Traditional Korean musical instruments

Traditional Korean musical instruments comprise a wide range of string, wind, and percussion instruments.

tring

Korean string instruments include those that are plucked, bowed, and struck. Most Korean string instruments use silk strings, except as noted.

Plucked

*Gayageum (hangul: ; hanja: ) - A long zither with 12 strings; modern versions may have 13, 17, 18, 21, 22, or 25 strings
*Geomungo (hangul: 거문고; hanja: ) - A fretted bass zither with six strings that is plucked with a bamboo stick
*Daejaeng (hangul: 대쟁; hanja: ) - A long zither with 15 strings, slightly larger than the "gayageum"; it was used during the Goryeo period but is no longer used ^{[http://www.topianet.co.kr/topia/6/6u/images/6u010002d.jpgphoto]}
*Seul (hangul: 슬; hanja: ) - A long zither with 25 strings, derived from the Chinese "se"; used today only in "Munmyo jeryeak" (Confucian ritual music) ^{[http://www.topianet.co.kr/topia/6/6u/images/6u010002g.jpgphoto]}
*Geum (hangul: 금; hanja: ) - A 7-stringed zither, derived from the Chinese "guqin"; also called "chilheyongeum"; used today only in "Munmyo jeryeak" (Confucian ritual music) ^{[http://www.topianet.co.kr/topia/6/6u/images/6u010002f.jpgphoto]}
*Gonghu (hangul: 공후; hanja: ) - Harps (no longer used). There were four subtypes according to shape:
**Sogonghu (hangul: 소공후; hanja: ; literally "small harp") - harp with angled sound box, 13 strings, and a peg that is tucked into the player's belt ^{[http://www.topianet.co.kr/topia/6/6u/images/6u010002m.jpgphoto]}
**Sugonghu (hangul: 수공후; hanja: ; literally "vertical harp") - vertical harp without sound box and 21 strings ^{[http://www.topianet.co.kr/topia/6/6u/images/6u010002l.jpgphoto]}
**Wagonghu (hangul: 와공후; hanja: ; literally "lying down harp") - Arched harp with a large internal sound box and 13 strings ^{[http://www.topianet.co.kr/topia/6/6u/images/6u010002kk.jpgphoto]}
**Daegonghu (hangul: 대공후; hanja: ) - large vertical harp with 23-strings
*Bipa (hangul: 비파; hanja: ) - A pear-shaped lute with four or five strings (subtypes include the 5-stringed "hyangbipa", which is also called "jikgyeongbipa"; and the 4-stringed "dangbipa"); derived from the Chinese "pipa"; no longer used
*Wolgeum (hangul: 월금; hanja: ) - A lute with a moon-shaped wooden body, four strings, and 13 frets; no longer used
*Cheolhyeongeum (hangul: 철현금; hanja: ) - A steel-stringed zither plucked with a stick and played with a slide in the manner of a slide guitar, developed in the 20th century ^{[http://eee.uci.edu/programs/rgarfias/sound-recordings/sanjo.html photo 1] [http://www.music-plaza.com/Product_Images/large/CNLR05062.jpgphoto 2]}
*Ongnyugeum (hangul: 옥류금; hanja: ) - A large modernized box zither with 33 nylon-wrapped metal strings, developed in North Korea in 1973; pronounced "ongryugeum" in North Korea ^{[http://www.uriminjogkiri.com/Newspaper/PhotoBook/Minsok/htm/97.htm photo 1] [http://ifes.kyungnam.ac.kr/admin/upload_File/data/Dsc00059.jpgphoto 2] [http://www.kcckp.net/images/periodic/korea/2006/06/36-4-0.jpgphoto 3]}

Bowed

*Haegeum (hangul: ; hanja: ) - A vertical fiddle with two strings
*Ajaeng (hangul: ; hanja: ) - A bowed zither, derived from the Chinese "yazheng"
*Sohaegeum (hangul: ) - A modernized fiddle with four strings; used only in North Korea ^{[http://hibari.sohegum.com/images/sohegum.jpgphoto 1] [http://b2b.seoulrecords.co.kr/image_M/00005230002.jpgphoto 2]}

truck

*Yanggeum (hangul: ; hanja: ) - A hammered dulcimer with metal strings, struck with a bamboo stick

Wind

Flutes

*Daegeum (hangul: 대금; hanja: or ) - A large transverse bamboo flute with buzzing membrane
*Junggeum (hangul: 중금; hanja: or ) - A medium-sized transverse bamboo flute without buzzing membrane
*Sogeum (hangul: 소금; hanja: or ) - A small transverse bamboo flute without buzzing membrane
*Danso (hangul: 단소; hanja: ) - A small notched vertical bamboo flute
*Tungso (hangul: 퉁소; hanja: ) - A long notched vertical bamboo flute; originally called "tongso"; derived from the Chinese "dongxiao"
*Yak (hangul: 약; hanja: ) - A notched vertical bamboo flute with three finger holes; used in Confucian ritual music and dance
*Ji (hangul: 지; hanja: ) - An ancient vertical bamboo flute with a protruding notched blowhole and five finger holes (one in the back and four in the front), used only in "aak"; derived from the Chinese "chí"
*Jeok (hangul: 적; hanja: ) - An ancient flute of Chinese origin; used in court ritual music
*So (hangul: 소; hanja: ) - A pan flute; derived from the Chinese "paixiao"; used only in "Munmyo jeryeak" (Confucian ritual music)
*Dangjeok (hangul: 당적; hanja: ) - A small transverse bamboo flute of Chinese origin, slightly smaller than the "junggeum"
*Hun (hangul: ; hanja: ) - An ocarina made of baked clay

Oboes

*Piri (hangul: 피리; hanja: linktext|觱篥) - A cylindrical oboe with a bamboo body. There are four varieties of "piri":
**Hyang piri (hangul: 향피리; hanja: linktext|鄕|觱|篥)
**Se piri (hangul: 세피리; hanja: linktext|細|觱|篥)
**Dang piri (hangul: 당피리; hanja: linktext|唐|觱|篥)
**Dae piri (대피리)
*Taepyeongso (hangul: 태평소; hanja: linktext|太|平|簫; also called "hojok") - A conical oboe with a wooden body and metal bell

Mouth organs

*Saenghwang (hangul: linktext|생황; hanja: linktext|笙簧) - A free reed mouth organ with 17 bamboo pipes; derived from the Chinese "sheng"
*U (hangul: 우; hanja: linktext|竽) - A free reed mouth organ, large in size; derived from the Chinese "yu"; no longer used
*Hwa (hangul: 화; hanja: linktext|和) - A free reed mouth organ with 13 bamboo pipes; derived from the Chinese "he"; no longer used

Horns

*Nabal (hangul: 나발; hanja: linktext|喇叭) - Long metal trumpet
*Nagak (hangul: 나각; hanja: linktext|螺角) - Sea shell horn; also called "sora"

Percussion

Chimes

*Jong (hangul: 종; hanja: linktext|鐘) - A bronze bell
*Pyeonjong (hangul: 편종; hanja: linktext|編|鐘) - A set of 16 tuned bronze bells used in ancient court music; derived from the Chinese "bianzhong"
*Teukjong (hangul: 특종; hanja: linktext|特|鐘) - A single large bronze bell
*Pyeongyeong (hangul: 편경; hanja: linktext|編|磬) - A set of 16 tuned stone chimes used in ancient court music; derived from the Chinese "bianqing"
*Teukgyeong (hangul: 특경; hanja: linktext|特|磬) - A single large tuned stone chime
*Banghyang (hangul: 방향; hanja: linktext|方|響) - A metallophone with 16 tuned iron slabs; derived from the Chinese "fangxiang" ^{[http://www.koreandb.net/KMusic/Kmp034.htm photo]}
*Ulla (hangul: 운라; hanja: linktext|雲鑼 or linktext|雲羅) - A set of ten small tuned gongs in a wooden frame; derived from the Chinese "yunluo" ^{[http://www.koreandb.net/KMusic/Kmp062.htm photo]}

Drums

*Buk (hangul: 북) - A barrel drum used primarily in pansori, pungmul, and samulnori. The term "buk" is also used in Korean as a generic term to refer to any type of drum.
**Pungmul-buk - used in pungmul
**Sori-buk - used to accompany pansori
*Janggu or Janggo (hangul: 장고 or 장구; hanja: or ) - A double-headed hourglass-shaped drum generally played with one stick and one hand
*Galgo (hangul: 갈고; hanja: ) - Double-headed hourglass-shaped drum similar to the "janggo" but played with two sticks and thinner drum heads; sometimes called "yanggo" or "yangjanggo"; no longer commonly used [http://www.kcaf.or.kr/ehome3/english/galgo.htm]
*Jingo (hangul: 진고; hanja: ) - Largest barrel drum
*Jeolgo (hangul: 절고; hanja: linktext|節|鼓) - Barrel drum
*Jwago (hangul: 좌고; hanja: linktext|座|鼓) - A barrel drum in a wooden frame
*Geongo (hangul: 건고; hanja: linktext|建|鼓) - Huge barrel drum
*Yonggo (hangul: 용고; hanja: linktext|龍|鼓) - A barrel drum with a dragon painted on its shell; used in "daechwita"
*Eunggo (hangul: 응고; hanja: linktext|應|鼓) - Barrel drum suspended from a frame
*Sakgo - (hangul: 삭고; hanja: linktext|朔|鼓) - A long barrel drum suspended from a wooden frame
*Gyobanggo (hangul: 교방고; hanja: linktext|敎|坊|鼓) - Flat drum suspended from a frame
*Junggo (hangul: 중고; hanja: linktext|中|鼓) - Flat drum suspended from a frame; similar to the "gyobanggo" but larger
*Sogo (hangul: 소고; hanja: linktext|小|鼓) - A small hand-held drum
*Nogo (hangul: 노고; hanja: linktext|路|鼓) - A set of two drums pierced by a pole
*Nodo (hangul: 노도; hanja: linktext|路|鼗) - A set of two small drums on a pole, which is twisted to play; used in ritual music
*Yeongdo (hangul: 노도; hanja:linktext|靈|鼗) - Four drums on a pole, which is twisted to play; used in ritual music
*Noedo (hangul: 뇌도; hanja: linktext|雷|鼗) ) - six small drums hung in a frame; used in ritual music
*Noego (hangul: 뇌고; hanja: linktext|雷|鼓) - Three small barrel drums on a pole, which is twisted to play; used in ritual music
*Do (도) - single pellet drum on a pole

Gongs

*Kkwaenggwari (hangul: ) - A small gong used primarily in folk music
*Jing (hangul: ; hanja: ) - A large gong; originally pronounced "jeong" ()

Cymbals

*Jabara (hangul: 자바라; also called "bara", "bal", or "jegeum") - pair of large brass cymbals

Other

*Bak (hangul: 박; hanja: linktext|拍) - A wooden clapper used in ancient court and ritual music
*Bu (hangul: 부; hanja: linktext|缶) - A clay pot used in Confucian ritual music; derived from the Chinese "fǒu"
*Chuk (hangul: 축; hanja: linktext|柷) - A wooden box, played by hitting a stick on the inside, used to mark beats or sections; derived from the Chinese "zhù"; used in ancient ritual music
*Eo (hangul: 어; hanja: linktext|敔) - A wooden percussion instrument carved in the shape of a tiger with a serrated back, played by running a bamboo whisk across it to mark the ends of sections; derived from the Chinese "yǔ"

ee also

*Akhak Gwebeom
*Korean music
*Traditional Chinese musical instruments

External links

* [http://www.ureuk.or.kr/htm/musical04.php Korean string instruments]
* [http://www.ureuk.or.kr/htm/musical05.php Korean bamboo wind instruments]
* [http://www.ureuk.or.kr/htm/musical08.php Korean drums]
* [http://www.culture-arts.go.kr/english/contents/con1_2-1.html Korean wind instruments]
* [http://www.culture-arts.go.kr/english/contents/con1_2-2.html Korean percussion instruments]
* [http://www.culture-arts.go.kr/english/contents/con1_2-3.html Korean string instruments]
* [http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/55a/176.html North Korean instruments]

Listening

* [http://www.personal.psu.edu/users/m/r/mrb280/assignment7/sounds.html Korean instrument audio samples]
* [http://aris.ss.uci.edu/rgarfias/kiosk/sanjo.html Korean music audio] from Robert Garfias site

Video

* [http://aris.ss.uci.edu/rgarfias/kiosk/media.html Korean instruments videos] from Robert Garfias site