Musicality

In San Jose Taiko, one of our four guiding principles is Musical Technique. This principle covers how we learn what we play, the balance between the two hands, speed and tempo, listening and fitting into the ensemble, etc.

In taiko we tend to focus on good technique, good striking, fast hands, etc. This is the "technique". But I'm often left wanting more "musical".

Naturally, the drums are about rhythm. You hit the drum twice, you make a rhythm! But to make taiko "musical", we need to start considering what else we can do:

• Ma is often overlooked or minimized. It's the distance, the space between notes. Sure, by simply playing less notes, you effectively generate ma, but it's an art to actively use ma to accentuate passages of music. It's the difference between taking a breath in order to talk more and pausing for dramatic effect.

• Simply playing notes in tempo can still sound disorganized and random, especially in solos. I don't think it's going out on a limb to say most listeners like something to follow along with. You can have a solo that sounds like someone tipping a big bucket of golf balls on the drums, but...well, why not just use the bucket if it's going to sound that way when you play?
  

• Tones can add a huge element of texture to taiko, even if it's as simple as higher drums playing one pattern while lower drums play another. More sophisticated compositions can play with that idea, like having the low tones play the ji of the song while the higher tones carry the melody.

• Simple works! Sure, it's awesome to see and hear someone blast all-out and play intricate, fast patterns, but until you can do that yourself, don't feel you have to "settle" for boring and slow. I see audiences getting really excited for some of the simplest stuff that's done well.

• For less hectic, driving pieces, exploring the range of sounds a taiko can make can be a lot of fun. Changing the beater you hit with (smaller, bigger, lighter, mallets, etc.) opens up a new world of possibilities. Adding non-Japanese instruments (whether percussion or not) also is still pretty uncommon in NA taiko, but I hope to see that changing over time.

When it comes down to it, a lot of taiko that I hear is musically interesting. But it's not something that just happens - thought, planning, and/or skill are needed to make that work. We don't often think of the "output" of what we play outside of good strike vs.bad strike.

Put yourself in the audience and ask what you'd like to hear. I'd bet you'd appreciate textures, contours, and variety even if it's "only drums", no? :)