Instrument
Shakuhachi
Japanese end-blown bamboo flute, five finger holes, minor pentatonic; the player blows across the notched rim (utaguchi) (Wikipedia). Pitch bends (meri, kari) are by angle.
- Range
- C4–D6
- Sources
- 3 (3 independent)
Mics sources recommend
7 setups from 3 sources, 3 of them independent of any mic maker. Each mic shows how many sources name it for that role, and how many of those are independent. Listed alphabetically: there is no ranking.
On stage
Clip-on
- Countryman E61 independent source
- DPA d:fine 40881 independent source
The 2 setups behind this: placement and quotes
- Clip-on DPA d:fine 4088headset, boom on the upstage side of the head
DPA d:fine 4088 headset on the shakuhachi player lets him switch instruments and move freely (Silk Road Ensemble).
1 - Clip-on Countryman E6headset, near the blowing end
Jeff Cairns: "Many people use the Countryman E6 with great satisfaction" for live shakuhachi.
2
Studio
Close
- Behringer C-41 independent source
- M-Audio Sputnik1 independent source
- Rode NT41 independent source
- Royer R-1211 independent source
- two shotgun mics: one 10 cm from the utaguchi, one 6-7 m away1 independent source
The 5 setups behind this: placement and quotes
- Close 2 × Rode NT41-2 ft away, a little above the utaguchi, pointed at the middle of the pipe
Yu-Jin: stereo mic in X-Y, "1-2 ft. away, a bit above level of utaguchi and pointing at the middle".
3 - Close M-Audio Sputnikabout 70 cm from the bell, 10 degrees off-axis
Jeff Cairns: Sputnik tube mic about 70 cm from the bell at 10 degrees off-axis.
3 - Close Royer R-121about 50 cm from the centre of the pipe, parallel to it
Jeff Cairns: Royer ribbon about 50 cm from the centre, parallel to the instrument.
3 - Close 2 × Behringer C-4about 20 cm above the head
Jeff Cairns: Behringer C4 about 20 cm above the head.
3 - Close two shotgun mics: one 10 cm from the utaguchi, one 6-7 m awayclose plus distant
Marek: one shotgun mic 10 cm from the utaguchi, a second 6-7 m away for tone colour.
3
Range
C4 to D64262 Hz – 1.17 kHz
VSL's library; the instrument's length sets the lowest note
Where the sound goes
Sound comes from the blowing end, the open holes and the bell. Forum advice is to point the mic at the middle of the pipe, slightly above the utaguchi and off to one side so the airstream misses it.
Recording it
Shakuhachi Society forum: Yu-Jin, 1 to 2 ft away, a bit above the utaguchi, pointing at the middle (suggests Rode NT4 X-Y); Jeff Cairns, a professional setup of a Sputnik tube mic about 70 cm from the bell at 10 degrees off-axis, a Royer 121 about 50 cm from the centre parallel to the pipe and a Behringer C4 about 20 cm above the head; Marek, a shotgun mic 10 cm from the utaguchi plus a distant mic 6 to 7 m away. Use 24-bit; the instrument "doesn't like MP3". Live: Countryman E6 headset (Cairns) or a DPA d:fine 4088 headset (Silk Road Ensemble). In noisy stages, move the mic closer and to one side; a lapel mic inside the bottom hole is another option (search summary).
About the range
A 1.8 shakuhachi has D4 as its fundamental, a 2.4 has A3 (Wikipedia). VSL's library covers C4 to D6 on a C-D-F-G-A tuning.