Xiao question

[donb1975]

Hi, everyone!

My name is Don, and I'm new to the forum. I thought I'd ask a couple of quick questions.

1. Does anyone know the work of Dizi/Xiao maker Jia Yaoliang?

2. My Xiao is one piece, and 35 inches long. Has anyone experienced difficulty bringing such an instrument through airport security?

Thanks, in advance, for any replies!

[ziman]

Hi Don and welcome to the forum!

I have not heard of Jia Yaoliang before. How are his instruments like?

I've never had any xiao-related trouble with airport security, but that's in part because my xiao is a two-piece, so I usually disassemble it, protect each section with a mailing tube cut down to size, and stuff the mailing-tube-protected sections into one of my hard-shell suitcases.

[donb1975]

Thanks, Ziman.

It plays beautifully ~ it has a rich, "deep", tone. It was made in the early 1980's.

All I've been able to find out is that the xiao was made in Suzhou by Jia Yaoliang(I'm trusting the vendor as to the date it was made!). I did a search using the Chinese characters of his name, and there are quite a number of references ~ but very little about him except that he entered the business in 1963.

Travel is the one thing I failed to consider when buying a one piece!

[ziman]

Interesting! Do you have pictures and/or recordings of the xiao? (Just curious )

Since it was made in the early 1980s, is it a 6 hole or an 8 hole instrument? (I wonder how widespread 8-hole xiaos were back then)

[donb1975]

It is an eight hole ~ but keep in mind I have no first hand evidence that it was made in the '80's!

That is mostly why I hope to find more info about its maker. I did find his name listed on a Chinese site as one of the top ten dizi/xiao makers but, for all I know, he may be famous for making cheap junk for tourists! I don't believe that to be the case ~ because it really does sound wonderful ~ but you never know!

I don't have a recording yet ~ but I can make one.

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[ziman]

Experiments with 8-hole xiaos were already going on in the 1930s, so the fact that your xiao is an eight-hole does not mean it's unlikely to be from the 1980s.

It's just that I'm curious how the availability and popularity of eight-hole xiaos changed over the years. (I recently came across xiao method books from the 70s; they all seemed to assume the reader was using a 6-hole instrument. That certainly wouldn't have happened if the majority of xiaos at the time had eight holes, as is the case today.)

Your xiao looks well-made. Is the blowing edge/notch somewhat wider that the average xiao (i.e. it has the "broad U" (宽U) type of notch construction)? It looks fairly broad from this angle. Do you have pictures of the blowing end?

If it is a "broad U" embouchure, that would go some way towards explaining the rich tone. One nice thing about broad U notch xiao is that they usually have great dynamic range, provided one's airstream lines up well with the broad edge.

[donb1975]

I'm not sure if this would be considered broad or not. I'm mostly a hulusi player, but I've been learning the xiao because my fiance from China does not care for hulusi music! ;D

Perhaps my characterisation of the sound as "deep" isn't quite accurate. I'll try to get a recording up.

Thank you, Ziman, for your responses!

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[ziman]

That's a fairly average-sized embouchure. Very neatly made, this one. (I've seen too many poorly-cut notches on xiao over the years).

If you don't mind me asking, how much did this xiao cost? It probably could not have been very cheap, as the workmanship of this one seems good. If it was cheap, do tell me where you bought it-- I might need to go flute-hunting myself! [g]

[donb1975]

From what I've seen, it seems to be mid-range price wise. It was 100 dollars, with express shipping.

If you consider that cheap (which I do, now that I have it in my hands!), I bought it from Datung Music located in, of all places, Las Vegas!

[ziman]

What?!?!?!!
I visit their webpage from time to time and it always seemed as if the good xiaos were out of stock

(Well, all the F xiaos except the cheapest one always seemed to be out of stock. The G ones tend to be in stock but I already have a good G xiao.)

Did you buy it from their website or by contacting them directly?

[donb1975]

Yeah, I know what you mean! I really want an F key hulusi, and he never seems to have those in stock, either!

I actually bought it from the Datung eBay store. They seem to sell a few things there, from time to time, that are not available on the website.

[davidmdahl]

I have a couple of xiao, a 6 hole and an 8 hole. These are of the thin "Qin" xiao style, even though they are in G. Both are adequate, although they don't really light my fire. I have been tempted to get an Dong Xue Hua xiao from Eason, in hopes it would be very special, but I am not sure that yet another of the same style of xiao is a good idea. A dong xiao might be a better idea. Eason lists a dong (Southern) xiao by Xie Bing, and Red Music (hongyueqi) lists a nan xiao by Dong Xue Hua on Ebay. I assume that the nan xiao is a dong xiao.

How is a dong xiao different to play than a qin (Northern) xiao? Any thoughts or suggestions?

Thanks.

Best wishes,

David

[donb1975]

Hi, David!

I'm fairly new to the xiao ~ so take what I say with a grain of salt!

My xiao is Northern style - 3 feet long, and a single piece. I'd seen the Southern style, but when I saw the one I now have ~ I was instantly drawn to it.

I can't say with any authority what the differences are, but I've read that the sound (key for key) are almost identical, but the Southern xiao are much shorter. A 3 foot long xiao may have been fine in the days when horses and walking were the only means of travel (just strap it on your back, and you're set!), but it might be awkward to take on a plane!

I have no first hand experience with the Southern style. I do also, however, want to get one. I like the root end on those that I've seen (I've only seen one Northern style for sale with a root end).

[Flolei]

Hi, David!
The embouchure of the Southern stzle xiao is actually very dfferent from the northern one, similair to quenacho's (it's difficult for example to switch from the Southern to the Northern in a short time). My taiwanese xiao is quire thick, therefore it's not very suitable for me. It's difficult for me to keep the right embouchure for a long time, therefore I prefer northern style xiaos.
The sound is similair, although the Southern xiao is generally louder than the Northern one.
Have a nice weekend,
Flolei

[davidmdahl]

Interesting. Thanks for the responses, donb1975 and Flolei. The xiao I sent for repair came in the mail yesterday, and I couldn't be more thrilled. I bought the xiao in late 2004, and it cracked at the embouchure just a few months later. I tried to glue it, but the results were not good.

Ziman, from our forum, somehow deduced that the maker of my xiao was Ng Teck Seng, and recommended that getting it fixed should be worthwhile. A few weeks ago, I sent it to Monty Levenson, a shakuhachi maker and dealer, and he repaired it. Now it really sings! The xiao that a friend brought back from China recently has a much quieter voice. I will post photos of the two embouchures in the near future so you can see the difference.

I might yet arrange to get a dong xiao via my erhu teacher from his musician friends in his hometown in Guangxi, but it appears I have a good xiao to play after all.

[Flolei]

I'm very happy for your xiao, David. It's such a good feeling to hear a musical instrument singing again!

[Blue]

A very traditional Taiwanese dong xiao's hole cover is completely open. This helps to further increase the volume. But it can be heavy, so the very first one I ordered was pitched in A (which is rare to see when most people see G and F). Qin-xiao is meant to be more quiet and is actually harder to play (at least based on my queen tear's qin-xiao).

[Blue]

Also in terms of length, a G dongxiao is around 63-65cm. Northern xiao are often ~80cm, but I've asked one crafts person to make a northern xiao pitched in G with ~70cm. Therefore, it is not impossible to make a shorter northern xiao. It just depends on the length of each bamboo section.