Country Capital

China (PRC) Beijing

Japan Tokyo
North Korea Pyongyang
South Korea Seoul
Taiwan (ROC) Taipei
Mongolia Ulaan Baatar
Japanese vocal music is quite
different from the Western vocal
music, and is based on the
intervals of human breathing
rather than mathematical timing,
and how Japanese musicians
show their spiritual self-mastery in
mastering his or her instrument
more than simply perfecting a
technique of some sort and how
they give value to their
Instrumental music of Japan
Traditional Japanese music is
basically meditative in character.
Its performance is highly ritualized,
as much in the music itself, as in
the composure of the musicians
when performing it. Japanese
chamber and solo music have a
slow meditative pace.
The performance of Japanese
music has traditionally been of a
spiritual character, similarly to
martial arts and other forms of art
such as the tea ceremony and
calligraphy. It is usually about
religious festivals, work, dance,
love, and regional songs.
Audiences are looking for this self-
mastery in musicians. This is the
reason why music has become
highly ritualized. Musicians must
show 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.
 Percussion
Instruments
1. Odaiko (Membranophone)
- (big drum). The
physical energy and shee
excitemen of an r
tperformance is Odaiko
an integral part
of many Japanese matsuri
(festivals).
2. Tsuzumi (hourglass-
shape) – There are
two varieties; the
(smaller) kotsuzumi is
held on the right
shoulder and the
player alters the tone
by squeezing the
laces. The (bigger)
otsuzumi 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.
 String
Instruments
(Chordophone)
1. Koto - is a 13-string zither, about
two meters long and made of
Paulownia wood. It is plucked
using picks on the thumb and first
two fingers of the right hand, while
the left hand can be used to
modify pitch and tone. Koto is
used in an ensemble in gagaku or
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
strings stretched across a
resonating body. The neck of the
shamisen is fretless, and is slimmer
than that of a guitar or a banjo.
3. Biwa - is a Japanese short-
necked fretted lute, often used in
narrative storytelling. The biwa is
the chosen instrument of Benten,
the goddess of music, eloquence,
poetry, and education in
Japanese Shinto.
 Wind
Instruments
(Aerophone)
1. Shakuhachi - the
most famous flute
made from bamboo. It
has 4 or 5 finger holes
on the front face and
a thumbhole on the
rear face.
2. Nokan - a
parallel, bamboo
flute is the only
melodic
instrument used in
noh. The melody
of the flute has no
specific pitch
relationship with
the melody of the
3. Hichiriki - is a
double reed
Japanese flute
used as one of
two main melodic
instruments in
Japanese gagaku
music, the other
being the ryūteki.
4. Sho - is a
Japanese free
reed musical
instrument that
was introduced
from China during
the Nara period.
5. Shinobue – also
called takebue (in
the context of
Japanese
traditional arts) is a
Japanese
transverse flute or
fue that has a
high- pitched
sound.
6. Ryūteki -
literally "dragon
flute" is a
Japanese
transverse fue
made of
bamboo. It is
used in gagaku.
 SHINOBUE SHO PIPA

YUNLUO TSUZUMI HICHIRIKI

PENGLING YUEQIN RYUTEKI

SHAKUHACHI KOTO TSURIDAIKO

BIWA SHENG ODAIKO

ZHENG TAIKO ERHU

For several thousand years Chinese
culture was dominated by the
teachings of the philosopher
Confucius, he conceived music in
the highest sense as a means of
calming the passion of dispelling of
unrest and lust, rather than as a
form of amusement.
Traditionally the Chinese have
believed that sound influences the
harmony of the universe. Significantly,
one of the most important duties of
the first emperor of each new
dynasty was to search out and
establish that dynasty’s through
standard of pitch. A result of this
philosophical orientation was that
the Chinese theoretically opposed
music performed solely for
1. Yueqin -
shape Moon-
lute with
shorte neck and
d
r
four strings,
played with a
spectrum, used
for
accompanyin
g local
2. Pipa - Four-stringed
lute with 30 frets and
a pear-shaped body.
This instrument has
an extremely
wide dynamic range
and remarkable
expressive power.
3. - Two-
fiddle
Erhu and one of the
stringed
most popular Chinese
instruments. It is used as
a solo instrument as
well as in small
ensembles or large
orchestra, and by
various ethnic groups.
4. Yunluo - Literally
"cloud gongs" or
"cloud of gongs", the
yunluo is a set of
ten small tuned
gongs mounted in a
wooden frame.
5. –
Sheng organ)
mouth (Chinese
looks
like a set of panpipes,
with 12 to 36 bamboo
pipes. Each pipe is of
different length with a
brass reed at the
bottom and a hole
that must be blocked
in order for the note to
sound.
6. Dizi - is the traditional
Chinese flute. It can have a
membrane over an extra
hole to give the
characteristic rattle effect.
7. - An
Zheng Chines
ancient e tha
instrumen
t has an t
surface and arche
d
an elongated-
trapezoid
with 13
to 21 strings
stretched over
individual bridges.
8. Pengling - these
are two small bells
made high-
of tin
without
bronze, clappers,
internal
and hemispheric
or bottomless
gourd- like in
shape.
Listening
Activity
Find a partner and prepare a
pen and a paper for this
activity. Listen to recordings of
different instruments of Korea.
Classify the instrument heard
into string, percussion, or wind.
Analysi
s
 What of feeling moo
kind
does it express?
or d
How do these sounds show
aspects of Korean culture?
What similarities with other East
Asian countries can you identify
in these sounds?
Korea's folk music tradition, with its
generous use of bright rhythms and
melodies, offers a more energetic
and capricious contrast to the
nation's collection of classical
music works.
Chong-ak means literally
"right (or correct) music", Chong-
ak also refers to ensemble music
for men of high social status
outside of the court.
Sog-ak or minsoga is
category k Korean a
of
traditionally music with the
associated
lower classes or for the general
public and are vibrant and
energetic. It includes genres
such as pansori and minyo.
Pansori is a kind of
music presented to audiences
by skilled vocal singers and
drummers. But even the
unskilled could sing these
songs.
Instrumental Music of Korea
Korean music especially in South
Korea has a rich vocal
tradition, and diverse
instruments and music forms.
Folk songs, religious works,
court music,and shaman
rituals all express the soul of
a nation whose history is filled
with colorful and fascinating
String Instruments
1. Kayagum (gayageum) - is a
traditional Korean zither-like
string instrument, with 12
strings, although more recently
variants have been
constructed with 21 or more
numbers of strings. It is the
probably best-known
traditiona Korean musical
l
instrument
2. Geomungo – (six-string plucked
zither), is a traditional Korean
stringed musical instrument of the
zither family of instruments with both
bridges and frets.
3. Haegum (two-string vertical
fiddle) –It has a rodlike neck, a
hollow wooden soundbox, two
silk strings, and
Is held
vertically on
the knee of the
performer and
played with a
bow.
 Wind Instruments
Piri - it is made of bamboo. Its
large reed and cylindrical bore
gives it a sound mellower than
that of many other types of oboe.
Percussion Instrument
Changgo - is the most widely used
drum used in the traditional music of
Korea. It is available in most kinds, and
consists of an hourglass-shaped body
with two heads made from
animal skin.
Sakura – (Cherr Blossoms is
traditiona y Japanes
) a
folk song
l
depicting e
spring, season
the cherry blossoms. of
Mo Li Hua - is a traditional Chinese
song with a beautifully gentle and
lyrical melody. The lyrics is about
“the jasmine flower” also turn it
into a love song.
Arirang - is a Korean folk song,
sometimes considered the unofficial
national anthem of Korea. It is used
as a symbol of Korea and Korean
culture. Arirang is in essence a song
of farewell. The origin of the word
'Arirang' is ‘the hill’. An emotion of
deep regret is imbued in the rhythm
of Arirang. The song evokes the
feeling of the tears shed by Koreans
and the remembrance of their sad
Express
Yourself
On an oslo paper, draw a
creative illustration on the
relationship of man and
nature as reflected in three
folk songs you have learned.
Present and describe your
illustration to the class.
SYNTHESI
S JAPAN
• Japanese music was influenced by
the court music of China
• It is based on the five tone scale or
the pentatonic scale
• Before the historical period, the
Japanese traditional music (Hogaku)
develop an accompaniment of ritual
dances called Kagura.
• In religion, Confucianism propagated the
themes on loyalty and filial piety while
Shintoism inculcated the idea that music
is a gift from God.
• Before the historical period, the
Japanese traditional music
(Hogaku) develop an
accompaniment of ritual dances
called Kagura.
• In religion, Confucianism
propagated the themes on loyalty
and filial piety while Shintoism
inculcated the idea that music is a
gift from God.
• Japanese music is monophony in
nature. It observes minute tones,
• Japanese music has two basic types of
scales, both pentatonic in nature, that
are often used in playing the koto and
shamisen.
• These are the male scale called Yo –
sen and the female scale known as In
– sen.
• The most important note in the
pentatonic scale is the corner stone or
the third note.
• Japanese Vocal music is quite different
from the Western vocal Music, and is
based on the intervals of human
breathing rather than mathematical
• Japanese musicians show their spiritual
self-mastery in mastering his or her
instrument more than simply perfecting a
technique of some sort and how they
give value to their performance and
composure.
• Traditional Japanese music is
basically meditative in character.
• Its music and performance are
highly ritualized, as is the
composure of the musicians when
performing it.
• Japanese chamber music and solo
music have a slow meditative pace
• Japanese music has three general
types of instruments - percussion
instruments (odaiko, tsuzumi, shoko,
tsuridaiko, taiko), string instruments
(koto, shamisen, biwa), and wind
instruments -mostly flutes
(shakuhachi, nokan, sho, hichiriki).
• Compared to our music, Japanese
music is very simple. They sing
melodies in unison and they never
repeat the same melody in a song.
There are two ancient foundations
for Japanese traditional music.
SHOMYO:
• Is also called Buddhist chanting.
• The chants are based on sacred text
and hymns.
• They have flexible rhythm, where the
singers simply stops when there is no
more breath
• They are sung acapella and
are monophonic texture
• At present, the SHOMYO has lost its
real religious nature
GAGAKU:
• Literally means “elegant and
refined music”.
ga – refined gaku – music
• It is the only surviving music in
Japan.
• This court music has been
greatly influenced by China.
• Bugaku- Japanese court dance
MUSICAL STYLES
a.Togaku – highest musical style
or court music.
b. Komagaku – Korean origin and
of
native composition associated
with rituals of the Shinto religion.
c.Saibara – Is a small number
of regional Japanese folk
songs.
CHINA
• Chinese vocal music has
traditionally been sung in a thin,
non-resonant
voice, or in falsetto
• Chinese vocal music is usually
solo rather than choral.
• All traditional Chinese music is
melodic rather than
harmonic.
• Chinese music uses the
pentatonic scale as can be
• Xiaodiao, or short tunes, are
popular music in Chinese urban
areas.
• Chinese musical instruments are
classified according to the
materials
by which they are made:
animal skins, gourd, bamboo,
wood, silk, earth/clay, metal,
and stone.
KORE
•A Korean music has a slow tempo, giving it
a very peaceful and pensive character.
• Yayue - an elegant music which
includes ritual and ceremonial court
music
• Suyue - popular music
• Huyue - foreign music
• A-ak - elegant vocal and
instrumental music
• Pansori is a kind of music presented
to audiences by skilled vocal singers
and drummers.