In both pieces, two different instruments from string family are used, one from eastern culture and one from western culture. The instrument from Arirang is called a gayageum, a traditional Korean zither. Zither is a name for a large group of string instruments, whose strings are stretched across a “sound-box.” They vary in shape, construction, number of strings, and tuning in both geographically and culturally. Zithers are usually plucked with fingers or a plectrum, or struck with beaters. In Korea, there are several kinds of gayageums, but as the title states, two gayageums with 18 and 25 strings are used in Arirang for Gayageums with 18 and 25 Strings.
In Guyun: El Maestro, the soft sound of the guitar strings reveals that a classical guitar with nylon strings is used to perform the piece. The classical guitar has been around in one form or the other for thousands of years. However, it was in the Middle Ages when it became popular for poetry and singing performances and replaced a lute, an instrument that was popular earlier in history. The Renaissance and Baroque periods were particularly significant for classical guitars because there were various types of them used in different regions. The Baroque guitars also resembled ones that are prevalent today with softer sounds.
