Musical Instruments and Terms in Japanese

In this article, we will see a list of words and vocabulary of Musical Instruments in Japanese and also a list of musical terms for those who are learning to play a specific instrument and want to maintain a dialogue in Japanese.

It is said that the Japanese people have a deep love for music and that their culture is greatly influenced by music. This is evident in the many different musical instruments used in Japanese music.

The Japanese culture has a long and rich history of music and musical instruments. From traditional shakuhachi and taiko drums to the more modern piano and violin, there is a wide variety of musical instruments that have been used in Japan throughout the centuries.

We also recommend reading:

• List of Musical Instruments from Japan
• Taiko – Drum – Japanese Percussion Instruments
• Shamisen – Japanese Musical Instrument with 3 Strings

Playing an Instrument in Japanese

While in Portuguese we can simply use “tocar” to refer to playing general instruments, in Japanese there are specific words for each type of instrument such as strings and others. See below how to say “play” in Japanese:

• kanaderu [奏でる] to play an instrument (general);
• to hiku [弾く] to play a string instrument, including piano, organ, etc.;
• fuku [吹く] to play flute, wind instruments, etc.;
• tataku [叩く] to play drums and percussion instruments, xylophone, and others of that kind;
• souhou [奏法] way of playing an instrument;

Musical Terms in Japanese

See below a list of terms used in a conversation or article about music and playing musical instruments.

• anpu (暗譜) – memorize or reproduce a song from memory
• au (合う) – to be in sync
• baiorin (ヴァイオリン) – violin
• bando (バンド) – band
• biburaato (ビブラート) – vibrato for violin, singing, etc. [also ヴィブラート]
• chiisai (小さい) – soft literally “small”
• chouchou (長調) – major key
• chouritsu (調律) – tuning that fixes the tuning of an instrument
• chouritsushi (調律師) – tuner, person who tunes instruments
• choushi (調子) – tone, pitch, rhythm
• choushihazure (調子外れ) – playing/singing out of tune
• doramaa (ドラマー) – drummer
• doramu (ドラム) – drum
• doramusutikku (ドラムスティック) – drumstick
• ensou (演奏) – performance (also 演奏会)
• fue (笛) – whistle
• furuuto (フルート) – flute
• gakki (楽器) – musical instrument
• gakkiten (楽器店) – musical instrument store
• gakufu (楽譜) – sheet music
• gen (弦) – string
• gitaa (ギター) – guitar
• gitarisuto (ギタリスト) – guitarist
• haamonika (ハーモニカ) – harmonica
• haapu (ハープ) – harp
• happyoukai (発表会) – presentation
• henkyoku (編曲) – arrangement
• hibiku (響く) – to play, resonate
• ken (鍵) – key
• kennbann (鍵盤) – keyboard
• kyoku (曲) – music often without words
• kyoku (曲) – song
• neiro (音色) – tone or color of the sound of a violin or instrument
• ongaku (音楽) – music
• ongakuka (音楽家) – musician
• onkai (音階) – musical scale
• onpu (音符) – note
• ontei (音程) – interval
• ookesutora (オーケストラ) – orchestra
• ookii (大きい) – high (literally “big”)
• oto ga deru (音が出る) – a sound is produced
• oto / ne (音) – sound
• oto wo dasu (音を出す) – to produce a sound
• pianisuto (ピアニスト) – pianist
• piano (ピアノ) – piano
• picchi (ピッチ) – pitch / tuning
• renshuu (練習) – practice
• ressun (レッスン) – practice, lesson
• rizumu (リズム) – rhythm
• sakkusu (サックス) – saxophone
• sakkyoku (作曲) – to compose
• shikisya (指揮者) – conductor
• shinbaru (シンバル) – cymbal
• sokkyou (即興) – to improvise or create music on the spot
• tanchou (短調) – minor key
• tenpo (テンポ) – tempo
• toraianguru (トライアングル) – triangle
• toranpetto (トランペット) – trumpet
• toronbohn (トロンボーン) – trombone
• uta (歌) – music often with words
• utau (歌う) – to sing
• zureru (ズレる) – to go out of tune, to deviate, to be off-key

Rhythms and Types of Music in Japanese

Below we will leave a list of musical rhythms and types of music in the Japanese language:

• orutanativu (オルタナティヴ) – alternative
• garēji rokku (ガレージ・ロック) – garage rock
• guramu rokku (グラム・ロック) – glam rock
• guranji (グランジ) – grunge
• panku rokku (パンク・ロック) – punk rock
• saikederikku (サイケデリック) – psychedelic
• desu metaru (デス・メタル) – death metal
• nyūu~ēbu (ニューウェーブ) – new wave
• hādo rokku (ハード・ロック) – hard rock
• buritisshu rokku (ブリティッシュ・ロック) – British rock
• puroguresshivu rokku (プログレッシヴ・ロック) – progressive rock
• hevu~i metaru (ヘヴィ・メタル) – heavy metal
• rokkun rōru (ロックン・ロール) – rock ‘n roll
• hausu (ハウス) – house
• doramun bēsu (ドラムン・ベース) – drum ‘n’ bass
• hippuhoppu (ヒップホップ) – hip-hop
• fanku (ファンク) – funk
• dabu (ダブ) – dubstep
• tekuno (テクノ) – techno
• buritto poppu (ブリット・ポップ) – Brit pop
• poppu (ポップ) – pop
• rappu (ラップ) – rap
• regē (レゲエ) – reggae
• āru ando bī (アール アンド ビー) – R&B
• kantorī (カントリー) – country
• burūsu (ブルース) – blues
• fōku rokku (フォーク・ロック) – folk rock
• kurashikku (クラシック) – classical
• jazu (ジャズ) – jazz
• suka (スカ) – ska
• sōru (ソール) – soul

Musical Instruments in Japanese

• Gakki [楽器] – musical instrument
• Gitaa [ギター] – guitar
• Gen [弦] – strings
• Baasu [ベース] – bass guitar, baixo
• doramu [ドラム] – drums
• piano [ピアノ/] – keyboard
• keiiboodo [キーボード] – keyboard
• maiku [マイク] – microphone
• biiorin [バイオリン] – violin
• chero [チェロ] – cello
• ooboe [オーボエ] – oboe
• toranpeeto [トランペット] – trumpet
• sakkusufon [サックスフォン] – saxophone
• haapu [ハープ] – harp
• haamonika [ハーモニカ] – harmonica
• tanburin [タンバリン] – tambourine

Traditional Japanese Instruments

• [琵琶] – biwa
• [三味線] – shamisen
• [琴] – koto
• [太鼓] – taiko drum
• [尺八] – shakuhachi flute
• [三線] – sanshin