EAST ASIAN MUSIC
Koto - is a 13-string zither, about two meters
JAPAN
Japanese vocal music is quite different
from the 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 and
how they give value to their performance and
composure. Instrumental music of Japan
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. Japanese chamber and solo music
have a slow meditative pace. The performance
of Japanese music has traditionally been of a
spiritual character, similarly to martial arts and
other forms of art such as the tea ceremony
and calligraphy. It is usually about religious
festivals, work, dance, love, and regional songs.
Percussion Instruments (Membranophone)
1. Odaiko - (big drum). The physical energy and
sheer excitement of an Odaiko performance is
an integral part of many Japanese matsuri
(festivals).
2. Tsuzumi (hourglassshape) – There are two
varieties; the (smaller) kotsuzumi is held on the
right shoulder and the player alters the tone by
squeezing the laces. The (bigger) otsuzumi is
placed on the left thigh.
3. Tsuridaiko – a large hanging barrel drum
4. Taiko - is a Japanese drum that comes in
various sizes and is used to play a variety of
musical genres.
String Instruments (Chordophone)
1.
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. Koto is used in
an ensemble in gagaku or as a solo instrument.
2. Shamisen - is a plucked stringed instrument.
Its construction follows a model similar to that
of a guitar or a banjo, employing a neck, and
strings stretched across a resonating body. The
neck of the shamisen is fretless, and is slimmer
than that of a guitar or a banjo.
3. Biwa - is a Japanese shortnecked fretted lute,
often used in narrative storytelling. The biwa is
the chosen instrument of Benten, the goddess
of music, eloquence, poetry, and education in
Japanese Shinto.
Wind Instruments (Aerophone)
1. Shakuhachi - the most famous flute made
from bamboo. It has 4 or 5 finger holes on the
front face and a thumbhole on the rear face.
2. Nokan - a parallel, bamboo flute is the only
melodic instrument used in noh. The melody of
the flute has no specific pitch relationship with
the melody of the chanting.
3. Hichiriki - is a double reed Japanese flute
used as one of two main melodic instruments in
Japanese gagaku music, the other being the
ryūteki.
4. Sho - is a Japanese free reed musical
instrument that was introduced from China
during the Nara period.
5. Shinobue – also called takebue (in the
context of Japanese traditional arts) is a
Japanese transverse flute or fue that has a
highpitched sound.
6. Ryūteki - literally "dragon flute" is a Japanese
transverse fue made of bamboo. It is used in
gagaku.
 6. Dizi - is the traditional Chinese flute. It can
have a membrane over an extra hole to give the
CHINA characteristic rattle effect.

For several thousand years Chinese 7. Zheng - An ancient Chinese instrument that
culture was dominated by the teachings of the has an arched surface and an elongated
philosopher Confucius, he conceived music in trapezoid with 13 to 21 strings stretched over
the highest sense as a means of calming the individual bridges.
passion of dispelling of unrest and lust, rather
8. Pengling - these are two small bells made of
than as a form of amusement. Traditionally the
high-tin bronze, without internal clappers, and
Chinese have believed that sound influences
hemispheric or bottomless gourd like in shape.
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.
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.
Chong-ak means literally "right (or
correct) music", Chongak also refers to
ensemble music for men of high social status
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
presented to audiences by skilled vocal singers
and drummers. But even the unskilled could
sing these songs. Instrumental Music of Korea
Korean music especially in South Korea has a
rich vocal tradition, and diverse instruments
and music forms. Folk songs, religious works,
court music, and shaman rituals all express the
soul of a nation whose history is filled with
colorful and fascinating tales.
String Instruments
1. 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 the best-known traditional
Korean musical instrument.
Wind Instruments
Piri - it is made of bamboo. Its large reed and
cylindrical bore gives it a sound mellower than
that of many other types of oboe.
Percussion Instrument
Changgo - is the most widely used drum used in
the traditional music of Korea. It is available in
most kinds, and consists of an hourglass-shaped
body with two heads made from animal skin.
SAKURA– (Cherry Blossoms) is a traditional
Japanese folk song depicting spring, the season
of cherry blossoms.
MO LI HUA - is a traditional Chinese song with a
beautifully gentle and lyrical melody. The lyrics
is about “the jasmine flower” also turn it into a
love song.
ARIRANG - is a Korean folk song, sometimes
considered the unofficial national anthem of
Korea. It is used as a symbol of Korea and
Korean culture. Arirang is in essence a song of
farewell. The origin of the word 'Arirang' is ‘the
hill’. An emotion of deep regret is imbued in the
rhythm of Arirang. The song evokes the feeling
of the tears shed by Koreans and the
remembrance of their sad stories.

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.