Xun has also been unearthed in Shanxi, Gansu, Henan, Shandong and other places in my country. Judging from the unearthed cultural relics, Xun has gone through a long period of time. About four to five thousand years ago, Xun developed from one sound hole to two sound holes and could blow three tones. After entering the slave society, the Xun has been further developed. A few years ago, the Xun from the late patriarchal society to the early slave society was unearthed in Huoshaogou, Yumen, Gansu Province. It has three sound holes and can blow four tones. By the late Shang Dynasty, more than 1,000 BC, Xun had developed to have five sound holes and could play six tones. By the Spring and Autumn Period more than 700 BC, Xun had six sound holes and could play a complete pentatonic and heptatonic scale. It took more than 3,000 years for Xun to develop from one sound hole to six sound holes.
◆ Types of Xun
There are many types of Xun. In addition to the traditional oval Xun, there are also many types such as gourd Xun, holding Xun, mandarin duck Xun, and Zimu Xun.
The traditional Xun is mostly oval, but now there are many kinds, such as gourd Xun, hand-held Xun, mandarin duck Xun, and Zimu Xun, with beautiful styles and fine craftsmanship.
1. Gourd Xun: It has a throat device and looks like a gourd. It requires two tire makings and the process is complicated. 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 characteristics of the gourd xun are:
a. The range above the fundamental note (counted from the full flat blow) is expanded by a minor third; but the pitched part below the fundamental note is reduced by a third;
b. It saves effort when playing the treble range;
c. Due to the throat device, the tone of the bass range is affected.
2. Holding the xun: holding the xun when playing, using 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.
The characteristics of Yuanyang are: rich timbre and widened range. However, the shape is not beautiful (the shape is abnormal compared to the original Xun), 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 generally a pure fifth. For example: the big Xun is G and the small Xun is d. You can also 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. 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. It is easy to blow high notes; the disadvantage is that it is not easy to blow in a downward direction.
Most of the common ones on the market now are gourd xun, ox-head xun, bullet-head xun and oval xun. Other Xuns are rare.