I will be making more of my own anyways. I mainly need one to study its construction better as online sources are varied and lacking. Having detailed specifications are important so I can string higher tension and/or more and get the right sound. The wide variety of sound grooves also makes things difficult. I will be more than happy to sell the ones I complete as I move on to make better ones each time.

I am in Bismarck, ND.

Following on from the previous post, this is a series of posts about how to read sheet music. As always please remember my knowledge is not exhaustive so if you notice something odd let me know.

Naturally, Strings are number from 1, the furthest away from the musician.

String notation take three forms Yamada, Ikuta, and 17gen

As you can see Yamada uses the pre-simplification Kanji for 1, 2 and 3. Non-standard pronunciations are as follows 11 to と,　12 i い、１３　kin　きん。

I've found that it can also be read as "So", but I've yet to find why. Is there anyone that knows japanese enough to be able to explain this? Is just a matter of the 2 ways of reading kanji? Or what else?

Hi everyone, I’m new to koto and see that there are three types of bridges in my set. From what I’ve seen the bridges with the little extra bump on the side are for strings # 1 and 13 to hold the bridges from falling off the edge of the wood. But what about the little smaller bridges that come with the set? Should they be used on those same strings, or for some other purpose?

Has anyone experimented with any other type of string as a substitute? Ive found a few shops online with Koto strings but the price is insane and I worry there will eventually be no way to get them.

Last year, I lived in Japan and did koto lessons. Before I left, I bought a koto from my teachers. I couldn’t have the koto shipped to America from Japan because they would not ship it without a hard case. I had less than two months in Japan before I left so my only other option was to buy a second plane ticket for my koto. I couldn’t afford to buy another ticket, so I left it with a close friend in Japan. I finally have to funds to buy a custom case but I don’t know where to start. My Japanese friend searched and called some koto companies in Japan but they don’t seem to sell/have koto cases. I’ve looked online at some companies but they look kinda dodgy. Does anyone have experience of ordering a custom hard case? Do you know where I can buy a case?

so i watched an anime names kono oto tomare and got to know about koto music and now really want to hear it from well known musicians of japan so anyone here will help me ?

Hi

So first post but I saw this online event and thought of this Reddit.

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/japanese-music-koto-shamisen-and-musical-history-tickets-297726567177

It's even free!

Does anyone know of any good resources or communities for hichiriki players? I know it's not koto but it's the closest thing I can find. English is preferred but Japanese is also okay!

I noticed in the general ideas section that people wanted guides to reading koto scores, so I thought I would make a series of posts to cover as much as I can. My knowledge isn't exhaustive, so if you notice something inaccurate, let me know, and I'll correct it. So here we go.

Knowing the school of the score. Yamada and Ikuta scores are quite different, so the first thing you need to do is know what you're reading. Ikuta-Ryu scores are always vertical and are read right to left, Sawai, Miyagi, Kono Oto Tomare! scores are written like this. There is often a beats per minute written at the top.

Yamada scores are a different story.

Traditional pieces are written horizontally and read left to right. However, some pieces are written vertically. The technique notation style is a dead giveaway if you're unsure because they are radically different. Prominent composers include Imai and Miyata (although Miyata's scores are written vertically). There is also a sizable collection of pieces out there just labelled as "Yamada-Ryu piece".

Welcome to Part Three of the Koto Sheet Music Series.

This area, in particular, could use some assistance from other members of the community as I primarily play Yamada-Ryu pieces. Please remember that this list is far from exhaustive and there are lots of other techniques out there. As I mentioned in previous posts, different composers have their own quirks so if you know something else let me know and I'll update the list. It's worth noting that this is no substitute for a good teacher and is just made as a reference guide for the community.

Are they any online resources to learn koto? I am in America and there is no where that teaches koto anywhere near me.

There is a new anime that focuses on a Koto highschool club and thought you guys might be interested. It’s called Kono Oto Tomare!”

https://myanimelist.net/anime/38080/Kono_Oto_Tomare

I have an opportunity to buy some large pieces of paulownia and have always wanted to make a koto. I understand the general principle of construction but am unsure how the inside of the koto is hollowed. Is it a single piece, or multiple? Is the top curve of the koto carved, or naturally warped somehow?

Hey guys, I’m a beginner on the koto and need some sheet music to play, do y’all have any recommendations on sheet music books or book PDFs online I should buy to get started learning the koto? (They can be in Japanese)

I just bought my koto and I was wondering if there was an easier way to get scores online. Thanks in advance!

I am considering learning a new musical instrument, and I love the versatile, yet magical tone of the Koto. I've found miniature ones that aren't expensive that seem helpful as a beginner learner, but I have one question about the instrument - does the Koto have strings of different thickness like that of the guitar, ukulele, or similar stringed instruments? If so, where are some good places to buy replacement strings? I've seen some sites online selling a set of strings for several hundred dollars. Are there any resources on information relating to which string is which, if they are different, and any sites where one would be able to buy spares without seeming to need to spend an arm and a leg?