My honest review on the inexpensive plastic shinobue, Suzuki Douji.
Many of my students start out learning shinobues with Suzuki plastic shinobues, and I sell many of them on my website. Here is my honest opinion on this shinobue.
Pros:
Sound Quality
They truly resemble a bamboo flute. If I conducted a blind test with someone playing a bamboo flute and Suzuki plastic shinobues, I wouldn't be surprised if I got it wrong.
Ease of playing
I find the Suzuki shinobue in both 6 hon choshi and 7 hon choshi keys to be very easy to play. Their kan on sound very nice. I've heard from others that they purchased the Suzuki 6 hon choshi for traveling because it's so durable, and they claim it plays better than their bamboo flute! (I’ll share more about the 8 hon choshi later.)
Price
When you first try shinobue, you might not be sure if you like it. Start with an affordable option so you can see if it's right for you. Don’t spend too much on your first shinobue. Suzuki Douji is a great choice for beginners!
Durability
Bamboo flutes are prone to cracking. Plastic shinobues are not. You can even keep it in your car. Great for traveling.
Great for travel
A lot of experienced players love taking Suzuki shinobues on their travels because they're super durable! Plus, if anything were to happen to them, you don't have to worry much since they’re not too pricey. You can now practice shinobue during your vacation and share it around the campfire with your friends!
Quality consistency
Bamboo flutes are handcrafted, making each one unique, which is quite fascinating. However, this uniqueness can be a downside when purchasing one, as you cannot be sure of the quality until you try it in person. On the other hand, plastic shinobues, like those made by Suzuki, are created using specific molds. For instance, my Suzuki 6 hon choshi is exactly the same as the one you would buy. This consistency allows me to speak definitively about Suzuki shinobues.
Cons:
Looks
I’m not a big fan of Suzuki's appearance; it looks rather plastic to me. I wish it came in black! (However, I am practical, so appearance isn’t as important to me as factors like sound quality and pricing.)
8 hon choshi - ryo on 1
Suzuki 8 hon choshi sells the most but I'm not a big fan of its ryo on 1. With any 8 hon choshi, the lower part of the range is not very resonant because of its small size, but I feel like Suzuki 8 hon choshi's ryo on 1 is especially hard.
My opinion on each hon choshi
Among all the Suzuki hon choshis, my favorite is the 6 hon choshi. It is the largest and most resonant, producing a sound reminiscent of a beautiful bamboo flute. However, it is more expensive than the other hon choshis. If you want to invest less, I recommend the 7 hon choshi. The 7 hon choshi is still very easy to play and has a lovely bright sound, and its price is comparable to that of the 8 hon choshi.
If you're looking for a shinobue to play solo, I would not recommend the 8 hon choshi, as it is the least resonant option. However, if you plan to play with a taiko group and focus primarily on kan on, the Suzuki 8 hon choshi could be a good choice because its kan on sound is easy to produce and carries well.
If you intend to play with a pianist, the 8 hon choshi might be suitable since 8 hon choshi is easy to play in the keys of C, F, and G major, which are good keys for pianists.
Hope you liked my honest review on Suzuki shinobues! If you are interested in purchasing them, here is the link!
Check out my Amazon storefront! I loaded up all my favorite Japanese food! When you purchase any products from my storefront, I earn a small commission at NO ADDITIONAL COST TO YOU. This is an easy way for you to support me, allowing me to continue sharing the beauty of shinobue with the world.
Shinobue Wako offers amazing bamboo shinobues with beautiful colors and a bright, rich sound that I'm sure you'll love! Did you watch the video of me playing Wako's shinobue? I'm using the Navy blue Wako shinobue!
Q & A: "In last week's newsletter, you said 8 hon choshi can play multiple keys. I have 6 hon choshi. What keys can I play?"
Answer: After receiving numerous questions from last week's newsletter about hon choshi, I created a new video to address them! If you have any further questions about hon choshi, please reply to this email. I respond to all emails!
Are you interested in Japan? Imagine diving into their culture and learning to play a beautiful ancient musical instrument! Why not give the shinobue a try? This lovely Japanese bamboo flute is easier to learn than you might think. Many folks (even without any musical experience) are discovering the rich traditions of Japan through this amazing instrument. I invite you to check out my website, saitomusic.com, where you'll find a wealth of free information that used to be available only in Japanese. You can easily purchase a beginner shinobue there at an affordable price. Also, don’t miss my YouTube channel, “Miki Saito Shinobue Adventure,” where I share anime and video game covers and fun tutorials. And be sure to subscribe to my free newsletter to support you on your shinobue journey! I can’t wait to see you there!
