Kayagum
가야금
Presented by Michelle Lee
What is Kayagum?
• Kayagum is a traditional Korean zither-like string
instrument, with 12 strings, although more
recently variants have been constructed with 21
or other numbers of strings.
• Also called Kayatgo.
• It is probably the best known traditional Korean
musical instrument.
• It is very similar to the Japanese koto and the
Chinese guzheng, or table harp, where it is widely
believed to have come from.
Some History of the Kayagum…
• Kayagum was developed sometime around the
6th century during the Gaya confederacy led by
King Gasil.
• King Gasil saw an old Chinese instrument called
Guzheng and got the idea of Kayagum from it.
• Around the 19th century, Sanjo Kayagum was
made, literally meaning scattered melodies.
• Silk strings were used until late 20th century but
it was replaced by nylon strings.
Structure
• Beobgeum Kayagum is 160 cm long by 30 cm
wide by 10 cm high
• body is made from a single piece of paulownia
wood
• Sanjo Kayagum is about 142 cm long by 23 cm
wide by 10 cm high
• It has the soundboard made of paulownia, but
uses a harder wood such as chestnut or walnut
for the sides and the back, so the resonator
chamber is made of both
• There are 13, 17, 18, 21, 22, or 25 strings.
Some Facts about Kayagum
• The sanjo kayagum is
used in folk music and
original music such as
sanjo or solo music with
percussion
accompaniment or in
shinawi or ensemble
music based on
improvisation.
• The chong-ak kayagum
is used to accompany
songs or in chamber
music such as yongsan
hoesang or mass at the
sacred mountain.
How to tune a Kayagum
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=us4isDsQf
S0
Notation
Music sheet?!o_O
“Keum Bo Jeon Suh”
How to Play…
• Rest the Kayagum on your right knee
• 2 techniques: 1. Left-hand presses the strings
and its finger movements make various types of
movements such as shaking, bending, vibrating
the strings. 2. Right hand does plucking or
stromping the strings.
• Left hand technique:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYmmFnW_ofI
Right hand technique:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mhZlEY_Ds0
Video Clips
• Modern Version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vw9rb0qfhE&feature=related
• Voice and Janggu and Kayagum:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52SuBA2N0w0
• Different technique:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWLjIIv6PoY&feature
=related
• Sanjo Kayagum:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8wWsmlpYoI&feat
ure=related