Dizi

Question 1

liyin 沥音

Answer 1

Glissando - a rapid scale from starting pitch to final pitch, usually produced by opening or closing the fingering holes in quick succession

Question 2

(shang/xia) huayin 上/下 滑音

Answer 2

Portamento - using fingers to gradually open or cover the holes of the instrument, thus forming a continuous glide from starting to final pitch (common in Northern music) (interval usually ranges from semitone to minor third)

Question 3

chanyin 颤音

Answer 3

Trill - quick alternation between the main note and the upper neighbouring note

Question 4

(shang/xia) boyin 上/下 波音

Answer 4

Mordent - play the main note, then the upper/lower neighbour note very briefly, then return to the main note

Question 5

zengyin 赠音

Answer 5

abrupt cut to the main note with added breath and releasing of finger hole, causing the note to cut with a higher pitch grace note at the end of the main note

Question 6

dieyin 叠音

Answer 6

(Brief) Upper acciaccatura - playing the upper neighbour note very briefly, followed by the main note. Its duration is so short that its execution is almost like a twitch of the finger (can cover an interval larger than a second)

Question 7

dayin 打音

Answer 7

(Brief) Lower acciaccatura - playing the lower neighbouring note very briefly, followed by the main note; the neighbouring note always falls on the beat

Question 8

yiyin 倚音

Answer 8

Appoggiatura - play the notated longer grace note, such that it is distinctly heard, followed by the main note

Question 9

duoyin 剁音

Answer 9

forceful blowing with an excess of air for the notated grace note, followed by the main note, quickly covering a large interval (usually a fourth to a seventh)

Question 10

qizhenyin 气震音

Answer 10

Breath vibrato - create undulations by varying breath pressure

Question 11

zhizhenyin 指震音

Answer 11

Timbral trill - create pitch undulations by trilling in a way such that the fingering hole below the main pitch is only slightly covered

Question 12

feizhi 飞指

Answer 12

Finger-rubbing trill - create undulations with fingers on the right hand quickly rubbing back and forth across remaining open holes

Question 13

huashe 花舌

Answer 13

Flutter tonguing - play a note while producing a rolling “rrr” sound with the tongue, so as to vibrate the tip of the tongue while playing, producing fast vibrating sounds

Question 14

houyin 喉音

Answer 14

use of musician’s throat by expanding downwards while the air hits the front of the throat, hence producing a slight gurgling sound

Question 15

xunhuan huanqi 循环换气

Answer 15

Circular breathing - produce an infinite stream of air by
(i) blowing out air from the lungs while storing air in the mouth, or (ii) squeezing out the air in the mouth while taking a quick breath through the nose into the lungs

Question 16

fanyin 泛音

Answer 16

Harmonics - overblowing at an octave and a fifth to produce an ethereal timbre