Beta Fundamentals

• Form

  • Arms should be extended but loose so ends of bachi are over the center of the taiko

    • If your elbows are locked or you find yourself bending over to play, you are too far from the taiko

    • If your arms are bent next to your torso or are "t-rexing," you are too close to the taiko

  • The more extension you use when raising your bachi up, the less effort you need to strike the taiko

• Stroke

  • Use gravity- drop your arm down

  • Snap your wrist as your bachi approach the taiko

• Doro tsuku drill

  • Doro- right, left loud hit

  • Tsuku (right left soft hits) are just relaxing your grip and lifting your arm from the wrist

  • Practice playing along with the "Doro tsuku" video

  • Level up- change the speed of the video to play faster or slower (click on the ⚙️ to change the playback speed)

    • Remember to keep your grip loose, especially as you speed up

Beta Fundamentals

• Form

  • Ready position has arms stretched out over taiko but not locked

  • Tips of bachi are pointing towards the center of the taiko surface

• Stroke

  • Lift arm from wrist until it is straight and bachi is pointing to the sky

  • Leading with your elbow, drop arm down while aiming for the center area of the taiko

  • Practice alternating hits- hit with right, then lift left; hit with left, then lift right; lead with your wrist

  • Hands should stay in handshake position the whole time

Bachi twirls

• Recommend practicing while standing on a rug in case you drop your bachi

• Inward twirl

  • Neutral position-palm faces audience with bachi resting in it

  • Hold bachi with index finger and thumb

  • Turn wrist inward towards your body so palm faces the back of room

  • Straighten wrist to neutral position

• Practice same movements moving arm across the body, from the hip to over your head, or with your arms in the air

• Remember to stay loose, relaxed, and have fun!

Beta Fundamentals

• Stroke

  • Keep a loose grip

  • Wrap all fingers around bachi

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

  • Bachi should easily wiggle in your hands

  • 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- loud hit

  • Doko- medium right and left hit

  • Tsu ku- soft right and left hit

  • Ka Ka- rim hit

  • Su- rest (no hit)

  • Hup! So-re!- Kiai, vocalization used to share energy, keep time, add flare

Beta Fundamentals

• Stance

  • Wide, relaxed stance with toes facing forward

  • Hara (your center or hips) face the taiko and at the level of the top of the taiko

  • Knees are slightly bent, not locked

• Stroke

  • Keep a loose grip

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

  • Use gravity! Practice inhaling when lifting your bachi up then exhaling when you drop bachi down to hit

  • 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- loud hit

  • Doko- medium right and left hit

  • Tsu ku- soft right and left hit

  • Su- rest (no hit)

  • Hup! So-re!- Kiai, vocalization used to share energy, keep time, add flare