Chinese percussion instruments

Membrane instruments are so named because of the tightly stretched membrane, well known for conventional drums. Sound is produced by hitting a membrane.

Bianzhong

Bianzhong 编钟 - a set of bronze chjuns (bells), each of which has its own specific sound. This instrument has been known since the time of the Zhou Dynasty and was used only in court orchestras.

Dyang

Dianggu 点 鼓 is a membrane percussion instrument, which is a double-sided flat drum. It looks more like a tambourine than a drum. To play it use stick-beater. Sometimes a performer plays dyang simultaneously on a payban, in this case it is called guban. Both of these instruments are used in the orchestra for rhythmic purposes (payban - for highlighting a strong beat, diang - for a weak one). The performer holds the payban with his left hand, and with the wrist of his right hand presses the pull that lies on his lap and hits him with a wand that he holds in right hand.

Dubu

Dabu is a membrane percussion instrument, a kind of tambourine. It consists of a bent wooden shell, on which the membrane is stretched, and has the shape of a regular circle, sometimes it had cuts in the shell where small metal plates were placed, like a tambourine.

Bangu

Bangu 板鼓 is a membrane percussion instrument most resembling a snare drum without a lower membrane. Its body is a bowl of solid wood turned upside down. The eardrum is pulled to the bottom and fastened with small studs. “Also called jiegu, which means“ rhythm drum “. In opera orchestras, the conductor himself often uses it for conditional signals (for example, foreshadowing something on stage or in an orchestra). They play it with two sticks, varying the sound by changing the place of the impact. ” During the game, set the bath on a tripod stand.

Sugu

Shugu 书 鼓 is a membrane percussion instrument having the appearance of a double-sided snare drum. The drum case is a figured ring made of solid wood. Parchment membranes are stretched on the body on both sides. Shugu is mainly used to accompany various performances. When playing, it is mounted on a tripod and played with wooden sticks.

Xiangjiaoga

Xiangjiaogu 象 脚 鼓 is a membrane percussion instrument, similar to a one-sided timpani. “The wooden case has the shape of an overturned truncated cone mounted on a cylindrical pillar-column, hence the name (xiangjiao - the foot of an elephant)” The membrane is stretched to the case with leather straps. Syanjiaogu is usually used as a solo instrument, in which case the performer hangs the instrument on himself and holds it in an inclined position, playing with his palms and fingers.

Ganges

Gango 缸 鼓 - membrane percussion instrument, a kind of double-sided drum. "He got his name from the shape of the case, resembling a vessel (gan - vessel, vat)" They play on it with wooden chopsticks. Gango is used together with other instruments in various orchestras.

Tangu

Tangu堂鼓 - a membrane instrument very similar to the ganga, also has the structure of a double-sided drum. The body of the tangu is convex, made of hardwood, which lends itself well to bending. Membranes are stretched on both sides and fastened with small studs, and rings are attached to the sides to tie the tang. Nowadays, this instrument is widespread, and is used in both folk and professional orchestras. They play it with two sticks. A variety of drums varying in size: Tangu, Dagu, Xiaogu.

Dagu

Dagu 大鼓 in size is one of the types of a large drum, on a wooden frame of which leather is stretched. The performer with a wooden stick knocks out sounds that are rich in content, since a large surface area creates different sounds diverging from the center, which are very dependent on the force of the impact. In ancient times, he was usually placed on the battlefield and inspired fighters by drumming. Xiaogu, smaller in size than Tangu. The drums are small, but the sound register is high.

Paigu

Paigu 排 鼓 - a set of 5-6 drums arranged in a row according to the register of sounds, there is a setting with which the sound is selected, that is, the register and timbre of sounds are changed. Paigu is the result of the improvement of an instrument such as tangu and has already taken its place in the orchestra of folk instruments. Paigu is often used as a solo instrument.

Zhanggu

Zhanggu 战鼓 - The largest of the Chinese drums, looks like a big barrel. The drum stands on the platform in a horizontal position, that is, its membranes are perpendicular to the floor. The drum makes a very loud low sound. Previously, drums of this type were used in battles - this led to the name (zhan - war). They play it standing with two sticks.

Lamellar so-called because of the sounding body - a plate that makes a sound when you hit it with a heavy object. For self-playing percussion instruments, the source of sound is the material from which they are made, or some part: in some, the sound arises from the mutual friction of two objects; for others - as a result of strikes of one object against another; thirdly, from vibration of one of the tool parts.

Bojun

Bojun 博 钟 is a self-playing percussion instrument, a kind of bell suspended on a bar. “Zhong (bell), both bronze and copper, already existed during the Shang dynasty. This is evidenced by Zhong, found during excavations of the ancient city of Yin. There is evidence that in the court orchestra of the Zinn dynasty there were 12 Zhuns, differently tuned. Each of which was used only once in a certain month, according to the ritual, so that the court orchestra performed music of various keys (corresponding to that month). ”

Yunlo

Yunlo 云锣 - a set of self-sounding musical instruments - gongs (lo - gong), arranged in a certain order in the frame-rack (depending on the setting). Each gong issued a specific note. There are two main forms of this tool: portable and stationary. Currently, the most common is the yunlo, consisting of 10 xiaolo, that is, small gongs. They play on the yunlo, holding it with the left hand on the handle and hitting them with a wooden hammer. When playing on a stationary model, two mallets are used.

Banzi

Banzi 梆子 is a self-sounding percussion instrument reminiscent of a castanet beater. Banzi consists of two parts, usually made of hardwood: a small bar with sharpened edges and a cylindrical stick. During the game, the musician holds a bar in the palm of one hand, and with his other hand strikes it with a wand. Banzi is used in various ensembles and orchestras, but mainly as an accompanying instrument.

Payban

Payban 拍板 - self-sounding percussion instrument, clapper-castanet. Payban refers, in fact, to the same family as the Banzi. Payban consists of a set of flat, usually quadrangular, plates, in the upper part of which a hole has been drilled for connection into a bundle using a lace. The performer during the game holds the payban from above the edges of the upper plate and the lungs collapses the plates with a movement to make them sound. Payban is a widespread musical instrument. It is used in almost all types of orchestral music, including opera music, where it is often used to tap beats.

Muyu

Muyuy木鱼 is a self-sounding musical instrument. It is a wooden bell without a tongue, which more closely resembles a box, or is widely used in cowbell drums, as well as a wooden block common in Western orchestral music. “Muyuya’s body was often covered with bizarre carvings, the slot at the base resembles the mouth of a fish, and in fact, thanks to this, the instrument got its name - wooden fish (mu - tree, yu - fish). The case was usually varnished, and sometimes even gilded. ”During the game, they hold muyu with one hand by the handle, or put on a pillow and beat on it with a wooden stick. Also, when playing, Muyuy is sometimes worn over a shoulder strap. Muyui were made in various sizes, from small to huge, which can be seen in some temples in China. A modern orchestra uses only small models.

Bianqin

Bianqin is a plate percussion instrument consisting of a set of 12 or 16 plates (usually of jade), tuned in different tones. Sound extraction is achieved by hammer blows on flat plates, freely suspended on a horizontal frame. This is one of the oldest musical instruments.

Gongs Lo

Gong Lo 锣 is perhaps the most famous Chinese musical instrument. It is very actively used not only in modern orchestras, but even in rock music. Largely due to its unique loud "loose" sound. Gongs come in two forms - lo and xiaolo 小 锣. If lo is a simple, well-known gong to us, then xiaolo is, as a rule, a part of some instrument, for example a juno. “When struck, they make high-pitched sounds, loud and sonorous, attracting everyone's attention, bring revival, infect with fun, and raise the festive mood.”

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• Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra official web-page. URL: http://www.hkco.org