Re: Necker Cube.

Hi Joseph,

Glad you like it.

Yes, I suppose the breath sound is unavaoidable,
as it is part of the characteristic tone of the instrument.

Using recorders for the crystal singing bowl
probably helps the transition to Shakuhachi.

I think the beating partials probably help to make
it smooth, esp. the low one beat per sec. one.
that continues all the way through at the same rate, until
the last shakuhachi voice when it finally goes away.

So, to be very sophisticated, one could
try moving the waves relative to each other until
the slowest beating partial remains exactly
in phase across the transition. As it happens, it is
pretty close to exactly in phase, by serendipity.

Would be nice to hear it on an actual crystal bowl patch!

Maybe I'll have a go, later, if someone else doesn't do it first.

In fact, one could maybe play it on the actual instruments too??

You need four singing bowls, and three Shakuhachis. Surprisingly
few instruments!

(though could be more or less depending on the
the partials of the actual instruments).

The three Shakuhachis could come in gently as the singing bowls
slowly fade away into silence.

But I suppose three of the singing bowls would have to be made
especially for the piece }:-(

Since pitch bending is used a lot in Shakuhachi music, getting
the exact pitch should be no problem there, - and the players could
listen to the speed of the beats as well as the partials in the
singing bowls, to help keep the notes exactly on pitch.

Shakuhachi music with lots of pitch bending:
http://www.yakrider.com/Resources/books/books_meditation.htm#KOMUSO

Robert