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Kendang by Chloe L. (12) and Chloe S. (20)

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Kendang by Chloe L. (12) and Chloe S. (20)

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The kendang is a double sided drum used mainly in southeast asia. Kendangs are made from various materials such as the wood from coconut and jackfruit. The kendang is used in traditional dances. A fun fact about the kendang is that it has a male and a female.

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Kalimba by Yu Heng (29)  and Shang Yu (37)

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Kalimba by Yu Heng (29)  and Shang Yu (37)

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The Kalimba is an African musical instrument. It is made up of a wooden board with attached staggered metal tines. It is played by holding the instrument in the hands and plucking the tines with thumbs,the right forefinger and sometimes the left forefinger.The kalimba has a very old appearance it seems to date from 1000BC.The Kalimba produces a haunting, fluid percussive sound that is considered both tranquil and enchanting it can be played both simultaneously or altering between both thumbs so both harmonic and rhythmic effects are possible.

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The Tanso 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 is imported from china in 19th century, where it is called duanxiao. The Korean name is just the transliteration of the chinese one, a short variant of the 小.

The instrument is derived from the Chinese 小 and is used as an educational tool in Korean primary schools, much like the recorder is used in western nations.

The flute has four finger holes and one thumb hole at the back. The playing range is two octaves, going from low G to high G. The lower sounds are made by just blowing, whereas the higher ones are made by difference in the strength of the blowing.

Tanso is a most popular Korean wind instrument together with other so, Tongso (Korean Flute).

Formerly, it was made of bamboo, but now it is made of synthetic resin as a result of several innovations.

The sound is clear and beautiful with its emotional, penetrating timbre. The sound is wide and soft in the law range; bright and beautiful in the mid-range; penetrating in the high range.

Tanso came to be played after the middle of the 15th century, and it was especially favored by woodcutters for this clear sound.

Originally, it had 4 holes in the front, and one hole in the back, and rendition was confined to heptachord compositions.

Therefore, in the Li dynasty, Tanso was played in combination with several Tansoes with a different pitch, according to musical compositions.

With not only 3 holes in the front body, but also a half tome device and a key for correct sound added, it came to be able to play any musical compositions.

Tanso is a basic instrument for the high range in the composition of traditional wind and string instruments, and is mostly used to play melodies in rendition.

It permits various ways of rendition ranging from trill, producing neighboring sounds alternately in succession, adding grace, richness and brightness to the melodies played by other instrument, giving unique sound to traditional wind and string instrument.

Tanso is played in solos, duets, as an accompaniment to vocal performances and orchestras.

The treble Tanso is made to increase the sound range of Tanso and is somewhat smaller and one octave higher than Tanso.

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Korea Today - Danso, a Traditional Korean Wind Instrument [Korea Today]

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Kayagum is a korean traditional instrument with 12, 18 or 25 strings .The gayageum is traditionally played while sitting on the floor with crossed legs, the head of the instrument resting on the right knee and the tail resting on the floor. The right hand plucks and flicks the strings close to the bridge of the gayageum, whilst the left hand pushes the strings on the left side of the bridges to raise the pitch and adds vibration.

It originates from Kaya Kingdom ( mid-1st century to mid-6th century).

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Sitar by Xie Yu (3) and Wairah (15)

The sitar is a string instrument played by plucking and used in Hindustani classical music. The sitar is usaully played while seated and help at a 45 degree angle in the lap just like the guitar. The right hand is used to pluck the strings with a metallic pick called mizraab while the left hand is used to put preassure on the string with their fingers. The sitar originated from the Indian subcontinent and is invented by an 18th century fakir named Amir Khusu. He is said to have evolved sitar from a Persian instrument called 'sehtar'. However, Ravi Shankar was the one single handedly responsible for making sitar a popular instrument in the West area as Ravi Shankar youred the West playing concerts with the sitar starting in year 1956. Some people say that the guitar is derived from veena or sitar ( both or indian instruments ), but guitar is not directly derived from both of them.

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Guzheng has a large, resonant soundboard made from Paulownia. Other components are often made from other woods for structural or decorative reasons. Guzheng players often wear fingerpicks made from materials such as plastic, resin, tortoiseshell, or ivory on one or both hands. The ancient guzheng came in different sizes and commonly consisted of 16 or more strings made of silk placed on movable bridges, with a large resonant cavity made from wood. ... The most important change is the new set of strings that are made of steel coated with nylon. The guzheng has a long and proud history, which is believed to have been invented during the Qin Dynasty (897-221 BC). It has 16 or more strings and movable bridges, and the modern guzheng usually has 21 strings and bridges. The guzheng is the ancestor of several other Asian types of zither instruments. Its descendants spread all over Asia, such as the Koto in Japan, the Kayagum in Korea and the Dan Tranh in Vietnam.
How to play the guzheng:
https://youtu.be/hWqtsNUCfOg This is a simple video on how to position yourself when playing the guzheng. I chose this video because the way you position yourself is what sets the guzheng apart from other instruments like the guitar, a very similar instrument that involves plucking strings.
Interesting fact about the guzheng:
The sheet music of the guzheng looks just like numbers! C is 1, D is 2, E is 3 and so on. The notes are numbers but they are read as "do re mi" instead of "1,2,3" or "a,b,c". Knew that long ago? How about the fact that there's no 4th or 7th string? Players just bend down the 3rd and 6th string until they hear the F and B note respectively.

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Changgo by Reoy Ho(34) and Guo ZIjian(28)

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Changgo by Reoy Ho(34) and Guo ZIjian(28)

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The changgo is the most representative drum in traditional Korean music. It is available in most kinds, and consists of an hourglass-shaped body with two heads made from animal skin. The two heads produce sounds of different pitch and timbre which when played together are believed to represent the harmony of man and woman.

The instrument was originated from Korea in 57bc to 935ad in Goryeo.

It is made from a hollow, hourglass-shaped wooden body of either porcelain, tile, metal, wood, gourd, or tinned sheet.

Jorongmok is the round tube in the middle connecting the left and right side of the hourglass-shaped body. The size of the jorongmok determines the quality of the tone: the wider the tube, the deeper and huskier it sounds; the narrower the tube, the harder and snappier it sound

Both sides are made of animal skins.

There are two kinds of beating sticks, namely gungchae and yeolchae. The gungchae is shaped like a mallet with a round head. The handle is made from bamboo root, boiled and straightened out and the head is made from hardwood such as birch or antler. Modern gungchae may also be made from plastic; this variety is normally used by beginning musicians. The yeolchae is always made from bamboo. The yeolchae has a thin body with a handle thick handle made of bamboo

To play, both sides are to be hit to produce a melody. The changgo is used in folk songs.

Some interesting facts of the changgo

-The changgo or sometimes called seyogo. The two heads produce sounds of different pitch and timbre, which when played together are believed to represent the harmony of man and woman.

-The skins are lapped on to metal hoops to scure the surface. The left side produces deep and low tones.

-The right side produce higher tones.

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Amazing Kid Drummer: Playing Korean Janggu!

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The Shehnai is a musical instrument originating from Indian Subcontinent. It is made out of wood. The idea of the sound was to create auspiciousness and sancity, thus it was commonly used in marriages, processions and temples. A thought of the origin of Shehnai is that the name is a modification from the word ‘sur-nal’. The word ‘nal’ is used in many Indian languages to mean pipe or red. The word ‘sur’ means tone or tune. The instrument has between six to nine holes. It is a quadruple reed woodwind, with four reeds bound together one over another. The Shehnai has a range of two octaves, from the A below middle C to the A one line above the treble clef. To master the instrument, one needs to employ various and intricate embouchure and finger techniques. Ustad Bismillah Khan established the shehnai as a Hindustani instrument. His father used to play the shehnai in the court of Keshar Prasad Singh, the maharajah of the Dunman state of Bihar. At the age of 14, Bismillah Khan played the Shehnai at the music council in Allahabad. On August 15 1947, the eve of India’s independence, Bismillah Khan’s Shehnai playing welcomed free India with a tricolour hosting over the red fort. He was invited by Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of Independent India, to play the Shehnai.
A video more about Shehnai is shown below.

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The Balafon is a gourd-resonate xylophone, a type of struck idiophone. It is closely associated with people of West Africa, particularly the Guinean branch of the Mandinka ethnic group, but it is now across West Africa from Guinea to Mali. It is dated to at least the rise of the Mali Empire in the 12th century CE. The balafon was dying out by the mid-19th century. Balafon was believed to have been developed independently of the Southern African and South American, which is now known as the Marimba.

The Balafon produces distinctive sounds and has a traditional style, thus has been exported to western instruments. Its keys are traditionally made from a special type of wood. It is the dried slowly over a low flame, and finally it is then tuned by shaving off bits of wood from the underside of the keys. Wood is taken off in the middle so as to flatten the key, or is taken off in the end to sharpen it. It usually has 17-21 keys, tuned to 3 different types of scales, a tetratonic, pentatonic or heptatonic, depending on the culture of the musician.

In a fixed-key balafon, its keys are suspended by leather straps above the wooden frame, under which are hung graduated-size calabash gourd resonators. A small hole in each gourd is covered with a membrane. The membrane is traditionally made of thin spider’s-egg sac filaments, but nowadays more usually made of cigarette paper or thin plastic film as they are more convenient. The Balafon is played with two gum-rubber-wound mallets while seated on a low stool, or while standing using your shoulder or waist sling hooked to its frame.

The Balafon can be played alone in a ritual context, in others as part of an ensemble. In Guinea and Mali, the Balafon is often played as part of an ensemble of three people, pitched as low, medium and high. In Cameroon, on the Gulf of Guinea, six Balafon of varying size perform together in an orchestra, called a komenchang.
Here is a picture of a Barafon:

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The Yangqin was first made using bronze strings, hence giving the instrument a soft timbre. Some people in the older generation made it with silk so the instrument is still occasionally called the 蝴蝶琴 (butterfly zither). However, since the 1950s, they have changed it to steel alloy strings as so to give the instrument a brighter, and louder tone. The Yangqin can be either played solo or as a group.

The Yangqin was introduced to south coastal China in the 17th century after trading with the middle east.

The Yangqin is made out of strings, bridges, hammers and cylindrical nuts. There are usually 144 strings in a modern Yangqin, the strings come in different thickness, which are then tied up by the screws. They are usually covered up by a panel, which is only opened if the Yangqin requires tuning. The hammers are used for playing the Yangqin, and they are made of flexible bamboo at one end while the other end is covered with rubber. The bridges are attached with the strings and there are usually 4 to 5 bridges in a Yangqin. The cylindrical nuts are the metal screws at the side which can be moved when the instrument is needed to tune.

The Yangqin is commonly used during Chinese Chambers and orchestral ensembles.

As for the manner of performance, the sticks are held, one in each hand, and hit the strings alternately. In the orchestra, the yangqin often adds to the harmony by playing chords or arpeggios. Since yangqin is softer than other Chinese instruments, therefore it is usually positioned at the front of the orchestra, in the row just in front of the conductor. However, this is not a rule; as the Singapore Chinese Orchestra positions the yangqin close to the percussion section. Because the yangqin's tones will sustain long after they have been played, such an arrangement minimises the dissonance that results. If the hands are free, like during the periods when they are not playing, covering the strings with the hands quickly dampens the vibrations. The yangqin has been called the "Chinese piano" as it has an indispensable role in the accompaniment of Chinese string and wind instruments.

The yangqin's solo repertoire calls for more techniques than is usually required in orchestral pieces. Examples include pressing down on the strings to produce vibrato effects, similar to that of a guzheng, as well as harmonics and 顫竹 (chàn zhǔ), which involves flicking the sticks lightly over the strings, causing them to vibrate, which results in a short, quick tremolo. Many other techniques, such as portamento - a glide from one note to another, which can be accomplished through 2 methods, both involving the lengthening or shortening of strings: the first is by sliding the fine-tuning devices on the sides of the instrument by hand, and the second is by wearing a metallic "ring".

Below is a video link that shows a demonstration on how to play a yangqin.

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The Koto is a long Japanese board made of paulownia wood which ranges from 180-190cm. They have 13 strings that are usually strung over 13 movable bridges along the width of the instrument.

The Koto appeared in the Japanese court during the 8th century and was called the gakuso. The Koto was inspired by the Guzheng and the first known version had 5 strings which eventually increased to 7 strings. In gagaku, traditional Japanese court music, the koto was played as part of an ensemble, as an  accompaniment for temple ballads, and actively came to be performed solo during the Edo  period [1603-1868].

The Koto is played with tsume, small plectra or picks, attached to 3 fingers on the right hand.  When the koto was first imported to japan, the native word koto was a generic term for any stringed instrument.

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How To Play The Koto (2019) | Traditional Japanese Instrument

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The Biwa is a Japanese short-necked lute, and resembles a graceful and pear-shaped body. It normally has 4 silk strings attached to some pegs at the neck of the instrument and is generally around 60 to 106cm in length.  it also has a signature neck that bends backwards. The Biwa also has 4-5 highly raised frets which are called Chu.

The Biwa actually originated from the Chinese Pipa, and had came to Japan somewhere in the 7th century. When it first came to Japan, there were only 1-2 forms of the Biwa, one of them being the Gagaku Biwa. Since then, there have been many other versions of the Biwa such as the Moso Biwa, Satsuma Biwa which developed in the modern era and the Heike Biwa.

Bachi (plectrum) is normally used to play the Biwa and they act as picks but they are much bigger in size, and this helps to create a wide range of sounds from the Biwa. The Gagaku Biwa is used to play Gagaku Imperial Court music, the Moso Biwa is used in prayers and storytelling by blind monks. The Heike Biwa  is used for telling the story of the "Tales Of Heike" which is part of Japan's history.

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Tabla are a drum set originating from Pakistan, North India. It is the most commonly played drum set in North Indian music. Although it is not confirmed to be true, research suggests that the Tabla were invented in the first half of the 18th century.
The Tabla consists of 2 wooden drums, the dayan, the smaller drum on the right, and the bayan,the bigger drum on the left. The daylan is made from wood that is usually from either a Neem or Shisham tree, while the baylan is made out of either metal or clay.
To play the Tabla, first put your middle finger, ring finger and little finger of your right hand on the sinai, the center of the dayan. Make sure your index finger is raised up away from the head of the drum just a little bit and rest the heel of your right hand on the edge of the drum. Place the palm of your left hand on the bayan. The sinai on the bayan is positioned off center, so your drum should be positioned so that    the sinai is at about 2 o'clock angle.
Here is a tutorial on how to play the Tabla.

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Komungo is a Korean long board that can also be spelled as gumungo.  Nevertheless, it is also a Korean zither that originated circa the 4th century through the 7th century  from the kingdom of Goguryeo, the northernmost of the Three Kingdoms of Korea.
It is about 150 cm (5 feet) long and has three movable bridges and 16 convex frets supporting six silk strings.
The komungo's front plate  is made of paulownia wood and the back plate is made of chestnut wood. The geomungo is generally played while seated on the floor. The strings are plucked with a short bamboo stick called suldae, which is held between the index and middle fingers of the right hand, while the left-hand presses on the strings by either pulling or pushing to produce various pitches.The person would sits on the floor with the right end of the instrument supported by the knees. The geomungo also has a large range of playable songs and also has a large range of tunes!

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북한의 거문고 음악. 김용실 작곡.  출강  -고보석 연주-

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The Paigu is a Chinese instrument that is made up of 3-7 tuned drums(mostly 5) with different timbres, traditionally made of wood and animal skin heads. The Paigu is red in colour and decorated with patterns all over the body of the drum. Its origin dates back to 3000 years ago when the country was ruled by the Shang Dynasty.
To play the Paigu, you have to use two wooden sticks to hit the head and the body of the drum.
People started playing the Paigu during the Shang Dynasty rule, and is still widely played in orchestras all over the world after three millennia!
Fun fact about the Paigu: In the olden days, when people played these Chinese drums, drums were not musical instruments. Instead, people that time believed that the loud noise and clatter made by the Chinese drums helped to fight away the evil spirits and cause fear in the enemies during times of war.
Here is a video of the Paigu:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Um1OM-HNNNg&t=12s

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The erhu is a two-stringed bowed musical instrument,which may also be called a Southern Fiddle, and sometimes known in the Western world as the Chinese violin or a Chinese two-stringed fiddle.It is used as a solo instrument as well as in small ensembles and large orchestras. It is the most popular of the hu qin family of traditional bowed string instruments used by various ethnic groups of China. The Erhu can be traced back to proto-Mongolic instruments which first appeared in Cheena during the tang Dynasty. It is believed to have evolved from the Xi Qin . The Xi Qin is believed to have originated from the people located in current Northeast Cheena.

Construction
The Erhu consists of a long vertical stick-like neck, at the top of which are two big tuning pegs, and at the bottom is a small resonator body (sound box) which is covered with python skin on the front (playing) end. Two strings are attached from the pegs to the base, and a small loop of string (Qian Jin) placed around the neck and strings acting as a nut pulls the strings towards the skin, holding a minute wooden bridge in place.

The parts of the Erhu:

Qín tong (琴筒), sound box or resonator body; it is hexagonal (liu jiao, southern), octagonal (ba jiao, northern), or, less commonly, round.

Qín pí/She pí (琴皮/蛇皮), skin, made from python. The python skin gives the erhu its characteristic sound.

Qín gan (琴杆), neck.

Qín tou (琴頭), top or tip of neck, usually a simple curve with a piece of bone or plastic on top, but is sometimes elaborately carved with a dragon's head.

Qín zhou (琴軸). tuning pegs, traditional wooden, or metal machine gear pegs

Qiān jin (千斤), nut, made from string, or, less commonly, a metal hook

Nèi xián (内弦), inside or inner string, usually tuned to D4, nearest to player

Wai xián (外弦), outside or outer string, usually tuned to A4

Qín ma (琴碼), bridge, made from wood

Gong (弓), bow, has screw device to vary bow hair tension

Gong gan (弓杆), bow stick, made from bamboo

Gong máo (弓毛), bow hair, usually white horsehair

Qín diàn (琴墊), pad, a piece of sponge, felt, or cloth placed between the strings and skin below the bridge to improve its sound

Qín tuō (琴托) – base, a piece of wood attached to the bottom of the qín tong to provide a smooth surface on which to rest on the leg

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Shakuhachi by Chloe Chen (2) and Xin Nuo (7)

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Shakuhachi by Chloe Chen (2) and Xin Nuo (7)

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The Shakuhachi is a Japanese bamboo flute which was originally derived from China, was inspired by the Xiao in the 8th Century. The blowing end of the Shakuhachi is usually cut outward and a small piece of ivory or bone is inserted at the edge so that there will be subtle variations of tone color on the instrument. The bell, which is the flared end, consists of the trunk of the bamboo plant with the root ends included. The body of the instrument is then naturally or artificially bent so that it looks more aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Shakuhachis were also used by Japanese zen monks in the past. The direct translation of Shaku is a unit of measurement used in Japan, which is about 30.3cm. The meaning of Hachi is literally the number 8.

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尺八 SHAKUHACHI flute - Rodrigo Rodriguez - contemporary Japanese music

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Kora by Ethan Tan (27) and Ryan Tan (35) 

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Kora by Ethan Tan (27) and Ryan Tan (35) 

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The Kora is a mandinka harp built from a  large calabash (or bottle gourd) and covered with cow skin to make a resonator with a long hardwood neck.
The earliest recorded mention of the kora could be around  the 1300s when traveler Ibn Battuta mentioned that the women who accompanied Dugha to perform did carry bows they plucked. He did not mention the number of strings but this clearly shows the existence of harp instruments in the 14th century in Mali.The earliest European reference to the kora in Western literature is in Travels in Interior Districts of Africa (1799) by the Scotsman Mungo Park. But the more likely scenario is that the origin of the kora is linked with Jali Mady Fouling Cissoko. The kora is played by plucking strings, much like a harp. However, the strings run in two divided ranks, making it a double harp. It has been used since the 1300s until now. in the 20th century, a 25 string model was developed, but only adopted but a few players, primilarily in the region of Casamence. Also in the 20th century an electric instrument based on it called the gravikord was invented.
Some fun facts:
The kora cannot be classified into one instrument class, but only several, and must be classified as a double-bridge-harp-lute.
Also, another instrument, the Gravi-kora, a 21 string electro-acoustic instrument, was later developed by Robert Grawi especially for kora players who wanted a modern instrument.

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Research.