Japanese 13-stringed koto

The koto (琴 or 箏) is a traditional Japanese stringed musical instrument derived from Chinese Guqins. Koto are about 180 centimetres (71 in) long and have 13 strings that are strung over 13 movable bridges along the length of the instrument. Players can adjust the string pitches by moving these bridges before playing, and use three finger picks (on thumb, forefinger, and middle finger) to pluck the strings. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 505 pixelsFull resolution (1900 × 1200 pixel, file size: 254 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 505 pixelsFull resolution (1900 × 1200 pixel, file size: 254 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... A string instrument (or stringed instrument) is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. ... A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified with the purpose of making music. ... This article is becoming very long. ...

The character for koto is also read as sō in certain contexts. Though often called by a number of other names, these terms almost always refer to similar, but different instruments, such as the Chinese guzheng (箏) or guqin (琴, called kin in Japanese). The guzheng, or gu zheng (Chinese: ; pinyin: gÇ”zhÄ“ng) or zheng (箏) (gu- means ancient) is a traditional Chinese musical instrument. ... This article is becoming very long. ...

History of the Koto

The koto was introduced to Japan in the 7th to 8th century from China, and largely derived from the Chinese hi. It was initially played only in the royal court, but this situation changed in the 17th century -- primarily because of the influence of Yatsuhashi Kengyo (1614-1684). Though the koto, like many Japanese instruments derived from Chinese ones, has likely not changed much over the centuries, the guzheng has, and thus it is no longer valid to call them the same instrument. The koto used in gagaku is called gakuso. The 7th century is the period from 601 - 700 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian Era. ... (7th century — 8th century — 9th century — other centuries) Events The Iberian peninsula is taken by Arab and Berber Muslims, thus ending the Visigothic rule, and starting almost 8 centuries of Muslim presence there. ... (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700. ... Events April 5 - In Virginia, Native American Pocahontas marries English colonist John Rolfe. ... Events France under Louis XIV makes Truce of Ratisbon separately with the Empire and Spain. ... Gagaku (雅楽, literally elegant enjoyment) is a type of Japanese classical music that has been performed at the Imperial court for several centuries. ...

Yatsuhashi Kengyo was a blind shamisen player who learned koto from an "official" court player named Hosui, in defiance of the rules which then stated that koto could not be taught to blind people (or women, incidentally). Possibly because of his personal experience with these restrictions, Yatsuhashi spent the rest of his life making the koto more accessible. Kitagawa Utamaro, Flowers of Edo: Young Womans Narrative Chanting to the Samisen, ca. ...

He invented a new "tranquil tuning" (平調子 hira joushi) to play the common people's songs more naturally. He composed (or is credited with composing) pieces that are still irreplaceable staples of the koto repertoire today, including Rokudan and Midare. (These compositions were partly responsible for the koto becoming respected as a solo instrument in its own right.) Perhaps most importantly, his example led other non-elite, including women, to learn the koto too. Rokudan is an abbreviation for Rokudan no Shirabe, and it is one of Yatsuhashi Kengyos famous pieces. ...

Koto today

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The influence of Western pop music has made the koto less prominent, although it is still developing as an instrument. Works are being written for 20- and 25-stringed kotos and 17-string bass kotos, and a new generation of players such as Kazue Sawai, Michiyo Yagi (who studied under Sawai) are finding places for the koto in today's jazz, experimental music and even pop. June Kuramoto, of the jazz fusion group Hiroshima, was one of the first koto performers to popularize the koto in a non-traditional fusion style. David Bowie used the koto in the instrumental piece "Moss Garden" on his album "Heroes". Paul Gilbert, a popular shred guitarist, recorded his wife, Emi playing the koto on his song "Koto Girl" from the album Alligator Farm. JRock / Visual Kei band Kagrra, are well known for using traditional Japanese musical instruments in many of their songs, an example being "Utakata" (うたかた), a song where the koto has a prominent place. Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... JÅ«shichi-gen (十七絃 or 十七弦, lit. ... Michiyo Yagi, a Japanese musician, studied koto under the late Tadao Sawai, Kazue Sawai and Satomi Kurauchi, and graduated from the NHK Professional Training School for Traditional Musicians. ... For other uses, see Jazz (disambiguation). ... For experimental rock music, see experimental rock. ... For other uses, see Pop music (disambiguation). ... Hiroshima is an American jazz fusion band formed in 1974 by Sansei Japanese American Dan Kuramoto (wind instruments and band leader), June Kuramoto (koto), Johnny Mori (percussion and taiko), & Danny Yamamoto (keyboards and drums). ... David Bowie (IPA: []) (born David Robert Jones on 1947 January 8) is an English singer, songwriter, actor, multi-instrumentalist, producer, arranger and audio engineer. ... Moss Garden is an instrumental piece written by David Bowie and Brian Eno in 1977 for the album Heroes. It features Bowie plucking a koto, a traditional Japanese string instrument. ... Heroes (the quotation marks are part of the title, for reasons of irony)[1] is an album by David Bowie, released in 1977. ... Paul Brandon Gilbert (November 6, 1966) is a guitarist best known for his work with Racer X and Mr. ... Shred guitar is a style of electric guitar playing in which rapid passages are performed using sweep-picking, hammer-ons, pull-offs, and other techniques. ... Alligator Farm is a solo album by Paul Gilbert formerly of the heavy metal band Racer X and the hard rock band Mr. ... Japanese rock is a form of popular music, often abbreviated to J-Rock in much the same way that J-Pop is used as an abbreviation of Japanese Pop. ... Malice Mizer, an example of visual kei during the 1990s. ... Kagrra , followed by a comma on album art and promotional material) is a Japanese rock band and part of the countrys visual kei movement. ...

Well-known solo performers outside of Japan include koto master and award-winning recording artist Elizabeth Falconer, who also studied for a decade at the esteemed Sawai Koto School in Tokyo, as well as koto master Linda Kako Caplan, Canadian Daishihan (Grandmaster) and a member of Fukuoka's Chikushi Koto School for over two decades. David Horvitz pioneered the instrument into the contemporary indie rock scene playing on Xiu Xiu's new album, The Air Force.^{[citation needed]} Elizabeth Falconer one of the few American koto masters. ... This article concerns Xiu Xiu, the California-based rock band. ... The Air Force is an upcoming Xiu Xiu album to be released on September 15th and is produced by Greg Saunier of Deerhoof, who also performs with guests Caralee McElroy, Devin Hoff, Nedelle Torisi, and Jamie Stewart. ...

The 17-string bass koto, called jūshichi-gen in Japanese, has become more prominent over the years. The members of the band Rin' are perhaps some of the more famous jūshichi-gen players in the modern (pop/rock) music scene.^{[citation needed]} The influence of the koto on Western music is also evident in jazz. The "in-sen" scale, a five note scale, was first introduced to jazz by John Coltrane and McCoy Tyner (another koto player) and is based on the tuning of the koto. Rin is a Japanese popular music group which combines traditional Japanese instruments and style with elements of modern pop and rock music. ... Coltrane redirects here. ... Alfred McCoy Tyner (born December 11, 1938) is a jazz pianist from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, best known for his work with the John Coltrane Quartet. ...

The progressive rock band Queen used a koto to great effect in their eight minute epic "The Prophet's Song" on their 1975 album A Night at the Opera.^{[citation needed]} For the Swedish political music movement, see progg. ... Queen are an English rock band formed in 1970 in London by guitarist Brian May, lead vocalist Freddie Mercury and drummer Roger Taylor, with bassist John Deacon joining the following year. ... The Prophets Song is a song by the British band Queen that was featured on the album A Night at the Opera. ... A Night at the Opera is a 1975 album by English rock band Queen. ...

Bibliography

• The Koto: A Traditional Instrument in Contemporary Japan, by Henry Johnson (Hotei, 2004)
• The Kumiuta and Danmono Traditions of Japanese Koto Music, by Willem Adriaansz (University of California Press, 1973)

See also

• Jūshichi-gen
• Guzheng
• Gayageum
• Đàn tranh
• Se (instrument)

Jūshichi-gen (十七絃 or 十七弦, lit. ... The guzheng, or gu zheng (Chinese: ; pinyin: gǔzhēng) or zheng (箏) (gu- means ancient) is a traditional Chinese musical instrument. ... A gayageum is a traditional Korean zither-like string instrument, with 12 strings, although more recently variants have been constructed with 21 or other numbers of strings. ... The đàn tranh is a plucked zither of Vietnam. ... The se 瑟 (pinyin: sè) is an ancient Chinese stringed instrument. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Koto

• Reiko Obata California koto performer of traditional and jazz koto. Featured on "You Can Play Koto" DVD.
• Chieko Mori young Composer and Koto virtuoso
• Article on Koto Master Chikushi Katsuko
• Linda Kako Caplan - The World of Japanese Koto and Shamisen - Linda Kako Caplan - The World of Japanese Koto and Shamisen: textbooks, CD and online video resources for koto, plus useful links and general info on the instruments
• Koto no Koto - Koto no koto: the website with all the info you need about US and Canadian teachers, recordings, and the instrument.
• Enjoy Japanese Music - Website of the koto/shakuhachi duo EN.
• O-koto Culture of Japan Play the "Sakura" tune on a virtual koto.
• www.corle.ic.cz another virtual koto.