It's 1:20am and I wanna play the xiao

[Blue]

It's 1:20am and I wanna play the xiao ;D

During the afternoon, the sound of my dongxiao disturbed a neighbor who was trying to work for the night shift, never mind the fact that it was a very sunny, bright day . . . . . . .

[Blue]

It's 12:13am and I'm playing a xiao flute at low volume . . . . . . . too bad I can't go to the second octave without disturbing the neighbors . . . . . why can't I have a xiao flute slumber party where everyone plays lullabies . . . . . . . . . . . . . sometimes I wish had start picking up the xiao back in college and had a roommate who played the xiao as well . . . . . . ;D ;D ;D

[ziman]

Night's the time when I do the embouchure precision practice that Donsiao prescribed-- trying to play a constant pianissimo in the upper register with good intonation without tensing up the lips. It's surprisingly difficult! Currently, I can do it about 40% of the time.

Of course, fear of disturbing the neighbors helps me keep at least the pianissimo part right ;D

[Blue]

Ha! Managed to play very softly into the second octave at 11:30pm.



Thunderstorm and heavy downpour outside does help mask some of the sound, however.

Rain, rain go away. Allen wants to go out and play.

(Play the xiao of course! )

[Blue]

At least trying to play without too much breath allows me to better concentrate my breath! ;D

Unfortunately the dizi does not give such leeway in volume in a country that has the world's second highest population density (microstates excluded).

[Blue]

At least trying to play without too much breath allows me to better concentrate my breath! ;D

Unfortunately the dizi does not give such leeway in volume in a country that has the world's second highest population density (microstates excluded).

[Blue]

Watched this Shakuachi video at 11pm and ended up playing the xiao in my room.

I usually don't like videos where they add digital effects style make up in the musical performance. However, I appreciate the fact that this musician chooses to wear a shirt and blue jeans instead of stereotypical Asian clothing when playing an Asian instrument.

[ziman]

Meanwhile, it's 1.50am and I am practicing guqin. Tempted to tootle on my xiao which is sitting right next to my guqin on the desk, but need to practice more on this new guqin piece I'm learning.

Good thing about guqins: no neighbors would ever complain (or hear me in the first place).

[Blue]

Well, if one is as loud as this, one might have to exile oneself on a boat to play these instruments:

[Blue]

Additionally, plucked instruments can be heard very far away as this clip suggests (or maybe because the player is a seductive female ghost . . . . . )

[Blue]

And one can cause a lot of commotion at night, if one raps like this Taoist fighter.

Don't we love those 80's and early 90's Tsui Hark movies?