JAPAN

GRADE 8 ARTHROPODA

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. Audiences are looking for this self-mastery in musicians. This is the reason why music has become highly ritualized. Musicians must show this spiritual self-mastery in their performance and composure. They work on an inner strength in mastering his or her instrument, more than simply perfecting a technique of some sort and providing entertainment.

JAPANese musical

instruments

PERCUSSION INTRUMENTS (MEMBRANOPHONE)Odaiko- simply means “big drum” and the worlds’ largest is almost ten feet in diameter. Odaiko can refer to a large drum of any style, but usually it’s used for drums of the Okedo or Nagado style. Odaiko are played on stands in a horizontal position often with a drummer standing on either side of the drum.

PERCUSSION INTRUMENTS (MEMBRANOPHONE)The Tsuzumi is a Japanese drum of Chinese/Indian origin. It consists of a wooden body shaped like an hourglass, and it is taut, with two drum heads with cords that can be squeezed or released to increase or decrease the tension of the heads respectively.

PERCUSSION INTRUMENTS (MEMBRANOPHONE)Tsuri-daiko (釣太鼓 ) — drum on a stand with ornately painted head, played with a padded stick. a large hanging barrel drum

PERCUSSION INTRUMENTS (MEMBRANOPHONE)Taiko are a broad range of Japanese percussion instruments. Within Japan, the term refers to any kind of drum, but outside Japan, the term is often used to refer to any of the various Japanese drums called wadaiko and to the form of ensemble taiko drumming more specifically called kumi-daiko "drum collection".

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. Koto is used in an ensemble in gagaku or as a solo instrument.

STRING INSTRUMENTS (CHORDOPHONE)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.

STRING INSTRUMENTS (CHORDOPHONE)Biwa - is a Japanese short-necked 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.

STRING INSTRUMENTS (CHORDOPHONE)Biwa - is a Japanese short-necked 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)Shakuhachi – the most famous flute made from bamboo. It has four or five finger holes on the front face and a thumb hole on the rear face. As with other instruments above, it was imported from China for gagaku.

WIND INSTRUMENTS(AEROPHONE)Nokan - a parallel, bamboo flute (fue) is the only melodic instrument used in noh. The melody of the flute has no specific pitch relationship with the melody of the chanting.

WIND INSTRUMENTS(AEROPHONE)Hichiriki - is a double reed Japanese fue (flute) used as one of two main melodic instruments in Japanese gagaku music, the other being the ryūteki.

WIND INSTRUMENTS(AEROPHONE)Sho - is a Japanese free reed musical instrument that was introduced from China during the Nara period.

WIND INSTRUMENTS(AEROPHONE)Shinobue- is called takebue in the context of Japanese traditional arts. It is a Japanese Transverse flute or fue that has a high pitched sound.

WIND INSTRUMENTS(AEROPHONE)Ryūteki - literally "dragon flute" is a Japanese transverse fue made of bamboo. It is used in gagaku.

THE END

MARYLOID T. GARCIA