Geomungo
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{{#if:거문고玄琴|| Chosŏn'gŭl: | 거문고 |
|s |south |rok |sk | #default = The geomungo (also spelled komungo or kŏmungo) is a traditional Korean stringed musical instrument. The geomungo is a long zither made of wood, with both bridges and frets. Its six strings, which are made of twisted silk, are plucked with a small bamboo stick called a suldae. It is approximately 162 cm long and 23 cm wide (63.75 inches long, 9 inches wide), with 16 frets, and is generally played while seated on the floor. Due to its characteristically percussive sound and vigorous playing technique it is thought of as a more "masculine" instrument than the 12-string gayageum (another Korean zither); both instruments, however, are played by both male and female performers.
The instrument originated from the kingdom of Goguryeo, in the northern part of modern-day North Korea, during the 4th century, though legend has it that it was invented around 550 by the famous musician Wang San-ak. It was played by Confucian scholars as a form of meditation.
The Korean-born, U.S. resident geomungo performer and composer Jin Hi Kim plays a custom-made electric geomungo in addition to the regular instrument.
