A shakuhachi is a Japanese longitudinal,end-blown flute that is made of bamboo. The bamboo end-blown flute now known as the shakuhachi was developed in Japan in the 16th century and is called the fuke shakuhachi (普化尺八). A bamboo flute known as the kodai shakuhachi or gagaku shakuhachi (雅楽尺八) was derived from the Chinese xiao in the Nara period and died out in the 10th century. After a long blank period,the hitoyogiri shakuhachi (一節切尺八) appeared in the 15th century,and then in the 16th century,the fuke shakuhachi was developed in Japan. The fuke shakuhachi flourished in the 18th century during the Edo period,and eventually the hitoyogiri shakuhachi also died out. The fuke shakuhachi developed in Japan is longer and thicker than the kodai shakuhachi and has one finger hole less. It is longer and thicker than hitoyogiri shakuhachi and is superior in volume,range,scale and tone quality. Today,since the shakuhachi generally refers only to fuke shakuhachi,the theory that the shakuhachi is an instrument unique to Japan is widely accepted.
The gayageum or kayagum is a traditional Korean plucked zither with 12 strings,though some more recent variants have 18,21 or 25 strings. It is probably the best known traditional Korean musical instrument. It is based on the Chinese guzheng and is similar to the Japanese koto,Mongolian yatga,Vietnamese đàn tranh,Sundanese kacapi and Kazakh jetigen.
The conga,also known as tumbadora,is a tall,narrow,single-headed drum from Cuba. Congas are staved like barrels and classified into three types:quinto,tres dos or tres golpes (middle),and tumba or salidor (lowest). Congas were originally used in Afro-Cuban music genres such as conga and rumba,where each drummer would play a single drum. Following numerous innovations in conga drumming and construction during the mid-20th century,as well as its internationalization,it became increasingly common for drummers to play two or three drums. Congas have become a popular instrument in many forms of Latin music such as son,descarga,Afro-Cuban jazz,salsa,songo,merengue and Latin rock.
The geomungo or hyeongeum is a traditional Korean plucked zither with both bridges and frets. Geomungo is a representative stringed instrument made in Goguryeo before the 5th century. Scholars believe that the name refers to Goguryeo and translates to "Goguryeo zither" or that it refers to the colour and translates to "black crane zither".
The piri is a Korean double reed instrument,used in both the folk and classical (court) music of Korea. Originating in Central Asia,it was introduced to the Korean peninsula from China,and has been used there as early as the Three Kingdoms period,most notably in the states of Goguryeo and Baekje. The instrument consists of a tube of bamboo,which is perforated with finger holes,and has a large double reed. Its cylindrical bore gives it a sound mellower than that of many other types of oboe.
The taepyeongso is a Korean double reed wind instrument in the shawm or oboe family,probably descended from the Persian sorna and closely related to the Chinese suona. It has a conical wooden body made from yuja (citron),daechu (jujube),or yellow mulberry wood,with a metal mouthpiece and cup-shaped metal bell. It originated during the Goryeo period (918–1392).
The guan is a Chinese double reed wind instrument. The northern Chinese version is called guanzi or bili and the Cantonese version is called houguan. It is classified as a bamboo instrument in the Ba Yin system. Unlike other instruments in the double-reed family of woodwinds which mostly have conical bores,such as the Chinese suona or the Western oboe,the guan has a cylindrical bore,giving its distinctive mellow,yet piercing buzz-like timbre.
The xiao is a Chinese vertical end-blown flute. It is generally made of bamboo. It is also sometimes called dòngxiāo,dòng meaning "hole." An ancient name for the xiāo is shùzhúdí but the name xiāo in ancient times also included the side-blown bamboo flute,dizi.
The danso is a Korean notched,end-blown vertical bamboo flute used in Korean folk music. It is traditionally made of bamboo,but since the 20th century it has also been made of plastic. It was imported from China in the 19th century,where it is called duanxiao. The Korean name is the transliteration of the Chinese one,a short variant of the xiao.
The saenghwang is a Korean wind instrument. It is a free reed mouth organ derived from the Chinese sheng,though its tuning is different.
The yazheng is a Chinese string instrument. It is a traditional zither similar to the guzheng but bowed by scraping with a rosined stick or a horsehair bow,. The musical instrument was popular in the Tang dynasty,but is today little used except in the folk music of some parts of northern China,where it is called yaqin.
The haegeum (Korean: 해금) is a traditional Korean string instrument,resembling a vertical fiddle with two strings;derived from the ancient Chinese xiqin. It has a rodlike neck,a hollow wooden soundbox,and two silk strings,and is held vertically on the knee of the performer and played with a bow. It is also popularly known as kkangkkang-i (깡깡이),kkaengkkaeng-i (깽깽이),or aeng-geum (앵금).
The yunluo,is a traditional Chinese musical instrument. It is made up of a set of gongs of varying sizes held within a frame. It was also called yún'áo in ancient times.
The nagak is a wind-instrument made from a large seashell and played as a horn in Korean traditional music. It produces only a single tone and is used primarily in the military procession music called daechwita. The mouthpiece of the nagak is made by making a hole in the pointed end of the conch,into which a mouthpiece is fitted. This instrument is first recorded as being used in Goryeo.
The junggeum is a medium-sized transverse bamboo flute formerly used in traditional Korean music. Unlike the larger daegeum,it does not have a buzzing membrane. It was used in court,aristocratic,and folk music,but has largely died out,being rarely used today.
The sogeum is a small bamboo transverse flute used in traditional Korean music. Unlike the larger daegeum,it does not have a buzzing membrane. It is used in court,aristocratic,and folk music,as well as in contemporary classical music,popular music,and film scores.
The kèn bầu is one of several types of kèn,a double reed wind instrument used in the traditional music of Vietnam. It is similar in construction and sound to the Chinese suona and the Korean taepyeongso. It comes in various sizes and is a primary instrument of the music of the former royal court music of Huế.
The tunso is a Korean notched,end-blown vertical bamboo flute used in Korean traditional music. It is similar to the danso,but longer and larger. The hanja tong(洞) was used to describe the shape of the instrument that resembles a long cave.
The kkwaenggwari is a small flat gong used primarily in the folk music of Korea. It is made of brass and is played with a hard stick. It produces a distinctively high-pitched,metallic tone that breaks into a cymbal-like crashing timbre when struck forcefully.
Daechwita is a genre of Korean traditional music consisting of military music played by wind and percussion instruments,generally performed while marching or as a static performance.
