Eastern versus Western Teaching Techniques

by Nelson Lee

I have seen many students of Japanese music make the same mistakes over and over and never improve. In my experience studying and teaching, I’ve noticed that these students need more than the traditional Japanese teaching method, which consists exclusively of listening and playing. They need to be told what needs work in their playing, and they need to be given exercises to guide them through the process of improving. Through my experience, I have learned the difference between Eastern and Western teaching methods, and I have developed a method that combines the best aspects of each.

The traditional Japanese teaching method differs from the Western method of teaching music. Neither one is better than the other; they are simply different. In the Japanese method, the music is passed from master to student with very little verbal instruction. The master and student play both together and apart, and the student listens carefully to the master and tries to catch the subtleties of his or her playing.

In Western music teaching, verbal communication is very important. The music is still transferred from teacher to student in an intuitive manner, but in the West you are told what to do: you are told when you are playing flat, and you are told how to produce a better articulation.

There are advantages and disadvantages to both teaching methods. For Westerners, the danger of the Japanese method is that a student who is not mindful can go from lesson to lesson making the same mistakes. The teacher recognizes the mistakes but does not tell the student. This is not done from spite, but rather, from the Japanese philosophy that it is the student’s responsibility to learn. Because they are used to this philosophy, Japanese students learn early on to listen and play mindfully. However, for a Western student, it may be preferable to learn from a teacher who simply tells you what to do and what not to do. Eventually, through practicing, learning, and loving the music, the Western student may also develop the mindfulness required to listen and play by ear.

The main danger in the Western teaching method is that the student may focus too heavily on technique and theory, becoming distracted by the science of the music. His music may become drained of feeling and soul and may become dry and mechanical sounding. Therefore, advanced students might work better with a teacher who uses the Japanese method.

Bamboo Bell teaches Western students using a blend of East and West, giving our students instruction when they need it and knowing when to focus on the intuitive aspects of the music.

As you continue on your path of learning the shakuhachi, note what works for you and what doesn’t. Do you find yourself making the same mistakes over and over, and that you need to focus on a certain technique? Or did you lose the spirit of the music somewhere along the way, and you need to go back and find the flow once again? You will need to find the right combination for you that adds up to joy and success.

For information on Bamboo Bell’s teaching methods, see Lessons.