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Asian Music What is it? What instruments are used in it?. Asian Music. Where is Japan?. Japan. Koto- a string instrument with 13 strings and 13 bridges; played with finger picks Finger picks are placed on thumb, index finger and middle finger National instrument of Japan.
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Asian Music What is it? What instruments are used in it?
Japan • Koto- a string instrument with 13 strings and 13 bridges; played with finger picks • Finger picks are placed on thumb, index finger and middle finger • National instrument of Japan http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75uAD-XYs6U
Japan • Taiko Drums – Taiko means drum in Japanese • Drums are typically made of wood and played with sticks • They are typically very large instruments. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_n-6KC2RdGQ
China • Qin or Guqin – stringed instrument that is plucked • Soft Dynamic instrument • Range of about four octaves http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2Zf_RrEqx4
China • Dizi – instrument made out of bamboo or wood • Played like a flute http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxsOks4V35w
China • In America, we have four instrument families (brass, woodwind, percussion and string). • In China, they have three instrument families (woodwind, percussion and string). • *String family is MOST IMPORTANT!!! • In America, we have a conductor typically. • In China, there is usually NO conductor. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4VEuTM_gBI&feature=related
Indonesia • Gamelan Ensemble – from Indonesia that uses percussion instruments • The word ‘gamelan’ comes from the word ‘GAMELS’ which means to hammer. • Metallophones, Xylophones, Drums and Gongs are used. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55_ngjs8prU
Pentatonic Scale • Pentatonic Scale- scale commonly used in Asian music • Built on five notes (Do, Re, Mi, Sol and La) • Penta = five Tonic = Notes
Why does Asian music sound different? • Government - Communism • Government control of the spread of Western ideas (including music) into Asian culture kept Asian music from developing and modernizing. • Government isolated/shielded Asian culture from the influence of Western cultures/arts. • Instruments and techniques did not develop like in the Western cultures. Instruments used today are the same as instruments used in ancient Asia. • Today, China is more open (still Communist), and Japan is democratic; therefore, some more modern ideas/techniques are coming into Asian culture.