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Its size and construction influences the sound of the instrument as the curved body is often struck percussively with the plectrum during play. The satsuma-biwa is traditionally made from Japanese mulberry, although other hard woods such as Japanese zelkova are sometimes used in its construction. Due to the slow growth of the Japanese mulberry ...
Biwa hōshi (琵琶法師), also known as "lute priests", were travelling performers in the era of Japanese history preceding the Meiji period. They earned their income by reciting vocal literature to the accompaniment of biwa music. Biwa hōshi were mostly blind, and adopted the shaved heads and robes common to Buddhist monks.
The plucking of the biwa with the plectrum is echoed in the orchestra by percussive effects on the strings. [3] The shakuhachi's breath effects are echoed by clusters and glissandi in the strings. [3] In this way, Takemitsu creates a harmony between the two instrumental bodies while maintaining their unique sound characteristics. [3]
The Tale of the Heike ' s origin cannot be reduced to a single creator. Like most epics (the work is an epic chronicle in prose rather than verse), it is the result of the conglomeration of differing versions passed down through an oral tradition by biwa-playing bards known as biwa hōshi.
In addition, there are a number of techniques that produce sound effects rather than musical notes, for example, striking the board of the pipa for a percussive sound, or strings-twisting while playing that produces a cymbal-like effect. The strings are usually tuned to A 2 D 3 E 3 A 3, although there are various other ways of tuning. Since the ...
Sawari was first found in the biwa, and this quality was a desirable trait that biwa players wanted to reproduce in the shamisen. Thus, players began to use oversized plectrums for the shamisen instead of the fingers, and the 1st string was purposely laid lower at the nut of the instrument so that it purposely vibrated against the wood of the ...
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3: Instruments in which sound is produced by one or more vibrating strings (chordophones, string instruments). 32: Instruments in which the resonator and string bearer are physically united and can not be separated without destroying the instrument 321: Instruments in which the strings run in a plane parallel to the sound table