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Technique flows from form<\/h2>\n
Unlike most guitars and basses, the koto is fretless and each string can only produce one pitch. In effect, the number of strings limits how many different note choices the performer has. Performers have gotten around this by developing creative techniques like shifting the moveable bridges along the neck or pressing strings behind the bridges with their left hand to bend the pitch.<\/p>\n
Indeed, it is the moveable bridges, known as ji<\/i>, that set the koto apart from other zither instruments. The movable bridges support the strings and allow the performer to adjust the string to achieve any tuning they like.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The koto was introduced to Japan sometime in the 8th<\/sup><\/span> century during the Nara Period. For over a millennium, the instrument was primarily reserved for aristocrats to perform gagaku<\/i> (court music). But radical changes in form and technique began to appear at the turn of the 17th<\/sup><\/span> century.<\/p>\n A key innovator was Yatsuhashi Kengyo, a blind musician from Kyoto. Eschewing traditional tunings, he often used the pentatonic miyako-bushi<\/i> scale and established the danmono<\/i> form of composition for the koto. He composed many pieces for the instrument and is even credited with writing \u201cRokudan no Shirabe\u201d, one of the most well-known koto pieces.<\/p>\n He was followed by Ikuta Kengyo and Yamada Kengyo who further refined the modern koto instrument and its music.<\/p>\n The 17-string koto and 20-string koto were not developed until the early 20th<\/sup><\/span> century. Prior to this, nearly all koto had just 13 strings. But as the modern era ushered in more diverse forms of music and performance, the koto evolved and adapted.<\/p>\n The 17-string koto was devised by Michio Miyagi, famed for \u201cHaru no Umi\u201d, a piece often played during the New Year season. By adding strings and extending the lower register, Miyagi intended the instrument provide bass accompaniment in ensemble performances, much like the cello to the violin. Today it has become a solo instrument in its own right. In keeping with its deeper sound, the 17-string koto is slightly larger than a typical koto with thicker strings and played with a heavier pick.<\/p>\n The 20-string koto was created by the koto player Keiko Nosaka and the composer Minoru Miki. The instrument was originally strung with 20 strings, as its name suggests, but with later improvements, it now normally sports 21 strings. The 20-string koto\u2019s register extends both above and below that of the 13-string koto. The wider tonal range makes the 20-string koto well suited for contemporary music.<\/p>\n Seeking to push musical boundaries, people have developed many koto designs, including some with 25 or 30 strings and even as many as 80 strings!<\/p>\n This is just a cursory peek at the koto\u2019s long and colorful history. It is definitely worth looking into if you are at all interested.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s have a listen to the three libraries to get a sense of the instruments\u2019 distinct characters. Obviously, the number of strings makes a difference, but the biggest sonic differences are in their tones. We made a short passage and played it with each of the libraries so you can listen and compare for yourself.<\/p>\n KOTO 13 is distinguished by its elegant and refined character. This library contains the typical sounds many imagine when they think of the koto.<\/p>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sonica.jp\/instruments\/images\/blog202312_koto_ji-1024x576.jpg\")
\nClassical period and a radical departure<\/h2>\n
\nNew koto designs emerge, bringing new possibilities<\/h2>\n
\nHear the different voices for yourself<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sonica.jp\/instruments\/images\/KOTO-Three-SistersBundle202112-1024x513.png\")
<\/p>\nKOTO 13 Version 2<\/h3>\n