Koto Tips & Techniques → How many sounds koto can make?
Topic: How many sounds Koto can make?
Koto is a instrument that its sound is adjustable for different kinds of music.
Both Koto's sound range and pitch are as flexible as that of keyboard instruments such as piano.
But this is just an example. By changing the tension of strings, the sound can be much higher or lower sound. Moreover, you can also use string harmonic (flageolet) technic to make one octave higher sound than tuned sound.
However, even though koto can make a very wide range of sound, all of these sound cannot be always beautiful sounds. The quality of the sound depends on the skill of players.
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Written by [KORORIN-SHANN & Tone]
Even normal Koto which only has 13 strings can make a wider variety of sound than you think!
Both Koto's sound range and pitch are as flexible as that of keyboard instruments such as piano.
For example, in the works of Michio Miyagi, who is one of the legendary koto music composers, the lowest sound is A₁ (from "Miyako Odori") and the highest sound is A³ (from "Sakura -variation-"), in short, the sound range of Miyagi's koto songs cover a range of four octaves.
But this is just an example. By changing the tension of strings, the sound can be much higher or lower sound. Moreover, you can also use string harmonic (flageolet) technic to make one octave higher sound than tuned sound.
However, even though koto can make a very wide range of sound, all of these sound cannot be always beautiful sounds. The quality of the sound depends on the skill of players.
The more you learn the proper playing skills like how to apply a pick to the strings, how much strength apply the pick, and playing posture etc from the skilled instructor, The more beautiful sounds you can play.
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Then, how about the musical scale?
Similar to how to change the sound of guitar strings, The sound of each string of koto is also determined by where the string is held. But unlike guitars, koto's strings are held by kotoji (koto bridge). Players tune their koto and create a specific musical scale by moving the position of koto bridges.
Because Japanese traditional music use Pentatonic scale (Musical scale that has five pitches), koto can make at least notes of two octaves by its 13 strings.
There are several traditional musical scales: Hira-joshi, Kumoi-joshi, Chuku-joshi, Nogi-joshi, Gaku-joshi, Iwato-joshi, Kokin-joshi etc.
There are several traditional musical scales: Hira-joshi, Kumoi-joshi, Chuku-joshi, Nogi-joshi, Gaku-joshi, Iwato-joshi, Kokin-joshi etc.
Each of scale has its own combination of 13 notes.
For example, Hira-joshi, which is the most typical musical scale, is composed of following sounds:
D, G, A, A#, D, D#, G, A, A#, D, D#, G, A
The Japanese folk song "Sakura Sakura" also use this musical scale.
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So, Can't the koto play non-traditional songs like western or contemporary music?
It is not true. You can also play Western scale songs by tuning each koto string to each note used in one song.
Most of all koto sheet musics have a guide of tuning koto for the song. Before playing the song, you should tune each string to the specified note according to the guide.
For example, "Flowers will bloom" (Arranged by Temi Ohira) has following notes:
G, A, B♭, C, D, E, F, G, A, B♭, C, D, E
By moving koto bridges to tune each strings to make these specific notes, koto can play "Flower will bloom", which uses western musical scale.
In short, Koto can play all kind of songs by changing the set of notes.
Following music sheet is the example of tuning guide of "Two Individuality" composed by Bondai Fujii:
In short, Koto can play all kind of songs by changing the set of notes.
Following music sheet is the example of tuning guide of "Two Individuality" composed by Bondai Fujii:
This set of notes is different from both traditional musical scale and western musical scale. You can create an original set of notes for your favorite songs.
For intermediate-level koto tuning, it is also a good idea to consider overtones, which are the sounds produced by resonance between strings of the similar frequency.
Written by [KORORIN-SHANN & Tone]
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