The di-zi is a type of side-blown bamboo flute which has been popular in Chinese music for approximately 1500 years. The instrument is constructed from a special type of bamboo grown in the southern part of China. The di-zi is especially known for its buzz-like sound quality caused by the sympathetic vibration of a special membrane placed over a hole between the mouth hole and the upper-most finger hole. In order to allow for easier key and register changes, there are many different sizes and lengths of this instrument. Today, there are even di-zi that have head joints for easier tuning. / The long history and use of the instrument has been relatively well-documented in Chinese sources; however, there are few resources in English which are dedicated solely to this instrument. In addition, the few English sources on Chinese music give little information on the di-zi except for a physical description of the instrument. The purpose of this treatise is to expand on the English documentation of this instrument and to inform those living outside of China about its place in Chinese music. It is evident from my experience in both performing and teaching this instrument, that there is a strong interest in Chinese music in the west. The enthusiasm for the di-zi flute further proves the need for something to be written in English on this instrument, its historical development, playing technique, and performance practice. / In preparation for this treatise, I returned to China in the summer of 1992 in order to gather more resources and written documentation about the history of the di-zi. Because the instrument is so popular in Chinese music, it was important to include some interviews with performers and professors. Also, I visited several different Chinese musical instrument factories, in order to document the process of making the di-zi and to gather information on its maintenance and repair. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 56-12, Section: A, page: 4602. / Major Professor: Charles DeLaney. / Thesis (D.Mus.)--The Florida State University, 1995.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_77617 |
| Contributors | Li, Ming., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 106 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
Page generated in 0.2313 seconds