qudi
[Chinese]
HISTORY:
The qudi appeared as early as in the Zeng Hou Yi tomb of the Warring States (403-221 BCE). The origin is from Suzhou city and is often used to accompany Kunqu opera.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION:
The qudi is made of bamboo, and is around 55 cm in length. Similar to the flute, it has a mouthpiece, 6 open finger holes, and several auxiliary finger holes. It is slightly larger than the bangdi.
SOUND PROPERTIES:
The qudi produces a rounded and rich sound similar to the bangdi, only pitched lower. The tone is pure and mellow, making it suitable for expressing delicate and understated moods.
Similar Chinese instruments include: bangdi (piccolo); gudi (flute); qudi (flute); dizi (transverse flute); di (transverse flute); xiao (vertical flute); dong xiao (same as xiao).
