|
Japanese people liked singing and dancing,
but they were not very good at inventing
or making musical instruments. There were
only a few kinds of traditional musical
instruments in Japan. Only court music
from China let them enjoy music. Other
traditional instruments, such as the Koto,
Biwa, Taiko, and Shakuhachi, were all from
China and played individually.
|
|
The Japanese
have few different musical instruments,
but they have many types of drums. It
seems that Japanese people have always
needed and liked drums. There are many
different drums. They are judged according
to shape, as either Miya Daiko or Shime
Daiko.
|
|
Japanese drums
have been important since ancient times.
They were used to attract and or threaten
animals and to inspire solders in battle.
Drums were also used for people at
festivals, and with floating lanterns to
appeal the spirits of the dead. Drums have
been used as "Houko", to tell the right
time.
|
The development
of Japanese music took place in the Heian
Period (794-1192 A.D.). All kinds of music
from different Asian countries were
absorbed and changed. Sagaku is music,
which was performed mainly at court among
the upper classes.
Japanese music
developed as a part of drama. The music is
performed with wind, string, and
percussion. Some music is performed solo.
The background music is to help musicians
stay tuned and on track. Childhood's
favorite memories are the music tunes.
Japan has now maintained time-honored
styles.
There are two
styles of traditional music. They are
artistic music and folk music. Traditional
Japanese music often developed as a part
of drama, such as Noh, Kabuki and
Bunraku.
Taiko refers to
the art of drumming and the drums. Taiko
in classical Japanese arts has a history
of about 2,000 years and currently. Taiko
is taking the world by storm pretty
fast.
The word Taiko
means "Big fat drum." People get confused
with the word Daiko. When Taiko is put
together with another word it makes Daiko.
Nagado Daiko is the most commonly used
type of Taiko. Chappa, clave, and
chanchiki add to the effect and they are
heard over everything.
The qualities in
Taiko drums are the hardness, good tone,
and beautiful grain. A large Taiko drum
requires wood from a tree that has grown
for minimum of two hundred years and after
cutting the tree it must cure for 25 to 50
years. With the proper care Taiko drums
can last for hundreds of
years.
|
|
top of
page
|
|
