Posture playing the yanggeum

The yanggeum is played by striking the metal strings with a thin bamboo stick. One set of string consists of four strings and in total fourteen sets are placed on two frets on a trapezoid sound box. The name literally means a stringed instrument of the West (yang), and has been also called the "guracheolsageum," meaning European metal-stringed instrument. It is arranged in a chamber ensemble or duet performances.