The gong is a metal percussion instrument. The gong is smelted from copper. Its structure is relatively simple. The gong body is in the shape of a circular arc, surrounded by a frame based on the gong body. fixed. Follow my steps to learn about the musical instrument gong!
A brief introduction to the musical instrument gong
The body of a gong is a circular arc The surface is mostly made of copper, and its surroundings are fixed with its own frame; the gong and the gong are made of a wooden gong. The size of the gong body comes in various sizes. When playing a small gong, the gong body is lifted with the left hand and the gong is struck with the right hand. Large gongs must be hung on a gong stand to be played. Features of the instrument: It is a metal body sounding instrument with no fixed pitch. Its sound is deep, loud and strong, with a long and lasting reverberation. Usually, the sound of gongs is used to express a tense atmosphere and ominous omen, which has a very unique artistic effect.
The structure of the musical instrument gong
The gong is composed of three parts: the gong body, the gong frame (the gong rope), and the gong. The gong body is made of copper. Because it is made of ringing copper, it is also called a ringing instrument. The structure is relatively simple. The gong body is in the shape of a disc, and is fixed with its own frame around it. The central part is struck with a gong to vibrate and produce sound.
Generally, the central part is slightly convex, called umbilicus, light or tang, which is the main part of pronunciation. The size and thickness of the umbilicus and the area ratio of the gong determine the level of the tone. There are also flat central parts without umbilicus. Or protruding into a semicircular ball shape, these constitute the main characteristics of the gong. The space between the navel and the edge of the gong is called the gong surface, the "two positions" or the "inner and outer eight characters". There are two gong holes drilled on one side of the gong edge for fastening the gong rope, making it easy to carry or hang the gong stand. Over a long period of time, through the continuous and careful creation of people of all ethnic groups, a wide variety of gongs with different colors have been formed in China due to different areas and occasions of application. According to the shape characteristics, it can be divided into three categories: flat gongs, navel-shaped gongs and breast-shaped gongs; according to the pronunciation level, it can be divided into three categories: bass gongs, alto gongs and treble gongs; according to the performance form, it can be divided into single-sided gongs and combination gongs. Two types of gongs.
Among these gongs, the smallest ones are only a few centimeters in diameter, while the larger ones are more than 1.5 meters in diameter. Not only are their shapes different, but their timbres and effects are also unique. The more commonly used gongs at present can be simply divided into four categories: large gongs, small gongs, palm gongs and cloud gongs. The big gong has a lower pronunciation, with holes drilled on the side to tie the rope. The left hand lifts or hangs it on a stand, and the right hand holds the gong to play. The small gong has a higher pronunciation, and the gong surface is slope-shaped. The gong navel is divided into three types: large, medium and small, with high pitch. , alto and bass. There are no holes in the edge of the gong, and there is no gong rope attached. The inner edge of the gong is lifted by the knuckle of the left index finger, and the gong board is held by the right hand to play. The palm gong is the smallest type of gong, with a flat surface and no navel. , shaped like a disk, placed in the palm of the left hand, with the right hand holding the gong board to play; Yun gong is an instrument that can play melody among gongs. It consists of ten small gongs and is tied to a wooden frame with a rope. The left hand holds the handle and the right hand uses Gongs and gongs are played. Since the 1960s, this type of combined gong has developed rapidly, and new varieties such as set, row, wei, and Qin, twenty-nine-tone cloud gongs, thirty-six-tone cloud gongs, and thirty-eight-tone cloud gongs have appeared.
The gong is a traditional Chinese percussion instrument. The gong occupies a very important position in China's national bands and has a wide range of applications. It is not only used in national bands, folk instrumental ensembles, various operas, and folk arts. It is also used as accompaniment to singing and dancing, and is also an indispensable instrument in celebration rallies, dragon boat races, lion dances, harvest celebrations and labor competitions.
The development history of the musical instrument gong
The earliest gong was an instrument used by the Pu people and the Luo Yue tribe, ancestors of the Zhuang people, who lived in the Dianchi area in ancient times. In Tomb No. 1 of Luobowan, Guixian County, Guangxi, a Baiyue gong from the Han Dynasty was also unearthed. It can be seen that gongs have a history of more than 2,000 years in our country.
After the Qin and Han Dynasties, with the exchanges between ethnic groups, the gong gradually spread to the inland. It was not spread to the Central Plains until the early 6th century AD, but it was found in historical records later.
In the Yuan Dynasty, in addition to the gongs often played in folk Yingsai shrines, gongs were also the main accompaniment of dramas.
After the Yuan Dynasty, the continuous development of opera art opened up a broad world for the use of gongs. Gongs play an important role in the accompaniment of Kunqu opera in the Ming and Qing dynasties. According to Li Dou's "Yangzhou Painted Boat Record" of the Qing Dynasty, Kunqu opera uses cloud gongs, small gongs, large gongs and Tang gongs. In the past century, gongs have been widely used in local operas, folk music, folk entertainment and festivals, and have even become a tool for vendors and entertainers to attract business.