🌿Direction of the Breath - One of Three Elements of Beautiful Tone💓
Last week, I introduced the three key elements that must work together to create a beautiful shinobue tone:
The direction of your breath
The quality of your breath
Your fingering
We focused on the quality of the breath last time.
This week, let’s dive into the Direction of the Breath.
Direction of the breath
When I first started playing shinobue in 2020, I would simply blow into the hole and hope for a sound. If it didn’t work, I tried again, without really knowing why it sometimes worked and sometimes didn’t.
When I began studying with my teacher, Bunta sensei, he taught me something crucial:
You need to aim your breath at a specific spot on the utakuchi (mouth hole).
Since the utakuchi is so small, this might feel like an impossible task—but this is where embouchure comes in.
What Is Embouchure?
Embouchure is how you shape and position your mouth on a wind instrument.
Its main job?
To direct your breath into the utakuchi with precision.
Think of your embouchure like a faucet:
If the faucet points straight down, the water flows down.
If it points up, the water sprays upward.
When playing shinobue, the utakuchi sits just below your upper lip, so your embouchure needs to angle the breath downward.
Everyone’s mouth is shaped differently, so your embouchure will be unique.
Bunta-sensei says:
“Shape your lips as if you’re kissing a baby—puckered but soft and relaxed.”
Utakuchi Position on Your Lip
Another key factor is where you place the utakuchi on your lower lip.
If you have tear-drop-shaped lips, it’s fine to position it slightly off-center.
Most beginners place the utakuchi too low on the lower lip.
When I tell students to raise it, they often move it up by 2mm—but in the shinobue world, 1mm is a HUGE change!
Always think in terms of micro-adjustments. Tiny movements can make all the difference in your tone.
This week, I encourage you to experiment with your breath direction and embouchure.
Don’t be discouraged if it feels tricky at first—shinobue is all about tiny, mindful adjustments. Even a 1mm shift or a slight change in how you shape your lips can transform your tone. Be patient and curious with yourself. Every beautiful sound you create is a step forward.