Winds
Dizi
A traditional Chinese flute used often in Chinese opera and orchestras. Whereas most simple flutes have only a blowing (embouchure) hole and finger (tone) holes, the dizi has an unique additional hole, known as mo kong in Chinese, between the embouchure and tone holes. A special membrane called dimo, made from an almost tissue-like shaving of reed extracted from the inner skin of the bamboo plants, is made taut and glued over the mo kong hole. The application of the dimo, in which fine wrinkles are created in the centre of the dimo to create a penetrating buzzy timbre, is an art form in itself. The dimo covered mo kong has a distinctive resonating effect on the sound produced by the dizi, making it brighter and louder, and adding harmonics to give the final tone a buzzing, nasal quality. Dizi have a relatively large range, covering about two-and-a-quarter octaves.
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