Sheng

Sound and Character

The sound of the sheng is bright, shimmering, organ-like, with a light metallic and reed tinge. It is capable of creating a dense, multi-layered harmonic texture that sounds very modern and futuristic.

Design and Features

It consists of a cup-shaped body (resonator) and a bundle of vertical bamboo tubes of varying lengths. At the base of each tube is a tiny metal reed. The musician blows into the mouthpiece and covers holes on the tubes with their fingers, extracting chords.

Genres Used In

• Chinese folk orchestra and traditional opera
• Classical and contemporary academic works for the sheng
• Ambient and experimental music