Shinobue

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From left,
7-hole Uta-you Shinobue in B-flat ("6-hon choshi") top binding
7-hole Uta-you Shinobue in B ("7-hon choshi") black painted
7-hole Uta-you Shinobue in C ("8-hon choshi") without binding

The shinobue (kanji: 篠笛; also called takebue) is a Japanese transverse flute that has a high-pitched sound. It is found in hayashi and nagauta ensembles, and plays important roles in noh and kabuki theatre music. It is heard in Shinto music such as kagura-den, as well as in traditional Japanese folk songs. There are two styles: uta (song) and hayashi (festival). The uta is properly tuned to the Western scale, and can be played in ensembles or as a solo instrument. The hayashi is not in the correct pitch, because it is simply a piece of hollow bamboo with holes cut into it. It emits a very high-pitched sound, and is appropriate for the festival/folk music of Japan. Both shinobue flutes play a very important role in the Japanese theater.

[edit] External links

Kotos and More (Shinobue and other Japanese instruments with sound samples)
Ron Korb's Asian Flute Gallery (features description and drawing of the Shinobue and other Japanese flutes)
Syoji Yamaguchi's web site on Japanese transverse flutes (features articles on making and playing of the Shinobue and other Japanese transverse flutes: yokobue or fue)
- Japanese Traditional Music