Taiko
Etymology and Alternative Spellings
Wadaiko
Categorization
Byō-uchi-daiko (鋲打ち太鼓): nagadō-daiko (長胴太鼓) / hira-daiko (平太鼓) / tsuri-daiko (釣太鼓)
Shime-daiko (締め太鼓): tsukeshime-daiko (附け締め太鼓) / naguta shime-daiko (長唄締め太鼓) / okedō-daiko (桶胴太鼓) / kakko (羯鼓) / dadaiko (鼉太鼓)
Tsuzumi (鼓): ko-tsuzumi (小鼓) / san-no-tsuzumi (三の鼓) / ō-tsuzumi (大鼓)
Others: uchiwa-daiko (団扇太鼓) / den-den-daiko (でんでん太鼓)
Construction
Taiko construction has several stages, including making and shaping of the drum body (or shell), preparing the drum skin, and tuning the skin to the drumhead. Variations in the construction process often occur in the latter two parts of this process[1]. Historically, byō-uchi-daiko were crafted from trunk of the Japanese zelkova tree that were dried out over years, using techniques to prevent wood splitting. A master carpenter then carved out the rough shape of the drum body with a chisel; the texture of the wood after carving softened the tone of the drum[2]. In contemporary times, taiko are carved out on a large lathe using wood staves or logs that can be shaped to fit drum bodies of various sizes. Drumheads can be left to air-dry over a period of years, but some companies use large, smoke-filled warehouses to hasten the drying process. After drying is complete, the inside of the drum is worked with a deep-grooved chisel and sanded. Lastly, handles are placed onto the drum. These are used to carry smaller drums and they serve an ornamental purpose for larger drums.
The drum skins or heads of taiko are generally made from cowhide from Holstein cows aged about three or four years. Skins also come from horses, and bull skin is preferred for larger drums[3]. Thinner skins are preferred for smaller taiko, and thicker skins are used for larger ones. On some drumheads, a patch of deer skin placed in the center serves as the target for many strokes during performance. Before fitting it to the drum body the hair is removed from the hide by soaking it in a river or stream for about a month; winter months are preferred as colder temperatures better facilitate hair removal. To stretch the skin over the drum properly, one process requires the body to be held on a platform with several hydraulic jacks underneath it. The edges of the cowhide are secured to an apparatus below the jacks, and the jacks stretch the skin incrementally to precisely apply tension across the drumhead. Other forms of stretching use rope or cords with wooden dowels or an iron wheel to create appropriate tension.Template:Sfn Small tension adjustments can be made during this process using small pieces of bamboo that twist around the ropes. Particularly large drumheads are sometimes stretched by having several workers, clad in stockings, hop rhythmically atop it, forming a circle along the edge. After the skin has dried, tacks, called byō, are added to the appropriate drums to secure it; chū-daiko require about 300 of them for each side. After the body and skin have been finished, excess hide is cut off and the drum can be stained as needed.
History
The origin of the taiko and its variants is unclear, though there have been many suggestions. Historical accounts, of which the earliest date from 588 CE, note that young Japanese men traveled to Korea to study the kakko, a drum that originated in South China. This study and appropriation of Chinese instruments may have influenced the emergence of taiko. Certain court music styles, especially gigaku and gagaku, arrived in Japan through both China and Korea. In both traditions, dancers were accompanied by several instruments that included drums similar to taiko. Certain percussive patterns and terminology in togaku, an early dance and music style in Japan, in addition to physical features of the kakko, also reflect influence from both China and India on drum use in gagaku performance.
Archaeological evidence shows that taiko were used in Japan as early as the 6th century CE,[4] during the latter part of the Kofun period, and were likely used for communication, in festivals, and in other rituals. This evidence was substantiated by the discovery of haniwa statues in the Sawa District of Gunma Prefecture. Two of these figures are depicted playing drums; one of them, wearing skins, is equipped with a barrel-shaped drum hung from his shoulder and uses a stick to play the drum at hip height.[5] This statue is titled "Man Beating the Taiko" and is considered the oldest evidence of taiko performance in Japan. Similarities between the playing style demonstrated by this haniwa and known music traditions in China and Korea further suggest influences from these regions.
The Nihon Shoki, the second-oldest book of Japanese classical history, contains a mythological story describing the origin of taiko. The myth tells how Amaterasu, who had sealed herself inside a cave in anger, was beckoned out by an elder goddess Ame-no-Uzume when others had failed. Ame-no-Uzume accomplished this by emptying out a barrel of sake and dancing furiously on top of it. Historians regard her performance as the mythological creation of taiko music.
Sticks, Mallets, Beaters
The sticks for playing taiko are called bachi, and are made in various sizes and from different kinds of wood such as white oak, bamboo, and Japanese magnolia. Bachi are also held in a number of different styles[6].
Technique
Manufacturers
Asano Taiko
Retailers
See Also
References
- ↑ Varian, Heidi (2013). The Way of Taiko (2nd ed.). Stone Bridge Press. ISBN 978-1611720129.
- ↑ Varian, Heidi (2013). The Way of Taiko (2nd ed.). Stone Bridge Press. ISBN 978-1611720129.
- ↑ Varian, Heidi (2013). The Way of Taiko (2nd ed.). Stone Bridge Press. ISBN 978-1611720129.
- ↑ http://www.tnm.jp/modules/r_free_page/index.php?id=684
- ↑ http://www.taiko.com/taiko_resource/history/haniwa_ochi.html
- ↑ Varian, Heidi (2013). The Way of Taiko (2nd ed.). Stone Bridge Press. ISBN 978-1611720129.