Taiko Drumming

1. Taiko
太鼓By PJN and CA Gartree Community School

2. What is Taiko?
Taiko is a Japanese performance art that involves
beating drums (taiko) with large, cylindrical
drumsticks (bachi). It is both the name for the drum
and for the art-form of ensemble drumming. Taiko
means “big drum”. It uses martial art like movements and
“ki-ais” (shouting to encourage high energy).

3. The Drums
Shime Daiko
Chudaiko or
Nagado Daiko
Odaiko Chudaiko
Okedo Daiko

4. Clothing
Happi
the short coat
Tabi
shoes
Momohiki
trousers
Hachimaki
head band
Obi
belt

5. The 4 principles
• Attitude
• Kata
• Technique
• Ki
By PJN Gartree Community School

6. Attitude
Personal Responsibility – you choose
how you behave. Your reward is
connected to how much you put in.
Focus on Achievement – do your best,
whatever that may be
Teamwork – be aware of the impact you
have on other people
By PJN Gartree Community School

7. Kata
Aesthetics – taiko is as much a visual art as it is
musical.
Body Language – It’s a performance art, you
communicate with your body at every instant
Ergonomics – you need to stand or sit in the
right way so that you can play it effectively, and
without hurting yourself
Fitness – taiko is also a physical art form and
will require physical effort from you
By PJN Gartree Community School

8. Technique
Stick Skills – how to hold sticks and how to
strike a drum in the best way
Rhythm Skills – the ability to play rhythm
patterns in sequence and in layers
Dynamic Expression – playing loudly or quietly
and with feeling
Ensemble Skills – knowing when to take the
lead and when to follow
By PJN Gartree Community School

9. Ki
Unity of Mind and Body – the physical
and the mental are not separated. Being in
“flow”.
Self Expression – your taiko is an
expression of yourself
Energy and Joy – taiko is its own reward.
It’s fun!
By PJN Gartree Community School

10. Rhythm
Syllables:
Do or Don = strike hara (centre of drumskin)
Ka or Ko = strike fuchi (edge of the drum)
Do-Ron or Do-Ka = strike 2 times on hara
Ka-Ra = strike 2 times on fuchi
Do-Don = strike 2 times on hara, the second is
stronger
Su = rest (silence)
Tsu = play lightly
Each of the different syllables tells the drummer how to hit
the drum, along with the timing for each drum beat. The
beats, pauses, shouts and movements are all important to
the performance.
Information taken from www.utc.edu

11. Vocabulary
Dojo – school or group in training
Ki ai – shouts and verbal cues Taiko players
use to keep time
Sensei – teacher
Uchite – a taiko drummer
Bachi – drum sticks
Don! – one loud hit in the centre of the drum
Odaiko – the largest drum
Tataki Mashoo - Start
Owari Mashoo – Stop, finish, quit