The koto is a Japanese zither instrument made of half-tubes and plucked strings.
Among the musical instruments available on Virtual Piano, Koto is one of the most popular. It is derived from its Chinese counterpart, Zheng, which is a plucked instrument. Mongolia, Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, and Mongolia all have similar instruments. In most Kotos, there are 13 strings, but there are also some with 17. They are strung over bridges that can be adjusted in tune. Three fingerpicks are generally used for plowing Koto strings, worn on the right hand's first three fingers. Koto music has been often referred to as the music of the modern age because its creator, Yatsuhashi Kengyo (1614–1685), invented an entirely new type of koto music known as "kumi uta" and is credited as the father of modern Koto. Using the Virtual Koto, you can now play the Koto online.
An instrument with 13 silk strings and movable bridges, known as the koto or kin in Japanese. About 190 cm (74 inches) is the length of the instrument's paulownia body. In most modern concerts, the koto is placed on a stand so that the performer can sit on a chair while kneeling or sitting on the floor. It is normally held off the floor with two legs or a bridge storage box. Right-handed players use ivory plectrums called tsumes to pluck the strings on a koto. Traditions after the 16th century allow the left hand to manipulate the strings near the bridges to change the pitch or sound of each string. It is used to play different types of music in various pentatonic tunings.
Koto: How to Play
On a long, hollow, resonant body consisting of 13 strings mounted over bridges, the koto is similar to a Japanese zither. A minor pentatonic scale known as Hira Choshi is tuned to the strings. Right-handed players pick or pluck to change pitch and create vibrato, while left-handed players push or pull to change pitch and create vibrato.
Open the Koto
To access Koto, tap the Browser button, then swipe to World.
Use the chord strips to create chords
- To switch to Chord Strips view, tap Chord Strips.
- Glissandos are performed by swiping chord strips up and down. It is also possible to play individual notes by tapping.
- The chords you play can be customized.
Create a pattern by playing
- Switch to Chord Strips view by tapping the Chord Strips button. Tap the Controls button to access the Controls menu.
- Choose a numbered position for the Autoplay slider.
- The chord strip can be tapped. The same pattern is played with the notes of a different chord strip when tapped.
- You can stop the pattern by tapping the chord strip again.
You can play individual notes
Switch from Chord Strips to Notes by tapping the button.
Take any of the following actions:
- The right side of a string should be tapped to create the picking sound.
- The pitch can be lowered or raised by dragging a string left or right while tapping it. Creating vibrato is as easy as dragging your finger back and forth.
- Strings can be swung up and down to strum.
- Using the Koto on the left of the strings, you can muffle notes by tapping or swiping them.
- You can play harmonics by tapping or swiping the strings while holding Koto to the left of the strings.
- The Scale button can be tapped, and then the scale you want to play can be selected.
