1. Sit in front of the Koto
First realize that one needs to determine the correct position to sit at the Koto, first place the koto on the ground and if you are standing at the end where the cloth is located, you will sit to the left of the instrument. The sitting position for playing the Koto is at a 45-degree angle at the left of the instrument, this will provide optimum tonality, and playing ease. If someone stands at the opposite end length, it will seem as if you sitting to the right of the instrument. For optimum tone the player should lean forward through the hips and keep the back straight. Strings should be plucked about 3-5cm from your right, the fabric covered end. The traditional way of playing the Koto is by resting the right end on a small pillow, so that the instrument is balanced about 8cm above Tatami-mat flooring. If you notice, there are two large holes under the instrument, as the sound project from the string to the bridges, then into the body of the koto, the reveration will create a better tonality if the instrument is allowed to vibrate. In order to have the best reverberation, the instrument should be resting at an angle. In this case, one would sit on their feet and peform from the ground. Today most players prefer to rest the Koto on a stand and sit in a chair, not only does this method relief the stress in the legs and back, but its easier to reach all 13 strings.
The strings are plucked by using ivory picks called Tsume, meaning nail in Japanese. Three Tsume are used, and are placed on the forefinger, middle finger, and thumb of the right hand. The shape of the Tsume differ depending on the particular school involved. There are 2 schools, Yamada and Ikuta tradition. In the Yamada style, the tips of the picks are used, the player's knees rest evenly against the Koto. In the Ikuta style, the left edge of the thumb's pick and the right edges of the finger picks are used, so the optimum sound can be achieved by sitting at a 45 degree angle to the left. Although these picks have been made traditionaly out of ivory, it is increasingly difficult to obtain ivory, alternative materials are now being sought.
Before starting to play the Koto, the instrument must be tuned. To begin with, 13 bridges, called Ji, should be placed under each string. The bridges are adjusted until the strings make the correct sound of the base pitch. Typical tuning starts with the 5th and 2nd strings. Base pitches on Koto are based on a pentatonic, five note, scale. Notes are determnined by the fact that each of the 13 strings has a Japanese character and name related to the number system. Starting from the lower side, ICHI(1), NI(2), SAN(3), SHI(4), GO(5), ROKU(6), SHICHI(7), HACHI(8), KU(9), ZYU(10), TO(11), I(12), KIN(13). Five strings are equal to one octave.
1. Sukuizume - backstroke with thumb on a single string.
2. Awasezume - 2 strings struck simultaneously on octave apart with thumb and middle finger. Occurs at a climatic moment, usually the beginning and end, or a single segment.
3. Kakite - 2 adjacent strings struck with thumb, index finger or middle finger in succession rapidly that seems simultaneous.
4. Oshiawase - 2 adjacent strings struck in rapid succession with thumb, lower pitch pressed down with left hand, sound in unison.
5. Uraren or Sararin - downward glissando with pick on index and middle fingers fluttering from 13th string to lower specific one
6. Hikiren - upward glissando with middle finger over strings, first two and last two distinct, Ikuta style barely audible glissando
7. Hikisute - form of hikiren doesn't cover all strings
8. Nagashizume or Kararin - downward glissando with thumb from string 13 to lowest two pitches, heard distinctively
9. Chirashizume - fast, light movement with edge of pick on middle finger along one or two strings from right to left result in swish sound
10. Surizume - strings 5 and 6 straped by edge of picks of index and middle fingers from right to left on indicated beat, the back to right desired scraping sound rather than melodic pitch.
11. Warizume - 2 adjacent strings plucked almost simultaneously by index and middle fingers followed by lowest of two strings octave pitch
12. Kakezume - melodic pattern developed in gagaku, striking adjacent strings followed by lowest octave pitch
13. Hayakake - 'fast' short note values
14. Sukuizume - used in tegoto compositions sections where melodic alternation between honte and kaede occurs
1. Ko or Oshide - pressing on string to the left of bridge to obtain pitch higher by half step, whole step, or 1 ½ steps; the right hand then strikes string
2. Oshi-hanashi - releasing an oshi-ed string, letting pitch lower to that of the open string while string still vibrates
3. En or Ato-oshi - raising of pitch after an open string has been struck and while string vibrates
4. Kasaneoshi - prolongation of an ato-oshi by releasing and re-raising the pitch
5. Chitsu or Tsuki-iro - pitch of vibrating string raised by an ato-oshi and lowered again quickly
6. Hiki-iro - taking vibrating string between thumb and index fingers and pushing it toward the bridge gently to lower pitch slightly, then releasing to raise it again to original pitch, similar effect to kasaneoshi.
7. Yogin or Yuri-iro - after striking a pitch a vibrato made by touching string lightly with index and middle fingers
8. Keshizume - lightly touching a vibrating string just under the string to the right of the bridge with the nail of index finger to create metallic sound, indicated by notation
Oshide, most common technique; uto-oshi for melodic-rhythmic embellishment; half-value of pitches; tsuki-iro and yuri-iro are 2 techniques performer inserts.