Changgu

  The Changgu is the fundamental instrument in Korean traditional classic music. The originally-named Puk was used to accompany vocal music such as P'ansori.
However, because of its flexible nature and its agility with complex rhythm, the Changgu is now classified as the basic instrument accompanist in any performances to cheer up the audience.




Taegum

  The Taegum is a transverse bamboo flute. A major solo wind instrument, it has been played in almost all types of music since the Shilla Dynasty(57B.C.-668A.C.).
This long flute with a large blowhole covered by a very thin reed membrance has great flexibility and is very difficult to play. It is different from either the Western flute, which has a small blowhole, or from the transverse flute of China and Japan.
As the largest of the transverse wind instruments, the Taegum puoduces a full, rich tone.




Pak(Clappers)

  The Pak is a set of six wooden slabs shaped like a folding fan, loosely tied together at one end by a thong made of deerskin.
The loose ends are thicker than the bound ends. This instrument has been in use since the days of the Unified Shilla period.
Upon a signal from the conductor of the court orchestra, one clap of the Pak starts the music:three claps bring it to a close.
In the court dance, it is also employed to signal a change both in dance movement and the musical accompaniment.




Kwenggwari(Small Gong)

  In the farmers' festival music, the lead player(Sang-soe) of this small gong produces tones that are both loud and high in register while the sounds that emanate from the second small gong player are softer by comparison.
The mallet that is used to strike the large gong is made of wood and tipped with cloth or deerskin.
The mallet used for the small gong is thinner and longer in size, usually made of bamboo or other wood and lacks the cloth or deerskin wrapping, causing a shrill sound by comparison.




Ching(Large Gong)

  The Ching is struck with a mallet, the tip of which is wrapped in cloth or deerskin. It is held in the left hand by a gandle suspended by a cord running through two holes at the top and struck with the right hand.




Puk

  In the past, the Puk, known to be the oldest folk instrument, was used to accompany all genres of Korean music.
Because of its dynamic resonance, the Puk's sound has been compared to the pounding of the earth.
In practice, the Pak is usually placed on the ground when performed. However, in the case of Samul Nori, the Puk is placed on the knee.




Kayagum

  The Kayagum is a 12-stringed plucked zither with movable bridges and the most preferred and representative of all Korean string instruments.
There are two types of Kayagum, that differs in size, construction, and use. The larger instrument is associated with court and classical ensembels:among such musical styles are Popkum and Pungyu Kayagum. The body of the instrument is made from a single piece of paulownia wood with a slightly convex front :a large rectangular opening allows the soundbox to be hollowed out from behind.
Stylized "ram's horns" made from a harder wood such as red sandalwood decorate the lower end of the instrument.
The twelve strings, which are of wound raw silk, run from pegs beneath the top end of the instrument over low fixed bridge curved to match the body, across individual movable bridges made from hard wood, to looped cords.
The smaller instrument is belived to have evolved in the 19th century to accommodate rapid flurries of notes in folk music genres such as Sanjo, hence it is often called Sanjo Kayagum.


Kimungo(Six-stringed Instrument)

  In use since 371 A.D. the Komungo is an instrument with six strings of twisted silk that are stertched over a soundboard made of paulownia wood.
The backboard is constructed of hard chestnut wood. The second, third and fourth strings rest on sixteen graduated frets, the first of which also acts as a bridge, while the first, tifth and sixth strings are supported by movable bridges shaped like a crane's foot. The fine tuning of the strings is executed by round wooden pegs at the base of the instrument, just below the string holder. The first, fifth and sixth may additionally be tuned by shifting the movable bridges to the left or light.
The player sits cross-legged and supports the instrument with his right knee from below and left knee from behind. The body of the instrument streches away to the player's left.
The strings are struck in both a forward and backward motion with a small bamboo rod at the upper right end of instrument, the soundboard of the Komungo is noble and profound. Compared with that of the Kayagum, which is somewhat feminine in timbre, the tone of the komungo has been described as masculine in character.

Sogo(Handle Drum)

  A small drum with a handle, the Sogo is played with a small stick.
It is frequently used in the farmers' dancd and sometimes in the accompaniment of folk songs.
In farmer's music and dance, the Sogo is struck on the first beat of each rhythmic cycle, namely, the fundamental beat. Also, when a number of folk singers are grouped into lead singer and chorus, the leader strikes the Sogo on the fundamental beat, the chorus follows with the basic rhythmic pattern.


Saenap(Taepyungso)

  The Taepyungso stands apart from the rest of the wind instruments because of its metal body. It has eight holes, two of which is on the back of the instrument, and produces a sound with a small double reed piece.
Its big, high pitch sound is utilized in louder music such as military music.




Samul Nori(Four instruments play)

  Four percussive instruments of farmer's festival music Kkwenggwari(small gong), Ching(large gong), Puk(drum), and the Changgu(hourglass drum) were brought indoors to create a new gener of music that organized various rhythmic gestures into music the Samul Nori.
The role of the leader varies according to different regions of Korea in the Kyungki, Choonchong regin the Kkwenggwari leads the group while the Changgr leads in Southern region.
Once the music begins, the dynamic rhythmic harmony carries this percussion ensemble into a spiritual high.




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