Koji Kondo has made use of countless instruments in the many scores he’s composed for Nintendo games over the years. It would be reasonable to assume there aren’t any left for him to conquer, but apparently there’s still at least one instrument that Kondo hasn’t yet featured in one of his works: the taishōgoto (also known as the Nagoya harp).
Kondo was recently honored for his achievements at the DICE Awards, which is where GameDeveloper.com caught up with him to ask this question. Apparently the taishōgoto holds some sentimental value for Kondo. Recalling his youth, he said, “When I was a child, my aunt would practice on that instrument.” Kondo also said the act of playing the taishōgoto seemed “engaging and interesting”, and it’s not hard to see why. It’s certainly got a unique look to it, as it’s a stringed instrument that was inspired by the typewriter. In order to play it, you need to use a series of keys which alter the pitch.
Could the taishōgoto be featured in an upcoming Mario or Zelda game? We’ll see if and when Koji Kondo is able to implement it to his liking. To get a better idea of the look and sound of the instrument, check out the video below.
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