Shakuhachi << SHAH koo HAH chee >> is a Japanese flute . Traditionally, the shakuhachi has been made of bamboo , but some modern instruments are made of hardwoods or plastic. The shakuhachi typically is about 22 inches (55 centimeters) long. The musician blows into it through one end, unlike the manner of Western flutes, in which the musician blows across an airhole on the side of, and near the end of, the instrument.
The shakuhachi has four finger holes and one thumb hole. The musician controls the sound through a combination of covering the holes with the fingers and changing the pressure of the lips and tongue. A skilled player can cover about three octaves.
The shakuhachi is a versatile instrument. It can produce a variety of tones, ranging from a delicate whisper to a loud metallic sound. The shakuhachi is played in Zen Buddhist meditation as well as in performances of traditional Japanese folk music and modern Western jazz , pop , rock , and classical music .
The shakuhachi originated in China and was imported into Japan by the early 700’s. A Japanese form of the instrument had appeared by the 1400’s.
