Traditional Japanese music is basically mediative in character. its performance is highly ritualized, as much in the music itself, as in the composure of the musicians when performing, Japanese chamber and solo music have a slow mediative pace.
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. It is usually about religious festivals, work, dance, love songs and regional songs. Audiences are looking for this self-mastery in musicians. This the reason why music has become highly ritualized. Musicians must know 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 INSTRUMENT
PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS
1. ODAIKO
(BIG DRUMS) integral part of Japanese matsuri
2. TSUZUMI used in noh and kabuki performaces
(HOURGLASS SHAPE DRUM)
A. KOTSUZUMI - smaller version held on the right shoulder and alters the tone by squeezing the laces
B. OTSUZUMI - bigger version 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. it has become particularly popular in recent years as the central instrument of percussion ensembles whose repertory is based on a variety of folk and festival of the past
STRING INSTRUMENTS
1. KOTO - is a 13 stringed zither, about 2 meters longs and made of Paulownia wood. It is plucked by using picks on the thumb and first 2 fingers of the right hand, while the left hand can be used to modify pitch and tone. It is used 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 string and resonating body. The neck is fretless.
3. BIWA - Japanese short necked fretted lute. Often used in narrative storytelling, The biwa is the chosen instrument of BENTEN, the goddes of music and elquence, poetry, and education in Japanese Shinto.
WIND INSTRUMENTS
1. SHAKUHACHI - the most famous flute made up of bamboo. It has four to five finger holes on the front face and a thumbhole on the rear face. It was imported from China.
2. NOKAN - paralllel, bamboo flute is the only melodic instrument used in NOH. The melody of the flute has no specific pitch relative to the chanting of the melody.
3. HICHIRIKI - is a double reed Japanese flute used as one of the two main melodic instruments in Japanese gagaku music, the other being the ryuteki.
4. SHO - is a Japanese free reed musical instrument that was introduced from China during the Nara period.
5. SHINOBE - is also called takebuein the context of Japanese traditional arts. It is a Japanese transverse flute or fue that has a high pitched sound.
6. RYUTEKI - literally means DRAGON FLUTE is a Japanese transverse fue made of bamboo. It is used in gagaku.
