Japan

__**Musical instruments typical to the culture: (tone colour)**__ Traditional Japanese instruments can be classes into three categories. __ **percussion** __ //Hyoshigi// - wooden or bamboo clappers //Mokugyo// - woodblock carved in the shape of a fish, struck with a wooden stick; often used in Buddhist chanting //Shoko// - small bronze gong used in gagaku; struck with two horn beaters //Sasara// - Clapper made from wooden slats connected by a rope or cord //Taiko// - Great drum.

__**Strings**__ //Kugo// -an angled harp used in ancient times and recently revived //Sanshin// - A banjo-like lute with three strings, the shamisen was brought to Japan from China in the 16th century. Popular in Edo's pleasure districts, the shamisen was often used in Kabuki theater. Made from red sandalwood and ranging from 1.1 to 1.4 meters long, the shamisen has ivory pegs, strings made from twisted silk, and a belly covered in cat or dog skin. The strings, which are of different thickness, are plucked or struck with a tortoise shell pick. //yamatogoto -// ancient long zither; also called // wagon // // Taishogoto - // zither with metal strings and keys Tonkori - plucked instrument used by the Ainu of hookaido

Below is an example of Traditional Japanese music.

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The music of Japan can be broken up into thee groups; - __Instrumental__ This music is characterized by having a lot of strings in it as well as a number of percussive instruments. these songs are upwards of 10 minutes in length. This type of Japanese music, as with all the others is a acoustic based sound, (not amplified) - __Court music__ court music is again, charecteriserd by having a lot of high notes, this time played more on the wind instruments, it is also charecterized by having a lack of percussion. This music has two types; Bugaku and Gagaku. both are very similiar. This music is also syncopated in its timing. - __Theatrical -__ This music dates back to the 17th centuary where it was famous with the towns people kin the town of Edo. This music is very heavily based on percussion with clapping sticks being used frequently. But there is a lack of string instruments in this form of music. In this music type there is also a layer of wind instruments that are played underneath the layer of the percussion.
 * __Characteristics__** __**of Japanese Music:**__

The music is often used to celebrate very important events in Japan. The music has significant cultural meaning and background

__**Duration:**__

The traditional Japanese music is choreographed to a 3/4 time signature. It has a moderate tempo.

__**Pitch**__ The overall pitch of Japenese music is very high, with the strings and the wind instruments providing this high pitch. an example of such an instrument is the Kugo, as shown above.

__**Bibliography**__:

Music of Japan
 In-text: (Wikipedia, 2014) Bibliography: Wikipedia, (2014). //Music of Japan//. [online] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Japan [Accessed 19 Aug. 2014].

Traditional Japanese | Significant Albums, Artists and Songs | AllMusic
 In-text: (AllMusic, 2014) Bibliography: AllMusic, (2014). //Traditional Japanese | Significant Albums, Artists and Songs | AllMusic//. [online] Available at: http://www.allmusic.com/style/traditional-japanese-ma0000011964 [Accessed 19 Aug. 2014].