            sflib directory _c_h_i_n_a_p_e_r_c
       (ancient and modern Chinese percussion instruments)


Soundfiles  within  this  directory  labelled _._h have harder
attacks (often produced by harder beaters), while soundfiles
labeled _._s have softer attacks.

_I_. _W_O_O_D_E_N _I_N_S_T_R_U_M_E_N_T_S

_b_a_n_g_u (BanGu) :  2 soundfiles (hit and roll)
     Woodblock-like  timbre; the perceived strike tone pitch
     is approximately b5.

_k_u_a (KuaBan) and _k_u_a_i (KuaiBan) : 6 soundfiles
     The three _k_u_a soundfiles sound somewhat like  clave  or
     castenet   strikes.   Timbral  and  attack  differences
     between  _k_u_a_._e_f_6_._h  ("harder"  attack)  and   _k_u_a_._e_f_6_._s
     ("softer" attack) are rather subtle.
     The  three  _k_u_a_i  (KuaiBan)  soundfiles have "chiffier"
     attacks, sounding somewhat like bamboo chimes that  are
     clasped  (immediately damped by the two hands), and the
     perceived strike tones are less  well  defined.   Here,
     too, the differences between the "hard attack" (_._h) and
     "soft attack" (_._s) versions of _k_u_a_i_._e_f_5 are rather sub
     tle.

_n_a_n_b_a_n_g_._h_, _n_a_n_b_a_n_g_._s and _n_a_n_b_a_n_g_._r_o_l_l also have a clave-like
timbre similar to _b_a_n_g_u and _k_b_1 (KauBan).  The  strike  tone
is approximately g5.

                      - - - - - - - -

_I_I_. _M_E_M_B_R_A_N_O_P_H_O_N_E_S

_g_u  (Gu)  : 10 soundfiles with timbres somewhat like tomtoms
or rototoms

_c_a_s_s_a  drums : Taiwanese cassa drums, available in hard  and
_s_o_f_t  strikes.  Although these are comparatively small cassa
drums, the strike tone pitches are fairly low: _f_2_,  _a_f_2  and
_b_f_2.

                      - - - - - - - -

_I_I_I_. _B_O_W_L_S

_b_i_a_n_q (BianQing) : 8 soundfiles
     4  bowls,  pitched  d5, g5, c6 and e6, struck with hard
     (.h) and soft (.s) beaters; the timbres are similar  to
     wine  glasses struck with hard beaters; the differences
     in attack and timbre between the 4 .h (hard beater) and
     the 4 .s (soft beater) soundfiles are rather subtle

                      - - - - - - - -

_I_V_. _M_E_T_A_L_L_O_P_H_O_N_E_S

_b_i_a_n_z (BianZhong) : gongs
     14 soundfiles with strike tone pitches approximately at
          ds3, g3, b3
          ds4 (almost 1/4 tone flat) , e4 (flat), g4
          cs5, g5
          cs6, e6, g6, as6
          c7, d7
     Many of the strike tone pitches,  and  resulting  pitch
     intervals  between  adjacent  gong tones, do not corre
     spond to Western equal tempered tuning.
     7 additional soundfiles (labelled .h) duplicate most of
     the  higher  pitches above, but were struck with harder
     mallets. However, the timbral  and  attack  differences
     between  the  .h and the "normal" beater soundfiles are
     rather subtle.
      .h (harder beater) soundfiles:
          Approximate strike tones of the 7 bianz  .h sound
          files:
          cs5, g5,  e6, g6, as6, c7, d7

_o_u_o (Luo) : gongs with more partials, somewhat like tamtams;
     11 soundfiles; the approximate  perceived  strike  tone
     pitches are:
     luo1.h :  g3
     luo1.s :  in between fs3 & g3
     luo1.roll : in between g3 and fs3
     luo2.h  : gliss down from d4 to c4
     luo2.s  : c4
     luo3.h  : scoop up from about c5 to ef5
     luo3.s  :  ef5
     luo4.h :  b5
     luo4.s :   b5
     luo5.h  and luo5.s : in between f4 and fs4

_c_h_a _(_C_h_a_) _:
     The timbres of these 10 soundfiles vary considerably in
     different reigters and with different types of strikes,
     and  are  difficult to describe. Some sound rather like
     cymbals, others more like gongs,  cowbells,  flexatones
     (the  "roll"  variants) or even, in the case of the two
     damped "cha3" versions, in between metallic and  wooded
     timbres.

     _c_h_a_1_-_1 and _c_h_a_1_-_2 provide alternate versions, differing
     mostly in attack,  of the largest,  lowest  pitched  of
     these instruments.
     _c_h_a_2_-_1  and  _c_h_a_2_-_2  provide  alternate  strikes  of  a
     smaller, higher pitched instrument.
     _c_h_a_3 is the sound of a still  smaller  instrument,  but
     one  that  produces lower partial frequencies.  The two
     damped variants (_c_h_a_3_._d_m_p_d_1 and  _c_h_a_3_._d_m_p_d_2)  are  very
     short and are unique in timbre.

_c_h_u_a_n_l_i_n_g  (ChuanLing)  : 2 soundfile variants of a "sleigh
bell-like" instrument, one rolled and one presenting a  sin
gle shake.

The  _p_e_n_g_z  (PengZhong) soundfiles are small bells. The per
ceived pitch of _p_e_n_g_z_._s is approximately g6,  while  _p_e_n_g_z_._h
sounds like fs6 and g6 struck simultaneously.

_b_u_r_m_a_b_e_l_l_s  :  9 high-pitched metallic bells from Burma,with
timbres somewhat like crotales, but a shorter ring.

_T_i_b_e_t_a_n _s_i_n_g_i_n_g _b_e_l_l_s : large, very  resonant,  long-ringing
suspended  metal  bells or bowls; these beautiful bells fea
ture "out of tune" harmonics and a strong amplitude  tremolo
on the strike.  Eight soundfiles are available.

_c_h_i_g_o_n_g_b_a_l_l_s  :  4  soundfiles  of timbrally bright, canging
Chinese Chi Gong balls

The soundfiles in this  directory  were  prepared  by   Matt
Belzer and A.S.,  using  samples from a compact disc record
ing called _C_h_i_n_e_s_e _P_e_r_c_u_s_s_i_o_n (published by Green Sound Inc.
and EXY United Corp.) and from a _P_r_o _S_a_m_p_l_e_s cd.

These  recordings  are  copyrighted.  The  ECMC has licensed
their use, and you can use these recordings freely  here  at
the Center, but may not  copy  them  for use elsewhere.

