Koto Tips & Techniques → "Sukui-zume" and "Hiki-iro"
Koto's Techniques: "Sukui-zume" and "Hiki-iro"
"Sukui-Zume" (Scooping strings by koto pick)
Sukui-Zume is the koto playing technique of picking the string in the opposite direction with the back of the thumb's koto pick to the normal way of plucking.
In this technique, players normally pick the same string as previous or following notes, so to be more precise, the series of actions of plucking the same string twice with the front and back of the thumb's koto pick is called "Sukui-Zume".
Koto picks are curved to fit the shape of the fingers, so in contrast to picking the koto strings with the front of koto picks, in "Sukui-zume" technique only the sides of koto picks touch the strings. As a result of this difference, unlike the normal way of picking strings, "Sukui-zume" makes a distinctive soft sound, which is often used to express natural soft sounds like the singing of insects and the murmur of streams.
Shamisen also has similar technique as Sukui-zume. This shamisen's version of Sukui-zume, which called "Sukui-bachi", makes brilliant harmony with koto.
Jiuta's songs like "Yugao", "Yae Goromo", "Sasa no Tsuyu" etc... most famous Koto songs use this "Sukui-Zume" technique. It should be counted as one of the basic techniques of playing koto already.
Especially, most parts of second half of "Mizu no Hentai (Transformations of Water)" by Michio Miyagi and the fourth line of the chapter two of "Three Paraphrases" by Tadao Sawai are consisted of tones by "Sukui-Zume".
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"Hiki-iro" (loosen tension)
Hiki-iro is technique that make the end of note lower. Players need to pinch the string of left side of koto bridge with a left hand immediately after plunk the string, and slide the finger to right to loosen the tension of string.
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"Hiki-iro" (loosen tension)
Hiki-iro is technique that make the end of note lower. Players need to pinch the string of left side of koto bridge with a left hand immediately after plunk the string, and slide the finger to right to loosen the tension of string.
弦を弾いた直後の余韻の音を若干下げる。仕組みは、箏柱の左側の弦を左手で掴み、右側に引き寄せる事で弦が弛んだ状態になり音高が下がる。
It was a pretty effective technique for authentic koto because the string made of silk was easy to pinch. However, unfortunately, the slippery tetron string common for modern koto is not suitable for this technique. Even though it is not impossible to pinch tetron strings, but not only its slipperiness but also the distance between the koto player and audiences in modern koto concerts makes it difficult to use Hiki-iro technique effectively. So, professional koto players often use microphones to convey the delicate expression of koto sound.
The classic music for practice, "Six-column tone" also use this technique from the beginning. The ヒ note on the music sheet is the sign of this technique (check the picture below).
It was a pretty effective technique for authentic koto because the string made of silk was easy to pinch. However, unfortunately, the slippery tetron string common for modern koto is not suitable for this technique. Even though it is not impossible to pinch tetron strings, but not only its slipperiness but also the distance between the koto player and audiences in modern koto concerts makes it difficult to use Hiki-iro technique effectively. So, professional koto players often use microphones to convey the delicate expression of koto sound.
The classic music for practice, "Six-column tone" also use this technique from the beginning. The ヒ note on the music sheet is the sign of this technique (check the picture below).
When you play this song with this technique, please be careful not to pinch different string from that you plunk. This is one of common mistakes for beginners.
Written by [KORORIN-SHANN & Tone]
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