both the kora and the koto are solo instruments. the kora is played by resting it on your knees, facting you; th players hends rest on the handles and play the strings with thumbs and fore fingers.
the koto on the other hand, is played flat on the ground. the player uses finger picks on their right hand to pluck the strings and uses their left hand to press or strech the strings to play the desired note.
The investigation:
An investigation into the traditionnal malien kora vs the the japanese koto. could compare how culture has affected the playing of these two instruments and how they are played in similar ways. Then i would like to compare the scales that they tune these two instrumens to and see if one influences the other.
Ali Farka Touré music from mali and the japanease koto.
similarities: scale, tuning (koto = briges; kora = noches), has one influenced the other?
Kora bridge showing distribution of pitches http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrEPm04v9Mk&feature=related listen to the first 20 sec of this, concentrate on the first 8. The absolute base pitch of traditional instruments may vary between about E (deepest guitar string) and the A above it. However, F seems to become standard. deep octave (incomplete, 4 notes), played with left thumb
steps F C, D, E
lower octave (complete, 7 notes), preferably played with thumbs
steps F, G, A, Bb, C, D, E
upper octave (complete, 7 notes), preferably played with forefingers
steps F, G, A, Bb, C, D, E
high octave (incomplete, 3 notes), played with right forefinger
steps F, G, IA traditional tuning of the Kora (modal):
A traditional kora has 21 strings arranged in two parallel planes, with 11 strings for the left hand and 10 for the right. To play a scale you alternately pluck the left and right strings. The approach allows for the fast, scalewise runs characteristic of kora music. By moving the leather rings, up or down the kora's wooden neck, the player puts the instrument into one of four traditional tunings (rather like the briges on the kora). Each tuning uses a heptatonic (7-note) scale, three of which approximate modes used in Western music--major, minor and lydian--and one that's reminiscent of the blues scale. The kora can be tuned to the following scales:
1. SAOUTA ("Socés" scale from Casamance) with the fourth degree raised by a chromatic semitone; the same as the hypolydian mode. F G A B C D E F
2. MANDÉKA is the leading note scale that the Mandingo themselves use and call niani, kirina, kangaba… F G A B( C D E( F
3. SIM'BI is the name of a Mandingo arched harp and the scale used most often for songs about heroes. F G A( B C D( E F
4. SILABA, a scale in F F (minor) G A B( C D E 5. TOMORA F (minor) G A( B( C D E(
ZONZOI2DkXg]]= The strings are plucked with three ivory picks worn on the thumb, index and middle fingers of the right hand. In classical pieces, the left hand is usually only used to raise the pitch (by pressing on a string behind its bridge), to make grace notes or to physically move the bridges for key changes within the piece. In modern pieces, however,tthe left hand is also used for vibrato and to pluck the stringsHira Joshi
The basic tuning of the koto is called hira joshi, and it is most often in the key of D:
In hira joshi in the key of D, the strings 1-13 are tuned as follows: D - G - A - A# - D - D# - G - A - A# - D - D# - G - A
with ascending pitch, except:
String 1 is in unison with string 5 in classical pieces.
String 1 is usually an octave below string 5 in modern pieces.
You can tune hira joshi in any key (subject to the physical limitations of the instrument). The idea is just to keep the same intervals between notes. Here is hira joshi in G:
In hira joshi in the key of G, the strings 1-13 are tuned as follows: G - C - D - D# - G - G# - C - D - D# - G - G# - C - D
with ascending pitch, except:
String 1 is in unison with string 5 in classical pieces.
String 1 is usually an octave below string 5 in modern pieces.
Kokin Joshi
Another classical tuning for the koto is called kokin joshi, and it is also most often in the key of D:
In kokin joshi in the key of D, the strings 1-13 are tuned as follows: D - G - A - C - D - D# - G - A - C - D - D# - G - A
with ascending pitch, except:
String 1 is in unison with string 5.
String 2 is in unison with string 7.
Notice that you can achieve kokin joshi by starting with hira joshi and moving string 2 (ni) up one octave, and moving strings 4 and 9 (shi and kyu) up a whole step. Kokin joshi is never played with string 1 (ichi) in the lower position. Kumoi Joshi
Another classical tuning for the koto is called kumoi joshi, and it is also most often in the key of D:
In kumoi joshi in the key of D, the strings 1-13 are tuned as follows: D - G - G# - C - D - D# - G - G# - C - D - D# - G - A
with ascending pitch.
Notice that you can achieve kumoi joshi by starting with hira joshi and moving strings 3 and 8 (san and hachi) down a half step, and strings 4 and 9 (shi and kyu) up a whole step.
The original version of this tuning, called hon kumoi joshi, has string 13 (kin) lowered a half step. Gaku Joshi
Another classical tuning for the koto is called gaku joshi, and it is also most often in the key of D:
In gaku joshi in the key of D, the strings 1-13 are tuned as follows: D - G - A - C - D - E - G - A - C - D - E - G - A
with ascending pitch.
String 1 is in unison with string 5 in classical pieces.
String 1 is usually an octave below string 5 in modern pieces.
Notice that you can achieve gaku joshi by starting with hira joshi and moving strings 4 and 9 (shi and kyu) up a whole step, and strings 6 and 11 (roku and to) up a half step. Summary
There are several other possibe tunings for the koto, but the four on this page are the most common. It is often the case that a piece is started in one tuning and then changed to another during playing. This involves sliding a bridge up or down a whole or half step.
Here is a summary table of the four common tunings all in the key of D:
Tuning
String
Comments
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
Hira Joshi
D
G
A
A#
D
D#
G
A
A#
D
D#
G
A
1=5 in classical
Kokin Joshi
D
G
A
C
D
D#
G
A
C
D
D#
G
A
1 =5 and 2=
7
Kumoi Joshi
D
G
G#
C
D
D#
G
G#
C
D
D#
G
A
all ascending
Gaku Joshi
D
G
A
C
D
E
G
A
C
D
E
G
A
1=5 in classical
The koto has 13 strings, each of which can be tuned to nearly any pitch. The tunings hirajoshi and kumoijoshi are two traditional tunings for solo koto repertoire which were developed in the 17th century. In the 19th century, the tunings gakujoshi and nogijoshi were introduced into solo koto performance practice for accompanying folksongs and other popular songs.
Here is list of standard koto tunings:
both the kora and the koto are solo instruments. the kora is played by resting it on your knees, facting you; th players hends rest on the handles and play the strings with thumbs and fore fingers.
the koto on the other hand, is played flat on the ground. the player uses finger picks on their right hand to pluck the strings and uses their left hand to press or strech the strings to play the desired note.
The investigation:
An investigation into the traditionnal malien kora vs the the japanese koto. could compare how culture has affected the playing of these two instruments and how they are played in similar ways. Then i would like to compare the scales that they tune these two instrumens to and see if one influences the other.
Ali Farka Touré music from mali and the japanease koto.
similarities: scale, tuning (koto = briges; kora = noches), has one influenced the other?
Kora bridge showing distribution of pitches
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrEPm04v9Mk&feature=related listen to the first 20 sec of this, concentrate on the first 8.
The absolute base pitch of traditional instruments may vary between about E (deepest guitar string) and the A above it. However, F seems to become standard.
deep octave (incomplete, 4 notes), played with left thumb
steps F C, D, E
lower octave (complete, 7 notes), preferably played with thumbs
steps F, G, A, Bb, C, D, E
upper octave (complete, 7 notes), preferably played with forefingers
steps F, G, A, Bb, C, D, E
high octave (incomplete, 3 notes), played with right forefinger
steps F, G, IA
traditional tuning of the Kora (modal):
A traditional kora has 21 strings arranged in two parallel planes, with 11 strings for the left hand and 10 for the right. To play a scale you alternately pluck the left and right strings. The approach allows for the fast, scalewise runs characteristic of kora music. By moving the leather rings, up or down the kora's wooden neck, the player puts the instrument into one of four traditional tunings (rather like the briges on the kora). Each tuning uses a heptatonic (7-note) scale, three of which approximate modes used in Western music--major, minor and lydian--and one that's reminiscent of the blues scale.
The kora can be tuned to the following scales:
1. SAOUTA ("Socés" scale from Casamance) with the fourth degree raised by a chromatic semitone; the same as the hypolydian mode. F G A B C D E F
2. MANDÉKA is the leading note scale that the Mandingo themselves use and call niani, kirina, kangaba… F G A B( C D E( F
3. SIM'BI is the name of a Mandingo arched harp and the scale used most often for songs about heroes. F G A( B C D( E F
4. SILABA, a scale in F F (minor) G A B( C D E 5. TOMORA F (minor) G A( B( C D E(
The japanese Koto tunings [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v
75uAD-XYs6U]] look at the first 20 sec on this video.=[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v
ZONZOI2DkXg]] = The strings are plucked with three ivory picks worn on the thumb, index and middle fingers of the right hand. In classical pieces, the left hand is usually only used to raise the pitch (by pressing on a string behind its bridge), to make grace notes or to physically move the bridges for key changes within the piece. In modern pieces, however,tthe left hand is also used for vibrato and to pluck the stringsHira JoshiThe basic tuning of the koto is called hira joshi, and it is most often in the key of D:
D - G - A - A# - D - D# - G - A - A# - D - D# - G - A
with ascending pitch, except:
You can tune hira joshi in any key (subject to the physical limitations of the instrument). The idea is just to keep the same intervals between notes. Here is hira joshi in G:
G - C - D - D# - G - G# - C - D - D# - G - G# - C - D
with ascending pitch, except:
Kokin Joshi
Another classical tuning for the koto is called kokin joshi, and it is also most often in the key of D:
D - G - A - C - D - D# - G - A - C - D - D# - G - A
with ascending pitch, except:
Notice that you can achieve kokin joshi by starting with hira joshi and moving string 2 (ni) up one octave, and moving strings 4 and 9 (shi and kyu) up a whole step. Kokin joshi is never played with string 1 (ichi) in the lower position.
Kumoi Joshi
Another classical tuning for the koto is called kumoi joshi, and it is also most often in the key of D:
D - G - G# - C - D - D# - G - G# - C - D - D# - G - A
with ascending pitch.
Notice that you can achieve kumoi joshi by starting with hira joshi and moving strings 3 and 8 (san and hachi) down a half step, and strings 4 and 9 (shi and kyu) up a whole step.
The original version of this tuning, called hon kumoi joshi, has string 13 (kin) lowered a half step.
Gaku Joshi
Another classical tuning for the koto is called gaku joshi, and it is also most often in the key of D:
D - G - A - C - D - E - G - A - C - D - E - G - A
with ascending pitch.
Notice that you can achieve gaku joshi by starting with hira joshi and moving strings 4 and 9 (shi and kyu) up a whole step, and strings 6 and 11 (roku and to) up a half step.
Summary
There are several other possibe tunings for the koto, but the four on this page are the most common. It is often the case that a piece is started in one tuning and then changed to another during playing. This involves sliding a bridge up or down a whole or half step.
Here is a summary table of the four common tunings all in the key of D:
7
The koto has 13 strings, each of which can be tuned to nearly any pitch. The tunings hirajoshi and kumoijoshi are two traditional tunings for solo koto repertoire which were developed in the 17th century. In the 19th century, the tunings gakujoshi and nogijoshi were introduced into solo koto performance practice for accompanying folksongs and other popular songs.
Here is list of standard koto tunings: