Traditional Japanese music is not taught entirely by ear simply because it does not always use Western staff notation. Instruments and genres such as the koto, shamisen, and shakuhachi have their own forms of notation. These systems can look very different from Western sheet music and may use characters or symbols to indicate notes, fingering, or other aspects of performance.
At the same time, learning by listening to a teacher has also played an important role.
A clear example can be found in gagaku, the traditional music of the imperial court. In some forms of gagaku training, students use a method called shōga, in which they learn a piece by singing it aloud. The teacher sings first, the student listens, and then they sing together. The student repeats the process until they can sing the passage on their own.
Shōga is not only about memorizing pitch. By singing while keeping the beat with the hands, students can learn the flow of the piece, its rhythm, and aspects of breathing and phrasing. In a sense, they begin to absorb the music into their bodies before playing it on the instrument.
Not all traditional Japanese music is taught in the same way. The notation and teaching methods vary depending on the instrument, genre, and school or lineage. Western staff notation is also used in some modern settings.
Even so, hearing a teacher perform remains important. A score may show notes and fingering, but it cannot always capture every detail of timing, tone, breath, or subtle changes in sound. Some parts of the performance are learned by listening closely, imitating the teacher, and repeating the music many times.
So traditional Japanese music is not simply a choice between reading notation and learning by ear. It has been passed down through a combination of its own notation systems, teachers’ demonstrations, vocal learning, and repetition, allowing aspects of the music that are difficult to communicate through notation alone to be passed from teacher to student.
