Taiko Drums
Hey! I was just on the page titled "How to edit or create a new instrument" (https://musescore.org/en/node/15803) and I wanted to bring up the subject of adding Taiko Drums to the next update. Taiko Drums are basically really cool-sounding Japanese drums (see the Wiki page https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiko for more) that would open up more possibilities for composing, arranging, etc. They could be used for many things, such as orchestral, cinematic, and percussion-based pieces.
I just wanted the devs to see this, but feel free to comment down below as to how you feel about them!
Comments
What do you want, though? Special scoring for Taiko or a special sound?
Soundwise we're restricted to what GM provides, but that should not keep us from adding this instrument, with whatever GM sound is most similar.
Is us a single line percussion staff? Single pitch?
In reply to Soundwise we're restricted… by Jojo-Schmitz
Interestingly, there is no form of sheet music for Taiko drums - the music is passed down orally, so I think that unless you'd be able to create a form of sheet music for the instrument, creating a sound profile for it would be more practical. As in, a substitute for the sound when you enter the mixer, select the instrument and choose the Taiko sound from the dropdown menu.
https://www.tofugu.com/japan/taiko/
According to this link, there is a special way of "singing" the music in order to pass it down, which includes syllables such as don, doro, tsu, tsuku, ka, kara, and su.
In reply to Interestingly, there is no… by ErikCappuccio
So you'd need a specialized soundfont for this. Or map to the most similar existing GM sounds
In reply to So you'd need a specialized… by Jojo-Schmitz
Although it is usually passed down orally, you actually can make sheets for the songs. I play in a Taiko group and we have some for a couple of songs we play. I've just downloaded the program myself so I don't know much about it, but more or less you only need to use one staff line, and two different "notes". They represent your right and left hands, above and below the line, respectively. But there's different instruments, of couse, and each of them has a particular sounding beat, so it would be nice to have something like that in the program.
See also https://musescore.org/en/node/265110
In reply to See also https://musescore… by Jojo-Schmitz
Taiko does have a scoring method, several options for it. The oral tradition is too regional for proper use. I would recommend using a hybrid of linear western percussion lines and the symbols used in Hayashi style taiko scores. Most taiko musicians from groups will not learn these because modern taiko is taught using the oral tradition. The scoring systems were developed for specific traditions of music that is usually not defined as 'taiko'. But it is more than sufficient and clear, and well suited to adaptation into a western score.
In reply to Taiko does have a scoring… by KokichiTaishi
Musesounds has a Taiko Drum.