Instrumentation
The instrument that defines Ryukyuan music is the sanshin. It is a three-stringed lute, very similar to the sanxian and a precursor to the shamisen. The body is covered in snake skin and it is plucked with a plectrum worn on the index finger.
Ryukyuan folk music is often accompanied by various taiko drums such as shime-daiko (締太鼓?), hira-daiko (平太鼓?), and pāranku (パーランク?). Pāranku, a small hand-held drum about the size of a tambourine, is often used in eisā dancing.
Other percussion instruments such as sanba (三板?), yotsutake (四つ竹?) and hyoshigi (拍子木?) can often be heard in Ryukyuan music. Sanba are three small, flat pieces of wood or plastic that are used to make rapid clicking sounds, similar to castanets. Yotsutake are two sets of rectangular bamboo strips tied together, one set held in each hand, clapped together on the strong beat of the music. Traditionally they have been used in Ryukyuan classical music, but recently they have been used in eisā dancing.
A group of singers called a hayashi (囃子?) often accompanies folk music, singing the chorus or interjecting shouts called kakegoe (掛け声?). Also finger whistling called yubi-bue (指笛?) is common in kachāshī and eisā dance tunes.
Additional instruments are often used in Ryukyuan classical music, and sometimes incorporated in folk music:
- Kutu (箏, クトゥ?) – a Ryukyu version of the koto; often called Ryūkyū kutu (琉球箏?) or Uchinā kutu (沖縄箏?)
- Kūchō (胡弓, くーちょー?) – a Ryukyu version of the kokyū
- Fue (笛?) – a Ryukyuan transverse flute; also called "fansō" (ファンソウ) or ryūteki (琉笛?)
Read more about this topic: Ryukyuan Music