Xiao construction poll

[Blue]

Here's my experiment with creating a poll about the user's xiao construction. Feel free to share you experiences about playing different notched flutes.

[lbowen]

All I can say about xiao is that when I tried the ones in xinhua bookstore, it felt like there was no comfortable place to rest my lips! I'll probably still buy one before I leave China though!

[Blue]

Try a root xiao and see if it is thick enough to rest your lips.

Pretty pathetic that no one is voting.

Flolei: Pls vote!

[Flolei]

I can't, Allen, I know only the U shape and have really no idea which one is better. It depends also on the music you like to play with your xiao.

[Blue]

This is not a poll regarding which one is better. Rather, it's a poll to see what types one currently owns.

[ziman]

Does anyone know if there are differences in how common each notch shape is according to geographic region? So far, all of the xiao made in mainland China that I've seen are U-notched, but I have seen some V-notches and hybrid U-V notches on xiao of Taiwanese make. That makes me wonder if the non-U shaped notches are more common in Taiwan.

My own xiao, a G key 8-hole by Dong Xue Hua, is a U-notch.

[Blue]

I've noticed the same trend as well: that's part of the reason I created this poll. You'll also notice that Taiwanese xiaos have a higher probability not having the hole covered.

However, a wooden xiao given to me by user Xindi was made in Canton/Guangzhou and is also a hybrid U-V notch: www.s-o-n.net/xiao_guo01.htm I wonder if U-V and V notches are more of a Southern Chinese thing.

One xiao merchant told me that U-V hybrid notches are much easier to blow air into and play than U-only notches. I personally also find that to be true, but maybe that's because I started with U-V hybrid notches in the first place. Xindi was pretty impressed at the resonance I could achieve, even with a relatively small alto-C xiao and told Edcat that I could play flutes pretty well (which is somewhat of an exaggeration).

Playing U-only xiao is pretty much a hit and miss. Some days I could achieve the same resonance as a U-V xiao. Other days I suck.

I finally received the plastic quenachos/quenas from a maker in South Africa (https://sites.google.com/site/modernethnicflutes/quenacho). It took 2.5 months for them to travel from South Africa to Taiwan. The quenachos/quenas have the shaved cut on the outside of the flute instead of the inside of the flute, which I'm not used to and therefore am having a very difficult time playing at this moment. Xindi advises that one would have to blow more inwards for such notch flute construction.