EAST ASIAN MUSIC
(Japan, China, Korea)

JAPAN

JAPAN
 Japanese vocal music is quite different from
Western vocal music and is based on the
intervals of human breathing rather than
mathematical timing
 And how Japanese musicians show their
spiritual self-mastery in mastering his or her
instrument more than simply perfecting a
technique of some sort or how they give value
to their performance and composure

 Traditional Japanese music is basically
meditative in character, its performance is
highly ritualized, as much in the music itself,
as in the composure of the musicians when
performing it.
 The performance of Japanese music has
traditionally been of a spiritual character,
similarly to martial arts and other forms of arts
such as the tea ceremony and calligraphy
INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC OF JAPAN

PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS
(MEMBRANOPHONE)

ODAIKO (Big Drum)
The physical energy and
sheer excitement of an
odaiko performance is an
integral part of many
Japanese matsuri (festivals).

TSUZUMI (hourglass-shape)

 There are two varieties, the smaller
kotsuzumi and the larger otsuzumi.
 They are used in both noh and
kabuki performances.
 The kotsuzumi is held on the
right shoulder and the player
altersthe tone by sqeezing the laces.
 The otsuzumi is placed on the
left thigh.

TSURIDAIKO
A large hanging barrel
drum.

TAIKO
Is a Japanese drum
that comes in various
sizes and is used to
play a variety of
musical genres.

STRING INSTRUMENTS
(CHORDOPHONE)

KOTO
Is a 13-string zither,
about two meters long
and made of Paulownia
wood.
 It is plucked using picks on the thumb and
first two fingers of the right hand, while the
left hand can be used to modify pitch and
tone.
 It is used in an ensemble in gagaku or a solo
instrument.

Is a plucked stringed instrument. Its
construction follows a model similar to
that of a guitar or a banjo, employing
neck, and strings stretched across a
resonating body.
SHAMISEN

 Is a Ja panese short-necked fretted
lute, often used in narrative storytelling.
is the chosen instrument on
the goddess of music,
 The biwa
Benten,
eloquence, poetry, and education in
Japanese Shinto.
BIWA

WIND INSTRUMENTS
(AEROPHONE)

The most famous flute made from bamboo.
It has four or five finger holes on the front
face and a thumbhole on the rear face.
As with other instruments above, it was
imported from China with gagaku.
SHAKUHACHI

NOKAN
bamboo
 A parallel,
flute (fue) is the only
melodic instrument
used in noh.
 The melody of the flute
relationship with
has no specific pitch
the
melody of the chanting.

HICHIRIKI
 Is a double reed Japanese flute (fue)
used as one of two main
instruments in Japanese
melodic
gagaku
music, the other being the ryuteki.

SHO
 Is a Japanese free reed
musical instrument that
was introduced from
China during the Nara
period.

SHINOBUE
 Is also called takebue in the context
of Japanese traditional arts.
 It is a Japanese transverse flute or fue
that has a high pitched sound

RYUTEKI
 Literally “dragon flute” is a Japanese
transverse fue made of bamboo.
 It is used in gagaku.

CHINA

CHINESE MUSICAL
INSTRUMENTS

KOREA

KOREA
 Korea’s folk music tradition, with
its generous use of bright
rhythms and melodies, offers a
more energetic and capricious
contrast to the nation’s collection
of classical music works.

KOREA
Folk music represents the soul and
sound of traditional Korean villages with
an eclectic array of music forms
including numerous folk songs, various
forms of instrumental pieces, pansori,
and shaman ritual music

CHONG-AK
 Means literally “right or correct music”
and its tradition includes both
instrumental and vocal music which were
cultivated mainly by the upper- class
literati of the Joseon society.
 Also refers to ensemble music for men of
high social status outside of the
court. In this category, three
tang-ak,
important terms are a-ak,
and hyang-ak.

SOG-AK
Is a category of Korean music traditionally
associated with the lower classes or for the
general public and are vibrant and energetic.
It includes genres such as pansori and minyo

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC OF
KOREA

STRING INSTRUMENTS
(CHORDOPHONE)

KAYAGUM (GAYAGEUM)

Is a traditional Korean Zither-like string
instrument with 12 strings, although
more recently variants have been
constructed with 21 or more numbers
of strings.
It is probably known the best- known
traditional Korean musical instrument.

GEUMUNGO

This 6 string plucked zither is
a traditional Korean stringed
musical instrument of the
zither family of instruments
with both bridges and frets.

HAEGUM
 2 string vertical fiddle
 Has a
hollow
rod-like neck , a
wooden sound
box, two silk strings and
is held vertically on the
knee of the performer and
played with a bow.

WIND INSTRUMENTS
(AEROPHONES)

PIRI
Used in both folk and classical music
of Korea. It is made of bamboo.

P E R C U S S I O N I N S T R U M E N T S
(MEMBRANOPHONE)

CHANGGO

Is the most widely used drum in the
traditional music in Korea.
It is available in most kinds and consists of
an hourglass-shaped body with two heads
made from animal skin
The two heads produce sounds of different
pitch and timbre, which when played
together are believed to represent the
harmony of man and woman.