Sheng (instrument)

The Chinese sheng (Chinese: 笙, Pinyin shēng) is a mouth-blown free reed instrument (the first) consisting essentially of vertical tubes, in the Chinese orchestra.

It is thought that Johann Wilde and Pere Amiot traveled to China and brought the first shengs back to Europe in 1740 and 1777 respectively, although some believe shengs were known in Europe centuries earlier. However, it was only in the early 1800s that Amiot's sheng inspired the invention of the harmonica, accordion, and reed organ.

Sheng generally serves as accompaniment for Chinese music pieces in an orchestra, while being given little or no melody.

Types

There used to be many types of sheng, but several survived till modern times.

• Gaoyin Sheng (高音笙, pinyin Gāoyīn Shēng)
  High-pitched sheng; Uses treble clef
• Zhongyin Sheng (中音笙, pinyin Zhōngyīn Shēng)
  Middle-pitched sheng; Uses treble or alto clef
• Diyin Sheng (低音笙, pinyin Dīyīn Shēng)
  Low-pitched sheng; Uses alto or bass clef
• Traditional Sheng (传统笙, pinyin Chuántǒng Shēng)
  21-keyed sheng; Uses treble clef

Traditional sheng

The traditional sheng is an early type of sheng, which has seventeen, twenty-one, twenty-four or thirty holes (depending on development) attached near the bottom of the reeds of the respective pipes. A player would close up one or more holes to play a desired note.

See also: Music of China

External links

• http://www.musicofchina.com/sheng.html
• http://curriculum.calstatela.edu/courses/hist494a/archae/zhy-sheng.html
• http://www.patmissin.com/history/western.html
• http://www.geocities.com/Vienna/2682/gaoyinsheng.html