Betta Fundamentals

• Stance

  • Wide, relaxed stance with toes facing forward

  • Hara (your center or hips) face the taiko 

  • Knees are slightly bent, not locked

• Bachi position

  • Arms are straight and relaxed. Do not lock your elbows

  • Tips of bachi are pointing towards the center of the taiko, forming a "V."

  • Use your ring and pinkie fingers to control your bachi. The rest of your fingers should be loosely wrapped around the bachi

• Stroke

  • Keep a loose grip

  • Grip only tightens when bachi bounces back after striking drum and then relax

  • Use the momentum of the bachi! Practice inhaling when lifting your bachi up then exhaling when you drop your arm

• Lead with your elbow

Song Learning: Kuchishoga

• Taiko traditionally learned through kuchishoga ("kuchi" means mouth, "shoga" means song) or singing the lines

• Each word means a different kind of hit

  • Don Kon- loud right then left

  • Doko- medium right then left

  • Tsuku- soft right then left

  • Ka Ra- rim right then left

  • Su- space

  • Hup! Sore!- kiai, vocalization

BRATs Renshu: Lines 1-4

• Refer to video for the first 4 lines

  • Don Kon Don Kon Doko Hup! Doko

  • Don Kon Don Kon Doko Kara Don Kon

  • Repeat lines 1 and 2

  • Su Don Su Kon Su Don Kon

  • Su Kodo Su Doko Do Kon Ko Don