East Asian Flutes

East Asia has developed some of the most distinct flute traditions in the world. The Chinese dizi, with its membrane-covered hole that adds a buzzing resonance, the meditative shakuhachi of Japan, the sweeping daegeum of Korea: each grew within its own musical culture with its own technique, tuning, and repertoire. In many of these traditions, tone production is the primary study. Players spend years developing breath control for a single instrument before the music opens up. The instruments here cover the full range of East Asian flute families.