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Traditional musical instruments

Traditional musical instruments may vary from nation to nation. This can change from town to town and from village to village. It is possible to use a variety of musical instruments or folk music styles. Traditional Korean music has been preserved in the same way for centuries in South Korea. It tries to carry on the Buddhist, folk, shaman ritual, and court music traditions of Korea's various music styles. Artists make it a point to maintain their traditions even when they attempt to cross over into particular genres.


1. AJAENG

Of the string instruments on our list, the ajaeng is probably the most intricate. Depending on the type, it has seven or eight strings. A wooden stick is used to play these strings, which are made of twisted silk fibers. The larger of the two instruments has seven strings. It is usually used for court orchestral music and is called a daeajaeng. The eight-string soajaeng is typically used for folk music and solo performances.



2 .DAEGEUM

One of Korea's most authentic instruments is the daegeum.It consists of a closed-end mouthpiece. At this end, there's a film opening that the player delicately blows into. The reed stem experiences air pressure as a result, resulting in the instrument's distinctive buzzing sound.



3. JWAGO

The jwago is made of animal skin that is bound together with metal nails and a wood frame. The musician plays it while sitting on the floor with a wooden stick with tassels on one side that is hung on a wooden fixture. Orchestras arrange this drum to signal the beginning of the music or the first beat. Additionally, it is utilized to enhance the janggu drum's sound.



4. YANGGEUM

The yanggeum, first showed up in Korea in the eighteenth hundred years. It has 14 sets of strings, each with four wiry metal strings that make sounds when a thin bamboo stick hits them. These 56 strings are connected to two frets on either end of a sound box with a trapezoid shape.


5. PYEONGJONG

The pyeongjong is a massive instrument that consists of sixteen bronze bells that are hung from a wooden structure. The thicker bells produce higher pitches, and each bell has its own distinct pitch.

To play this percussive instrument, the performer utilizes a stick. The artist can adjust the pitch's intensity with this stick, which is made of a cow horn.



6. Saenghwang

The free reed wind mouth organ known as the saenghwang makes a sound when the musician blows into the wind chamber. On the other end, there are several bamboo pipes and small metal boards, as well as a wind chest made of dried gourd. Air pressure is created as the air moves through the reed and into the wind chest. In the pipes, this air pressure reverberates, resulting in various pitches.



7. KWENGGWARI

KKWENGGWAR Farmers' music or nongak typically features this handheld gong. The lead performer plays it to create intricate beats and rhythms. It has a rope handle and is made of forged brass. The unpadded stick that the musician uses to hit the gong makes a deep, resonant sound.


Keeping old traditional music alive is a great way to connect the past and the present. It also serves as a wonderful reminder of all Koreans' extensive history. That history will be preserved for future generations with the assistance of Korean folk instruments.



 

Written and layout By: Khadija Naveed






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