page_title: Janggu
section_title: Playing
hierarchical_section_title: Janggu / Playing
caption_attribution_description: A performenr in Korean costume playig janggu.
context_page_description: The janggu or sometimes called seyogo is the most representative drum in traditional Korean music. It is available in most kinds, and consists of an hourglass-shaped body with two heads made from animal skin. The two heads produce sounds of different pitch and timbre, which when played together are believed to represent the harmony of man and woman. Janggu [장구] is one of instruments of Samulnori [사물놀이]. Samulnori consists of Janggu, Buk [북], Jing [징] and kkwaenggwari [꽹과리]
context_section_description: Janggu is used throughout traditional Korean instrumental music, such as court music(궁중음악), wind music(풍류음악), folk music(민속음악) and shamanistic music(무속음악), as well as traditional performing arts divisions such as vocal music and dance and Yeonhui(연희).
  Nongak(Pungmul), which only plays percussion instruments, serves to make the rhythms of percussion music colorful by playing finely divided rhythms of the combined notes of several percussion instruments.
  
  Traditionally the janggu is played using yeolchae on the right hand high pitch area and uses the bare hand on the low pitch area. Such an example can be seen on pungmul players for a number of folk songs and shamanistic rituals. But today, it is common to see the use of gungchae and yeolchae together. 'Gungchae' is used to play the low pitch side. With yeolchae, you can make the sound 'dda(따)', and with gungchae sound 'gung(궁)'. When you use it at the same time, you can make the sound 'dung(덩)'. Janggu can be played on the floor such as for traditional sanjo music or carried with a strap on the shoulder. The way performers carry the Janggu differs from person to person, from region to region and varies depending on his or her taste.
  
  The janggu is usually classified as an accompanying instrument because of its flexible nature and its agility with complex rhythms. Since the performer can use his or her hands as well as sticks, various sounds and tempi, deep and full, soft and tender, and menacing sounds, and fast and slow beats, can be created to suit the mood of the audience. Using this capability, a dextrous performer can dance along moving his or her shoulders up and down and make the audience become carried away and dance along with him
caption: A performer playing janggu
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