Japan Tara Abner

Description of Japan Made up of 6,852 islands Most of the islands are volcanic (Mt. Fuji) 10th most populated country Capitol is Tokyo Constitutional Monarchy (emperor with prime minister) 2nd largest economy Low unemployment rate (4%), high standard of living Leader in scientific research and technology development 75.9% of high school graduates complete college

Music Characteristics Sparse rhythm No regular chords silence is important Attempt to reflect the flow and feeling of nature The tempo usually starts out very slow and gets faster, returns to being slow again, and has a drawn-out ending. Influenced by Chinese music

Traditional Instruments Koto-Zither-like instrument Biwa-4 Stringed lute-like instrument Tsuzumi drum

Traditional Instruments Shamisen- 3 Stringed guitar-like instrument Shakuhachi- Bamboo flute Taiko drum

Traditional Musical Styles Gagaku: Ancient court music from China and Korea. It is the oldest type of Japanese, traditional music. Biwagaku: Music played with the Biwa, a kind of guitar with four strings. Nohgaku: Music played during Noh performances. It basically consists of a chorus, the Hayashi flute, the Tsuzumi drum, and other instruments. Sokyoku: Music played with the Koto, a type of zither with 13 strings. Later also accompanied by Shamisen and Shakuhachi. Shamisenongaku: Music played with the Shamisen, a kind of guitar with only three strings. Kabuki and Bunraku performances are accompanied by the shamisen. Minyo: Japanese folk songs. Honkyoku- Original pieces played on Shakuhachi by Buddhist priests. Taiko-Percussion ensembles that play a variety of traditional styles on taiko drums. Originally used to intimidate opposing armies in battle.

Taiko Drum Ensemble

Kabuki and Noh Theater Noh Kabuki Created in the 14th Century from a mix of Chinese drama and Japanese traditional dancing. Created for the aristocracy Refined Can be confusing (and boring) to those not familiar with the style Kabuki Originated in the 17th Century All-male actors (though created by a woman) Influenced by noh, but created for the ordinary people Less refined than noh

Noh

Kabuki

Famous Traditional Artists

Western Influence Western Classical music is extremely popular and influences genres from traditional to movie themes. Jazz has been enjoyed continuously by the younger crowd since the 1930s 60s rock groups such as the Beatles and the Rolling Stones have inspired modern Japanese Rock. American folk artists, such as Bob Dylan, and folk music, such as Bluegrass, have a strong following and is also cited as inspiration for modern Japanese popular music

J-Pop Japanese popular music Modeled after American pop music

Top Pops

Theme Songs Music for Japanese TV dramas, videos, and anime is considered a separate genre Many of Japan’s most popular artists have spent their entire careers working in this feild. Popular artists include Masato Shimon, Ichirou Mizuki, JAM Project, Akira Kushida, Isao Sasaki, and Mitsuko Horie Input Oyoge! Taiyaki-kun

Video Games Originally, games had simple sound chips Kōichi Sugiyama changed that with his experimentation in the game “Dragon Quest” With the development of gaming technologies, game music became more advanced with full orchestration being used. Game soundtracks are popular in CD/MP3 format. Popular video game composers include Koji Kondo (Mario and Zelda) and Nobuo Uematsu (Final Fantasy)

Evolution of Video Game Sound

References http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2113.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Japan http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditional_Japanese_music http://www.japan-zone.com/culture/kabuki.shtml

Image Credits http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koto_(musical_instrument) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Gifujyou5848.JPG http://www.japan-zone.com/culture/instrument.shtml http://www.kotosandmore.com/Shamisen.htm http://www.shakuhachi.com/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Giant_Taiko_Drum_Nago ya.jpg