Xiao: China musical instrument
The xiao is a Chinese vertical end-blown flute. The musical instrument is generally produced of dark brown bamboo. The musical instrument ...
http://worldhitz4u.blogspot.com/2013/12/xiao-china-musical-instrument.html
The xiao is a Chinese vertical
end-blown flute. The musical instrument is generally produced of dark brown
bamboo. The musical instrument is sometimes called ‘dongxiao’. An ancient name
for the xiao is ‘shudi’. The xiao is a very ancient Chinese musical instrument
often thought to have developed from a simple end-blown instrument used by the
Qiang people of the southwestern China in the ancient era.
source: s-o-n.net
Today, the xiao are most often
pitched in the key of G, though the musical instrument in other less common
keys are also available, most commonly in keys of F. more traditional version
of the xiao have six finger holes on it, while the modern version of the
musical instrument have about eight finger holes on it; the additional holes on
the instrument do not extend the range of the instrument but rather make it
easier to perform notes like the F natural.
There are further 4 sound holes
located beneath third of the length of the musical instrument. The blowing hole
of the instrument is at the top end of the instrument, it may be cut into a ‘U’
shape, ‘V’ shape or at an angle. Some xiao have the blowing end fully cut off,
as this will permit the player of the musical instrument to use the space
between their chin and lips to cover the hole entirely. There could be a metal
joint between the blowing hole of the instrument and the top finger hole for
tuning functions and sometimes also between the last finger hole of the
instrument and the end. The length of the musical instrument ranges from about
45 cm to above 75 to 85 cm. commonly, shorter versions of the musical
instrument are more difficult to perform because of the need for the player of
the musical instrument to control his breath more accurately. The angle to perform
the xiao instrument is about 45 degree from the body of the player.
The qinxiao is a version of the xiao
musical instrument that is narrower and commonly in the key of the F with 8
finger holes. The musical instrument is used to accompany the guqin. The
narrowness of the musical instrument makes the tone softer and this makes it
suitable to perform with the qin instrument. The instrument is also the longest
of all the versions of the xiao family, with about 1.25 meters.
The nanxiao that also called ‘chiba’
is a short version of the xiao, with open blowing end. This version of the
musical instrument is used in the Nanyin, the local Fujian’s opera from
Quazhou.
A separate musical instrument, the
paixiao is a panpipe that was used in the ancient China and that has recently
had something of a come-back, although it remains unusual.
The Japanese ‘shakuhachi and
hocchiku’ and the Korean ‘tungsu and danso’ are fabricated from the earlier
version of the musical instrument in china.
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