Learn to play the Shakuhachi: Songs from Fukuda Rando part 2

Learning to play "Kikyou Gensoukyoku" and "Gekkou Routeki"

Created byMarco Lienhard

Last updated 1/2025

English

What you'll learn

Get better at playing the Shakuhachi
Work on your sound/ tone and better it
work on Shakuhachi techniques
Work on lyricism and phrasing of songs

Course content

3 sections • 8 lectures • 1h 35m total length

Warm up with Robuki exercise5:23
This is a warm-up exercise that I recommend you do every day. We will have a few of the Robuki added to the beginning of the lesson as well.
5-10 minutes a day will help you with your playing and breath control.
Ro can be difficult to play at times, but you can also practice other easier notes to warm up- sustained notes will strengthen your playing and you ability to play melodies
Learn to read and write Shakuhachi notations12:55
This is an extra lesson to help you write and read the Shakuhachi notation. There is a way and order to write Japanese characters. This will help you out in playing the notes as well as reading and writing them.
Learn to repair a cracked bamboo flute12:59
I wanted to add this lesson for those who sometimes come acorss some cracks in the the flute. Thisis an easy way to reapair it yourself. You will need some fishing line , maybe some leather gloves, a box cutter and some instant glue.

In the video you will see a Fue , but the samae is done for the Shakuhachi. Is the bamboo is thiocker, you should put a lightyl wet paper towerl on the opposite side of the crack overnight and put it in a plastic bag, the next day you will see that the crack has closed up. That is when you can do the repair. For the Shakuhachi, use thicker fishing line and also make them wider for more support. Feel free to reach out to us if you need help.

Playing Kikyou Gensoukyoku15:52
This song is by Fukuda Rando, songs that were made popular later on by Katsuya Yokoyama from I learned these songs. We will start with a simpler version of the song and the. next lesson will have some more technical fingering added to the song. One technique used is the Kobushi, also used in singing, that repeats some sequence of notes. This will help you get more feeling into the song. These are post-romantic songs from the early 20th Century. The feel for most of the songs is a look on the past and remembering fondly of walks, or of flowers in nature and discovering the beauty of nature. So with this in mind, try to make these melodies your own and bring your interpretation and images in them. Have fun with these songs.
The song is from the Azuma Ryu that Fukuda Rando started.
The school has been passed on to Yokoyama Katsuya then later on to one of his students Matama Sensei from the Kenshukan.
kikyou Gensoukyoku advanced version16:55
This is the advanced version of the song, using some Kobushi.
This song is by Fukuda Rando, songs that were made popular later on by Katsuya Yokoyama from I learned these songs. We will start with a simpler version of the song and the. The next lesson will have some more technical fingering added to the song. One technique used is the Kobushi, also used in singing, which repeats some sequence of notes. This will help you get more feeling into the song. These are post-romantic songs from the early 20th Century. The feel for most of the songs is a look at the past and remembering fondly walks, or of flowers in nature and discovering the beauty of nature. So with this in mind, try to make these melodies your own and bring your interpretation and images to them. Have fun with these songs.
The song is from the Azuma Ryu that Fukuda Rando started.
The school has been passed on to Yokoyama Katsuya then later on to one of his students Matama Sensei from the Kenshukan.
Learning to play Gekkou Routeki by Fukuda Rando17:53
This is Gekkou Routeki with some Advanced phrases, using some Kobushi.
This song is by Fukuda Rando, songs that were made popular later on by Katsuya Yokoyama from I learned these songs. We will start with a simpler version of the song and the. The next lesson will have some more technical fingering added to the song. One technique used is the Kobushi, also used in singing, which repeats some sequence of notes. This will help you get more feeling into the song. These are post-romantic songs from the early 20th Century. The feel for most of the songs is a look at the past and remembering fondly walks, or of flowers in nature and discovering the beauty of nature. So with this in mind, try to make these melodies your own and bring your interpretation and images to them. Have fun with these songs.
The song is from the Azuma Ryu that Fukuda Rando started.
The school has been passed on to Yokoyama Katsuya then later on to one of his students Matama Sensei from the Kenshukan.
Playing Gekkou Routeki9:54
This is Gekkou Routeki with some Advanced phrases, using some Kobushi.
This song is by Fukuda Rando, songs that were made popular later on by Katsuya Yokoyama from I learned these songs. We will start with a simpler version of the song and the. The next lesson will have some more technical fingering added to the song. One technique used is the Kobushi, also used in singing, which repeats some sequence of notes. This will help you get more feeling into the song. These are post-romantic songs from the early 20th Century. The feel for most of the songs is a look at the past and remembering fondly walks, or of flowers in nature and discovering the beauty of nature. So with this in mind, try to make these melodies your own and bring your interpretation and images to them. Have fun with these songs.
The song is from the Azuma Ryu that Fukuda Rando started.
The school has been passed on to Yokoyama Katsuya then later on to one of his students Matama Sensei from the Kenshukan.

Requirements

Be able to play the basic notes on the Shakuhachi, including Meri and Kari techniques
No knowledge of Fukuda Rando songs needed

Description

In this course, we will concentrate on two songs by Fukuda Rando. One song is a duet but can easily be played solo. As a duet, you can play with more freedom—the accompanist gives more freedom to the soloist in some segments.

The other song, Kikyou Gensoukyoku, is a solo, and you can play it fully and extend some of the notes.

"Ma" is a Japanese concept of time within the song. It is not counted as the tempo but varies within the song. It could be the perfect timing for playing the phrase and resting between notes. "Ma"　間　 means between.

It is theoretically what's between two notes, but it is the ultimate timing that makes or gives the song /melody its essence.

By playing the song repeatedly and listening to the interpretation, you will get a feel for what "Ma" is.

We are working on some embellishments that I call Kobushi. This technique is used more in singing Minyo. It is a sort of modulation on some of the notes. It has to be done in a way that is not intrusive and feels like you are playing simple notes with just some light flourish. The technique should be hidden and not in your face.

The "kobushi" and embellishments are usually done quickly so as not to take away from the melody.

For practice's sake, you will do them slowly and then try to speed up to master those embellishment techniques gradually.

These songs are from the early 20th Century and a post-Romantic movement. The songs have been written with nostalgia and should be played so that you are reminiscing.

So I hope you enjoy playing and have fun with them again.

These are fantastic pieces to learn that you will want to keep playing and memorizing for years. Check other songs by Fukuda Rando and widen your knowledge and repertoire.

Who this course is for:

Intermediate to advanced students of the Shakuhachi or other flutes

Learn to play the Shakuhachi: Songs from Fukuda Rando part 2

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

Warming up exercises, and extras3 lectures • 31min

Learn to play Fukuda Rando songs4 lectures • 1hr 1min

Other songs from Fukuda from other courses1 lecture • 3min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: