Yunluo

Yunluo (; literally "cloud gongs" or "cloud of gongs") is a traditional Chinese musical instrument.

The "yunluo" is a set of usually ten small tuned gongs mounted in a wooden frame, with each gong being about 9-12 cm in diameter, and the height of the frame being about 52 cm. The "yunluo"'s gongs are generally of equal diameter but different thicknesses; the thicker gongs produce a higher pitch. It is often used in wind and percussion ensembles in northern China. Old drawings also depict a smaller "yunluo" with just five gongs, which was held by a handle by one hand and played with the other.

A modernised "yunluo" has been developed from the traditional "yunluo" for use in the large modern Chinese orchestra. It is much larger with 29 or more gongs of different diameters. Its height is about 2m including its two legs on which it stands on the floor (the frame itself is about half its height); its width is about 1.4 m.

The traditional "yunluo" is sometimes called the "shimianluo" (; literally "ten faced gongs") to distinguish it from the modern redesigned "yunluo".

The "nhã nhạc" music of Vietnam uses a similar instrument with three gongs, called the "tam âm la" (Sino-Vietnamese: ).

External links

* [http://www.chinesemusic.co.uk/english/percussion.htm Photo and description of "yunluo"] (the picture is of a traditional "yunluo")
* [http://www.freewebs.com/nusco/instru4.htm Photos and description of a redesigned "yunluo" and traditional "yunluo"] (called "shimianluo" here)
* [http://www.nusco.info/instrument5.htm "Yunluo" and "shimianluo"]

Video

* [http://resources.emb.gov.hk/musiceb/english/Instrument/chinese/yunlo/video/video_2.htm Video of an 18-gong "yunluo"] , from The Musical Instruments E-book

ee also

*Traditional Chinese musical instruments
*Music of China