Gagaku Instruments

 

Instrumentation in gagaku music consist of three basic types: wind, string, and percussion.  Within each category a number of traditional instruments are used, depending upon the particular type of gagaku (kangen, bugaku, Saibara/Roei, or Shinto ritual music) ("Gagaku, Imperial Court Music & Dance of Japan | Musicians of the Imperial Household | What is Gagaku？"). The principle instruments of gagaku are listed below.  It is to be noted that this list is not exhaustive, as many lesser-used instruments are occasionally incorporated into the music.

 

Wind Instruments

 

     The Ryuteki, or transverse flute, is a wooden instrument, consisting of seven note holes.  It is used much the same way as a western flute.  Traditionally, the ryuteki is made of bamboo, hollowed out and lacquered.  It is about 16 inches long and half an inch wide ("Ryûteki").

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     In addition to the ryuteki, there are two other types of transverse flutes used in gagaku: the Komabue and the Kagurabue, both of which are effectively just different sized variations of the ryuteki in terms of their mechanics.  Each of the three types of transverse flutes plays according to a different musical scale.

 

     The Hichiriki is a double-reed wind instrument, not unlike the western oboe.  It is about half the length of the ryuteki.  Because of the thick, long reed, the musician is able to significantly affect the tone and pitch of individual notes, making the sound of the hichiriki unique among wind instruments and adding particular beauty to the gagaku repertoire ("Hichiriki").

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     The Shô (or mouth organ) is by far one of the more unique instruments in the gagaku repertoire.  Consisting of 17 individual bamboo “pipes” of different lengths with holes, which give each a unique pitch.  The pipes are fitted with a metal reed and connected to a wooden mouthpiece, which the musician blows via inhaling and exhaling.  Sound is created by covering the hole of the pipe to be sounded ("Shô").

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

String Instruments

 

     The Biwa or Gakubiwa is a four-stringed lute with frets and a short neck.  It is played similarly to a western guitar, but the strings are tuned in an opposite manner, with the bottom string being the lowest (on a western guitar, the top string is the lowest in the common playing posture).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     The Gakuso, or Koto, is a 13-string zither of Chinese origin.  The strings are held aloft by a series of moveable bridges and are plucked by three picks, or plectra, attached to the musician’s fingers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     The Wagon is a six-stringed zither, similar to the Koto, with the exception that the moveable bridge only has two positions, limiting the tuning.  The wagon is principally used in introductory passages of Gagaku, and is played by rapidly strumming the strings with the right hand to create an arpeggio, while the left hand plucks individual notes after the arpeggio.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Percussion Instruments

 

     There are three basic percussion instruments used in gagaku: the shôkô, the taiko, and the kakko.

 

     The Shôkô is a small bronze gong mounted on a frame or stand. It is hit with either wooden or stone mallets to produce a sound.  It may be struck with either the right or left hand to create an individual note, or by both hands in rapid succession to create what western music would term a grace note.  The mallet remains in contact with the instrument, preventing a lengthy reverberation.  This produces a sound that is akin to a clinking glass.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     The taiko is a frame-mounted drum, about 22 inches in diameter, and covered with cowhide.  It is struck either softly by the left hand or more vigorously by the right hand, and provides the basic rhythmic beat for the gagaku orchestra.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     The kakko is a small, double-headed drum.  The frame is shaped like either a cylinder or an hourglass on its side, and the drum heads are struck on both sides.  It is played with a single stroke, or a series of strokes that can indicate an accelerating tempo or even a drum roll.