|
Chinese Percussion Instruments
|
Gu  |
|
|
| Gu is a Chinese drum that comes in
different sizes and different tones. In the earlier centuries
the Gu was used in the battlefield. It can produce a strong
beat which was used to boost the moral of soldiers. In music
it is often used to portray majestic scenes and to create vibrancy. |
| In recent years, various techniques of
playing the gu have been developed. Besides the usual beating
of the drum surface, the running of the drumsticks along the sides
of the gu (where there is a ridge of tacks holding down the skin) is
commonly used in many musical pieces. |
|
Luo  |
|
|
| The luo comes in different sizes, from
the daluo (bass luo) to xiaoluo (sharper in pitch). This
percussion instrument is often used to create liveliness and to
depict happy and festive moods. Luo is no longer an
accompaniment instrument; it has been widely used as a leading
instrument in percussion ensemble or even orchestra pieces. |
Last updated 20 September 2000
. |
 |
 |
