science

Ichigenkin

Ichigenkin is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Ichigenkin rather than just read about it. In short: The ichigenkin (Japanese: 一絃琴; literally "one-string zither" or "Monochord", also sumagoto / 須磨琴) is a Japanese single-stringed plucked zither. Its body is a slender, slightly curved plank carved from kiri (Paulownia tomentosa) wood.

Key takeaways

Ichigenkin belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Ichigenkin to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Ichigenkin from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The ichigenkin (Japanese: 一絃琴; literally "one-string zither" or "Monochord", also sumagoto / 須磨琴) is a Japanese single-stringed plucked zither. Its body is a slender, slightly curved plank carved from kiri (Paulownia tomentosa) wood. Its raw silk string is plucked with a tubular plectrum placed on the index finger of the right hand while a tubular ivory device similar to a guitar slide placed over the middle finger of the left hand slightly depresses the string—though not so hard that it presses against the hardwood soundboard—to vary the pitch. Both the plectrum and slide are referred to as rokan. As with the Chinese guqin, from which it was likely originally adapted, the ichigenkin has no frets, so sliding tones are an important part of the technique of the instrument. Traditionally, the ichigenkin is used to accompany traditional singing, although there are also purely instrumental works in its repertoire. The instrument was once popular among samurai, literati, and priests, but today players of the instrument are very rare. The only unbroken line of ichigenkin transmission is Seikyodo Ichigenkin, whose current Iemoto (hereditary Grand Master) is Issui Minegishi. Minegishi performs widely in North America, Europe, and Asia, and occasionally with Canadian multi-instrumentalist Randy Raine-Reusch, perhaps the only non-Japanese ichigenkin performer, who composes and records new works for the instrument. A two-string version called a yakumogoto (八雲琴, literally "eight cloud zither") was developed in 1820 by Nakayama Kotonushi. This instrument had a closed back resonant body and a bridge at either end of the strings. The yakumogoto has become strongly associated with the Shinto religion. An open-backed two string version, called the azuma-ryu nigenkin (Eastern school two string zither) was invented in the latter half of the 19th century by Tosha Rosen to perform popular pieces of the time. This version is often simply referred to as nigenkin, literally "two-string zither". A three strings version called sangenkin (三弦琴) was developed in 19th century.

See also Music of Japan Traditional Japanese musical instruments

References

External links Ichigenkin.com Ichigenkin page on ASZA website Seikyodo Ichigenkin page (in Japanese) Ichigenkin Japanese Maker Page

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Ichigenkin

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Ichigenkin claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Ichigenkin before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Ichigenkin ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Ichigenkin

In research: Ichigenkin appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Ichigenkin in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Ichigenkin is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Cultural Properties of Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan music stubs, Japanese inventions, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Ichigenkin outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Ichigenkin in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Ichigenkin means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Ichigenkin out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Ichigenkin in simple terms?

Why does Ichigenkin matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Ichigenkin?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Ichigenkin.