⬅️ Scroll ➡️
Photo 1 – 3: Traditional Soprano Shengs
Photo 4 – 6: 21-reed D Key Soprano Sheng
Photo 7 – 9: 18-reed Eb Key Soprano Sheng
Photo 10 – 12: 17-reed C Key Soprano Sheng (Left) & 17-reed D Key Soprano Miniature Sheng (Right)
Traditional Sheng refers to the above hand-held diatonic Shengs either with a round wind chest or rectangular wind chest. The number of reeds usually ranges from 14 to 26. Shengs which are chromatic are known as improved Shengs (e.g. 36-reed Soprano Keyed Sheng, 36-reed Alto Sheng, etc.). Sheng Maestro, Mr Hu Tian Quan (胡天泉) is one of the prominent Sheng players who is instrumental in improving the traditional Sheng by extending the range of the instrument from 17 bamboo pipes (13 reeds) to 30 bamboo pipes (30 reeds). In addition, he also improved the resonance of the Sheng by adding brass resonators to the bamboo pipes. All these improvements to the traditional Sheng changed the role of the Sheng from an ‘accompaniment’ instrument to a ‘solo’ instrument.
Note: I personally prefer traditional Sheng without brass resonators.
The Sheng Player 