Cool Stuff #4!

To start off this last cool stuff blog post, I wanted to visit Japan. My step-brother actually just went to Japan a couple of months ago and posted several pictures along his journey, so I naturally wanted to find out what kind of music he probably encountered while visiting.

The first instrument I came across is a traditional instrument known as the Shakuhachi, which is similar to what we would know as a flute. This flute like instrument is played a lot by Zen Buddhist. The Zen Buddhist use this for meditation. While using this particular instrument for meditation, it is called a  ‘suizen’ (吹禅). The neatest aspect about this instrument is that 1) it is traditionally made out of bamboo and 2) it was not traditionally done for public performance, only meditation/personal enlightenment! If you were to visit Japan now and visit a monastery, it would not be uncommon to see the monks preform a ‘suizen’ (吹禅).
After hearing this video, I believe I have found my new meditation music.

Next, I want to take you all to the Philippines! My church does a lot of missionary work here and the church built and opened an orphanage and school. I have not yet had the opportunity to travel here yet, but maybe I can one day and now I will know a little bit of music before I do! 

Interestingly, I came across the "Kulintang," which is very similar to the Kenong/Bonang!

The Kulintang is also made of small gongs that are laid horizontally. This instrument is mainly used during festivals and weddings, again very similar to the use of the Kenong. Also, while using the Kulintang, it is thought of as more than just music and hitting gongs. The Philippines say that each gong sound is interpreting the voices of different people from the past! How sweet! 

Lastly, I wanted to end the blog by taking you all to Vietnam. My grandfather served in the Navy in the Vietnam War. Sometimes, he will tell me stories from his time serving over seas and I remember one story he told me about the music. The instrument he described in a lot of the music he heard was like a fiddle. So, I researched fiddle like instruments in Vietnam and found the Đàn Nhị. This instrument is a Vietnamese two chord fiddle. There are a few different components that go into this instrument. The body is typically covered with snake skin, the string now are made of metal but used to be made with silk and the frets are made of horse-hair. The bow is typically made using bamboo or wood. Again, this musical instrument looks very similar to what we've seen from China, the Erhu. However, I believe the bow on the Vietnam version is a bit thicker. It makes since though that a lot of these instruments overlap because of the general area from which they are from.