30 Sept 2017

Making traditional flute 2

To make this traditional flute, I read many books & articles written about japanese traditional music. Then I dictated Local lion dance's music played flutes & a drum from DVD movie. I found the used scale. It's tuned at about 1 whole tone below than 440hz.
The 3rd note is tuned 1/4 flat E or 1/4sharp Eb. Main reason for the tuning is for hiding player's low music sense & playing technique. Sub reason to sound E & Eb with only emboucher. We can bend the tone more sharp & flat with the larger emboucher hole 12 x 16 mm. The ancient flutes left at Shosoin since 8c have small embouchurhole 8 x 10 mm. The measurements is similar to european baroque & classical flute's.

The 7th hole is opened for Low & midle D. The flute for Lion Dance has 7 holes for fingers. It means it was from china. Japanese & korean flute have only 6 holes for fingers. The lowest note & next note is minor 3rd degrees.
In the case, Lion flute, the scale CDEF#GABC#. It can be said baroque flute plus C foot. Pricisely the 7th hole is used for Eb/D# on baroque one. The figering system is almost same. It was useful to solute the enigma of the Lion flute. Because No local players know the music was written with tuned scale..

Local players never learned modern theory of music & they did only imitate of the playing. They never study the music.

This time, I analyse the music, the found scale, & I noticed I can repaire a little of the music. Mainy a little broken parts.

The japanese traditional music is written in 2/4 4/4 mainly. But In Local Lione Dance's music otfen has 3/4 measures. In the future I solute them to take back original form with original beat.

I copied a few music for shrine's ritual. In this month 9th 13:00, I play the music. I'm not religionist. I just help the traditional music as an reseacher studies ancient music.