1. What instruments are used in it?
Asian Music
What is it?
What instruments are used in it?

2. Asian Music

3. Where is Japan?

4. Japan
Koto- a string instrument with 13 strings and 13 bridges; played with finger picks
Finger picks are placed on thumb, index finger and middle finger
National instrument of Japan

5. Japan Taiko Drums – Taiko means drum in Japanese
Drums are typically made of wood and played with sticks
They are typically very large instruments.

6. Where is China?

7. China Qin or Guqin – stringed instrument that is plucked
Soft Dynamic instrument
Range of about four octaves

8. China Dizi – instrument made out of bamboo or wood Played like a flute

9. China
In America, we have four instrument families (brass, woodwind, percussion and string).
In China, they have three instrument families (woodwind, percussion and string).
*String family is MOST IMPORTANT!!!
In America, we have a conductor typically.
In China, there is usually NO conductor.

10. Where is Indonesia?

11. Indonesia
Gamelan Ensemble – from Indonesia that uses percussion instruments
The word ‘gamelan’ comes from the word ‘GAMELS’ which means to hammer.
Metallophones, Xylophones, Drums and Gongs are used.

12. Pentatonic Scale Pentatonic Scale- scale commonly used in Asian music
Built on five notes (Do, Re, Mi, Sol and La)
Penta = five Tonic = Notes

13. Why does Asian music sound different?
Government - Communism
Government control of the spread of Western ideas (including music) into Asian culture kept Asian music from developing and modernizing.
Government isolated/shielded Asian culture from the influence of Western cultures/arts.
Instruments and techniques did not develop like in the Western cultures. Instruments used today are the same as instruments used in ancient Asia.
Today, China is more open (still Communist), and Japan is democratic; therefore, some more modern ideas/techniques are coming into Asian culture.