Pros vs Cons of the Numbered Musical Notation (NMN)

I was sorting through my older posts and suddenly realize that I've posted detailed information about the NMN system; however, I have yet listed the good and bad things of using the NMN system, so here we go:

Pros

Cons

Easy to learn: the concept is easy enough to understand especially when it comes to the notes in a different octave Easy to sight-read: people have contact with numbers on a daily basis; and applying new meaning to a known system is easier than learning a whole new set of symbols Easy to transpose: when in doubt (don’t know the key signature) 1 = C

Complication: when there’s more than one line of music, or when there’s more than one note played at a certain moment, it can become hard for one to read the notation Theory confusion: when notating a piece in minor scale with NMN, the composer will have to put 1 = the relative Major, then start and end the piece with 6, this might lead to unexperienced players to get confused between Major and minor keys

Click HERE to review the post about NMN system.

In conclusion, the NMN system is a great way to start learning how to play music and is a great tool for leisure performers, as it reduces the time needed for "serious learning", and this shall help promote music making amongst people with no prior musical training.

Update on Chinese Harp Video Translation Project

The show was separated into two halves, and I have done the translation of the first half for now. However, I've decided it's best for me to ask for the TV broadcasting company that made this documentary for permission to use it first... That way I can avoid any possible legal issues that might occur... In the mean time, please be patient and keep your fingers crossed that they would grant me the permission and I'll upload it in no time!! And while we're waiting, let's listen to some more 箜篌KongHou (the Chinese Harp) music~~

The Phoenix of Ancient Chinese Musical Instrument - the 箜篌KongHou

Burning into Ashes:

箜篌KongHou, is an ancient Chinese harp that was exclusive to royal musicians, and was not allowed to be played among civilians, which caused the lost in the art of manufacturing, making, and performing this gorgeous instrument.

Rebirth and Rise from the Ashes:

Fortunately, the Chinese musicians and historians in the early 1980s started re-constructing this fascinating instrument by using the Western harp as a basic structure, following description and drawing of historical literature about the instrument, borrowing features of several traditional Chinese instruments that still exists.

Becomes the Phoenix:

The 箜篌KongHou has become more and more popular among Chinese musicians, and as more and more people learn about this instrument, the more they are stunned by this almost forgotten gem in the history of music in China.

Here's a video of a 箜篌KongHou performance on a Chinese talent show. Enjoy!!

Preview: the next post is going to take a while, as I will be translating a documentary of the rebirth and arise from the ashes of this fabulous instrument!! Please check back regularly for the next post!!

The Five Elements vs the Five Pitches (in the Pentatonic Scale)

           Anyone who has the slightest idea about Chinese culture might know that the Chinese emphasized a lot on the nature, elements, harmony; as a result, they assigned each note in the pentatonic scale to one of the elements, where each of the elements represents a number of different things including the five major human organs, directions, climates, basically everything a person would encounter in their daily life. The Chinese believed everything is interlinked.

Five Tone (Pentatonic Scale)	宮Gong	商Shang	角Jiao	徵Zhi	羽Yu
Scale Degree (Western Diatonic)	1	2	3	5	6
Men & Things in General	Chief, Ruler, Emperor	Minister	People, Public	Affairs of the State	Material Objects
The Five Elements	Earth	Metal	Wood	Fire	Water
Human Organs	Spleen	Lungs	Liver	Heart	Kidney
Directions	Center	West	East	South	North
Climates	Moist	Dry	Wind	Heat	Cold
Tastes	Sweet	Hot	Sour	Bitter	Salty
Mindsets	Meditate	Sad	Angry	Happy	Scared
Body Actions	Sitting	Laying Down	Walking	Looking	Standing

Table 1 Examples of things in co-relation with the 5 elements 

The Chinese believed that “金生水, 水生木, 木生火, 火生土, 土生金” which means “Metal generates Water, Water generates Wood, Wood generates Fire, Fire generates Earth, and Earth generates Metal”. The best way to understand this logic is that the earth is full with Metal elements, and Water at some point in history all started from the earth, so Metal generates Water. Water helps the growth of tree and hence generates Wood; Wood burns to create Fire, Fire burn things to the ground create Earth, and Earth contains Metal.

The Chinese also believed that “金克木, 木克土, 土克水, 水克火, 火克金” which means “Metal damages Wood, Wood damages Earth, Earth damages Water, Water damages Fire, and Fire damages Metal”. Which could be understood as, Metal makes axes which chop down trees (Wood), the trees (Wood) drains the nutrients out of the Earth, Earth can be piled up to block Water, Water (of course) puts out Fire, and Fire can melt Metal.

Combining the two principles above, the Chinese believed that if, for example, someone had weak lungs, the lungs belongs to Metal, so the person should avoid everything that is associated with Fire, and try to acquire more things that are associated with Earth; so sit and meditate, and avoid laughing (imagine someone with asthma laughing real hard without their inhaler, that would be the reason for this). One may ask, how is this related to music? Doctors in ancient China would actually prescribe patients music they should listen to, use the previous example, a doctor would tell a patient with weak lungs to listen to music in the Gong key (Earth), and avoid music in the Zhi key (Fire).

My First Composition - A Short Little Experimental String Quintet

Just having fun, not Xun related, but it is, after all, my work!!

Interview of the Xun tuner, Mr. Wang ShengXiang

<0:06> (Host)
DV 365, people's 365. (show slogan)

Today DV 365 is going to introduce you all to a folk instrument performer, his name is Wang ShengXiang. Wang ShengXiang knows how to play the DiZi and HuLuSi, yet his favorite instrument not either of the above. It is an instrument which is thick and round in the middle, narrow and pointy on either end, shaped like an olive seed, and there's a hole going through it. When you blow air into it, it creates sound. And even more mysteriously, the place where they first discovered this instrument is Xi'An YangShaoGu Cultural Anthropological Site, other words, that is almost the oldest instrument in China! Therefore, Wang ShengXiang is exceptionally fond of this old antique.

<1:03> (Narrative)
His name is Wang ShengXiang, he is 64 this year, a huge fan of wind instruments. Six years ago, he saw some Xun merchants playing the Xun on the streets, which triggered his strong interest to the instrument. Later on, he discovered that most of the Xuns on the market were not suitable for performing, so he tried to improve it. In 2004, Wang ShengXiang started working with his friends to develop musical Xuns, and succeeded shortly after they had started, they named it the Feng's Xun. In the past 4 years, Wang ShengXiang had been busy moving back and forth from his house in urban Xi'An and the kiln in Zao Yuan Village, town of XieKou. Wang ShengXiang and his friends worked day and night for their career.


<2:13> (W=Wang ShengXiang)
W: Because the Xun is the oldest instrument in China, if not the entire world, so it's essentially the oldest man-made instrument. To be more precise, from the Matriarchal society, other words, before humans even started wearing clothes, this instrument (the Xun) already existed.

<2:45> (Narrative)
Musical Xun has high demand to the sound quality; therefore, during the process of developing and manufacturing the Xuns, Wang ShengXiang always tune them by himself to maintain the quality of the Xuns.

<3:02>
W: This is a kiln here, after the shape of the Xun is made, it's being baked into setting in this kiln. This kiln is already loaded with the Xuns that we have half finished, it is only after when it's baked that it becomes a finished product.

<3:23> (Narrative)
The Feng's Xun that Wang ShengXiang and his partners make also got approved exclusive production patent, got the approval of the market.

<3:45>
W: these are a few Xuns my friends gave me as keepsake. These two are only half finished.
(Narrative)
Wang ShengXiang not only love playing, and making the Xun, he also likes to collect Xuns. He has a lot of Xuns of unique styles at home. In his leisure, he'll even take them out and play a tune or two!!

<4:15> (Host)
This ancient Chinese instrument being performed by Wang ShengXiang seemed extra musical. Actually when the Xun was first invented, it was used to call for animal. It only become an instrument after some people modify it and improved it. The reason why the tunes Wang ShengXiang played was so beautiful was because he developed and improved the instrument. In our culture, there is actually so many more fascinating things awaits us to promote and pass on.

DV everyday, wonderful everyday!! (show slogan)

======================================

This one is a lot shorter and a lot easier to translate; however, it also doesn't have as much information as the other video, still pretty cool though.