Here's another interpretation made of Master Winson Liao's video.
Do note I had not asked him to verify my interpretations so any errors are purely my own. For clarity sake, I may make expansions to better illustrate some points that do not have a direct translation, for example, due to cultural references.
In this video, he introduces the Tang Xiao and how to approach playing it. For clarification, these are some terms to be aware of:
- 箫 Xiao - the Chinese Xiao is currently crafted with 8 finger holes. Traditionally it was 6 holed. Mouth piece has a U shaped cut for blowing.
- 北箫 Northern Xiao - usually a narrower bore and thinner walled instrument compared to the Southern Xiao. It is much longer and mostly made with black bamboo (commonly called purple bamboo 紫竹 in Chinese).
- 南箫 Southern Xiao - a thick bore and thick walled Xiao whose mouth piece can be U or V shaped. The madake bamboo (桂竹) is often used. Its appearance is very much like the Japanese Shakuhachi as the root end is used, and instrument lengths are similar. This Xiao is sometimes still called the 尺八, referring to its length. So although the Kanji or Chinese words are the same as the Japanese Shakuhachi, they are distinct instruments with different musical cultures developed around them.
- Tang style Xiao 唐式箫 or Tang mouthpiece Xiao 唐口箫 or 唐尺八 Tang 1‘8“ - I abbreviated it to Tang Xiao. This is a more recent development where the Tang Dynasty mouthpiece (straight cut) is integrated with the more modern Xiao body, i.e. 8 or 6 finger holes. One can easily mistake this with the Japanese Shakuhachi due to the similar design of mouth piece used.
So here's my interpretation:
00:00 - I'll be covering the characteristics of the Tang Xiao and how to play it. This piece I'm using is a Tang mouthpiece Xiao, it's 8 holed. The Tang Dynasty version had only 6 holes: 5 at the front, and 1 at the rear. When we play the 8 holed version, the retention fingers 保留指 can be used to get the traditional scale of the 6 holed instrument.
(Note the retention fingers are on holes 2 and 6. When using the 8 holed playing approach, these fingers often provide as support to grip the flute)
00:35 - When I make such flutes I retain the musical aesthetics of the traditional 6 holes, so the modern version can still play traditional scaled tunes.
Keeping the retention holes closed, you will get the traditional Southern Woodwinds 南管 scale.
Frequency of each flute can be customised, setting them at 442Hz, 440Hz, 453Hz (referring to concert pitch A).
01:00 - This piece is made from Indian red sandalwood 印度小叶紫檀. It was taken from a demolished home and about a century in age. So the resonance quality is excellent.
01:15 - We'll use this for demo. The Tang Xiao has a wide blowing edge/mouth piece, and it's an external cut. This conforms better to the shape of our lips.
Thus for those used to playing U mouthpiece it will be tough to adapt. Even if sounds are produced, the tone quality is that of the U mouthpiece Xiao -- it's not so expansive and open.
01:56 - The critical factor is that the embouchure is too tight/small. It should be more natural. Lips are relaxed and gently closed. The lips are already wide so a naturally closed embouchure would result in a wider aperture for blowing. This will match well with the wide blowing edge.
02:17 - Obviously if we already play the Dizi or U mouthpiece Xiao, the habits are hard to break and we won't reach the desired tone quality. The quality of the Xiao is another factor, especially when making a Tang mouth piece instrument, a lot more precision is required to ensure good resonance. Tang Xiao without resonance will have poor tone quality, even worse than U mouthpiece Xiao. Overall Tang Xiao has more stringent craftsmanship requirements in terms of resonance.
03:00 - In terms of blowing, keep the lips naturally closed. The air expelled is flat, and if well aimed at the flat mouth piece will produce an expansive sound.
If the aperture is narrow, the tone quality won't be open and bright. It sounds just like a U mouthpiece instrument.
03:48 - Importantly, playing the Tang Xiao one should aim to get its full expansive sound.
For me, I feel that Tang Xiao is well suited for performing ancient tunes, to produce a certain texture.
Because the Tang mouthpiece allows a more intimate relationship to be established between player and instrument, thus very delicate tones and dynamics can be portrayed. There will be richer layering and expressiveness. The texture can vary from soft and delicate to harsh and windy. The effects are more exaggerated.
04:41 - I'm going to use an ancient tune, originating from guqin 古琴, to illustrate. This piece, Geese Descending on Sandbanks 平沙落雁, has a slow melody, so if you play it flatly without guqin accompaniment, it will sound awfully monotonous.
We can use tone contours and textured layering to enhance a solo performance, creating sensory perceptions that make it attractive. It helps one perceive the sandbanks with the feel of scenic autumn, a wide open space where geese settle down.
05:35 - Demo of 平沙落雁 is played as a solo Xiao piece.
07:10 - The breath can be finely controlled and released. leading to the gentle closing and opening of the sound. Earlier we demonstrated contours and textures, and if we added breath sounds you'll hear the effect of wind blown sand.
07:33 - Demo of 平沙落雁, with addition of breath sounds.
09:12 - When you are mindful of the shifts in breathing and intonation, you are fully concentrated, and you enter into the music itself. It's a very enjoyable experience for self and also for the audience. It's a good utilisation of the Xiao.
For me, after having reconstructed the ancient Tang Xiao and played it for a period, I find it very appealing and fascinating, and became my favourite. Of course, the U mouthpiece has its own unique characteristics. The Tang Xiao paves another pathway for Xiao aficionados.
It's also a helpful instrument for practising meditative blowing. There's no burden on the lips and facial area, the body can be relaxed. Being aware of the ongoing breath and sound relationship easily brings us into a calm state.
10:40 - Next, I'll talk about embouchure refinement. To find the ideal embouchure, one can aim to get the 水润声 in the higher register notes. It comes from adjusting the angle, forming a focused breath, basically where the expelled breath lands.
(水润声 - I interpret it as as a sound that's moist and polished)
10:59 - Demo of high register notes.
11:13 - What I just played has the "water" sound.
Demo briefly.
11:16 - This one does not have as much "water" sound.
11:20 - It's a very polished, very sweet tone. The sweetness comes from precise cutting of the air, leading to rich overtones.
11:30 - Demo.
11:35 - Now if you revert to normal playing ...
11:40 - That is, no more "water" sound.
11:48 - This rounded, polished, sweet sound can be achieved.
You maintain similar angle for both high and low register notes.
12:09 - Same angle is used for blowing high and low notes.
An important point for low notes, don't always play with full resonance.
Yes, resonance needs to be practised but let's not forget that without resonance, the fundamental frequency is the primary sound of the flute.
A lot of people play with strong resonance, however, the fundamental frequency is not clear. There's resonance but the proportion of the main frequency is tiny.
12:40 - Demo of resonance lacking in clarity for fundamental frequency.
12:50 - The overtones are obvious but the fundamental frequency is weakened.
If you want to maintain the thick solid overtones, use relaxed blowing.
13:02 - Demo of blowing that keeps the solid overtones and does not diminish the fundamental frequency.
13:08 - How should one practise the fundamental frequency? You'll need to start from practising without the resonance.
13:18 - Demo of playing without resonance.
13:25 - Lesser resonance with louder fundamental frequency -- use an exhalation that is relaxed and slower.
13:31 - Demo again on same principle.
13:39 - Absence of resonance means there's just the fundamental tone.
Once you've the foundation established of playing the fundamental note, you can add in the resonance.
13:49 - Demo of resonance.
14:00 - Without resonance, the airflow is relaxed, slow, weak. It is pure, no overtones, just a single main note.
Many tend to forget that the fundamental frequency is also an expression of the music.
In displaying the aesthetics of 浓淡美学 the fundamental frequency remains important.
(浓淡美学 - an aesthetics of dense vs. light, or yang vs. yin)
14:30 - Demo of this aesthetic.
14:44 - Often the soft/relaxed tone is used to lead and open a phrase until a turning point.
14:52 - Demo of soft tone leading and turning into a denser tone.
15:21 - This layering brings out the effect of a mountain and water scene, a far and near experience (depth).
So the tone quality and texture is important. Moving from no resonance towards resonance, and back. This ebb and flow is very important.
15:41 - Another aspect, is the purity of the sound.
15:48 - Demo.
15:54 - Find the ideal spot, a focus point on the mouthpiece.
Another consideration is for low register notes. To use the horizon (the flat edge) as a guide, aim to expand the utilisation of it.
16:11 - Demo.
16:19 - If you didn't activate it fully width wise, then it will become ...
16:26 - Demo.
16:30 - The expansiveness of the sound is limited, the tone quality's brightness and openness can't be achieved.
Therefore the characteristics of Tang Xiao can't be fully harnessed.
The embouchure is important. The Tang mouthpiece's width requires fine control in embouchure in terms of controlling the width and focus of the expelled air. Tone quality/colour is dependent on the lips/embouchure.
Do practice diligently, 10,000 hours is a necessary foundation. That's all for my sharing today, thank you.
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