land on the hole consistently. The 4 points that stabilizes the shinobue are:
Shinobue against your lower lip
Your left thumb pressing the shinobue toward your face
Your right thumb holding the shinobue up
Your right finger(s) keeping the end of the shinobue stable
Check those points to be sure your shinobue is secure.
Take a look at everything we talked about and try making some adjustments. Even the smallest changes to improve your tone can really make a big difference! With consistent practice, you'll be able to create a beautiful shinobue sound too! 💕
I have partnered with Amazon, so when you purchase any products that I recommend on my Amazon storefront, I earn a small commission from Amazon at NO ADDITIONAL COST TO YOU. This is an easy way for you to support me, allowing me to continue sharing the beauty of shinobue with the world.
Shinobue Wako offers amazing bamboo shinobues with beautiful colors and a bright, rich sound that I'm sure you'll love! I'm currently working out the details with them so that I can bring Shinobue Wako to you. Stay tuned for more updates - exciting things are coming your way!!
Colors Shinobue Wako offers
I sent a message to Mr. Shoji to send us more shinobues!!!!
So, hopefully, we will see more of his glorious shinobues soon!! Be sure to get notified as soon as it happens. Get on my Shoji shinobue notification list here!
Q & A: "What are some good shinobue songs for autumn?"
Answer: Nature is deeply intertwined with Japanese culture, and many traditional Japanese songs are tied to specific seasons. "Usagi Usagi" is a great song for September. "Takibi" talks about a bonfire of fallen leaves, and "Sato no aki" means "Autumn in the village". "Momiji" refers to maple leaves (foliage), and "Akatombo" (red dragonfly) is considered an autumn song. You can find sheet music for these wonderful shinobue songs at saitomusic.com. The first three songs are available for free at saitomusic.com/free, while the last two songs are available on the store page. Check it out!
Shinobue Bags
I still have some beautiful shinobue bags left for sale. They are hand-crafted by Bunta sensei's mom!
💕I'd really appreciate your support so I can continue sharing free shinobue information on YouTube, my website, and in this newsletter! Thank you so much! 💓
