Take a Musical Trip to Japan

  Taiko Drum

Originally started in Japan, taiko actual means "drum." "Centuries ago, taiko was used predominantly in the military arena. As it evolved, Japanese Buddhist and Shinto religions gradually began to take it on as a sacred instrument." Taiko drumming can be done with a single drum or a group of them. They are played altogether and alone to create a wonderful melody. From start to finish the work can change it's timbre to reflect different intensities.  When playing this instrument the artist is not only performing a technical music rhythm but also forming a connection to the drum itself. Performers will incorporate elements of "attitude, form, technique and energy." To better express the art of taiko it would show an expression of the artist itself. There are different types of drums that vary in size, shape and sound. In the video below the one center drum is being played on both side by two different performers using different beats. Vocals can accompany the drums in addition to other metal and wooden instruments. The sticks that are being used are very different from popular drum set sticks we know. These are all the same width all the way down and not only being used to hit the drum a the top of the stick but also the bottom to make a different sound. 

The sounds in this video Rites of Thundering by Kenny Endo are just amazing. The way the background repetition on its own its consistent and mundane but when paired with the main taiko drums it comes together forming such a intricate rhythm. I find the taiko drums to be so versatile in melody. From their history of starting as a military arena instrument to then being almost the exact opposite. Used in religions where peace is preached. The sense of community and honor when playing them is quite striking. Passing down this art form is really amazing. As I learned about these drums, the bit of information that peaked my interest is how much dance is actually incorporated as well. "Drummers follow choreographed routines and use their entire bodies." See below in the Fertility of the Sea.  

Sources

“History of Taiko.” Stanford Taiko, taiko.stanford.edu/history/. Accessed 20 Mar. 2024.

Show, The Travel. “Japan’s Ancient Art of Taiko Drumming.” BBC News, BBC, 21 Oct. 2023, www.bbc.com/travel/article/20231020-japans-ancient-art-of-taiko-drumming. Accessed 20 Mar. 2024.

“Taiko Japanese Drum Music.” CulturallyOurs, 18 Jan. 2020, culturallyours.com/podcast/taiko-japanese-drum-music/. Accessed 20 Mar. 2024.

“Taiko.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 6 Mar. 2024, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiko. Accessed 20 Mar. 2024.

“‘taiko’ Drums.” Nippon.Com, 1 July 2023, www.nippon.com/en/features/jg00095/. Accessed 20 Mar. 2024.

Innovations and Evolutions of the Music Video

 Many people believe the song Video Killed the Radio Star by The Buggies was the first ever music video. It was the first that ever premiered on MTV but it was not the first. 

As far back as 1894 there was the use of a lantern to project images on a screen the accompanied a live performance. "This would become a popular form of entertainment known as the illustrated song, the first step toward music video." As time moved on, technology developed and movies began to take off. Picture shows my have told a story but soon there were "talkies" musical short films. Walt Disney among others had shorts built around music such as Fantasia. "Blues singer Bessie Smith appeared in a two-reel short film called St. Louis Blues featuring a dramatized performance of the hit song." From there we developed "soundies" these were film for jukeboxes that included instructions on how mat the dance that accompanied the song. From there more and more movies also had musical elements and focus. Each time a video was made to match a song the style changed. In the early 80s just like the video listed above, the main part of the video was the band or artist performing. Some features described the movie but the main focus was essentially filming the band play. As MatheusSiqueria states "Michael Jackson and John Landis bring back the idea of blending films with music video."

"Directors like David Fincher focus on directing feature films while a whole new breed of young and talented directors take the scene to express their unique vision." Music videos might have started to show the band performing their music but overtime became an expression in itself. Some songs have lyrics that aren't always clear and having a medium to show exactly what you are trying to convey helps the audience connect deeper with the work as well as the artists. I feel that music videos have always been almost a film in itself. How many times have you heard a song and remembered exactly what movie that it's from? Those songs were picked for these perfect moments in these movies. Music videos help convey messages that words cannot. On the other side it also sometimes has no connection to the song itself. The artist is just trying to be fun and be themselves. I can't think of no better example then Sabotage by Beastie Boys. 

Personally I am glad we changed from the standard style of only seeing the artist perform. The videos that accompany some of my favorite songs either explain the song better or have nothing to do with the song itself. There are even some songs that I don't enjoy as much but the video is fantastic. Moving forward I hope there is more expression in these music videos and even create a connected theme from the album. Recently the artist Lil Dicky dropped his new album on Youtube for Penith. This album was released on Youtube a few months ago and multiple songs have videos that pick up where the other left off, creating a central theme.  

Sources

Matheus Siqueira. “A Brief History of Music Video - from Early 1900s to Today.” Matheus Siqueira, 7 Sept. 2018, matheussiqueira.com/a-brief-history-of-music-video/.

“The Music Video, before Music Television.” History.Com, A&E Television Networks, www.history.com/news/the-music-video-before-music-television. Accessed 1 Mar. 2024.

“Music Video.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 28 Feb. 2024, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_video.