Abstract: Xun is one of the oldest wind instruments in China, with a history of about 7,000 years. Initially, its function in ancient times was to trap prey. When the ancients used stones to hunt, they accidentally discovered that the collision of the cavity on the stone with the air flow would produce a whistle. Inspired by this whistle, the xun was invented. Later, it was mostly used to play court music. . According to different shapes and materials, there are many types of Xun. Common ones include pottery Xun, gourd Xun, holding Xun, porcelain Xun, bamboo Xun and so on. Let’s learn about the Xun instrument together. What kind of musical instrument is the Xun?
The Xun is an open-ended wind instrument with a simple and original sound that is unique and natural. It occupies an important position in the history of primitive art in the world. The early prototype of Xun was a stone used for hunting. Some stones have naturally formed cavities. When ancestors used such stones to throw at prey, the cavities on the stones produced whistle sounds due to the air flow. This whistle inspired ancient ancestors to make musical instruments, and the early xun was produced.
The pottery Xun is one of the popular musical instruments in ancient times. It is a wind and sounding instrument. As early as the Hongshan Culture period of the Neolithic Age, the performance of Xun was very popular and continues to this day. Xun is a wind instrument made of clay in ancient times. It is round or oval in shape and has six holes (now there are eight holes, nine holes, ten holes, double octaves, etc. Six-hole Xun is not common in the market currently), and It is called "Taoxun". Pottery is the most common, but there are also stone and bone ones.
What types of xun are there
1. Classification based on appearance
(1) Gourd xun: with a throat device, shaped like a gourd, and requires two steps to make Making tires is a complicated process. This kind of xun is thinnest near the waist. When the airflow passes through this place, it can cause the edge sound effect again, so that the range of the high-pitched area of ??the xun can be appropriately expanded. Because the xun body is lengthened, it is more convenient and labor-saving to play, and the tone is softer than the traditional oval xun. The characteristic of Hulu Xun is that the range above the fundamental note (counted from the full flat blow) is expanded by a minor third; but the down blow part below the fundamental note is reduced by a third; it is more labor-saving when playing the high-pitched area; c. Due to the throat device, the bass area is The timbre is affected.
(2) Holding the xun: holding the xun for playing. It uses ten fingers and the base of the thumb to control the sound hole.
(3) Yuanyang Xun: refers to two conjoined Xuns with different pitches, opposite directions and connected bases. This type of xun has a blowing hole at each end, and the sound holes of the upper and lower xuns are exactly the same as those of ordinary xuns. When playing, you can switch quickly as needed. Yuanyangxun is characterized by rich timbre and widened range. But the shape is not beautiful, and it is not very convenient to switch between Yuanxun and Yuanxun when playing. Moreover, the sound quality changes greatly, so the timbre is not uniform.
(4) Zimu Xun: refers to two conjoined Xuns of different sizes, consistent directions, and connected left and right. The interval relationship between the big Xun and the small Xun is usually a pure fifth. For example: the big Xun is G and the small Xun is d. You can combine them as needed.
(5) Niutou Xun: Based on the improvement of Ningxia Hui instruments, it has 10 holes, the range is bass 5 to treble 2, and there is a sound insulation board inside. The tone is round and thick, and the high notes are easy to play. The disadvantage is that the holes are slightly larger and the range is not Good extension.
(6) Bullet Xun: The latest patented product of Feng's Tao Xun. The interior is made of a double-cavity structure imitating a gourd Xun. It can be mastered by beginners at will. The high notes are easy to blow. The disadvantage is that it is not easy to blow in the downward direction.
(7) Lady Xun: Xun designed with the image of ancient ladies as the theme. Most of the Xun is made of Nixing pottery, one of the four famous pottery in China, in an unglazed kiln.
(8) Pen holder Xun: It is named because it looks like a pen holder. Most of the common ones are gourd xun, ox-headed xun, bullet-headed xun, pen barrel xun and oval xun. Other Xuns are rare.
(9) Pear-shaped Xun: It looks like a pear, the most classic one. Generally, they are single-cavity, mostly 8-hole and 9-hole. The sound is good when it's ringing and when it's blown down.
2. Classification according to materials
(1) Pottery Xun: It is divided into three types: low-temperature pottery Xun, medium-temperature pottery Xun and high-temperature pottery Xun.
Low-temperature pottery: The common black leather pottery in Xi'an is generally low-temperature pottery, which has good water absorption, avoids bumping, and cannot be washed.
Medium-temperature pottery xun: Xun made of red pottery is generally medium-temperature pottery, with moderate hardness, can be exposed to water, and has good water absorption. It will not accumulate water and affect the performance when played for a long time at low temperatures, and the pronunciation is stable.
High-temperature pottery: high hardness and washable. The disadvantage is that it does not absorb water at all. When the temperature is low, water will accumulate when playing, which can easily affect the pronunciation.
(2) Semi-porcelain xun: that is, it is not completely fired into porcelain. Generally, the surface is glazed and easy to clean. It has the characteristics of medium-temperature pottery, with moderate hardness, washable, good water absorption, no water accumulation when playing at low temperatures for a long time, and stable pronunciation.
(3) Porcelain Xun: fired at high temperature, similar in properties to high-temperature pottery, and generally glazed on the surface. It does not absorb water at all. When the temperature is low, water will accumulate when playing, which will easily affect the pronunciation.
(4) Wooden Xun: It is light in weight and not easy to break. Does not absorb water.
(5) Bamboo Xun: Bamboo 篌, bamboo Xun. Not easy to break and does not absorb water.
(6) Purple clay pottery Xun: unique double pore arrangement, excellent water absorption and natural appearance, without using any chemical glaze, the vicissitudes of the sound is ethereal, thick and graceful, and it is not afraid of bumps and water.
(7) Others: resin, resin mixed with clay, plastic, etc.