Ōtsuzumi

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The Ōtsuzumi (大鼓, Ōtsuzumi^?), also known as the ōkawa, is an hourglass-shaped Japanese drum. It is a larger version of the tsuzumi, or kotsuzumi and is used in traditional Japanese theater and dance. Its appearance and the sound it produces are slightly different than that of the tsuzumi. Whereas the tsuzumi is smaller and has a more ornate drum head, the okawa is larger, and its head takes on a more plain, leathery appearance. The sound is also higher and sharper in pitch, resembling more of a "pop" than the tsuzumi's "pon" sound. The hourglass structure remains the same, however, as well as the method in which the drum heads are made taut. The okawa is played on the side of the player, possibly due to its larger, heavy size, whereas the tsuzumi is played upon the shoulder. Both the okawa and tsuzumi are often found played together in nagauta and hayashi ensembles. It is the tsuzumi's role, however, which is greater known in traditional Japanese music genres.

[edit] External links

• Japanese Traditional Music

[edit] Video

• Okawa Video

[edit] References

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