The Koto Is Tuned by Moving Its Bridges
A koto is a Japanese stringed instrument. Its pitch is set by sliding bridges along the body.
A koto is a Japanese plucked instrument with thirteen strings stretched over a long wooden body. It is tuned unlike most stringed instruments: each string passes over its own movable bridge, and the player sets the scale by sliding these along the soundboard before performing. Changing key means physically rearranging the bridges. It is played with picks worn on three fingers, and has been the national instrument of Japan for centuries.
- A Japanese instrument. *Playing the koto.*
- Thirteen strings. *The standard koto.*
- Movable bridges. *Ji.*
- Picks — worn on the fingers. *Tsume.*
- Japanese — *koto*. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | koto | A koto. |
| Plural | kotos | Kotos. |
| Part | ji | The bridges. |
| Part | tsume | The picks. |
| Related | shamisen | A shamisen. |
- She played the koto.Music.
- The bridges are moved to tune it.Method.
- It has thirteen strings.Fact.
Japanese traditional instruments
- Koto — a long plucked zither with movable bridges
- Shamisen — a three-stringed lute played with a large plectrum
- Shakuhachi — an end-blown bamboo flute
- Taiko — the family of Japanese drums
- Biwa — a short-necked lute used in narrative music
Japanese *koto*, a stringed instrument, recorded in English from the 1700s.
How is a koto tuned?
Each string has its own movable bridge. The player slides them along the body to set the scale before playing.
How many strings does a koto have?
Thirteen in the standard form, though variants with seventeen or more exist for lower registers.