Sheng Flashcards
(13 cards)
heyin 和音
Harmonisation - player harmonises the notated pitch with the note a perfect fourth below, a perfect fifth above, or both (depending on the musical context and layout of sheng being used)
dayin 打音
Brief grace note - player quickly presses and releases one or more auxiliary / decorative notes before the main note to accentuate it
chanzhi 颤指
Tapping tremolo - player sustains an upper note while tapping on the main note repeatedly in a rapid and even manner (different from a trill - chanyin for sheng)
liyin 沥音
Scalic grace notes - only played on pitches (8va 5 6 7 1); player holds down 1 with left middle finger while swiping the index finger across the three adjacent fingering holes
huayin 滑音
Glide - player gradually opens/closes the fingering hole of a pipe to raise or lower its pitch
qizhenyin 气震音
Breath vibrato - player varies breath pressure either when blowing or sucking to achieve a vibrato
Palm vibrato (on resonators)
player covers and opens the resonator tubes of the pitch(es) played to create a vibrato
dantu 单吐
Single tonguing - player articulates each note using the syllable ‘tu’ ( )
shuangtu 双吐
Double tonguing - player articulates each pair of notes using the syllables ‘tu-ku’
santu 三吐
Triple tonguing - player articulates each pair of notes using the syllables ‘tu-tu-ku’ or ‘tu-ku-tu’ ()
huashe 花舌
Flutter tonguing - player plays a note while producing a rolling “rr” sound with the tongue or throat; this effect can be done either explosively or gently
hushe 呼舌
Tremolo-tonguing - player squeezes air out and draws air into the mouth in rapid succession to produce a chain of repeated short notes akin to a tremolo effect (this is best suited for soft passages)
suitu 碎吐
Fragmented tonguing - player tongues rapidly and unmeasured (often to substitute hushe when it has to be executed loudly or sustained)
