What is Taiko?
The literal translation of the Japanese word taiko is "big/fat drum," although there is a variety of shapes and sizes of taiko available and used. Taiko is an indigenous part of the Japanese culture dating back more than 1400 years. Taiko referred to the Japanese art of drumming associated with religious ceremonies, festivities and various other occasions in ancient and modern Japan.
Taiko come in many different sizes. Traditionally there are two types.
Byou-uchi daiko are made out of a single peice of wood or made of staves like wine barrels(and sometimes are made from modified wine barrels). The heads are stretched to tremendous pressure and tacked into place.
Shime-daiko have stretched heads sewn around iron rings that are tightned around a hollow metal or wooden drum body using wood or screws and bolts.
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How do you play Taiko?
At the very basic level, you hit the taiko with a stick. In japanese, the drumsticks we use are called a "bachi".The kata, or stance is part of what makes taiko special and interesting. Argueably the most exciting thing about taiko is the energy level the performers bring to the peice. Taiko is pretty intense and our members spend about 10 hours a week conditiioning and practicing.
There are many different styles of hitting. The following are all used by St.Louis Osuwa Taiko.
Suwa or Beta: The drum is flat on the ground or on a stand slightly angled toward the drummer.
Sukeroku: The drum is on a stand where the head is angled 45 degrees to the ground. The player stands to the side, near parallel to the drum.
Miyake: The drum is on a very low stand so the body is craddled and both heads are exposed. The player stands parallel to the drum, often in a deep lunge stance.
Hachijo: The drum is a on high stand where the body is craddled and both heads are exposed. The player stands parallel to the drum, or directly in front of it.
Yatai: The drum is on a stand that is barely above the floor. the drum is slightly angled. The player sits in front of the drum, and hooks their feet or legs into the stand or simply holds on to the taiko using their feet, and leans far back.
Oodaiko: The drum is on a high stand with both heads exposed. The player stands directly in from of the drum using over head strikes to hit the face of the drum.
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What is the origin of Taiko?
Long ago, taiko was beaten in warfare to boost the morale of the troops and to fool invading armies into believing that a formidable opposition was on the march. It was also used as a communication method among the neighboring villages as taiko's deep, thunderous sound traveled for miles. Taiko has also been associated with the gods and religions of Japan. Above all, however, the most popular use of taiko, past and present, has been at festivals.
Modern performance taiko evolved in the 1950s by the strong influence of Grandmaster Daihachi Oguchi of Suwa, Japan. After a period of transition from western jazz drumming to oriental taiko drumming, he was able to introduce the uniqueness of the Japanese Taiko to the people. His affection for jazz drumming has enabled him to incorporate certain skills into the traditional rhythm of the scripted monotonous taiko beats, thus making them more affluent of energy and life. He has contributed considerably in the formation of the modern style of ensemble taiko drumming ("kumi-daiko").
Along with all the stories that come behind the taiko, we will share with you one of many tales that we have heard -- one that can relate to all cultures and why we think taiko is something that can relate to everyone of us as individuals. The first sounds heard by the human fetus in the womb, is the sound of the mother's heartbeat -- deep, rhythmical, warm, and comforting. Grandmaster Daihachi Oguchi once said that we play taiko to mimic the heartbeat we all have. This is probably one of the most universal reasoning.
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What is different about modern day taiko?
As mentioned above, Grandmaster Daihachi Oguchi of Suwa, Japan is credited with starting kumi-daiko in 1951. What started as a small group of people playing simplistic arrangement of the shrine music they were accostomed to quickly grew to large groups of enthusiats playing more complicated peices in synconization.
The spirit of taiko spread like wildfire, fueled by the talents and vision of taiko masters such as Den Tagayasu of Ondekoza, Seiichi Tanaka of San Francisco Taiko Dojo, Kenny Endo of The Kenny Endo Taiko Ensemble and many man others.
Modern day taiko is a choreographed blend of dance, martial arts and music played in many different styles all over the world.
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How did taiko come to be in America?
The first formal introduction of taiko to the United States was in 1968 by Master Seiichi Tanaka with the formation of the first North American taiko group - San Francisco Taiko Dojo. He and his group went on to inspire many, if not most, of the taiko groups throughout the America. Since then, taiko has not only become popular but has also become a part of the universal musical language drawing our world closer together.
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