Taoist music playing

[Bum Grasshopper]

I just ordered an oriental alto bamboo flute! I have read that playing one has deep roots in taoism and can help with meditation. Anybody have any resources on this?

[Mal]

I just ordered an oriental alto bamboo flute! I have read that playing one has deep roots in taoism and can help with meditation. Anybody have any resources on this?

 

Hi Caine / Grasshopper

 

Don't have any info, except to say I have a small bamboo flute too. Often wanted to get a longer one for a deeper sound, mine is quite piercing. But it's pretty easy to play.

[Bum Grasshopper]

Got mine here:Eric the flute maker

 

This guy seems like he knows what he is doing.

Edited December 19, 2007 by Bum Grasshopper

[Mal]

He makes a Bamboo sax as well, sweet, always wanted one of them. Thanks for the link. I was actually going to mention that I wanted a bamboo sax in my first post.

 

I play Baritone, Tenor and Alto (use to have a soprano but I sold it to get the Barri) but they do not fit on my motorbike very well So I play harp a lot more now.

 

The nice thing with harmonica is you don't mind blowing 1/2 eaten food and beer through it at a BBQ. And I can carry one with me. Just in case I see a busker to play with, or to do a Xmas song or two at work

 

And no bite on the Caine joke

[Bum Grasshopper]

Yes, I got the Cain joke . I'm getting the flute, next I am going to shave my head

 

I have never played a musical instrument before. I have always been drawn to the hypnotic sound of the oriental flute. I am hoping that it fits in well with my newfound meditation practice. I have also looked into the harmonica, but the flute had much more allure.

 

Were you formally trained, or self taught? Any tips on how I should go about learning to play?

Edited December 19, 2007 by Bum Grasshopper

[Mal]

[Bum Grasshopper]

Thank You Mal. I am really looking forward to the challange.

[Desert Eagle]

Bumping this old thread and adding something.

 

Learning a musical instrument can be great for health and taoism, I always wanted to learn so I was searching for instruments that are easy to learn and transport and found these two.

 

 

 

 

and the bamboo ocarina (ocarina's in general)

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0GheMwnIaA

Edited April 27, 2012 by Desert Eagle

[Harmonious Emptiness]

I mess around with a bamboo flute sometimes. If you approach it similar to a singing bowl it can be pretty cool(ing). Listening to shakuhachi music, I realized that most of the songs repeat a similar formula (in laymen's terms):

 

pick 1 note, play the next lowest note (full tone) and hammer on to the 1st note again. Play first note, sharpen it (play semi tone higher) and go between these two tones a bit. Then move the main note up and essentially repeat this pattern using 3 notes (you might go back only a semi-tone after changing the main note. see what sounds right). This is an easy way to improvise with the flute in a meditative type sound. Also practice vibrato by slightly lifting the finger (all holes are covered behind the finger that makes the note) off the hole and covering it fully again, repeating quickly. Voila! Some utterly basic semblance of non-descript Japanese flute music. If you can practice next to animals they will often react to you having the right overtones or not. Cats are especially good flute teachers in my experience .

[silas]

Two articles on Taoist flute meditation below. One is actually a Shakuhachi conversion from a 3-section PVC transverse flute. The converted flute is more like a Chinese end-blown Xiao flute, but in 3 sections and tunable.

 

 

http://taocurrents.org/2012/04/16/diy-flute-shakuhachi-conversion-meditation-and-cultivation/

 

http://taocurrents.org/2012/04/16/taoist-flute-meditation-to-hear-inner-nature/

[Protector]

 

heehee