Strive to promote the true spirit of taiko by the development of the following:
1 Respect (Courtesy to others)
2 Character (Mental Development)
3 Humility (Awareness of your short-comings)
4 Health (Physical Development)
5 Skill (Proficiency in taiko)
Taiko Drums & Other Instruments
Counting In Japanese
Some exercises at the dojo require counting to ten in Japanese.
Ichi
One
Ni
Two
San
Three
Shi
Four
Go
Five
Roku
Six
Shichi
Seven
Hachi
Eight
Kyu
Nine
Jyu
Ten
Taiko Glossary
Become familiar with some of the more popular phrases and terms we use at the dojo.
CREDIT: TAIKOSOURCE
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thank you; various ways of saying this from less formal to more formal: dōmo, domo arigatō, arigatō gozaimasu, dōmo arigatō gozaimasu; Arigatō gozaimasu! or Arigatō Gozaimashita! (past tense) are common salutations for ending a workshop or practice session
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“striking metal” a hand-held brass gong; played by striking the inside with a beater; also called surigane, chan-chiki,or simply kane for short; comes in various sizes of diameter, depth, thickness; may also be suspended from a stand by string or rope tied to its mimi; may be played several different ways — held loosely by the rope, tightly by the rope, with fingers around the mimi, suspended by the mimi within a frame or lying flat on a cushion (in which case, it is struck on the outside).
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the generic word for a plectrum OR drumstick;
- a hand-sized, paddle-shaped pick used for plucking the strings of the shamisen or biwa; may be made of wood, ebony, ivory or tortoiseshell (and now plastic)
撥 is the standard kanji for this type of bachi
2. a drumstick; taiko bachi come in various sizes – small and light for tsukeshime-daiko, heavy and strong [dense] forchū-daiko, large and lightweight for ō-daiko; lighter bachi made of hinoki (cypress) or hou (magnolia) wood, heavier ones of kaede (maple), kashi (oak) or nara (scrub oak); the length, diameter, density and taper of bachi affect the sound of the drum being played.
桴 is the standard kanji, but 枹 may also be used
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beta means “upright” or “face-up” (towards the sky); a beta-dai is a stand for holding a drum (e.g. chū-daiko, ō-daiko, some okedō) a few inches off the ground in an upright or vertical mode[position], i.e. with its face roughly parallel to the ground; the most common style of drum stand in Japan for chū-daiko.
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“Bon dance”; the community [communal] dancing and singing that goes on as a main activity of Obon; kumi-daiko grew largely out of the drumming done at festivals like Obon, and many taiko songs of today have their origin in the rhythms and movements of Bon Odori
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“tacked drum”, “tacked-strike-drum”; all drums with heads held in place by tacks instead of with rope
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alternate name for atarigane; the kuchi-shoga for this instrument uses the phonemes chan, chi & ki to denote the different types of hits, hence the nick-name
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hand cymbals; comes in various sizes (e.g. 4-7 sun or 4.75-8.35 inches in diameter); also referred to as jangara, tebira, tebiragane and tebyōshi; often decorative red tassels (fusa) are strung from the ring handles; originally used as supporting rhythmic instruments in festivals or ritual dances, but several modern taiko groups are developing chappa as a solo instrument as well, e.g. Ryutaro Kaneko of KODO
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“medium-drum”; mid-sized nagadō-daiko; most often used [frequently used for] for playing main parts and solos on songs [for pieces]; like the ō-daiko, the heads of these drums are generally cowhide, stretched over the body to a high tension and then nailed down with tacks. They are not tunable once tacked. Diameter of the drumheads generally measure 1.5 – 2.5 shaku (~18-30 inches).
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“a stand”; a rest or holder; taiko dai are what hold the drum in place for playing; special dai may be named for a specific song or style, e.g. Miyake-dai, Hachijo-dai, Chichibu-dai
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“the trunk”, the body: the wooden body of a taiko to which hides are attached and tightened. Constructed of a single piece of wood from a log, or from a reinforced stave construction (popular in North America) or synthetic materials (PVC piping)
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a particular style of festival music from old Tokyo (Edo); known for fast, complex rhythms and a jazzy, improvisational style
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“edge, rim”; the rim or edge of the drum where the drum-skin folds over and meets the dō; bachi may be struck against the fuchi for a hard, sharp sound referred to as ka.
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A bamboo transverse flute
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“flat-drum”, “flat-body drum”; a type of byō-uchi-daiko with the diameter of the heads greater than its body length. Such a structure retains a deep bass tone, but has less resonance or sustain of a chū-daiko or ō-daiko; much lighter and more portable (hence less expensive).
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“music of the gods”; ancient Shinto folk performing art involving music and dance, said to originate from the music and dance done by Uzume to entice Amaterasu from her cave; originally performed in the courtyard in front of a shrine, but later done on a stage; meant to placate or entertain kami; dances accompanied by flutes, drums, gongs
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a shout, yell; used to show encouragement or mark time; in taiko, this is often an integral part of the song; the vocalizations may be a call and response with several parts or a single part called out in unison
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“position, stance”; starting pose or stylized stance for a taiko player or dancer; kamae-te! (構えて) is a command to “take a stance” or “get in position”.
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“a ring, circle”; a metal ring or handle on byō-uchi-daiko; used for lifting or suspending from above; two handles placed usually 180 degrees apart, but occasionally 120 degrees apart; three handles placed 120 degrees apart. Some byō-uchi-daiko might feature one or no kan
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“shape, form”; fixed form or sequence of stance in taiko; body alignment and position when striking the drum; established technique, pattern of movement or movement sequence.
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“carried barrel-body drum”; often termed called “sling okedo” or “sling style okedo” in North America; a smaller (and usually lighter body) okedo-daiko or daibyoushi-daiko carried by slinging it over the neck and shoulders with a strap; used in processions and dances, and can be played on one or both heads, similar to the Korean changgo, it is able to be played while traveling through a performance space; The non-traditional/modern development and use of the okedo. Several major taiko groups and professional artists featuring the use of katsugi-okedō, including Kodo, Yamato, TAO, Shidara, Eitetsu Hayashi’s Fu-un-no-Kai, and Leonard Eto
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study, practice, training
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scream, yell, fighting spirit; a release of energy; a loud, sharp vocalization emanating from the body’s center (hara); used to release one’s own energy or to encourage others; usually brief, one to several syllables e.g. yo! so-re! su-ri-ya
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originally a generic term for all plucked string instruments, i.e. lutes and zithers; eventually the general term was applied to this one specific instrument, the 13-string Japanese zither or horizontal harp; modern players may use 17- and 21-string models as well; strings are stretched across a long (6-foot) wooden body and arched over moveable bridges; strings are tuned by moving the bridges; tones can be changed or muted by pressing down with the fingers; played by plucking with 3 plectrum/picks placed on the thumb and first 2 fingers.
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“mouth writing”, mouth singing”, “mouth chatter”; a mnemonic system of vocalizing taiko sounds and patterns in a type of solfege solmization; part of the oral tradition in teaching/learning Japanese music; different instruments have their own vocabulary (e.g. shime-daiko, chū-daiko, atarigane, fue); different groups or regions may use different vocabularies as well; the taiko adage, “if you can say it, you can play it” is an expression referred to learning kuchi-shōga first before playing it on a drum
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“space” or “interval”; an aesthetic interval in space or time integral to both Japanese music and dance; it includes the idea of a rest or pause, but also includes the anticipation of what will follow or the inaudible sections that make the audible sections noteworthy; the empty space in a painting or the stillness between beats of a drum are considered not really empty or still because they also fulfill an artistic function; allowing the audience to see the void, hearing the silence
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“festival”; community or religious celebration, traditionally involves singing and dancing accompanied by music called matsuri-bayashi; festivals may be religious (e.g. Obon, Oshogatsu), seasonal (e.g. Aki Matsuri), or local/regional (e.g. Kyoto Gion Matsuri, Sendai Tanabata Matsuri, Sapporo Yukimatsuri).
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literally “ear”; Refers to the flaps situated below the mimi on the sides of the heads of byō-uchi-daiko; mimi are created to hold wooden staves in place that allow rope to be secured when tightening the drumhead head prior to nailing; also refers to the small projections on atarigane and shoko used to fasten cords to hold by hand or to secure to a stand
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A medium- to large-sized byō-uchi-daiko. Medium-sized nagadō-daiko are typically called chū-daiko in North America.
Sometimes called miya-daiko (宮太鼓 みやだいこ）
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“slant stand, diagonal stand”; used for holding a drum at an angle of 45-60 degrees from horizontal; most common stand for chū-daiko in North America; commonly associated with Sukeroku Taiko and its various descendant groups, sometimes referred to as Sukeroku-dai by American groups; in Japan, also called an oritatami-dai.
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High-pitched bamboo flute, used in Noh performances (as well as by some contemporary musicians in original compositions)
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“big drum” or “great drum”; technically, the largest byō-uchi-daiko [or okedō-daiko] in any ensemble is called the ō-daiko; this may be a regular 1 chū-daiko for some groups, but most often refer to taiko with heads larger than 3 shaku in diameter. ō-daiko are played on a tower stand (ashi-dai or yagura-dai) with large bachi, e.g. [in excess of] 20-inch length by 1.5-2 inch diameter. ō-daiko often features as a solo or duet instrument, but also as part of an ensemble. Solos or pieces featuring the o-daiko often demonstrate the ki and endurance of the performer, and can last over 10 minutes
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Japanese Buddhist festival commemorating ancestors; traditionally celebrated in the middle of the 7th month — July in the solar calendar but August in the lunar calendar; the most popular, widely celebrated Japanese festival in North America; Bon Odori (Obon dancing) uses taiko to keep the beat for the dancers and taiko groups often perform at Obon
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a dance; as in Bon Odori; often refers to a folk dance involving many people; a group dance or community dance at festivals; taiko-odori (“drum dance”) and te-odori (“hand dance”) are terms used to differentiate dancers with and without drums, as in Sansa Odori; traditionally, odori refers to a springing or jumping dance, as in Kabuki dances
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“good morning”; in the context of performing arts used as a greeting, regardless of time of day
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“do me this favor”; please; polite form used when making a request, as for items, service or a person on the phone; cannot be used after verbs requiring action – for that, use –kudasai
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“thanks for your fatigue/effort”; term used to acknowledge someone’s work on your behalf or to indicate appreciation for the effort expended in helping you or working with you; often said as a group at the end of a practice, class or workshop in the past tense = otsukaresama-deshita
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3-stringed Okinawan lute; precursor to the Japanese shamisen; originally played with a small plectrum worn on the index finger, now more commonly played with a guitar pick or fingernail; smaller than its Japanese cousin, sanshin heads are made with snakeskin
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An end-blown flute, typically made from bamboo
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3-string Japanese lute played with a plectrum or bachi; favorite accompaniment to min’yō (Japanese folk songs); also used in Kabuki orchestras and as principal accompaniment to Bunraku chanters; three sizes = futo-zao (‘thick-necked’), chu-zao or naka-zao (‘medium-necked’), and hoso-zao (‘thin-necked’); heads are made of either cat or dog skin; material and playing style vary regionally, e.g. Tsugaru shamisen is noted for its fast, intricate playing and large, heavy instrument
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“tightened drum”; from verb shimeru = to close or tie tightly; smaller, high-toned drum with a one-piece wood body with heads are stretched and stitched over large metal rings, then pulled tight by rope or nowadays also metal hooks tightened by bolts, in contrast to the static tightening of a byō-uchi-daiko. Sizes are graded using a chō-gake scale all drums with roped heads are part of the shime-daiko family. These drums have a tremendous dynamic range if tied/tightened properly
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“sitting stand”; a taiko stand for playing a drum while seated in seiza or agura positions; made of wood or metal. Most commonly used for tsukeshime-daiko
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“stand up stand”; a tachi-dai is an upright stand for tsukeshime-daiko, hiradō-daiko or smaller okedō-daiko that holds the drum with the head parallel to the ground; a taller stand than the beta-dai used for chū-daiko; holds the shorter drums at a comfortable hitting height when standing
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“drum”; in Japan, the general term for any drum, e.g. okedō, conga, djembe, snare; outside of Japan, taiko refers specifically to traditional Japanese drums, but within Japan, wadaiko is the term used; taiko can be divided into two large families of drums: byō-uchi-daiko, which have heads held by tacks, and shime-daiko, which have heads held by rope or by a hook and bolt system.
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“iron-tube”; sometimes called canon (or cannon) due to its appearance; a modern Japanese percussion instrument: made of 3 sections of metal tube of different diameter welded together end to end with the largest being in the middle; played with wood or metal bachi; each section gives a different tone with a sound somewhat resembling an atari game; used for keeping the ji or adding nori to a piece; first used by Grand Master Daihachi Oguchi of Osuwa Daiko
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“attached-closed-drum”; smaller, high toned drum with a one-piece wood body and two heads stretched over iron rings and tightened with rope or bolts; in kumi-daiko, festival-style or matsuri tsukeshime-daiko are referred to as shime for short; Nohgaku tsukeshime-daiko have a slightly different construction and are played differently as well; taiko groups can utilize shime to maintain a base rhythm, solo, act as punctuation or counterpoint to other parts, or in a set of taiko, These drums have a tremendous dynamic range if tied/tightened properly; sizes are graded using a chō-gake scale
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small drum with an hour-glass shaped body and two heads roped together; tone can be changed by tightening then loosening your grip on the rope; only Japanese drum played with the hand rather than bachi; the ō-tsuzumi (large drum) or ōkawa, is held on the hip when played, while the ko-tsuzumi (small drum) is held on the shoulder; both are used in hōgaku and orchestras for Kabuki and Noh theatre forms
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“fan drum”; single head stretched over an iron frame, stitched down and attached to a wooden handle; comes in various sizes; traditionally held in one hand and hit with abachi; traditionally used by Buddhist sects (especially popular with the Nichiren sect) to support/replace vocal chants; modern players use stands that can hold a set played with two bachi or even by two people. [example: Eitetsu Hayashi, Kenny Endo, Yamato]
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“Japanese-drums”; since all drums (e.g. bongos, djembe, conga, tom-tom, snare, etc) are called ‘taiko’ in Japan, it became necessary to differentiate by calling drums native to Japan ‘Japanese drums’
