Few questions for a dizi beginner

Hi there,

welcome - great to see another newcomer join. Do stay




It depends where you live - generally, this is a normal phenomenon. The internal lumen of a bamboo flute, has a water-resistant impermeable membrane, which when the bamboo was alive in a forest, was used to transport phloem, fluids and minerals from the leaves to the roots. It's not a huge problem, but some di zi flutes can be opened at the tenon. You can use a flute cleaner and thread cloth to mop up the excess after use.

Temperature differentials between body temperature (breath) and air temperature will encourage this condensation in the flute. You can find that after intense playing, the condensation from the moisture in the breath literally drips out.




Not sure what you're referring to. Do you mean decorations?

There are different calibres of di mo - but that determines the 'buzzing' or delicious aural character of the di mo, rather than any sound transition effects - usually these are a combination of fingering styles, although I'm not quite sure in this instance yet...



Are you listening to alto C video clips? If so, then all I can say, is what do you really expect for $22 lol (j/k). Sounds like yours is a decent budget di zi.

The character of the di zi probably depends on a combination of the dizi manufacturing of the flute; the wood; whether the same bamboo is used for the whole flute, or whether it's part sourced from different bamboo (cheaper); the fluting of the flute; the hole positions and accuracy of the tones; resonance character, and the blowing hole, as well as the di mo quality and placement. Ultimately - the player. I figured out very early on, that the red tassles which are drapped from the bottom end holes, don't make me sound any better a better player

So they came off


4) I play dizi for only 4 days (before never played a flute) but from now I did A LOT of practise and now I can do, for example, rapid sequences of 3 notes (such as B-M-XXX-XXX | B-M-XXX-OOX | B-M-XXX-XOX | B-M-XXX-XXX repeated n times) but I can't give them the caratteristic transition sound almost emphasizing this transition

Maybe you need to play 'decorations'. One example - when switching between your fingering, you add a one note higher:

B-M-XXX-XXX |
B-M-XXX-OOX | + B-M-XXO-OOX
B-M-XXX-XOX |
B-M-XXX-XXX

and then alternate back to the fingering for your score; or one note lower, depending on the music. It is played very rapidly - literally, just drop the finger and make a perfect seal, and lift it up rapidly, as if spotting a fly on a surface (ug). Alternatively, you can try releasing the pressure on a hole slowly to 'bend' the note you are playing, before fingering the next hole and vice versa i.e. slip the fingering into position, instead of making a clean 'hit' on the hole.

The problem with your notation is - that it is not the standard fingering for any dizi I know of. It looks like you are using a strange combination of semi-quarter off tones from cross-fingering, without starting on the basic fingerings (any dizi table will produce these for you on the internet).
It's probably not worthwhile spending too much time on such decorations until you've fully mastered the embouchure (mouth position) and basic 2 octaves, although it is tempting, since music sounds more interesting!



I play the alto concert flute too; having had lessons from a concert flute (Boehm) tutor, the dizi technique is very different. The breathing techniques can indeed be similar (and circular breathing can be used in both kinds of flute playing). If you are running out of breath, then your embouchure is equally likely to be underdeveloped leading to air wastage, as well as failing to breath from the diaphragm. You can try standing up and playing, always breathing by expanding your abdomen forwards, rather than using your chest to move.

The other challenge which you've subtlely mentioned, is that you have started on the alto C flute. This is a larger flute, and requires more lung power to get to the end of a phrasing. I play a bass F flute, and I am so dizzy by the end of a piece due to the lack of oxygen! But a bass F flute is a metre long. Size matters - and even adding one single unnecessary decoration, can determine whether I can make it to the end of a phrase or not!



It's okay - just pleased to see another person taking up the di zi flute. I think it's such an underrated instrument. You've probably got some way to go in terms of ironing out your problems list, but if we can help, just feel welcome to post. It looks like there are plenty of beginners who post comments here, and then vanish for good after 1 post (probably given up with the dizi too ).

Kind regards.

NOTE:
B = blowing hole
M = mokong hole
X = closed finger hole
O = opened finger hole[/quote]

Do you have a link to the Youtube clip?

Imitations often sound like imitations!

I'm not sure whether you'd find an alto F any easier; it is essentially the same as your C, with a different key; same bore type, fractionally longer (even more breath!).

Are you avoiding the high soprano flutes because they are earpiercing? I am

Yes I guess it is hard to know what to buy without trying. Have you looked at Tan's store in Singapore - Eason Music? He has a range of very interesting flutes. I'm looking for a double bass one.

I've yet to buy a flute off the internet - I suppose I'm fortunate in that where I work, I can try most of the flutes and order in flutes to try. The majority of my flutes are all made by the same manufacturer.

The problem about music stores is, that it's tempting to go in and buy an instrument you had never intended to play (for example -the Gu Zheng!). The shakuhachi flute has a very different sound from the Di Zi. I presume, you have mastered cutting the Di mo down to size, and then stripping it in half, and then applying it on, and fine adjusting it just as it dries. Otherwise, perhaps it is an 'embouchure' problem.

I suppose you're learning by watching Youtube clips and from the internet whilst living in Italy. Have you seen this series of clips:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcXRzZZv1mE

They apply to the Di Zi as well (up to a point).

It takes some time to master your embouchure and produce tonal consistency for the first octave (and then the rest).

Fingering can be done in different ways. I posted this introduction in the 'Choosing a Dizi thread' some time ago:



[NB - For a C key, this is properly written as 2* ( a . underneath the two) and the fingering is the same as the 5* written above. This is the main reason, why it is not so easy to start with a C key flute, and start reading 'Jian Pu' or simplified notation, but you can ignore this, and use 5* as your lowest note so long as you are playing solo and planning on moving onto a more conventional G key flute. ]


So, when I give you a piece (no metre) using the numerical shorthand:

0 6* 1 2 2 3 5 6 2 3 5, 2 3 1 7 6 1 6

you should be able to reproduce the fingerings from above and perhaps, hit the '5' with some difficulty.

This is from the first phrase of 'Autumn Reverie at the Dressing Table'. The system above, is called 'Simplified Notation' or 'Jian Pu'. If you can understand down to this paragraph, then you have more or less, mastered the basis of 'Simplified Notation'. Learning the metre, rhythm, markings for accidentals - that will come with practice, as will altering your blowing for the second octave, and learning the fingering that goes with it.

If you need help with a basic flute - check out Eason Enterprises' videos! My highest flute, a soprano F, is one I never really ever use. It is earpiercing to the point that it could be used as an animal siren. Generally, a D, F, or G flute keying is easier to work with as a beginner, because there are so many more popular melodies and scores to work from. If you much prefer the lower tones, then a bass flute in D (which is not actually that long), is a great way to start. It does require more volume, but the longer flute, makes it easier in some respects

The Koto is lovely too....! Too many instruments! I've decided to home into one (well, just the concert flute; the alto concert flute; the Dizi family; Dong Xiao and maybe the harmonica

!


That piece is called 'Orchids in Spring'. I've been hunting for the past few weeks trying to find the sheet music for this (desperately running out of time).

Until I get the sheet music, what it seems the excellent flute player is doing, is a 'slide' or 'bend' by a quarter tone. In 'Jian Pu' notation, you will see a curved arrow above a number (e.g. for fingering 6* with a L shaped arrow going down or up, pointing towards another number e.g. down towards 5* or up towards 7* .

The fingering effect which the player does, is a 'decoration'. It does indeed add 'character' to the 'bound notes' as you put in - in fact, it is a 'slide' or 'bend' of a proper full tone (e.g. from 7, 5 in a less clean cut way).

I don't know what others think, but I'd say get the foundation in place, before learning these kinds of cross-fingering slide/bending note techniques! You will play them better and faster later with the foundation in place, since a decoration has no substance of its own: it depends on the rest of the melody or rhythm, for its effect.

Hope that helps. Sorry if I haven't explained it in any simpler terms.

Thank you for the first phrase of 'Autumn Reverie at the Dressing Table'
Do you have music sheets for beginners? I downloaded from an youtu*e user a book (end correlated mp3s) of dizi sheets. The name of the user is "Hulusi" or "Hululsi" I can't remember. In his youtu*e channel you can find links for downloads ^^

Thank you also for video link on teaching the correct lips and blowing position, very useful!

I came from Italy, near Milan.
I found on Eason a videocd with dizi lessons for beginners. It costs 8$. The problem is they're in chinese language so I think that I can find something similar on youtu*e.
Friday I'll go in a big musical instruments store: perhaps I'll find some bamboo flutes (not only chinese ones) that I can buy to help me in learning dizi (I hope a shakuhachi or other wind instrument, but probably I'm pretending a little bit xD) pray God for this! Eheheheh

Thanks if you have the folk janpu to upload ^^
I've not understood the DAD syndrome xD it's a joke or it's the result of a scientific study?
As you told, Jian Pu is not difficult (I can read also pentagramm).
Yesterday I took my dizi and I was very impressed because I IMMEDIATELY I played it very well, as if I'm playing it from years!! O.O
The basic embrochure I think it's not a problem; the problem is breathing techniques... yes.

Thanks Sanmenxia - I keep thinking that I should really get an iPad so that I can access these sheet music scores without having to carry any!

Purple Bamboo Melody was transcribed by Jonathan Stock - it's also available in his rather special study of chinese flute music in traditional treble clef notation for those who haven't got the hang of Jian Pu yet!

Not sure what the translation is for any of these. If anyone can read, that'll be great.

There are no copyright limitations to these folk songs - they come from Yunnan. A guy in a shop gave it to me on a piece of paper to practice with the Bawu, so I guess they are more inclined and equally playable on a Bawu and Hulusi.