Britannica
Sources used in this answer
Which instruments are used in the Korean ensemble style called hyang'ak?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Korean music
Musician playing a kŏmungo, a type of Korean zither with six strings.
In the Korean ensemble style known as hyang'ak, the music features an indigenous combination of instruments. These ensembles typically include the following:
- Drums: Specifically the hourglass-shaped drum known as the changgo.1
- Wind Instruments: Including oboes, such as the p'iri, and flutes like the taegum.1
- Stringed Instruments: Including the haegum (a two-stringed fiddle) and the ajaeng (a bowed zither).1
While hyang'ak is characterized by this indigenous instrumentation, it is worth noting that the tang-p'iri—a specific, strident type of cylindrical oboe—is also utilized within this court music style.2