Listen to the sheng
Tip: press play to see the sound's live frequency spectrum in blue over the waveform.
How the sheng makes its sound
In the Hornbostel–Sachs system, which classifies instruments by how they produce sound, the sheng belongs to the free reeds and interruptive aerophones: air is periodically interrupted by a vibrating reed or blade – the accordion, harmonica, sheng and bullroarer.
More broadly it is one of the aerophones (wind instruments), where sound comes from vibrating air.
Its timbre – the colour that lets you tell it apart from other instruments playing the same note – comes from the mix of overtones its body and resonator emphasise.
From Wikipedia
The sheng (Chinese: 笙) is a Chinese mouth-blown polyphonic free reed instrument consisting of vertical pipes.
It is one of the oldest Chinese instruments, with images depicting its kind dating back to 1100 BCE, and there are original instruments from the Han dynasty that are preserved in museums today. Traditionally, the sheng has been used as an accompaniment instrument for solo suona or dizi performances. It is one of the main instruments in kunqu and some other forms of Chinese opera. Traditional small ensembles also make use of the sheng, such as the wind and percussion ensembles in northern China. In the modern large Chinese orchestra, it is used for both melody and accompaniment.
Other free reeds and interruptive aerophones
Accordion
Free reeds and interruptive aerophones
Harmonica
Free reeds and interruptive aerophones
Pump organ
Free reeds and interruptive aerophones
Siren
Free reeds and interruptive aerophones
Bandoneon
Free reeds and interruptive aerophones
Concertina
Free reeds and interruptive aerophones
Melodica
Free reeds and interruptive aerophones
Bullroarer
Free reeds and interruptive aerophones
More instruments from China
Frequently asked questions
What does a sheng sound like?
Listen to 1 recording on this page. As one of the free reeds and interruptive aerophones, its sound comes from the way air is periodically interrupted by a vibrating reed or blade.
What type of instrument is the sheng?
It is classified as free reeds and interruptive aerophones (Hornbostel–Sachs 412.132).
Where does the sheng come from?
The sheng originates from China.
Sources & credits
- Soprano Sheng Chromatic Scale by S099001 – CC0 1.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Wikidata Q849052 – CC0
- Wikipedia: Sheng (instrument) – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Image by Seasonaldemand – CC BY-SA 3.0