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Taiko reflects the spiritual side of Japan in that it combines irregularity with simplicity, suggestion with perishability. There is nothing else that sounds like a Taiko drum yet, the rhythm, which is said to be like a heartbeat, is so simple. It helps one confront their fears and overcome obstacles yet, while doing this it suggests a beauty never seen before and emotions never felt. Taiko, which means “big drum” in japanese, has been apart of the Japanese culture for hundreds of years and is considered the music of the people; it is not only a musical experience but, a physical one as well. The playing of the Taiko drum demands stamina of both the mind and the body. A Taiko drum is made from one piece of hollowed out wood with cow skin stretched over each end. They range anywhere from six inches to six feet in diameter and a Taiko group can contain two to fifteen members. There is currently around 4,500 taiko groups that display a wide range of style and sound. The drum can be played in many different positions; anything from sitting down with light sticks to banging with a baseball bat. Drummers can mimic the patter of rain as well as the harshness of a typhoon. Instruments, such as Taiko, have had such an important role in the Buddhist tradition and taiko music is more popular now then it has ever been. The Japanese have known about Taiko drumming since the 600s.
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