What the @%#&!* is taiko?

What is taiko?

That's one of those questions where the reaction is more interesting than the answer. Some have a solid definition that they can recite to you. Others simply don't care to define it. Most people fall somewhere in the gray area.

(I may not make any friends with this post, but I've no reason not to be honest about my viewpoints, especially here. That's sort of the point of this blog!)

I love it when I hear people say something like, "that's not taiko." It's even better when it's "that's not taiko, they were awful!" For the former, what you don't hear is "that's not taiko to me", but the last part is silent, like the letter "e" in lime. For the latter, saying it's not taiko because it's bad is like saying I'm not really eating a pizza because there's too many anchovies on it - it's still PIZZA.

So what is taiko?

Taiko is the japanese word for drum. In Japan, the word taiko can refer to any drum, but outside of Japan it usually refers to the Japanese drums. When I say taiko, I'm referring to the Japanese drum, unless stated otherwise.

Taiko is also the art of playing taiko, much like one can cook and/or be a cook. I do taiko on taiko. That sounds really stupid, but we are getting at semantics here. I don't do taiko on a snare drum, nor do I play congas on taiko. It's a difference between technique and instrumentation.

Here's where things get interesting...let's make up a taiko player; we'll call him King. King is recognized in taiko circles as a competent taiko player of 20 years. Imagine that King is playing a song on a slant stand taiko (naname). I don't think anyone would say that example wasn't taiko, right? Ok, good.

Now take that taiko away, keep the stand, and put a drum made by Remo - and let's say it's one of Remo's first-generation taiko, not ready for production or sale. It doesn't sound pretty, it doesn't look pretty. King plays the same song on the Remo taiko. Is it still taiko?

If you said no, then taiko to you is about the instrument. For you folks, what if instead the drum is "Japanese-style" taiko, made out of a single piece of hollowed-out tree trunk vs. "North American-style taiko", made from a wine barrel or slats of wood in that same manner? Is one type of drum more "authentic" taiko than another?

If you said yes, then taiko to you is about the person playing it. But is it the years spent training or the intention of said player? If it's just years of experience, then where does improvement or talent lie - does it have a place in defining who is a "taiko player"? If it's in the intention of the player, what if you can't see them - if it's a recording or you're around the corner and you only have the audio? Can you *hear* intention? Some might argue yes...

So what is taiko?

Next quandry! Queen is a master percussionist and dancer, who bought a bootleg tape of one of King's performances. There's no context for what King is doing; it's simply music, intention, movement, and energy. Queen studies the tape obsessively and can now duplicate King's every nuance. She gets a hold of a "real" taiko (whatever you define as "real") and performs the same song King played above, without error or deviance. Is that taiko?

If you said no, why not? The only things lacking here are context and perhaps intention - but to the non-taiko audience, it's taiko! It walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, smells like a duck... So is taiko more about the *intention* of the player?

If you said yes, how come? Is taiko just the output of the performer? Is it just notes on the drum, motions in the air, facial expressions, and kiai? Does talent matter more than intention?

So what is taiko?

What if you have a trapset drummer who adds a taiko to his set? Does it matter if that drummer is also a respected taiko drummer? Does it become "less" of a taiko then? What if a drummer arranges assorted taiko into a trapset-style setup? Is she playing taiko when she plays African rhythms on Japanese drumheads?

For that matter, can a taiko player play taiko without a taiko drum? If I pat my legs and play a taiko song, is that taiko? ...does your brain hurt yet? Good!

So what is taiko?

Depends on you, reader. You determine what taiko is or isn't to you; maybe you'll be in the majority, maybe not. Odds are, it doesn't matter what you think unless you're having a philisophical discussion on the topic.

I hate when people dismiss a group for things they don't like. It's easier for some to say "that's not taiko" than it is to say, "I don't like how they play taiko." I don't like country music and I'm happy to say that, but I don't say "that's not music." And I'll admit it irks me when I hear "rap's not music." Let me give you the best example why...

About a year ago, San Jose Taiko played at an outdoor festival in the city. Afterwards, one very upset audience member accosted a member of our group, responding negatively to how we called our pieces "songs." He said things like it was just "noise" and then made a racially-loaded comment comparing our "noise" to what a certain ethnic group blasts out their cars. Let's just say he had issues...oy. But would any of you who play taiko like to be told that "you don't play music, you just make noise?" We all play music, even those of you out there who don't play an instrument. That's for a later topic, though.

We all have our preferences and maybe some people really do like all taiko - but I'm not one of them, I'll admit that. I mean, I love seafood, but I won't touch sea urchin, bleh.

Anyone can tell you what taiko is. And they're wrong. Why are they wrong? Because they can't prove they're right! Care less about what taiko is or what taiko should be, and just enjoy what you enjoy. Or don't!