＜p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"＞＜span＞The xiao is not just for Chinese music (though it excels in that context). These are fully-realized open-holed flutes with a tremendous range, and are ideal for many forms of music. You can play in a wide variety of styles with a remarkable tonal range.＜/span＞＜/p＞＜p class="editor-paragraph"＞＜br＞＜/p＞＜p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"＞＜span＞This xiao is part of my East Meets West Series of Asian flutes with Baroque-era ornamentation. It's still a xiao in every other respect.＜/span＞＜/p＞＜p class="editor-paragraph"＞＜br＞＜/p＞＜p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"＞＜b＞＜strong class="editor-bold"＞All about the Xiao＜/strong＞＜/b＞＜/p＞＜p class="editor-paragraph"＞＜br＞＜/p＞＜p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"＞＜span＞The Xiao (pronounced a bit like “shee-ow”) is an ancient Chinese vertical end blown flute, traditionally made from bamboo (primarily), and it is one of the most versatile open-hole flutes I’ve found. It allows for a dizzying variety of different scales and modes, putting it in the running for the ultimate “desert island flute”. It is the grandfather of what later became the shakuhachi flute after it migrated to Japan in the 14th century.＜/span＞＜/p＞＜p class="editor-paragraph"＞＜br＞＜/p＞＜p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"＞＜span＞There are many varieties of xiao, with different design characteristics. I make two distinct types of xiao: The bei xiao and the Tang xiao. And there are sub-types for each of these: the full length (traditional) xiao, and the new compact xiao.＜/span＞＜/p＞＜p class="editor-paragraph"＞＜br＞＜/p＞＜p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"＞＜span＞The traditional xiao follows the classic Chinese bei xiao design, featuring a longer body with a tuning hole matrix in the lower part of the flute. This flute copies the traditional aesthetic, and they range in length from 30” up to as much as 36” for the lowest version.＜/span＞＜/p＞＜p class="editor-paragraph"＞＜br＞＜/p＞＜p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"＞＜span＞Both the bei xiao and the Tang xiao are eight hole instruments with tremendous range. The bei xiao typically has a capped mouthpiece. This means that it is sealed at the mouthpiece end and has a small aperture cut into it through which the player blows. The cap is made from ebonite (natural hard rubber). I also make un-capped (open ended versions) of this style that are available upon request as a custom option. The bei xiao favors a narrow bore to impart a distinct timbre that is valued for classical Chinese music. The Tang xiao has a slightly larger bore and plays the exact same scale over the same range. However, the tang mouthpiece is quite different, having a wider and shallower “notch” much more akin to the Japanese Shakuahchi. This different mouthpiece gives the xiao a different voice and different playing characteristics.＜/span＞＜/p＞＜p class="editor-paragraph"＞＜br＞＜/p＞＜p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"＞＜span＞A few years ago I redesigned my entire xiao line. If you are interested in how this came about and and what is different about the new xiao, you can read my blogs on the subject: ＜/span＞＜i＞＜em class="editor-italic"＞Revisiting The Xiao＜/em＞＜/i＞＜span＞ and ＜/span＞＜i＞＜em class="editor-italic"＞Keene on the Xiao＜/em＞＜/i＞＜span＞. These are available in the "Shop Notes" section of my website.＜/span＞＜/p＞＜p class="editor-paragraph"＞＜br＞＜/p＞＜p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"＞＜span＞I use a wide variety of woods, as well as ebonite, and they are most commonly in the keys of C and D (middle C and the D above it). Just to make things confusing, there is a difference in how we describe the key of a flute here in the West, versus how the Chinese indicate it. If you buy a xiao from China, it will be marked with either an F or G. What that means is that when all of the holes are closed, the lowest note it plays will actually be C or D, because F and G are considered the tonic notes of those particular flutes. So when I designate the key, you will see the Western key followed by the Chinese designation. Example: Key of C/F, or D/G.＜/span＞＜/p＞＜p class="editor-paragraph"＞＜br＞＜/p＞＜p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"＞＜span＞I make bei xiao in a range of keys (from low to high): A/D, Bflat/Eflat, B/E, C/F, D/G, E/A, and F/Bflat.＜/span＞＜/p＞＜p class="editor-paragraph"＞＜br＞＜/p＞＜p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"＞＜span＞To get the best possible overview of these xiao and the keys available, I recommend watching the video review (below) of the bei xiao line:＜/span＞＜/p＞＜p class="editor-paragraph"＞＜br＞＜/p＞＜p class="editor-paragraph"＞＜br＞＜/p＞＜div class="video-embed soundcloud-embed"＞＜iframe src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fgeoffrey-ellis-flutes%2Fherons-eye-gaze%3Fsi%3D479658d747374a04a3a5928f7598a312%26utm_source%3Dclipboard%26utm_medium%3Dtext%26utm_campaign%3Dsocial_sharing&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=true&show_comments=false&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=false&visual=false" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay" title="SoundCloud track" data-soundcloud-url="https://soundcloud.com/geoffrey-ellis-flutes/herons-eye-gaze?si=479658d747374a04a3a5928f7598a312&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing"＞＜/iframe＞＜/div＞＜p class="editor-paragraph"＞＜br＞＜/p＞＜p class="editor-paragraph"＞＜br＞＜/p＞＜div class="video-embed youtube-embed"＞＜iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/9Pqhk6vHFDY?rel=0" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="true" title="YouTube video" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin"＞＜/iframe＞＜/div＞