Chinese Instruments

Front 1

Qin

Back 1

• Cordophone
  
• 7 String Zither
  
• No Frets
  
• Symbol of learning & Scholarship
  
• Playing technique is symbolic
  
• Qin also means all instruments.
  

Front 2

What are the 3 symbolic sounds?

Back 2

Open = Earth

Stopped = Men

Harmonics = Heaven

Front 3

Zheng

Back 3

• Related to Qin
  
• Zither
  
• Bridges
  
• 16+ Strings
  
• Originally silk strings
  
• Mix of Scholar & Entertainment
  
• Ladies instrument.
  

Front 4

Pipa

Back 4

• 4 String Lute - Cordophone
  
• Pear Shaped
  
• Played Upright
  
• Entertaining Instrument
  
• Virtuoso Instrument
  
• Strum like a guitar
  

Front 5

Sheng

Back 5

• Mouth Organ -- Aerophone
  
• Bamboo
  
• Only Chinese instrument that plays harmony
  
• Shen is predecessor of: Harmonica, Accordion, Harmonium.
  

Front 6

Erhu

Back 6

• 2 String Fiddle - Cordophone
  
• Hu means Barbarian
  
• Er means 2 String
  
• Barbarian Instrument/Street Musicians
  
• Looked down by scholars
  

Front 7

Yangqin

Back 7

• Middle East/Persian name is Santour - Cordophone
  
• Ya means foreign
  
• Qin means instrument
  
• Folk instrument
  
• Yangqin can be used for melody and accompaninment
  

Front 8

Di

Back 8

• Flute - Aerophone
  
• Bamboo
  
• 1 Additional hole between blow hole & fingered holes that is covered by a membrane for buzzing
  
• Carving of Dragons (Dragons = Good)
  

Front 9

Did ancient china group instruments together?

Back 9

No

Front 10

20'th century China, what dominates ensembles?

Back 10

Silk & Bamboo

• Di
• Pipa
• Erhu
• Yangqin