EAST ASIAN MUSIC 1.

Koto - is a 13-string zither, about two meters

long and made of Paulownia wood. It is plucked

JAPAN using picks on the thumb and first two fingers of

the right hand, while the left hand can be used
Japanese vocal music is quite different to modify pitch and tone. Koto is used in an
from the Western vocal music, and is based on ensemble in gagaku or as a solo instrument.
the intervals of human breathing rather than 2. Shamisen - is a plucked stringed instrument.
mathematical timing, and how Japanese Its construction follows a model similar to that
musicians show their spiritual self-mastery in of a guitar or a banjo, employing a neck, and
mastering his or her instrument more than strings stretched across a resonating body. The
simply perfecting a technique of some sort and neck of the shamisen is fretless, and is slimmer
how they give value to their performance and than that of a guitar or a banjo.
composure. Instrumental music of Japan
Traditional Japanese music is basically 3. Biwa - is a Japanese shortnecked fretted lute,
meditative in character. Its performance is often used in narrative storytelling. The biwa is
highly ritualized, as much in the music itself, as the chosen instrument of Benten, the goddess
in the composure of the musicians when of music, eloquence, poetry, and education in
performing it. Japanese chamber and solo music Japanese Shinto.
have a slow meditative pace. The performance Wind Instruments (Aerophone)
of Japanese music has traditionally been of a
spiritual character, similarly to martial arts and 1. Shakuhachi - the most famous flute made
other forms of art such as the tea ceremony and from bamboo. It has 4 or 5 finger holes on the
calligraphy. It is usually about religious festivals, front face and a thumbhole on the rear face.
work, dance, love, and regional songs.
2. Nokan - a parallel, bamboo flute is the only
Percussion Instruments (Membranophone) melodic instrument used in noh. The melody of
the flute has no specific pitch relationship with
1. Odaiko - (big drum). The physical energy and the melody of the chanting.
sheer excitement of an Odaiko performance is
an integral part of many Japanese matsuri 3. Hichiriki - is a double reed Japanese flute
(festivals). used as one of two main melodic instruments in
Japanese gagaku music, the other being the
2. Tsuzumi (hourglassshape) – There are two ryūteki.
varieties; the (smaller) kotsuzumi is held on the
right shoulder and the player alters the tone by 4. Sho - is a Japanese free reed musical
squeezing the laces. The (bigger) otsuzumi is instrument that was introduced from China
placed on the left thigh. during the Nara period.

3. Tsuridaiko – a large hanging barrel drum 5. Shinobue – also called takebue (in the
context of Japanese traditional arts) is a
4. Taiko - is a Japanese drum that comes in Japanese transverse flute or fue that has a
various sizes and is used to play a variety of highpitched sound.
musical genres.
6. Ryūteki - literally "dragon flute" is a Japanese
String Instruments (Chordophone) transverse fue made of bamboo. It is used in
gagaku.
 7. Zheng - An ancient Chinese instrument that
has an arched surface and an elongated
CHINA trapezoid with 13 to 21 strings stretched over
individual bridges.
For several thousand years Chinese
culture was dominated by the teachings of the 8. Pengling - these are two small bells made of
philosopher Confucius, he conceived music in high-tin bronze, without internal clappers, and
the highest sense as a means of calming the hemispheric or bottomless gourd like in shape.
passion of dispelling of unrest and lust, rather
than as a form of amusement. Traditionally the
Chinese have believed that sound influences the
harmony of the universe. Significantly, one of
the most important duties of the first emperor
of each new dynasty was to search out and
establish that dynasty’s through standard of
pitch. A result of this philosophical orientation
was that the Chinese theoretically opposed
music performed solely for entertainment.

CHINESE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

1. Yueqin - Moon shaped lute with shorter neck

and four strings, played with a spectrum, used
for accompanying local operas.

2. Pipa - Four-stringed lute with 30 frets and a

pear-shaped body. This instrument has an
extremely wide dynamic range and remarkable
expressive power.

3. Erhu - Two-stringed fiddle and one of the

most popular Chinese instruments. It is used as
a solo instrument as well as in small ensembles
or large orchestra, and by various ethnic groups.

4. Yunluo - Literally "cloud gongs" or "cloud of

gongs", the yunluo is a set of ten small tuned
gongs mounted in a wooden frame.

5. Sheng – (Chinese mouth organ) looks like a

set of panpipes, with 12 to 36 bamboo pipes.
Each pipe is of different length with a brass reed
at the bottom and a hole that must be blocked
in order for the note to sound.

6. Dizi - is the traditional Chinese flute. It can KOREA

have a membrane over an extra hole to give the
characteristic rattle effect.
 Korea's folk music tradition, with its Piri - it is made of bamboo. Its large reed and
generous use of bright rhythms and melodies, cylindrical bore gives it a sound mellower than
offers a more energetic and capricious contrast that of many other types of oboe.
to the nation's collection of classical music
Percussion Instrument
works.
Changgo - is the most widely used drum used in
Chong-ak means literally "right (or
the traditional music of Korea. It is available in
correct) music", Chongak also refers to
most kinds, and consists of an hourglass-shaped
ensemble music for men of high social status
body with two heads made from animal skin.
outside of the court.

Sog-ak or minsogak 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. Pansori is a kind of music SAKURA– (Cherry Blossoms) is a traditional
presented to audiences by skilled vocal singers Japanese folk song depicting spring, the season
and drummers. But even the unskilled could of cherry blossoms.
sing these songs. Instrumental Music of Korea
Korean music especially in South Korea has a MO LI HUA - is a traditional Chinese song with a
rich vocal tradition, and diverse instruments and beautifully gentle and lyrical melody. The lyrics
music forms. Folk songs, religious works, court is about “the jasmine flower” also turn it into a
music, and shaman rituals all express the soul of love song.
a nation whose history is filled with colorful and ARIRANG - is a Korean folk song, sometimes
fascinating tales. considered the unofficial national anthem of
String Instruments Korea. It is used as a symbol of Korea and
Korean culture. Arirang is in essence a song of
1. Kayagum (gayageum) - is a traditional Korean farewell. The origin of the word 'Arirang' is ‘the
zither-like string instrument, with 12 strings, hill’. An emotion of deep regret is imbued in the
although more recently variants have been rhythm of Arirang. The song evokes the feeling
constructed with 21 or more numbers of strings. of the tears shed by Koreans and the
It is probably the best-known traditional Korean remembrance of their sad stories.
musical instrument.

2. Geomungo – (six-string plucked zither), is a

traditional Korean stringed musical instrument
of the zither family of instruments with both
bridges and frets.

3. Haegum (two-string vertical fiddle) – It has a

rodlike neck, a hollow wooden soundbox, two
silk strings, and is held vertically on the knee of
the performer and played with a bow.

Wind Instruments