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Post by xindi on Apr 17, 2011 0:58:45 GMT
Has anyone got a sheet scale for the Low F Guanzi?
The variation of tone, like the xiao flute, but probably more expansive with the volume and intonation possibilities, is very attractive.
It's not like I need another instrument to learn, although anything from 6-10 hole (keyed of course) flutes are comfortable.
Embouchure issues aside - are there other things to look out for?
How many reeds do you go through in a year, with about 8 hours practice a week?
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Post by sanmenxia on Apr 17, 2011 15:32:46 GMT
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Post by xindi on Apr 17, 2011 20:08:21 GMT
Thanks!
That's quite a discovery.
Are you able to read what the page says in Hanzi?
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Post by xindi on Apr 17, 2011 21:16:16 GMT
... being a short clarinette style instrument with a reed - any ideas what the blowing resistance is like? I take it is not as free-blowing as a dizi or xiao flute - just wondering how it compares to the clarinet and oboe.
The Wu Family guanzi's - is this translated as 胡 as in 'Hu Zhi Hou' or a different name?
Thanks for any help.
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Post by sanmenxia on Apr 17, 2011 21:48:13 GMT
The chart is from a book by Hu Zhihou 胡志厚 (left):  I can read a few of the characters but even if I look up all ones I don't know in a sentence, I find it very difficult to put them together to get the meaning. I would guess Wu is 吴, or possibly the much less common 伍. 胡 is hu. |
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Post by xindi on Apr 17, 2011 21:56:50 GMT
Thanks - I didn't think the Wu and the Hu translated the same. The Wu Family make these ones:   I haven't seen any other kinds similar to these (with 2 1/2 octaves, rather than just 1 octave like the southern Cantonese ones). Should've picked one up in Xinjiang! Maybe next time .... Thanks for the book title - I'll look out for it when I finally work out whether it's worthwhile learning another wind instrument, instead of concentrating on the ones I have. Lately I've been overdeafened by the dizi, so I'm taking things more mellow ... Thanks! |
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gawn
Intermediate
Posts: 43
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Post by gawn on Apr 17, 2011 22:13:01 GMT
... being a short clarinette style instrument with a reed - any ideas what the blowing resistance is like? I take it is not as free-blowing as a dizi or xiao flute - just wondering how it compares to the clarinet and oboe. The Guanzi has a double reed, so the embouchure resembles more that used on bassoons or instruments of the oboe family. Playing the oboe myself and having recently begun to learn playing the Guanzi (mine is a Wu Family Guanzi in F) I have the impression that the Guanzi requires less pressure compared to the oboe - but more air in terms of volume (Oboists usually have to breathe out at the end of a phrase before they're able to take fresh air - a fact that surprises most players of other wind instruments). I have no idea how the Guanzi compares to other instruments like dizi, xiao or flute - but I would expect the embouchure a key issue that you would probably need considerable time to work on - for oboists that is kind of a lifelong task ... The fingering on the F Guanzi appears to be the same like that on the A Guanzi chart. |
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Post by xindi on Apr 17, 2011 22:29:56 GMT
Thanks Gawn.
It's probably an irrational thing - but the thing that put me off the oboe and the bassoon was the sensation of choking to death when I was playing the instrument - unlike the flute. The harmonica can be similar for a poor player like me, retaining too much air instead of breathing it out during play, and feeling like exploding mid-performance. It did feel better than trying the euphonium though I preferred the flute for its free-blowing nature.
Did you buy a guanzi after all? There doesn't seem to be much on the market, apart from the high end ones. It's quite pricey. There doesn't seem much in the way of customised double bass dizi's, so i thought maybe I'll get a guanzi instead .... either that, or buy a ticket to Xinjiang....
I think I'm going to struggle with the embouchure, given that the only instrument
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gawn
Intermediate
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Post by gawn on Apr 17, 2011 23:06:43 GMT
Two good news: 1.) The reed of the Guanzi is big enough to accomodate plenty of airflow. So ... no choking to death there.  2. ) Yes, I've bought one and there are at least 2 sources where you can order one: Eason Music (that's where I got mine from) don't have them listed but they still do sell them ... try and contact Sung Wah. Melody of China have some choice (scroll down): www.melodyofchina.com/06instruments/winds.html The owner reportedly plays the Guanzi himself and has also been recommended to me - but I haven't ordered anything from them yet. Price are approximately between 120 and 220 $ depending on the maker and the seller... as the last instrument I bought was my Howarth S5 oboe ( www.howarth.uk.com/products.aspx?id=17&filter=174 ) this somehow didn't appear terribly expensive to me ... but its certainly a matter of what you compare it to... |
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Post by xindi on Apr 19, 2011 22:43:52 GMT
Thanks Gawn -
that's reassuring in some ways, but it doesn't stop me from feeling terrified at the outlay investment in a family of instruments I have so little experience of!
If you can play a Howarth Oboe, then you won't have any reservations (left) about trying a similar family of instruments like the guanzi - unlike me. I find the guzheng quite intuitive (-ish) perhaps because I used to play the piano; and the dizi intuitive because of its similar fingerings and embouchure technique as the concert flute. Although I confess that I have never bought a shukuhachi flute because it is about 2x the cost of a guanzi, or about 10x the cost of a standard dizi for a low F one, and you only get 5 holes rather than 6 lol.
Hmm..it's the prospect of spending years mastering the embouchure ... will the challenge prove to be satisfying...or frustrating? Or perhaps I should acknowledge musical Gadget Acquisition Syndrome isn't limited to just bigger flutes .....
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Post by xindi on Apr 27, 2011 14:03:33 GMT
I don't know if it's due to the Easter holiday, but I never heard back from either of the two sites. I bought one elsewhere - paid for a Wang's rosewood one - it was 1/3rd cheaper:    I guess the reeds and learning materials will make up the cost difference. If I get into it like the dizi or the xiao, then maybe I'll think about investing in the Wu model, although the only one I'm really hankering for is the rarer low D version (approx. 24cm for a guanzi). These are on order only - no idea what the experience of the sound pressure through a wider cylindrical bore and reed is - perhaps more volume, and less pressure than the F guanzi. |
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Post by edcat7 on Apr 27, 2011 17:25:29 GMT
Hi Xindi
I was flicking through the list of professional musicians at Chinese UK Ensemble and there is a guy who plays the guanzi. Contact Dr Cheng Yu for contact details. A few lessons just to get you (us)(no you) started will be invaluable. Then it would not be a risk if you did purchase an expensive guanzi.
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gawn
Intermediate
Posts: 43
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Post by gawn on Apr 28, 2011 15:41:27 GMT
Good news xindi & congrats fro your new acquisition! Would you let me know where you bought it (by PM if you prefer)? And I'm curious to hear about your experiences with the instrument - have you received it already or are you still waiting for the parcel?
Yesasia has unfortunately canceled my order for the Guanzi method I ordered. But soghoeo.com still had it, so I ordered there and I'hope I'll have it soon. I'll let you know I'll write a small review for you then once I got it.
I have seen lower Guanzis with keywork on them in some Chinese orchestras (videos), but I prefer the 'traditional version' for now.
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Post by xindi on Jul 1, 2011 0:19:54 GMT
I wonder if you ever received the Guanzi method book?
I've had to work out the Guanzi using the 'crab' method. Unfortunately the scale given for the A guanzi, has completely bizarre fingerings when applied to the F key guanzi.
A word of note for anyone taking up this instrument: the ability to bend notes using embouchure control is phenomenal. You can actually play a note, fingered above, to sound a note below the fingering below!
In this respect, it is quite perplexing. I've given up trying to do the diatonic F scale on it, since the fingerings are just bizarre, although it is useful for playing hulusi 1 octave +1 note music, since I have not yet conquered the second octave.
I've worked out how to oil mine, but cleaning the narrow bore, is incredibly hard. I had a piece of tissue stuck inside for ages.
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