The xiao (simplified Chinese: 箫; traditional Chinese: 簫; pinyin: xiāo; Wade–Giles: hsiao, pronounced [ɕi̯ɑ́ʊ̯]) is a Chinese vertical end-blown flute. It is generally made of dark brown bamboo (called “purple bamboo” in Chinese). It is also sometimes (particularly in Taiwan) called dòngxiāo (simplified Chinese: 洞箫; traditional Chinese: 洞簫), dòng meaning “hole.” An ancient name for the xiāo isshùdí (豎笛, lit. “vertical bamboo flute”, [ʂûtǐ]) but the name xiāo in ancient times also included the side-blown bamboo flute, dizi.
The xiāo is a very ancient Chinese instrument usually thought to have developed from a simple end-blown flute used by the Qiang people of Southwest China in ancient period.
Some other useful techniques:
双吐 (shuāng tǔ) – double tonguing
叠音 (dié yīn) – grace note
历音 (lì yīn) – play all of the pitches quickly, like grace notes, one-by-one, but with no skipping, up or down
颤音 (chàn yīn) – trill
二度 (èr dù) – trill with adjacent pitches (a second)
三度 (sān dù) – trill with pitches a third apart
四度 (sì dù) – trill with pitches a fourth apart
泛音 (fàn yīn) – harmonic
喉音 (hóu yīn) – glottal, guttural sound
转调 (zhuǎn diào) – inflection – changing the tuning (using the fingers and breath)
音区 （yīn qū） － range
低音区 (dī yīn qū) – low range – deep and dark, resonant; especially when played soft (but it is difficult);
中音区 (zhōng yīn qū) – middle range – sweet (dolce); graceful, mellow and full (best range)
高音区 (gāo yīn qū) – high range – a little nervous; a bit empty (not very strong); uses not a lot of air
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