Japanese two string instrument professional#
A few professional koto players still use silk strings, particularly when they perform the traditional (pre-20th century) repertoire. Originally, koto strings were made of silk, but silk breaks easily, and most performers today use synthetic strings. The strings of the koto are all the same thickness, although individual players may use slightly different thicknesses. The carving on the underside of the top piece and how the two pieces are attached to each other also help to determine if it is a good instrument. The wood grain pattern (tightness and uniformity of the rings, direction of the wood grain pattern) helps the buyer of a new know if it will have a good sound or not. This wood is naturally very light brown in color, but to bring out the beauty of the wood grain, the kotokoto maker scorches the surface with a hot iron. The koto is made from paulownia ( kiri in Japanese) wood, which is very common in Asia but not indigenous to the United States. There is a sound hole on the underside of the playing end and another hole for the strings to pass through on the opposite end. The koto is constructed of two pieces: a hollowed-out top piece, which often has an intricate pattern carved on the underside for a better tone quality, and a flat bottom piece.
Today performers often sit on chairs, and then the koto rests on a stand called a rissodai. When the player sits on the floor in the traditional manner the playing end is slightly elevated by a short stand (about 4-6 inches high) or by attaching two short feet. It is about 6 feet long, 10 inches wide and 2 inches thick. The standard koto is a zither (an instrument with strings stretched the length of the sound box) with 13 strings. This Digest introduces the instrument, its history and music. The koto repertoire has a wealth of compositions from 17th-century classics to innovative contemporary works. Although many people think of it as an ancient instrument whose music has not changed for generations, in fact it is a vibrant, living tradition. The koto is one of the most popular traditional instruments in Japan and one of the best known outside of that country.
Japanese two string instrument pdf#
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