Description
The three percussion instruments used in the performance of kangen music are shōkō, taiko, and kakko. The shōkō is a small gong of about 15cm in diameter (6 inches). It is suspended in a lacquered stand, and is hit with either wood or stone mallets.
Shōkō
Figure 1
Wood mallets
Stone mallets
Figure 2
Figure 3 shows the spectral analysis of the shōkō hit with wood (in blue) and stone (in red) mallets. It suggests that there is not much difference in the sound quality between the two striking methods.
Comparison between the attack of the shōkō with wood (in blue) and stone (in red) mallets
Figure 3
The shōkō has two types of attack: a single one made by either the left or right hand, and a double attack where the left hand strikes first followed by the right hand attack. In both cases, the mallet rests on the instrument after the last stroke.
| Right hand attack | Left hand attack | Double attack |
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Stone mallet |
Wood mallet |
Stone mallets |
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Wood mallets |
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Example 1