Influence of Chinese Traditional Flutes

567 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: origination of chinese music

Influence of Chinese Traditional Flutes
The Chinese flute is a beautiful instrument that can be dated back to Neolithic China. It is known for its sweet melodies and sounds that imitate nature (The Chinese Membrane Flute). Chinese traditional flutes greatly impacted the construction of the modern flute. Traditional flutes in China were made of animal bones and had holes to blow into, very much like the structure of the modern flute. World famous symphonies and orchestras use modern flutes to express sweet melodies and a nature-like feel. The construction of the modern flute derived from ancient China.
There are many kinds of Chinese flutes. The earliest flute is the paixiao, or panpipes (Chinese Flute). Many changes were applied since the paixiao, and the end-blown flutes became more popular during the Han Dynasty. This end-blown flute is called the xiao. The xiao is made of bamboo and has a mellow timbre. It is blown vertically and has five holes for fingers with one thumbhole in the back (Xiao Musical Instrument). The more recent traditional flute is called the dizi, or di, for short. Unlike the paixiao or xiao, the di is a transverse flute, which is played horizontally (Di Musical Instrument). The di’s unique sound characterizes many aspects of Chinese music, from its elegance in operas to military marching bands. Although there are many different types of Chinese traditional flute, the structure of these flutes were key factors in the development of the modern flute.
Theobald Boehm was credited for developing the standard flute structure. His flute is made of silver and has a cylindrical body shape. Boehm’s flute is played horizontally and has an enlarged embouchure, which means hole for blowing. The keys for notes have pad...

... middle of paper ...

...traditional flute. Old or new, both types of flute compliment and have a huge influence on each other. The traditional Chinese flute left a mark on the modern flute and its impact evolved into what a flute is defined as today.

Works Cited

"Chinese Flute." Chinese Flute Dizi and Xiao. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Feb. 2014.
"Di Musical Instrument." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 16 Feb. 2014.
"Shen Yun Performing Arts." Dizi Bamboo Flute. Shen Yun Performing Arts, 2014. Web. 15 Feb. 2014.
"Xiao Musical Instrument." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 16 Feb. 2014.
Carole, Miller B. "A Flute Historical Timeline." A Flute Historical Timeline. Mostlywind, 5 Dec. 2011. Web. 16 Feb. 2014.
Chen, Gia Tsai. "The Chinese Membrane Flute (dizi)." The Chinese Membrane Flute (dizi). N.p., Mar. 2004. Web. 15 Feb. 2014.

Show More
Related

  • History Of The Clarinet

    596 Words  | 2 Pages

    The clarinet is a woodwind instrament consisting of a cylindrical wood, metal, or ebonite pipe with a bell-shaped opening at one end and a mouthpiece at the other end, to which a thin reed is attached. The clarinet has five different sections, the mouthpiece, the barrel, the upper section, the lower section, and the bell. The length of the entire instrument is 60 cm long. The mouthpiece section consists of a slotted cylinder, to which a reed is attached by a metal clamp called a ligature. The mouthpiece plugs into the next section which is a barrel. The barrel is simply a connecting cylinder to which the mouthpiece and the upper section plugs into. The upper section is a cylindrical pipe consisting of 4 holes and 9 keys placed in different locations along the pipe. On the back of the pipe there is a hole and a key that is used by the thumb. The lower section plugs into the upper section and is also connected via a special bridge key. This piece consists of 3 holes and 8 keys. On the inward facing side of the pipe, there is a protruding piece of metal called a thumb rest, which supports the entire clarinet. The bell plugs into the lower section. It consists of a cylinder that flares out into a bell shape and ends the clarinet.

    Read More

  • The Origin, Influence, and Musical Technicalities of The Saxophone.

    1739 Words  | 4 Pages

    The saxophone was created by Antoine Joseph Sax, but more popularly regarded as Adolphe Sax in 1846. The Saxophone is the most recent woodwind instrument to have been produced and accepted into music. In 1814 Adolphe Sax was born in Dinant, Belgium. At a young age he learned from his father, who retained his own instrument crafting shop how to make instruments himself. He studied the Flute and Clarinet at the Brussels conservatory in Belgium, and in 1840 Adolphe decided he would make an instrument to cover the middle range of military band music. He wanted a sound similar to the Clarinet, but also with the Brass tone of the Trumpet. He made it a hybrid using a Clarinet mouthpiece, and key work resembling the Oboe’s. In 1842 Adolphe moved to Paris to finish creating the instrument that was soon be appropriately named, the “Saxophone”. He finished making the Saxophone in 1845, and it was soon picked up by several French Orchestral Composers in 1846. Thereafter the Saxophone was being played in many small ...

    Read More

  • Western Concert Flute Essay

    471 Words  | 1 Pages

    The Western concert flute was developed over the centuries from a simple end-blown flute to the current transverse flute. Transverse flutes are flutes that are held parallel to the floor. To play a transverse, the flutist directs the airstream across the mouth or blow hole and not directly into the instrument. The flute constitutes one of the most important instruments of the orchestra because of its high range, ability to blend in with other instruments and play the melody.

    Read More

  • Evolution of the Keyboard

    1578 Words  | 4 Pages

    Next we come to a point in time where a great leap had to be made. Musicians had made positive steps forward in the way of pitch and time but of only one or two notes at a time. What was needed was an in instrument that gave players control of many pitches simultaneously. The mechanism ...

    Read More

  • Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto Summary

    1828 Words  | 4 Pages

    The orchestration comprises of a standard set of instruments, including two flutes, two clarinets, two oboes, two bassoons, two trumpets, three trombones, four horns, timpani, bass drum, cymbals and strings. An additional instrument is the tuba (Chung 22). Moreover, it appears that the piano is not the only soloist; rather other instruments such as flutes, clarinets and horns make minor appearances for similar purposes.

    Read More

  • Gospel Music

    6228 Words  | 13 Pages

    trumpet or flute. It was the right hand corner that filled in the material during the rhythmic

    Read More

  • The Tin Flute Analysis

    952 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Tin Flute is a novel by Gabrielle Roy and was written in Quebec in World War 2 in 1945. This novel is about a girl named Florentine and how she becomes to be a mature young woman by realizing that a person’s imprison did not tell her how that person really feels and think; This novel also shows the effect of poverty and how it affects people and their family. The narrator speaks from an omniscient point of view, but is mostly from the perspective of Florentine.

    Read More

  • Instrumental Music Through the Eras

    864 Words  | 2 Pages

    Music has shaped the lives of people throughout history. Even in its earliest forms, music has included use of instruments. One of the oldest musical instruments known is a variation of the flute; the original flute is thought to date back nearly 67,000 years ago. Tonight we are going to move throughout the eras with a history of instrumental music. This concert will begin with the Renaissance Era and continue through time until we have reached modern instrumental music.

    Read More

  • Analysis of the Song, You´ve Got to Hide Your Love Away, by The Beatles

    1963 Words  | 4 Pages

    ...se on both the tenor and alto flute, one an octave higher than the other. While the return of the verse and the flute’s soothing sound give this ending a vague happy feeling, the contrast between the flutes’ pitches and timbres cannot help but leave the listener with a feeling of tension and apprehension over what will ensue.

    Read More

  • Playing the Flute

    1188 Words  | 3 Pages

    Whether you pick the flute as your instrument of choice because it produces your favorite sound, looks easier to transport than a tuba, or simply because it’s shiny, you will have to decide how to buy. There are a variety of reputable brands to choose from, but not all make durable, high-quality flutes. It will be tempting to go for a cheaper model, but in many cases, you will be sacrificing quality. There is a surprising amount of engineering that goes into the making of one instrument. Each hole must be placed precisely, otherwise the tone is distorted. Often, cheaper flutes skip steps in engineering, or are made with shoddy materials that either bend or break too easily (Duncan). While you should not compromise a good brand name for cost, beginning flutists can get away with buying a student flute. Student flutes differ from professional flutes in that professional flutes are open-holed. Rather than having so...

    Read More

  • The Physics of the Alto Saxophone

    1214 Words  | 3 Pages

    Wyman, F. S. "An Acoustical Study of Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece Chamber Design." Dissertation Abstracts International Section A: Humanities & Social Sciences 33. (1972): 1775. Music Index. Web. 13 April. 2014.

    Read More

  • Chinese Music

    642 Words  | 2 Pages

    Chinese music dates back to 1000 BC. A man named Ling Lun created the first of the musical instruments in China. Ling Lun developed a set of 60 bells. From these bells, he created a mathematical method for creating pitch pipes to tune the bells. One of the first instruments created was a bamboo pipe. Composers and philosophers idea behind this music was to calm and relax people from the calming sounds. An ancient Chinese belief is the music is meant to purify one's thoughts.

    Read More

  • The Modernization of Chinese Opera

    1234 Words  | 3 Pages

    Traditional Chinese operas played a significant role in the lives of the Chinese. Operas were inspiring, entertaining, and very popular for people of all ages and all levels of society (Turzuolo).

    Read More

  • Overview of Edgard Varèse’s Density 21.5 for Unaccompanied Flute

    1644 Words  | 4 Pages

    Edgard Varèse’s Density 21.5 for unaccompanied flute was composed in 1936 (revised in 1944) at the request of George Barrère for the première of his new platinum flute.Inspired by the flute’s capabilities, Varèse sought to showcase the platinum instrument’s full range of sound and explore its timbral capacity. Density is a monophonic work that is characterized by extreme dynamics, angular motives, timbral variety, and complex rhythms. During the span of sixty-one measures, Varèse exploits the flute’s full range of sound and color and almost every pitch on the instrument is realized.

    Read More

  • Origin Of Chinese Music

    672 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...te. In old times, most flutes were made of bamboo, which allowed even common people to play it. By covering the holes and blowing through the side hole while moving the fingers flexibly between the six holes, a sound will be produced that is leisurely and mellifluous like sound from far away. This always reminds people of a pastoral picture of a farmer riding on a bull while playing a flute

    Read More

More about Influence of Chinese Traditional Flutes

Open Document