What makes Chinese sound Chinese?

Chinese music, unlike western music, uses a five-tone scale known as the pentatonic scale. The scale will sound oriental. This however, is an oversimplification, as in many Chinese instruments, a Western Diatonic scale is achievable, and 7-note scales are frequently used.

What are the five notes of Chinese music?

Most Chinese music uses a pentatonic scale, with the intervals (in terms of lǜ) almost the same as those of the major pentatonic scale. The notes of this scale are called gōng 宫, shāng 商, jué 角, zhǐ 徵 and yǔ 羽.

Does Chinese music use equal temperament?

China has also made great contributions to music theory. In 1584, Zhu Zaiyu was the first in the world to systematically calculate the equal temperament of the music scale. His book, New Rule of Equal Temperament, explains a system using 12 equal intervals that is identical with that used around the world today.

What are the basics of Chinese traditional music?

All traditional Chinese music is melodic rather than harmonic. Chinese vocal music probably developed from sung poems and verses with music. Instrumental pieces played on an erhu or dizi are popular, and are often available outside of China, but the pipa and zheng music, which are more traditional, are more popular in China itself.

What are some Chinese songs?

High Mountains and Flowing Water. The tune originally was two separate compositions.

Where can I download Chinese songs?

15 Awesome Sites to Download Chinese Songs 1. BuddhaNet 2. Red Karaoke 3. Kugou 4. Ihonhon 5. Baidu 6. 5ND 7. Sogou MP3 8. 9Sky 9. Little Dragon Tales 10. 9Ku 11. VeryCD 12. Mama Lisa 13. Chinese Christian Radio 14. Migu Music 15. 360 Music Bonus Sites for Chinese Songs:

How would you describe Chinese music?

Chinese music, the art form of organized vocal and instrumental sounds that developed in China. It is one of the oldest and most highly developed of all known musical systems.