Daegum & Piri

The daegeum is a large bamboo flute that dates back to seventh-century Silla. It is one of three flutes, the large daegeum, the medium-sized junggeum and the small sogeum. The daegeum has one blowhole, six finger holes and an additional opening covered by a thin membrane. The instrument produces a distinctive buzzing sound that is both refined and gentle.

The Korean piri is a double reed instrument used in folk music and classical court music. The instrument is usually made of bamboo, and has a cylindrical bore, giving it a softer sound than other types of oboes. One of the most distinctive sounds of the piri is the rich vibrato and glissando used. A typical piri has eight finger holes, with seven on the front, and the remaining on the back for the thumb. There are four types of piri: hyang (village) piri, se (thin) piri, dang (Chinese) piri and dae piri, each suitable for use in a different type of music. Hyang piri is the longest and most common form of piri. Because of its loud and nasal tone, it usually plays the main melody in ensemble settings. The se piri is smaller, thinner and much softer, therefore often used in conjunction with vocals or soft stringed instruments. The dang piri is wider and similar to the Chinese guanzi. The North Korean dae piri a modernized piri with keys and a bell and looks much more like a Western oboe.