koto no koto

Stuff and other notes I'm jotting down here so that I remember about the koto:

- koto have 13 strings

- scores are written in Japanese, with kanji 1-10, and three more kanji that I can't recognize, and are read from right to left. Scores seem to be in 4/4 time (at least from how my JTE explained it) It appears there are lyrics on the right, to be sung while playing the koto - which I was not informed about until just yesterday by my JTE

- koto are taller than me. Probably 6ft tall or 6.2ft tall, or something like that.

- the picks, the tsume are for the thumb, middle finger, and forefinger. You play the koto with your right hand.

- picks are like rings, but put around about half an inch below the tip of your finger. You choose your size, and they can be made out of these ceramic/porcelain/plasticy type material or a leather-like stitched material (either black or white, but black is better because then they're harder to get dirty) and then pair these rings up with the actual pick, which is made of ivory. As my JTE tells me, the shine, flawlessness, and beauty of the ivory that's matched with the koto player and especially for the tsume are also to be considered, as they will also be used for debut concerts and other performances, and determine a player's seriousness in learning the koto (I had no idea!) .. Once I actually receive the koto, I'll definitely take pictures

- the design on the koto is also important. Anything below 4-man (40,000 yen/>USD$400) more than likely is an imported koto, or uses imported materials. This has an effect on the koto's sound and quality and can never be used as a performance koto.

- the type of wood used on the koto also determines sound quality and your ranking while performing. If the design seems to show horizontal patterns shown in the wood, it's said to be a beautiful koto and can be appreciated aesthetically. Cheaper koto have wood with swirls or a pattern that is not aesthetically pleasing as horizontal wood pattern lines.

- on the bridge part, if there is no white lining along the top of the bridge area type thing that I don't know the name of, more than likely it's a cheap or imported koto. The white lining along the bridge also determines the high quality of a koto, and can definitely be used for performance.

- The stand is also a part of the koto set that also needs to be appreciated. It contributes to the beauty of the koto as well - a silver adjustable stand, as seen in orchestras, just won't do for performances. If you perform with a group, you must, or should try to, have the same music stand. (The one I chose was a wooden one for the floor, and has wood carvings of trees in it. ^_^)

- The cloth cover, which I can't remember the name of right now, is also just as beautiful as the koto, and just is.. well, used to cover the koto. (I wanted a purple one, but I couldn't find any spiffy ones that had a nice design.. so the one I chose had ume blossoms and cranes and is a dark, vivid red, which is just as pretty ^___^)

- Koto are really expensive (ranging from $300-$9000) but once you actually purchase the instrument, much like the piano, after you buy it, it's already cheap to start learning

I CAN'T WAIT. MY FIRST LESSON IS NEXT SATURDAY AT 3PM. OH. MY. GOSH. WOOO!

I'm going to participate in as many concerts as I can when my teacher thinks I'm ready! She sounded pretty nice when I first talked to her on the phone, I really hope she likes me!

Oh yeah, and late Happy Valentine's Day.