Japanese Music: Japanese Music: Past and PresentPast and Present

1) Japan and the Contemporary Music Industry

2) Contemporary Japanese Music

3) The Shamisen

4) Traditional/Contemporary Fusion

5) The Koto

Today’s Topics

1) Japan and the 1) Japan and the Contemporary Music Contemporary Music

IndustryIndustry

Main Questions:

•Yamaha

•Sony

What Has Japan Contributed to the Contemporary Music Scene?

•Who/What are these companies?

•How did these companies come to be?

•How are they involved in the music industry?

1963: World’s first VCR1975: Doomed Betamax1979: Walkman1982: CD Player technology1992: Minidisc (MD) format1999: Memory Stick digital storage format

Invention Timeline

A Walkman ad

•Label for many Japanese and International stars

•World’s 2nd largest music producer

•Multinational: operates music labels in Asia, Europe, North America and Australia

Not Just Inventors…

Artists published by Sony

•World’s largest instrument producer•Thousands of teaching institutes across the globe•Founded in 1887 under the name “Nippon Gakki Company” (Japanese Instrument Company)•Renamed Yamaha for 100th anniversary

Yamaha

•1887: Torakusu Yamaha’s first reed organ •1900: Pianos, furniture and harmonica’s•1930’s: Acoustic instruments (guitars and whatnot)•1960’s: Expanded into brass and wind instruments•1966: Founded Yamaha music foundation

Timeline

•Produces types of almost every instrument•Focuses on providing good quality at minimal expense•Supplies almost all of the world’s markets

Instrument Production

Some Yamaha instruments

•First founded in 1966 in Japan•Currently, employ almost 25,000 teachers•Thousands of schools across 40 countries •Over 5 million graduates•Dedicated to keeping a love for music alive

Yamaha Music School

Schools Around the World

•Japanese companies Sony and Yamaha have shaped and maintain a large part of the world music industry as we know it today.•Japan has made major contributions to Every aspect of music, from learning how to play, making instruments, producing records, and developing music technology.

Conclusion

2) Contemporary 2) Contemporary Japanese MusicJapanese Music

•There is more to J-pop than just music•Most artists in Japan aren’t just musicians•Johnny’s Junior talent agency: bidanshi fakutorii (pretty boy factory)•Artists featured in this presentation:

-Kinki Kids-Morning Musume-Smap-Nice Guy Jin

Contemporary Japanese Music

•First album sold extremely well after the band generated large amounts of hype•Appeared in Dramas:

-Wakaba no Koro (About the Young Generation)

-Bokura no Yuuki Miman City (Keys to the City ~ The Kids are in Charge)

Kinki Kids

•Original 5 members: Aya Isiguro, Natsumi Abe, Asuka Fukuda, Kaori Iida, Yuko Nakazawa•Appeared on talent search program Asayan in 1997•Number of members has risen to 13•Started forming sub-groups: Pucchimoni, Minimoni, Tanpopo, Country Musume.

Morning Musume

•Originally featured 6 members, but original member Mori Katsuyuki left band in 1996 to pursue his dream as a racecar driver•Originally all members of “Johnny’s Juniors”•Stands for Sports Music Assemble People•SMAPXSMAP debuted in April 1996

Bistro SmapEgg Poker

Grassies•Drink! Smap

Smap

•Members come from California, Kansas, Hiroshima•“Japanese” rappers formed Nice Guy Jin in 1998•Met while trying to form another group•Mix of traditional instruments with Hip-Hop•First album, “Now Constracting”, released 2003

Nice Guy Jin

3) The Shamisen3) The Shamisen

•Similar to lute•Played using a “Bachi”•Gained popularity in Edo period•Three types of music: singing (utamono), narrative (katarimono) and folk (minyou)

Shamisen

4) 4) Traditional/Contemporary Traditional/Contemporary

FusionFusion

Yoshida Kyodai•1977: Elder brother Ryoichiro is born.•1979: Younger brother Kenichi is born.•Both start playing Shamisen at age 5

Yoshida Kyodai1995: Ryoichiro takes 6th place and Kenichi takes 4th place in A class of the National Convention of shamisen. Next year, Ryoichiro places 5th, Kenichi places 4th

1997: Perform in Denmark1997: Take part in Kohaku uta gassen.1999: Release CDs “Hisho” and “Ibuki”.1999: Ryoichiro took the 2nd place and Kenichi took 1st place in the Tsugaru Jamisen competition.

5) The Koto5) The Koto

•6 feet long•13 strings•Made of soft Paulownia

Koto

•Strings plucked using “tsume”•3 tsume used to play•Originated from China•Reached Japan in 7th or 8th century•Vocal accompaniment began in 16th century

Koto

1)Japan and the Music Industry• Japan is a major player in the global music

industry2)Contemporary Japanese Music• Many styles, artists are idolized3)The Shamisen• Similar to lute4)Traditional/Contemporary Fusion• Yoshida Kyodai, use Shamisen in modern

music5)The Koto• Large, 13-stringed instrument, originally

played without accompaniment

Recap

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