Korean music can be divided into string, woodwind and percussion instruments, with an extensive list of instruments for each. The highly rhythmic and bright music was used historically in military bands, festivals, court music and shaman ceremonies. Today, they have similar functions, as well as having use in the popular music scene in North and South Korea.
Eo
An eo is shaped like a crouching tiger, with ridges of 27 teeth on its back. It is played with a bamboo stick that has its end split into nine different pieces. It is used in memorial services with the instrument facing westward.
Gayageum
The gayageum is a zither or a stringed, flat box instrument. It has 12 silk strings that are supported by 12 movable bridges or a thin piece of wood that supports the strings. It is played by plucking the strings with the fingers of the right hand, while the ring and index finger of the right hand move the bridges to change the sound. It is used during court music, which is music played in royal courts in Korea. In modern music, the gayageum often has a greater number of strings.
Saenghwang
The saenghwang is a wind instrument constructed from 17 bamboo sticks fastened together with calabash vine, with metal sulfer attached to the tips. Air is blown into a hole in the side, which vibrates the metal and echos through the various pipes, causing two or more sounds at once. It dates back to 57 B.C. and was often used in duets with the danso.
Danso
The danso is a wooden flute used in solos, duets and chamber music. It is played vertically, and has the clearest sound of all Korean woodwind instruments.
Janggu
The janggu is a hourglass-shaped drum made of leather and played by hand. The right hand plays with a drum stick while the left plays with a bare hand. The right side has a thick skin, and the left side has thinner skin for different tones or sounds. Originally, the body was made with either tile, wood or glass, but presently it's made from Paulownia wood. It has been used to keep rhythm in traditional Korean music since 57 B.C., and is still used today.
Pyeonjong
The pyeonjong is constructed from 16 bells hanging from an ornate wooden frame on two levels, and it's used in court music and memorial services. It's tuned in a fixed chromatic scale or a scale with both flats and sharps that is played when stuck by mallet made from an animal horn.
Haegum
The haegum was introduced by China and is played vertically on the left knee by rubbing a bow between two strings. It's made from metal, clay, stone, bamboo, cloth, leather, wood and stone. It is a very important part of the string section, and it has a piercing, nasal sound.
