page_title: Bachi
section_title: For stringed instruments (撥)
hierarchical_section_title: Bachi / For stringed instruments (撥)
caption_attribution_description: English: A picture comparing different kinds of bachi, otherwise known as plectrums for the Japanese three-stringed lute, or Shamisen.
context_page_description: Bachi is the name for the straight, wooden sticks used to play Japanese taiko drums, and also the plectrum for stringed instruments such as the shamisen and biwa.
context_section_description: Bachi used for stringed instruments are actually picks. They are very distinct in form and use from Western-style picks, which are usually smaller in order to be held between or mounted to fingers. In shape, bachi are similar to an ice scraper or a putty knife. 
  Bachi can be made of various materials and with varying levels of strength. Similarly to guitar picks, bachi were traditionally made of tortoise shell (鼈甲, bekkou) or ivory (象牙, zouge), but these materials are rare and expensive (and illegal to trade in some territories, due to protection of endangered species), therefore making bachi in these materials highly expensive and impractical. Modern, more affordable variants are often made of acrylic, plastic or wood.
  Generally, bachi made of softer, more flexible materials are easier to play with for beginners, but harder materials produce a stronger sound and last longer.
caption: Bachi for string instruments
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