Traditional Korean musical instruments

Traditional Korean musical instruments comprise a wide range of string, wind, and percussion instruments.

String Korean string instruments include those that are plucked, bowed, and struck. Most Korean string instruments use silk strings, except as noted.

Plucked Zithers

Gayageum () – A long zither with 12 strings; modern versions may have 13, 15, 17, 18, 21, 22, or 25 strings Geomungo () – A fretted bass zither with six to eleven silk strings that is plucked with a bamboo stick and played with a weight made out of cloth Cheolhyeongeum () – A geomungo with 8 steel strings plucked with a bamboo stick and played with a slide made out of either glass or metal in the manner of a slide guitar, developed in the 20th centuryphoto 1photo 2 () – A long zither with 15 strings, slightly larger than the gayageum; (basically a 15 String version of the Ajaeng but played w/ a Plectrum) it was used during the Goryeo period but is no longer usedphoto However it is being revived for song covers. () – A long zither with 25 strings, derived from the Chinese se; used today only in Munmyo jeryeak (Korean Confucian ritual music)photo () – A 7-stringed zither, derived from the Chinese guqin; also called chilheyongeum; used today only in Munmyo jeryeak (Korean Confucian ritual music)photo Ongnyugeum () – A large modernized box zither with 33 nylon-wrapped metal strings, developed in 1973; used only in North Korea (pronounced ongryugeum in North Korea)photo 2photo 3

Harps

Gonghu () – Harps (no longer used). There were four subtypes according to shape: Sogonghu () – harp with angled sound box, 13 strings, and a peg that is tucked into the player's belt Sugonghu () – vertical harp without sound box and 21 strings photo Wagonghu () – Arched harp with a large internal sound box and 13 strings, similar to Burmese saung gauk photo Daegonghu () – large vertical harp with 23-strings

Lutes

Bipa () – A pear-shaped lute with five strings (hyangbipa or jikgyeongbipa) or four strings (dangbipa). Uncommon today; most modern recreations are modelled on the Chinese pipa Wolgeum () – A lute with a moon-shaped wooden body, four strings, and 13 frets; no longer used Eoeungeum () – A pear-shaped lute with five strings similar to hyangbipa; used only in North Korea

Bowed

Fiddles

Haegeum () – A vertical fiddle with two strings; derived from the ancient Chinese xiqin Sohaegeum () – A modernized fiddle with four strings similar to a modern violin; used only in North Korea () - A modernized fiddle with four strings similar to a modern viola; used only in North Korea () - A modernized fiddle with four strings similar to a modern cello; used only in North Korea () - A modernized fiddle with four strings similar to a modern double bass; used only in North Korea

Zithers

Ajaeng () – A zither bowed with a wooden stick, derived from the Chinese yazheng

Struck

Yanggeum () – A hammered dulcimer with metal strings, struck with bamboo mallets; derived from the Chinese yangqin

Wind

Flutes

Transverse

Daegeum () – A large transverse bamboo flute with six finger-holes and an additional hole covered by a buzzing membrane Junggeum () – A medium-sized transverse bamboo flute with six finger-holes, without a buzzing membrane; rarely used today Sogeum () – A small transverse bamboo flute with six finger-holes, without a buzzing membrane Dangjeok () – A small transverse bamboo flute of Tang Chinese origin, slightly smaller than the junggeum Ji () – An ancient transverse bamboo flute with a protruding notched blowhole and five finger holes (one in the back and four in the front), derived from the Chinese chí. Used only in aak and Munmyo jeryeak (Korean Confucian ritual music)

End-blown

Danso () – A small notched vertical bamboo flute with four finger-holes Tungso () – A long notched vertical bamboo flute with five finger-holes; originally called tongso Yak () – A notched vertical bamboo flute with three finger-holes; used in Munmyo jeryeak (Korean Confucian ritual music) Jeok () So () – A pan flute; derived from the Chinese paixiao; used only in Munmyo jeryeak (Korean Confucian ritual music Hun () – A globular flute made of baked clay originating from prehistoric times; end-blown like a shakuhachi, unlike an ocarina (which is a whistle design). Derived from the Chinese xun

Oboes

Piri () – A cylindrical oboe with a bamboo body. There are several varieties of piri: Hyang piri () Se piri () Dang piri () Dae piri () – A modernised instrument with clarinet-like keys, developed in North Korea Jeo piri () – A modernised instrument with clarinet-like keys, in the contrabass register, developed in North Korea Taepyeongso (태평소; 太平簫; also called hojeok, saenap or nallari) – A conical oboe with a wooden body and metal bell

Free-reed

Saenghwang () – A free-reed mouth organ with 17 bamboo pipes, derived from the Chinese sheng; uncommon today

Trumpets

Nabal () – Long metal trumpet; used in daechwita Nagak () – Sea shell horn, also called sora; used in daechwita

Percussion Jong () – A bronze bell Pyeonjong () – A set of 16 tuned bronze bells used in ancient court music; derived from the Chinese bianzhong Teukgjong () – A single large bronze bell Pyeongyeong () – A set of 16 tuned stone chimes used in ancient court music; derived from the Chinese bianqing Teukgyeong () – A single large tuned stone chime Banghyang () – A metallophone with 16 tuned iron slabs; derived from the Chinese fangxiang Ulla () – A set of ten small tuned gongs in a wooden frame; derived from the Chinese yunluo

Drums Buk () – A barrel drum used primarily in pansori, pungmul, and samulnori. The term buk is also used in Korean as a generic term to refer to any type of drum. Pungmul-buk() – used in pungmul () Sori-buk () – used to accompany pansori ()

Janggu or Janggo () – A double-headed hourglass-shaped drum generally played with one stick and one hand

Galgo () – Double-headed hourglass-shaped drum similar to the janggo but played with two sticks and thinner drum heads; sometimes called yanggo or yangjanggo; no longer commonly used Jingo () – Largest barrel drum Jeolgo () – Barrel drum Jwago () – A barrel drum in a wooden frame Geongo () – Huge barrel drum Yonggo () – A barrel drum with a dragon painted on its shell; used in daechwita Eunggo () – Barrel drum suspended from a frame Sakgo – () – A long barrel drum suspended from a wooden frame Gyobanggo () – Flat drum suspended from a frame Junggo () – Flat drum suspended from a frame; similar to the gyobanggo but larger Sogo () – A small hand-held drum Nogo () – A set of two drums pierced by a pole Nodo () – A set of two small drums on a pole, which is twisted to play; used in ritual music Yeongdo (영도; hanja:靈鼗) – Four drums on a pole, which is twisted to play; used in ritual music Noedo ()) – six small drums hung in a frame; used in ritual music Noego () – Three small barrel drums on a pole, which is twisted to play; used in ritual music Do () – single pellet drum on a pole

Gongs Kkwaenggwari () – A small gong used primarily in folk music Jing () – A large gong; originally pronounced jeong ()

Cymbals Jabara (; also called bara, bal, or jegeum) – pair of large brass cymbals, The name Zabara comes from Calpara.

Wooden instruments Bak () – A wooden clapper; used in ancient court and ritual music Chuk () – A wooden box, played by hitting a stick on the inside, used to mark beats or sections; derived from the Chinese zhù; used in ancient ritual music Eo () – A wooden percussion instrument carved in the shape of a tiger with a serrated back, played by running a bamboo whisk across it to mark the ends of sections; derived from the Chinese yǔ

Clay instruments Bu () – A clay pot, derived from the Chinese fǒu; used in Munmyo jeryeak

Traditional Korean musical instruments

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