ST.

EDWARD SCHOOL
MAPEH DEPARTMENT
Lancaster New City, Imus City, Cavite Page | 1

Instrument Classification Music of East Asia (Japan, China, and Korea)

Hornbostel-Sachs instrument classification

Hornbostel-Sachs instrument classification system was created

by Erich Moritz von Hornbostel and Curt Sachs. Among
ethnomusicologists, it is the most widely used system for
classifying musical instruments.

Instruments are classified using 5 different categories

depending on the manner in which the instrument creates the
sound: Idiophones, Membranophones, Chordophones, The music of East Asia, particularly Japan, China, and the Korea, are
Aerophones, & Electrophones. amongst the oldest artistic traditions in the world. It is generally based
on a pentatonic scale, in which five notes create an octave. Most East
Asian music contain these traits
Idiophones
Sound is produced by the body of the instrument vibrating,
Japan
rather than a string, membrane, or column of air.
Japan is an archipelago, or string of islands, on the eastern
Membranophones edge of Asia. There are four main islands: Hokkaido, Honshu,
Sound is produced by the vibration of a tightly stretched Shikoku, and Kyushu. There are also nearly 4,000 smaller
membrane. islands! Japan's nearest mainland neighbors are the Siberian
region of Russia in the north and Korea and China farther
Chordophones south.
Sound is produced by the vibration of a string or strings that
are stretched between fixed points. The Japanese are famous for their willingness to work very
hard. Children are taught to show respect for others,
Aerophones
especially parents and bosses. They learn to do what's best for
Sound is produced by vibrating air. their family or company and worry less about their own
Electrophones needs.
Sound is produced by electric action or amplification.

Course Module in MAPEH 8

 Almost four-fifths of Japan is covered with mountains. The
Japanese Alps run down the center of the largest island,
Honshu. The highest peak is Mount Fuji, a cone-shaped
volcano considered sacred by many Japanese.

The traditional music of Japan is quite different from the

western music. The musical interval in Japan is based on
human breathing, not on mathematical timing.
The Japanese musicians show their spiritual self-mastery
through mastering the instrument than simply perfecting a Sakura – “Cherry Blossoms”
technique. They give more importance to their performance is a traditional Japanese folk
and composure. Basically, the traditional music of Japan is song depicting spring, the
meditative in character. season of cherry blossoms.

Traditionally, the Japanese music performance has been

spiritual in character. It is similar to martial arts and other
forms of art such as the tea ceremony and calligraphy. Usually,
their music is about religious festivals, work, dance, love, and Figure 1. Sakura (Cherry Blossoms)
regional songs.

Historically, the music of Japan has been greatly influenced by

Chinese music. Some of its forms and popular instruments are
adopted from China.

Japanese Vocal Music

Japanese music has two modes, the yo-sen and in-sen mode.

The two modes consist of five primary tones-based on a scale

with seven tones. The remaining tones are considered as
auxiliary tones.
The classical Japanese melodies are based on yo-sen and in-sen
mode but not always in one mode alone. It usually shifts on
both modes.
 ST. EDWARD SCHOOL
MAPEH DEPARTMENT
Lancaster New City, Imus City, Cavite Page | 3

Tsuzumi is an hourglass-shape instrument. It has

two varieties, the smaller (kotsuzumi) and the
Instrumental Music of Japan larger (otsuzumi). These instruments are used in
Traditional Japanese music is basically meditative in character. both Noh and Kabuki performance.
Its performance is highly ritualized, as much in the music itself,
as in the composure of the musicians when performing it.
Japanese chamber and solo music have a slow meditative pace. Tsuridaiko is a large hanging barrel drum. The
The performance of Japanese music has traditionally been of a two mallets are used to play tsuridaiko on the
spiritual character, similarly to martial arts and other forms of other side only.
art such as the tea ceremony and calligraphy. It is usually about
religious festivals, work, dance, love, and regional songs.
Audiences are looking for this self-mastery in musicians. This is
the reason why music has become highly ritualized. Musicians
must show this spiritual self-mastery in their performance and
composure. They work on an inner strength in mastering his Taiko is a drum that has various sizes,
or her instrument, more than simply perfecting a technique of and it is used to play a variety of
some sort and providing entertainment. musical genres.

Musical Instruments of Japan

Percussion Instruments (Membranophone)

Odaiko is a big drum. The Odaiko performance

String Instruments (Chordophone)
gives physical energy and sheer excitement. It is
Koto is a 13-stringed zither. It is
an integral part of many Japanese Matsuri.
made of Paulownia wood and about
two meters long. It performs through
plucking using a pick on the thumb
and first two fingers of the right hand,
while the left hand can be used to
modify pitch and tone.

Course Module in MAPEH 8

 Shamisen is a stringed instrument and performs Nokan is a bamboo flute (fue) is the only
through plucking. The strings stretched across a melodic instrument perform in Noh. The
resonating body. The neck is fretless. melody of this instrument has no specific pitch
relationship with the melody of the chanting.

Hichiriki is one of the two main

Biwa is a short necked fretted lute.
melodic instruments in Japanese
This instrument is commonly used in
Gagaku music. It is a double reed
narrative storytelling.
Japanese flute.

Wind Instruments (Aerophone)

Shakuhachi is the most famous flute made

from bamboo. It consists of four or five holes
Sho was introduced from China during the Nara
on the front face and a thumb hole on the
period, and it has free reed.
rear face. It was imported from China for
Gagaku.
 ST. EDWARD SCHOOL
MAPEH DEPARTMENT
Lancaster New City, Imus City, Cavite Page | 5

China
Stretching 3,100 miles (5,000 kilometers) from east to west
and 3,400 miles (5,500 kilometers) from north to south, China
is a large country with widely varying landscapes. Its territory
Shinobue has a high-pitched sound, and it is includes mountains, high plateaus, sandy deserts, and dense
also known as takebue. forests.

China has a long and influential musical tradition. For

centuries, musician develops different styles in music and
invented or adopt many musical instruments.

The teaching of Confucius dominated the culture of Chinese

Ryuteki is a Japanese transverse fue made of
bamboo and it literally means dragon flute. It
is used in Gagaku.
for several thousand years. Confucius conceived their music as
a way of calming passion and dispelling unrest, rather than as a
form of amusement.
They believed that sounds influence the harmony of the
universe.

Chinese Vocal Music

For several thousand years Chinese culture was dominated by

the teachings of the philosopher Confucius, he conceived
music in the highest sense as a means of calming the passion of
dispelling of unrest and lust, rather than as a form of
amusement. Chinese music has traditionally been sung in a
.
thin non-resonant voice or in falsetto. All traditional Chinese
music is melodic rather than harmonic.

The prominent expressive features of Chinese music are the

melody and tone color. Chinese vocal quality is often

Course Module in MAPEH 8

described as being high-pitched and nasal. This is generally
true, but there are regional differences. The northern style of
singing (such as Peking opera) tends to be higher and shriller
than the southern style of singing (such as Kun Opera or
Nanguan).
Pentatonic scale or 5-tone scale is commonly used in Chinese
music.
Mo Li Hua is a traditional Chinese song with a beautifully
gentle and lyrical melody. The lyrics about the jasmine flower
also turn it into a love song. The song describes a custom of
giving Jasmine flowers, popular in the southern Yangtze Delta
region of China. Another version describes the fear of
plucking the flower.
Instrumental Music of China
Traditionally, Chinese instrumental music is heterophonic; it is
played with more than one instrument or an instrument
together with a voice. The most well-known forms of
instrumental Chinese music are suites and variations.
Chinese Musical Instrument
Yueqin is a moon-shaped lute with a shorter neck and
four strings. It is used to accompany local operas.
Pipa is a four-stringed lute with 30 frets and a pear-
shaped body. It has extremely wide dynamic range
and remarkable expressive power.
Erhu is one of the most popular instruments in
China. It is fiddle with two strings. This instrument
can be performed as solo as well, in small ensemble
or large orchestra, and by various ethnic groups.
 ST. EDWARD SCHOOL
MAPEH DEPARTMENT
Lancaster New City, Imus City, Cavite
Yunluo is a set of ten small, tuned gongs mounted in a
wood frame. It literally means cloud gongs or cloud of
gongs. This instrument is generally equal in diameter,
but different in thickness. The pitch depends on the
thickness of the gongs.
Sheng is known as a Chinese mouth organ. It consists of
12 to 36 bamboo pipes. The pipe has a different length,
and it has a brass reed on the bottom and a hole that
Korea
must be locked in order to make a sound.
Dizi is the traditional Chinese flute. It can
have a membrane over an extra hole to
give the rattle effect. To play Dizi, the
performer blow across the mouthpiece
and to produce a different note by
stopping the six holes found in the rod.
Course Module in MAPEH 8
Page | 7
Zheng is an elongated
trapezoid with 13 to 21 strings
stretched over individual
bridges. The range spans of this
instrument are three to four
octaves.
Pengling. The two small bells are made of high-
tin bronze. It is a coloring rhythmic instrument.
On a map the Korean peninsula, which comprises the
countries of North Korea and South Korea, looks like a finger
pointing from the top of China down to the lower part of
Japan. Thus, one would expect its music to reflect its “bridge”
position between two such powerful traditions. The
movements of foreign, particularly Chinese, armies and
cultures are indeed major factors in Korea’s tradition. But
beneath these reflections lies a deeper core of indigenous
musical styles that, at first hearing, seem most strange to the
ear of listeners with preconceived notions as to what East
Asian music sounds like.
The traditional music of Korea is generous in the use of bright
rhythms and melody. It gives more energy and capricious
contrast to the nation’s collection of classical music works.
 Their folk music represents the soul and sound of traditional
Korean villages with a wide-ranging array of music forms.
Two Major Divisions of Traditional Korean Music
1. Chong-ak
It means “right music”. It is the music correlated with
the ruling classes. It also pertains to ensemble music
for men of high social status outside of the court.
2. Sog-ak or minsogak
It is the music for lower classes or for the general
public.
Korean Vocal Music
The music of Korea has a slow tempo that gives a very
peaceful and pensive character. Skilled singers and drummer
perform Pansori Music.
Instrumental Music of Korea
Korean music especially in South Korea has a rich vocal
tradition, and diverse instruments and music forms. Folk
songs, religious works, court music, and shaman rituals all
express the soul of a nation whose history is filled with colorful
and fascinating tales. Traditional Korean music represents a
world of captivating rhythms and melodies whose sounds
draw listeners in like a breath. Koreans sang songs when they
could not hold their sadness in.
Korean Musical Instruments
Stringed Instrument
Kayagum (gayageum) is a zither like
string instrument, with 12 strings, but
recent variants have been constructed
with 21 or more numbers of strings.

Arirang is a Korean folk song, sometimes considered the

unofficial national anthem of Korea. It is used as a symbol of
Korea and Korean culture. Arirang is in essence a song of
farewell.

Geomungo is a traditional Korean six-

string plucked zither with bridges and
frets.
 ST. EDWARD SCHOOL
MAPEH DEPARTMENT
Lancaster New City, Imus City, Cavite
Haegum has a two-string vertical fiddle. It has two silk
strings, rod-like neck, a hallow wooden soundbox. It is
played vertically on the knee using with a bow.
Wind Instrument
Piri. Its large and cylindrical bore
makes it sound mellower than
other types of oboes. It is made of
bamboo and performs both folk
and classical music of Korea.
Percussion Instrument
Changgo is an hourglass-shaped body with
two heads made from animal skin. Both heads
produce sounds with different pitch.
Course Module in MAPEH 8
Page | 9
References
C, L. G., Solis, R. V., Olivar-Libiran, P., Memchero-Romano, C., Resontoc-
Cabatana, C., Pineda-Limos, A., & Dela Cruz, A. C. (2015). Music of East
Asia. In The 21st Century MAPEH in Action (pp. 22-52). Manila: Rex
Book Store.
Department of Education 4A CALABARZON. (2020). PIVOT 4A Budget of Work
in all Learning Areas in Key Stages 1-4: Version 2.0. Cainta, Rizal:
Department of Education 4A CALABARZON.
Department of Education. (n.d.). Grade 8 Music and Arts Learner's Module.
Pasig City: Department of Education.
Lourdes R. Siobal, M. H.-R. (2017). Music and Arts Learners Manual Grade 7.
Pasig City: Department of Education.
MET Museum. (2021). The Met Collection. Retrieved from The Metropolitan
Museum: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/503039
National Geographic Kids. (2021). Japan. Retrieved from
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/geography/countries/article/japa
n#:~:text=respectful%20of%20copyright.-
,Japan%20is%20an%20archipelago%2C%20or%20string%20of%20islan
ds%2C%20on%20the,Korea%20and%20China%20farther%20south.
Oyer, M. K. (2021). Goshen College. Retrieved from
https://www.goshen.edu/academics/music/mary-k-oyer-african-
music-archive/instrument-classification/
Recordings
Sakura
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKTRnO7SV68
Mo Li Hua Prepared and compiled by:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_y7zQUZ7pM

Arirang Jonn Louise B. Vallejo, LPT

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bC62xvkIu9g St. Edward School
MAPEH Department
ODaiko - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZagsLrNzg3I A.Y. 2022-2023
Tsuzumi- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDq2y2Jq9PA&feature=related

Koto- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L24Nb4CJzV4&feature=related John Rodel Mantele, LPT

St. Edward School
Shamisen- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5rs7pfZuPs MAPEH Department
Shakuhachi- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7s- A.Y. 2022-2023
wXZWT5o&feature=related

Shinobue - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57jwbZbQDpU

Ryūteki- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7lQb4Nx3Sg

Nokan- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nOATkFsBOQ&feature=related

Traditional Korean Music - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_UhaSi46NQ

Kamunggo Video With Explanation -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZzeNjyGs2I

Haegum- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsyIvJg_Dh8&feature=related

Komunggo - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZZAsbAzx6M

Kayagum - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFe8nHQottI