Yes, I got a shakuhachi! I just wanted to let everyone know, cos I'll be bringing it to absolutely every session I go to from now on. I haven't actually managed to get a decent note out of it yet (there's a technique to it which I have yet to master), but no fear! I'll soon be blazing through the Mason's Apron and the Czar of Munster on it with no trouble.
It's actually awesome. It's made out of PVC, so it's hardly pro quality, but the guy who made it for me (for free!!!) played it a bit, and it sounds really nice. It's just a bit shorter than a low D whistle, and it's got 5 holes: one in the back, and four in the front. So I'll be rockin' on that D minor pentatonic for a while! And you can bend notes on it like nobody's business
Congratulations. I tried making one of these with a couple of pieces of reed cane joined with a copper plumbing joint. It didn't work. I should have looked at this first: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqpGIy0SbmE
What part of my software needs to be updated, then? I use Google Chrome as my browser of choice, and that updates itself frequently, almost on a daily basis I'd say.
I've tried changing the character encoding. The Japanese encodings have no effect, and about the only one that changes the little squares to recognisable characters is Western (ISO-8859-1). The result is ç§ã¯ 尺八㌠ã‚ã‚Šã¾ã™!!! - which is not exactly helpful.
Dan, by God you're right! I hadn't caught up with Google Translator so I've just installed it and confirmed the translation. Presumably it's pronounced "ç§ã¯ 尺八㌠ã‚ã‚Šã¾ã™" in Japanese.
What will Jeremy say?
Lazyhound: errr.. get a Mac maybe? I think it's more to do with your actual computer, not your web browser. You could probably install Unicode, but I've no idea how.
Anyway, it says "Watashi wa shakuhachi ga arimasu!!!", which means "I have a shakuhachi!!!" (I just finished a semester of Japanese, it's sooo much fun!)
Gam: yeah, I was really lucky to meet a guy* -- the boyfriend of a girl in my Japanese class -- who's been honing the art of shakuhachi-making for quite a while now, but doesn't consider them quite good enough to sell yet. So he just makes loads for practice, and gives them away! But he told me that mine would probably be one of the last he gives away before he starts charging. So I was very lucky.
Dan, you definitely need to get an erhu. And learn Mandarin.
* In case you live in/near Boston, USA, and want a shakuhachi, his name is Matt Funamura.
Yeah yeah, I know about the Google translate thing too -- you ask it to translate "shakuhachi" into Japanese, and it gives you 尺八. But then you ask it for 尺八 in English, and it says "blow job"!
Maybe this says something we didn't know about the Japanese, eh?
Joe, I did consider a Mac some while back, but are you aware of Apple's pricing structure in Europe? It's quite unacceptable to many people (including me), and that's why the Mac isn't quite the killer computer over here it perhaps should be. Mind you, Apple has always put a hefty premium on its products in Europe - right back to the Apple IIe in the '80s.
Anyway, thanks for the English transliteration - I'd guess that "shakuhachi" means "something you blow" (more or less). Hence Google Translator's down to earth version!
A few years ago we had a violinist in our chamber orchestra for a year. He was Chinese and doing a Master's at Bristol Uni. His English was next to non-existent so he usually had a friend with him to help out. I did wonder what his Master's was in but it turned out to be mathematics, so a good command of English probably wasn't all that necessary. Anyway, he was a superb violinist and a great asset to the orchestra for that year. One evening he brought along his erhu to the rehearsal and held us all entranced during a greatly extended coffee break with an impromptu recital on it. Beautiful sounding instrument.
You don't need a Mac to see the title of this thread display properly. I can see it fine on my Win Vista machine with Chrome, IE, Opera, Safari and Firefox. The problem you are having is something else.
"Anyway, it says "Watashi wa shakuhachi ga arimasu!!!", which means "I have a shakuhachi!!!" (I just finished a semester of Japanese, it's sooo much fun!)"
The Circle of Normality people must be sleeping... more power to your elbow Joe
If you are getting squares and lines, from Control Panel open Regional and Language Options, and on the Languages tab under Supplemental Language Support, check the box for the language group you want. It needs about 300Mb disc space, I think.
Start --> Control Panel --> Regional & Language Options --> Languages
Check: Install files for East Asian languages
Click: Details --> Add --> Japanese
Lazyhound I retyped this using the character map, does it look any different on your computer. It copies into Notepad if the font is set on Arial MS Unicode.
私は尺八があります
Gonzo blow job is from the 尺八 homepage.
I've just discovered that the kanji shows on Opera 10 and Firefox (both of which I rarely use - I'll have to think about that policy now) even though, like Random, Supplemental Language Support is unchecked & Japanese is not added under the details.
I've tried browndog's useful suggestion. Unfortunately, it got to the stage where it demanded a particular file ftlx041e.dll - a file I don't have on my system. Apparently, that file is on the XP installation CD. I don't have that either because I had a particularly bad HD crash last year and the backup installation was one of those crazy and useless systems where it's squirreled away in a hidden partition at the start of the C drive - so when that goes down the pan the user is stuffed. In case anyone's wondering, all my data and applications had been backed up onto a separate drive. The repair technician set up a new HD with an up-to-date XP installation from his registered OE disk, which of course he couldn't pass on to me, but he didn't download the Eastern Asiatic characters - I didn't ask him to.
I've since downloaded ftlx041e.dll from the web, and I'll get around to installing it in the next day or so. Hopefully, that will solve the problem as far as Google Chrome is concerned. I've done the usual AV etc checks on ftlx041e.dll and everything looks ok.
私は 尺八が あります is an awkward sentence in many respects. I would say (私は) 尺八を手に入れました, which literally means "I got a shakuhachi. In Japanese (and probably Korean too) the subject of a sentence is often omitted, whether it's first, second or third person. No computer software wouldn't know the rule!
I myself haven't tried to learn the instrument. It's probably much harder to learn to play than uilleann pipes, of course in different ways. Harry Bradley does a nice "job": http://www.myspace.com/harrybradley
私は 尺八が あります!!!
私は 尺八が あります!!!
Yes, I got a shakuhachi! I just wanted to let everyone know, cos I'll be bringing it to absolutely every session I go to from now on. I haven't actually managed to get a decent note out of it yet (there's a technique to it which I have yet to master), but no fear! I'll soon be blazing through the Mason's Apron and the Czar of Munster on it with no trouble.
It's actually awesome. It's made out of PVC, so it's hardly pro quality, but the guy who made it for me (for free!!!) played it a bit, and it sounds really nice. It's just a bit shorter than a low D whistle, and it's got 5 holes: one in the back, and four in the front. So I'll be rockin' on that D minor pentatonic for a while! And you can bend notes on it like nobody's business
OK, that's all!
Joe
# Posted on May 6th 2010 by Joe CSS
Re: 私は 尺八が あります!!!
Congratulations. I tried making one of these with a couple of pieces of reed cane joined with a copper plumbing joint. It didn't work. I should have looked at this first:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqpGIy0SbmE
# Posted on May 6th 2010 by gam
Re: 私は 尺八が あります!!!
I don't know what the series of squares in the title of this thread mean. Can someone enlighten me, please?
# Posted on May 6th 2010 by Trevor Jennings
Re: 私は 尺八が あります!!!
I think it means you need to update your software.
# Posted on May 6th 2010 by Dragut Reis
Re: 私は 尺八が あります!!!
I want to learn a cool instrument called an Erhu... seems like we have found a similar passion for Far East instruments Joseph!
# Posted on May 7th 2010 by I ♥ Dow
Re: 私は 尺八が あります!!!
What part of my software needs to be updated, then? I use Google Chrome as my browser of choice, and that updates itself frequently, almost on a daily basis I'd say.
I've tried changing the character encoding. The Japanese encodings have no effect, and about the only one that changes the little squares to recognisable characters is Western (ISO-8859-1). The result is ç§ã¯ 尺八㌠ã‚ã‚Šã¾ã™!!! - which is not exactly helpful.
# Posted on May 7th 2010 by Trevor Jennings
Re: 私は 尺八が あります!!!
おめでとうございます！！
Congrats on the Shakuhachi purchase and good luck! I hear it's a tricky one to master, but well worth it in the end.
Here's a Down By the Sally Gardens on one to celebrate:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBQFTGAW0vE&feature=related
# Posted on May 7th 2010 by dragon76tatsu
Re: 私は 尺八が あります!!!
Joseph. You do realise that when translated through Google translator
私は 尺八が あります translates to
"I have a blow job"
# Posted on May 7th 2010 by I ♥ Dow
Re: 私は 尺八が あります!!!
...and not a bad thing to have, either! Certainly well worth the bragging.
# Posted on May 7th 2010 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: 私は 尺八が あります!!!
The shak is cool too. Now you just need one of those hats to wear while you play it:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2326/2494218883_cf50790630.jpg
# Posted on May 7th 2010 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: 私は 尺八が あります!!!
Dan, by God you're right! I hadn't caught up with Google Translator so I've just installed it and confirmed the translation. Presumably it's pronounced "ç§ã¯ 尺八㌠ã‚ã‚Šã¾ã™" in Japanese.
What will Jeremy say?
# Posted on May 7th 2010 by Trevor Jennings
Re: 私は 尺八が あります!!!
Lazyhound: errr.. get a Mac maybe?
I think it's more to do with your actual computer, not your web browser. You could probably install Unicode, but I've no idea how.
Anyway, it says "Watashi wa shakuhachi ga arimasu!!!", which means "I have a shakuhachi!!!" (I just finished a semester of Japanese, it's sooo much fun!)
Gam: yeah, I was really lucky to meet a guy* -- the boyfriend of a girl in my Japanese class -- who's been honing the art of shakuhachi-making for quite a while now, but doesn't consider them quite good enough to sell yet. So he just makes loads for practice, and gives them away! But he told me that mine would probably be one of the last he gives away before he starts charging. So I was very lucky.
Dan, you definitely need to get an erhu. And learn Mandarin.
* In case you live in/near Boston, USA, and want a shakuhachi, his name is Matt Funamura.
# Posted on May 7th 2010 by Joe CSS
Re: 私は 尺八が あります!!!
Yeah yeah, I know about the Google translate thing too -- you ask it to translate "shakuhachi" into Japanese, and it gives you 尺八. But then you ask it for 尺八 in English, and it says "blow job"!
Maybe this says something we didn't know about the Japanese, eh?
# Posted on May 7th 2010 by Joe CSS
Re: 私は 尺八が あります!!!
I'm learning Urdu Joe there are only so many crazy Asian languages I can handle!
But yeah the Erhu sounds amazing when played well.
# Posted on May 7th 2010 by I ♥ Dow
Re: 私は 尺八が あります!!!
Joe, I did consider a Mac some while back, but are you aware of Apple's pricing structure in Europe? It's quite unacceptable to many people (including me), and that's why the Mac isn't quite the killer computer over here it perhaps should be. Mind you, Apple has always put a hefty premium on its products in Europe - right back to the Apple IIe in the '80s.
Anyway, thanks for the English transliteration - I'd guess that "shakuhachi" means "something you blow" (more or less). Hence Google Translator's down to earth version!
A few years ago we had a violinist in our chamber orchestra for a year. He was Chinese and doing a Master's at Bristol Uni. His English was next to non-existent so he usually had a friend with him to help out. I did wonder what his Master's was in but it turned out to be mathematics, so a good command of English probably wasn't all that necessary. Anyway, he was a superb violinist and a great asset to the orchestra for that year. One evening he brought along his erhu to the rehearsal and held us all entranced during a greatly extended coffee break with an impromptu recital on it. Beautiful sounding instrument.
# Posted on May 7th 2010 by Trevor Jennings
Re: 私は 尺八が あります!!!
"visiting violinist" of course. We have about a dozen others!
# Posted on May 7th 2010 by Trevor Jennings
Re: 私は 尺八が あります!!!
You don't need a Mac to see the title of this thread display properly. I can see it fine on my Win Vista machine with Chrome, IE, Opera, Safari and Firefox. The problem you are having is something else.
# Posted on May 7th 2010 by rob zouk
Re: 私は 尺八が あります!!!
"Anyway, it says "Watashi wa shakuhachi ga arimasu!!!", which means "I have a shakuhachi!!!" (I just finished a semester of Japanese, it's sooo much fun!)"
The Circle of Normality people must be sleeping... more power to your elbow Joe
# Posted on May 7th 2010 by Eòsaph
Re: 私は 尺八が あります!!!
I know his brother, Gloss Funamura.
# Posted on May 7th 2010 by mcknowall
Re: 私は 尺八が あります!!!
If you are getting squares and lines, from Control Panel open Regional and Language Options, and on the Languages tab under Supplemental Language Support, check the box for the language group you want. It needs about 300Mb disc space, I think.
# Posted on May 7th 2010 by gam
Re: 私は 尺八が あります!!!
Trevor:
Start --> Control Panel --> Regional & Language Options --> Languages
Check: Install files for East Asian languages
Click: Details --> Add --> Japanese
Joe CSS: すごいね！楽しんでください。
# Posted on May 7th 2010 by browndog
Re: 私は 尺八が あります!!!
browndog:
ありがとう
# Posted on May 7th 2010 by Joe CSS
Re: 私は 尺八が あります!!!
Just goes to show how out of touch some of us are. I thought I was going to read an article of laying paving slabs.
# Posted on May 7th 2010 by Free Reed
Re: 私は 尺八が あります!!!
Lazyhound I retyped this using the character map, does it look any different on your computer. It copies into Notepad if the font is set on Arial MS Unicode.
私は尺八があります
Gonzo blow job is from the 尺八 homepage.
# Posted on May 7th 2010 by Ben Steen
私は尺八があります
just checking something.
# Posted on May 7th 2010 by Ben Steen
*
The kanji is showing in my browser even though Supplemental Language Support is unchecked & Japanese is not added under the details.
Shakuhachi Homepage
http://www-b.indchem.metro-u.ac.jp/shakuhachi.html
using google translator
http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww-b.indchem.metro-u.ac.jp%2Fshakuhachi.html&sl=ja&tl=en&hl=&ie=UTF-8
# Posted on May 7th 2010 by Ben Steen
Re: 私は 尺八が あります!!!
I've just discovered that the kanji shows on Opera 10 and Firefox (both of which I rarely use - I'll have to think about that policy now) even though, like Random, Supplemental Language Support is unchecked & Japanese is not added under the details.
I've tried browndog's useful suggestion. Unfortunately, it got to the stage where it demanded a particular file ftlx041e.dll - a file I don't have on my system. Apparently, that file is on the XP installation CD. I don't have that either because I had a particularly bad HD crash last year and the backup installation was one of those crazy and useless systems where it's squirreled away in a hidden partition at the start of the C drive - so when that goes down the pan the user is stuffed. In case anyone's wondering, all my data and applications had been backed up onto a separate drive. The repair technician set up a new HD with an up-to-date XP installation from his registered OE disk, which of course he couldn't pass on to me, but he didn't download the Eastern Asiatic characters - I didn't ask him to.
I've since downloaded ftlx041e.dll from the web, and I'll get around to installing it in the next day or so. Hopefully, that will solve the problem as far as Google Chrome is concerned. I've done the usual AV etc checks on ftlx041e.dll and everything looks ok.
# Posted on May 7th 2010 by Trevor Jennings
Re: 私は 尺八が あります!!!
私は 尺八が あります is an awkward sentence in many respects. I would say (私は) 尺八を手に入れました, which literally means "I got a shakuhachi. In Japanese (and probably Korean too) the subject of a sentence is often omitted, whether it's first, second or third person. No computer software wouldn't know the rule!
I myself haven't tried to learn the instrument. It's probably much harder to learn to play than uilleann pipes, of course in different ways. Harry Bradley does a nice "job": http://www.myspace.com/harrybradley
# Posted on May 7th 2010 by slainte
Re: 私は 尺八が あります!!!
You can bring it to my local session, Joe, as long as you can't get a note out of it.
# Posted on May 7th 2010 by CreadurMawnOrganig
Re: 私は 尺八が あります!!!
Ah, thanks for the Japanese advice, Slainte! Hopefully my Japanese will become less awkward over time.
And I actually got my first note out of it JUST NOW (major headrush time), so... you have been warned!
# Posted on May 7th 2010 by Joe CSS
Re: 私は 尺八が あります!!!
What the hell is a shakahuchi?! shakahachi. Shakuhachi. shakka lakka lkka huchi hoo.
bleah.
O_o
# Posted on May 8th 2010 by Pádraig