gawn
Intermediate
Posts: 43
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Xun
Mar 4, 2012 16:38:31 GMT
Post by gawn on Mar 4, 2012 16:38:31 GMT
Enchanted by the sound of a few xun recordings I am contemplating on getting one. I have seen that several websites offer them for sale - from cheap ones on ebay for just a few $ to pieces sold for several hundred. Some of these appear to be tuned to a specific key, others are apparently not. Sources I located so far include Easons (39-49 $, tuned), Melody of China (108-158 $, tuned), Sound of Nature (http://www.s-o-n.net/xun01.htm , 30-200 $, some tuned, some not but not necessarily a question of price), and of course ebay.
I do prefer lower sounding instruments, nicely decorated. Tuned would be preferable, as playing it together with others could be fun...). But as I am not sure how much I will actually play it (time is scarce and I do have a couple of other instruments to play and practice...) so I don't want to spend a fortune (this rules out the Melody of China xuns).
Does anybody have experiences with these instruments? If it says "Key of C" - will this mean C major or that I play a C when I cover half of the holes? What would you look for? Which instruments / makers can you recommend? I guess that most of those offered on ebay are not playable but purely decorative...
Cheers,
Georg
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Xun
Mar 5, 2012 0:05:37 GMT
Post by edcat7 on Mar 5, 2012 0:05:37 GMT
Hi Gawn
I play the occarina and bought a xun since it seemed to me a natural progression. I was tempted by the cheap ones on ebay but found them completely unplayable...as did my teacher.
I would only buy a proper one now if I could also get some books to go with it.
Ed
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Xun
Mar 5, 2012 7:58:34 GMT
Post by Flolei on Mar 5, 2012 7:58:34 GMT
Hello, Gawn and Ed! I can't tell very much about buying xuns because I got mine from a Chinese friend (I didn't want to get it by mail because it is fragile). Mine is a seven holes one. I don't understand the tunning: even if it was written "G" on the package, the lowest tone is mi/fa# and the tone with only three first holes is do#. It probably means that the tunning between tones is good but the "fondamental" tunning is a little lower than it is written. The tone is really nice, even if I like better instruments with two octaves or more. Now about books. I bought this one from Sogoeo: www.sogoeo.com/xun-tutorial-skills-and-practice-p-6526.htmlIt is a very good book, I really recommend it. There're lots of interesting and beautiful tunes inside. I play some of them also with xiao. I know that shipping costs on this website are quite high, but the book is only about 9 dollars, so all together is not so expensive. Flolei
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Xun
Mar 6, 2012 23:08:56 GMT
Post by edcat7 on Mar 6, 2012 23:08:56 GMT
That does indeed look like a good book. But I can wait until a friend goes back to HK later in the year.
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gawn
Intermediate
Posts: 43
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Xun
Mar 7, 2012 10:02:44 GMT
Post by gawn on Mar 7, 2012 10:02:44 GMT
Thanks for your advice so far... but can anybody enlighten me on the tuning issue? What scales can I play on a C -Key Xun ? Oh... by the way... try listening to this: youtu.be/QkWEZfYunGo
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Xun
Mar 7, 2012 14:09:24 GMT
Post by sanmenxia on Mar 7, 2012 14:09:24 GMT
I don't know about the xun but for the sheng, the lowest note is the fifth note in its scale, eg a sheng in D has A as its lowest note, and it plays in D:
5. 6. 7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 etc
I gather it's the same for the dizi and xiao, and possibly also all the other Chinese wind instruments, but I could be wrong.
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Xun
Mar 7, 2012 17:06:27 GMT
Post by davidmdahl on Mar 7, 2012 17:06:27 GMT
Here is a fingering chart for a xun: www.s-o-n.net/xun_fing_lyh.htmIt appears that the xun has a range of an octave plus two steps, starting on Do, the key of the xun. Unless half-holing is possible, the scale is diatonic. A "C" xun could play in the key of C major, and in a limited fashion, parts of A minor and D minor. From this link, it appears there are techniques for extending the range below Do: www.goamcan.com/lessons/Xun-01.htmlBest wishes, David
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gawn
Intermediate
Posts: 43
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Xun
Mar 7, 2012 19:40:10 GMT
Post by gawn on Mar 7, 2012 19:40:10 GMT
Thank you, very interesting links. I new the s-o-n.net website but hadn't noticed the fingering charts - sorry about my blindness... However, as I looked though the fingering charts for the different xuns they sell I noticed that this seems to be diffent with every instrument: for some, all holes closed is do, for others re, la, or so (see: www.s-o-n.net/chart_lcb.htm , www.s-o-n.net/chart_zwd.htm ). So the question remains whether the given "key" is refering to the pitch of the lowest note (i.e. all holes covered - your second link suggests that) or for "do" - wherever that is on the specific instrument. I'll see if I can find out more on that...
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Xun
Mar 7, 2012 21:12:43 GMT
Post by sanmenxia on Mar 7, 2012 21:12:43 GMT
It looks to me like each page of charts is for one particular xun in one specific key.
The lowest note can be any scale degree, just like the erhu open D and A strings can be 1 and 5, or 2 and 6 etc.
But the problem is which fingering produces the note named as a particular xun's key (ie the name on the instrument)?
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Xun
Mar 7, 2012 22:16:31 GMT
Post by davidmdahl on Mar 7, 2012 22:16:31 GMT
I don't understand the remaining confusion. The named key for a xun is the note played by covering all of the holes. That was made clear for me by the fingering chart, or at least that is the way I understand it.
Best wishes,
David
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Xun
Mar 7, 2012 22:21:55 GMT
Post by edcat7 on Mar 7, 2012 22:21:55 GMT
I hope the diagrams in the xun book are similar to occarina books; in that there are idiot-proof diagrams in which to follow. Could Flolei upload a page of her xun book so we can see inside?
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Xun
Mar 7, 2012 23:49:03 GMT
Post by sanmenxia on Mar 7, 2012 23:49:03 GMT
I don't understand the remaining confusion. The named key for a xun is the note played by covering all of the holes. That was made clear for me by the fingering chart, or at least that is the way I understand it. Best wishes, David All the charts show is that with all holes covered, which I think is the lowest note, you can get almost any scale degree: 5, 1, 6,2,3,7 etc. In other words, with the same xun you can play in more than one key and the charts show the fingerings. There's no mention of pitched notes. It's similar to the dizi charts: www.s-o-n.net/dizi_fing.htmWith one dizi you can designate the lowest note as 5, 2, 6, 3 or 1. However it doesn't tell you that a dizi's named key is based on 5 being the lowest note. Eg if the lowest is A, then the named key is D. I've avoided using "do" "re" etc because in some countries "do" means the pitched note C, eg Beethoven's violin concerto in re major means Beethoven's violin concerto in D major. The Chinese use "do" to mean the first note in the diatonic scale.
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Xun
Mar 9, 2012 11:41:13 GMT
Post by Flolei on Mar 9, 2012 11:41:13 GMT
Hello, The book I mentionned doesn't include real fingering charts, because it depends on the number of holes. I post two pages with articulation exercises, in order to show you the content of the book. The principe is to practise each skill and ornement with few exercises and scores. Yes, I agree, the key of the xun is the lowest tone. Best wishes, Florence Attachments:
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Xun
Mar 9, 2012 11:42:59 GMT
Post by Flolei on Mar 9, 2012 11:42:59 GMT
PS. Here is the second page. Hope the publisher will understand that I only want to show how good the book is and make its promotion! Attachments:
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gawn
Intermediate
Posts: 43
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Xun
Mar 9, 2012 13:12:12 GMT
Post by gawn on Mar 9, 2012 13:12:12 GMT
Thanks alot Flolei, that's really very helpful! By the way... what would be the most useful key to begin with? I like the lower notes, so I think I might order one in B, C or D from Eason. Melody of China has a low G one that attracts me, but it's a bit too pricey for now.
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Xun
Mar 9, 2012 17:44:45 GMT
Post by edcat7 on Mar 9, 2012 17:44:45 GMT
Whilst you're at it Flolei, could you upload some tunes played by you ?
It might even encourage my kids to play the xun.
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Xun
Mar 9, 2012 18:48:44 GMT
Post by Flolei on Mar 9, 2012 18:48:44 GMT
Ed, you mean scores I play?
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Xun
Mar 9, 2012 20:25:23 GMT
Post by edcat7 on Mar 9, 2012 20:25:23 GMT
Sure, since you play the dizi so well I'm sure you'll do the xun justice. Like the occarina, the xun seems to be the perfect instrument to play on the beach whilst on holiday. Alot of people (including my teacher's wife, my parents and my wife and kids...and neighbours) find the dizi ear-piercing. The instruments I play have to be unusual and 'COOL' at the same time.
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Xun
Mar 10, 2012 9:58:05 GMT
Post by Flolei on Mar 10, 2012 9:58:05 GMT
Hi Ed, Hi everybody! You know, Ed, I'm not like you. You can manage several very different instruments, I really don't. I only tried to play the xun one month last year to see how it looks like. After that, I decided to devotate my time to dizi and xiao. Anyway, I recorded a short sample to show how my playing looks like for now. I play the wll-know song 999 roses (score: www.shj.cn/shj_show_d637_1.htm). The conclusion? For me Xun is really a difficult instrument! For the fun, I put a light echo with the program George has shown to me! For holidays and beach: in my opinion it is better to play ocarina (instrument with mouthpiece). Nice week-end to all of you! Attachments:
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gawn
Intermediate
Posts: 43
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Xun
Mar 10, 2012 12:10:47 GMT
Post by gawn on Mar 10, 2012 12:10:47 GMT
Wow, that's so beautiful... and encouraging to hear!
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Xun
Mar 10, 2012 12:57:25 GMT
Post by George on Mar 10, 2012 12:57:25 GMT
Lovely!
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Xun
Mar 10, 2012 20:12:27 GMT
Post by edcat7 on Mar 10, 2012 20:12:27 GMT
Flolei, the 2 seconds i heard I really enjoyed (computer skills elementary). I will see if I can get my friend to bring me back one from HK.
George, I agree with you about getting the best you can afford. In my case, because I stretch myself in getting a decent instrument, I value it more.
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Xun
Mar 10, 2012 22:49:47 GMT
Post by George on Mar 10, 2012 22:49:47 GMT
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Xun
Mar 10, 2012 23:42:00 GMT
Post by edcat7 on Mar 10, 2012 23:42:00 GMT
I was playing around with my cheapo xun, after having decorated the piano for the last year.
I don't know what happened but it works. Using David's fingering chart do, ray, me is a lot easier than the other notes. At this early stage I find I have to change the embrochure with every note.
George, cant get the above link
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Xun
Mar 10, 2012 23:43:51 GMT
Post by George on Mar 10, 2012 23:43:51 GMT
Sorry, try now.
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