MY EXPERIENCE WITH LEARNING SAMULNORI

Written by: Sanskriti Saxena, Delhi

Edited by: Pooja Vishwanathan, Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh

Want to know more about the diversity of Korean culture through arts? Read about Samulnori here and immerse yourself in this heavenly experience.

My interest in this musical art arose when the Korean Cultural Centre India (KCCI), Delhi, introduced classes for this course for two months. As someone with a non-musical background, I got interested because my friend also participated in its previous batches. Adapting to the learning process was a bit slow but my teacher was very motivating and gave us individual help. In addition, with my knowledge of the basics of the Korean language, I could understand the lyrics better. 

Samul-nori is a musical performance that features a combination of four traditional instruments. It originated in the 1970s, largely popularized by musician Kim Duk-soo and others. This style of performance is often incorporated into contemporary K-pop dance routines and can be adapted to various musical genres. The four instruments used in Samulnori are the buk (a barrel drum), the janggu (an hourglass-shaped drum), the jing (a gong), and the kkwaenggwari (a small gong). Each of these instruments symbolizes elements of nature, corresponding to clouds, rain, wind, and lightning, respectively.

The Buk consists of a hollowed-out wooden body with leather skins affixed to both sides. Played using a single stick, it generates the bass sounds within a musical ensemble.

The Janggu, commonly known as the hourglass drum, derives its name from its distinctive shape. This drum consists of two sides, each covered with unique types of leather skin. On one side, it generates high-pitched sounds, while on the other, it produces lower tones. Additionally, the drum’s edges are skillfully utilized to create a diverse range of sound variations. Each hand uses a stick to play.

The Kkwaenggwari, a small gong, is primarily crafted from brass with traces of gold or silver. It is a hand-held instrument played using a bamboo mallet. One hand is used to wield the mallet, while the other is responsible for modulating the sound as required. The musician playing this instrument typically assumes the role of a leader, signaling transitions in the music.

The Jing, a sizable gong, is struck using a padded stick. It offers a variety of playing options, including hanging from a frame, holding onto a handle, or playing with both hands. When played, the Jing emanates a resonant, oscillating sound reminiscent of the contours of Korea’s valleys.

Since Janggu was the most frequently played instrument in a performance, our teacher first had us all learn it before choosing us for other instruments based on our talents in Janggu. A single person or two play Jing, whereas three or four people play Buk and KKwaenggwari, respectively, and eight to ten people play Janggu.

As Janngu is a combination of two sticks with both hands, the coordination was a little difficult for me to adapt to. So, my teacher suggested I try Buk, which is played with a single hand, and I could play it very well.

Our class teacher was very strict with punctuality and absence, so our class had very good discipline. She was very excellent at teaching and gave the roles of the performance according to the talents of the students. She was very attentive to every student and perfectly coordinated each student’s place in the performance. She gave individual time for each student’s improvement. It does not matter if the student is tone-deaf or does not know the basics of music.

In their auditorium, KCCI organized our performance along with previous batch performances and other additional individual Korean performances. Based on some well-known lyrics that our teacher provided, we composed a song and used four instruments to perform the same sounds.

Samulnori is a musical performance that can be performed even if you do not know the music beforehand. I would recommend everyone join the upcoming batches of Samulnori to gain extra knowledge of Korean culture.

Let us know in the comment section below whether you would like to learn Samulnori or not. And if yes, which instrument would you like to try out first?