taiko traditional japanese drumming. origins century old style of drumming (1400 yrs) rumbling sound...
TRANSCRIPT
太鼓Taiko
Traditional Japanese Drumming
Origins
• Century old style of drumming (1400 yrs)
• Rumbling sound of the drum associated with the gods– Drum is inhabited by a god
• “It is said that the furthest point at which the village could be heard marked the edge of the village.”
• Originated in temples and shrines– Festival related– Holy men allowed to drum
Okede-daiko
• Nebuta festival in Aomori
• Multiple sizes– Extremely large to very small– Not ALL sizes are possible
• Produces a “ka” sound when struck
• Strike the outermost metal ring of the body– Weak wood, easy to damage
Taiko in Warfare
• Used to motivate troops, set marching pace, make announcements
• Six paces per beat of the drum
• Nine sets of five = ally summon
• Nine sets of three = pursuit– Sped up x3 or x4
Taiko as an Art
• Pre-1950s not viewed as an art form
• Previously used in courts to perform Gagaku music
• Most popular current use is in a taiko ensemble– Post war phenomenon in Showa (1951)– Daihachi Oguchi (kumi-daiko style)
Taiko Terms• Bachi ( ばち） sticks used to play the Taiko
• Ma ( ま） a Japanese term for “space,” used in music to describe periods of rest
• Oroshi ( おろし） series of hits, sped up into a roll
• O-uchi ( おうち ) main rhythm
• Ji or Jiuchi ( じうち） basic supporting rhythm, described as the meter– Jikata is a person who plays the Ji rhythm
Taiko Drums
• The word taiko （太鼓） means “fat drum” in Japanese
• Daiko is a suffix used to describe a type of drum or ensemble
• The nagado-daiko ( 長胴太鼓、 long body drum) consists of two pieces of cow hide stretched over a wooden barrel
• Tsukeshime-daiko ( 付締め太鼓） heads are stretched over iron rings with smaller body, tight ropes
Other Drums
• Okede-daiko (桶胴太鼓 , barrel-body taiko)
• Uchiwa-daiko (内輪太鼓、 fan taiko)
• Hira-daiko (平太鼓 , flat taiko)
• O-daiko (大太鼓 , big taiko)
• The okede-daiko can be played on a stand, but are often strapped to the body so a drummer can walk as he plays
Kodo
• An elite taiko drumming ensemble
• Based in Sado, Japan they helped to revitalize taiko drumming post WWII
• Kodo （こど） means heartbeat, and also children of the drum
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-M18Rb98So&search=kodo
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwceyfSrXU0&search=taiko