Skip to main content

Traditional Japanese Musical Instruments

Many traditional Japanese instruments originated in China.

Japanese traditional instruments consist of three basic types -- strings, percussion, and winds -- used in ceremonies and celebrations including Buddhist ceremonies and Imperial court music. The music varies from solo works to different types of ensembles used in chamber and theater music. Many of the instruments used in Japanese music have made their way into Western compositions as well.

Shamisen


The shamisen is a plucked three-string instrument that traces its origins to16th century China. The shamisen appeared in Kabuki theater in which performers would dance traditional Japanese dances and depict stories and legends through the music. Traditionally, the shamisen consists of red sandalwood with silk strings and a body made from animal skin.

Koto


The koto is another string instrument that came from China around the 6th century. Kotos traditionally comprise five strings each tuned to a note of the pentatonic scale -- a five-note scale that spans an octave. The modern koto has 13 strings made of silk or nylon. The koto appeared in ensembles with drums and winds or by itself as a solo instrument. Often, girls from samurai families would learn to play this instrument.

Shakuhachi


The shakuhachi is an end-blown flute constructed entirely of bamboo that also originally came from China. The instrument consists of four holes on the top covered by the pads of the fingers and one hole on the bottom for the thumb. The instrument receives its name from the description of its length; “shaku” means “foot,” while “hachi” stands for the number eight. Only Buddhist priests played this instrument.

Taiko


The taiko drum often appears in Western music; the Japanese designed this instrument in the early 9th century. It consists of a cowhide head and uses a stick referred to as a "bachi" to strike the drum. Taiko are very large drums, and often more than one player will play a single drum. The drums emit a low, rich and full thundering sound and reportedly originally appeared on the battlefield. Taiko drumming has become very popular in modern Japan and the U.S.

Additional Instruments


There are several less commonly known traditional Japanese instruments. Among these are several plucked string instruments including the biwa, a pear-shaped lute, while the ichigenkin, junanagen, taishogoto and yamatogoto are all in the zither family -- flat-boarded instruments with strings that stretch across the board ranging in number from three to 17. The Japanese also had a harp called the kugo and a sanshin, which is similar to a three-stringed banjo. Additionally, there were various types of bamboo flutes, including the nohkan, hocchiku, and shinobue. Finally, smaller drums called the kakko and ikko as well as larger ones called odaiko and kodo were used in traditional ceremonies and Kabuki theater, which were plays about historical events, relationships, and ethical questions.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Similarities of Classical and Baroque Music

Music has evolved through the centuries and undergone drastic changes. One of the most significant transitions was from the Baroque to the Classical period of music. In this paragraph, I will compare and contrast some of the main features of these two styles, such as ensembles, instrumentation, and counterpoint study. The Baroque and Classical periods of music have many similarities. While the style of music changed drastically, certain key elements remained the same between the two styles. Composers in the Classical period sought to simplify music and create clearly audible musical lines. In contrast, composers from the Baroque period were interested in creating complex and highly ornamented musical lines. The Baroque period occurs from approximately 1600 to 1750, and the Classical period extends from 1750 to 1820. Ensembles Ensembles are groups of musicians that perform together. Both the Baroque and the Classical period had similar types of ensembles, such as operas, orchestras, str...

Sunday Stories: The Power of Audiation in Music Composition

Happy Sunday! Today, let’s explore the transformative power of audiation in music composition and share an inspiring story about a composer who mastered this skill. Audiation, the ability to hear and understand music in your mind, is a crucial tool for composers, enabling them to bring their musical ideas to life with greater detail and precision. What is Audiation? Audiation is the process of hearing and comprehending music in your mind without any external sound. It is similar to thinking in a language, where you can understand and manipulate words and sentences internally.  For composers, audiation is an essential skill that allows them to imagine, develop, and refine their musical ideas before they are played or written down 1 . The Benefits of Audiation for Composers 1. Enhanced Musical Understanding Audiation helps composers develop a deeper understanding of music. By hearing and analyzing music internally, they can grasp the relationships between different musical elements, ...

List of Musical Techniques and Their Meanings

Musical techniques are the building blocks of any basic music training. These techniques allow performers to improve their coordination and develop accuracy through repetitive daily exercises. Musical techniques progressively build upon previously learned techniques. Scales Scales form the basis for other musical techniques. Student may study major and minor scales as well as modern scales, such as the whole-tone and octatonic scales. A scale consists of patterns of half steps and whole steps. These whole steps and half-step arrangements will be different for each scale. Scales are musical techniques that can help a performer to play faster and more accurately, and make learning new pieces easier. Chords Chords require knowledge of major and minor scales. Chords come in several different forms that affect the sound. Triads consist of three notes spaced a third apart and classified as major, minor, augmented and diminished chords. Seventh chords build on triads and have an additional no...