Suona 嗩吶

Suona 嗩吶

Chinese music, Sound

Suona, Wade-Giles romanization so-na, also called laba, Chinese double-reed woodwind instrument, the most commonly used double-reed instrument.

Jin Dynasty (265-420 AD)

Hand-held size

Craft

The suona as used in China has a conical wooden body, similar to that of the gyaling horn used by the Tibetan ethnic group, both of which uses a metal, usually a tubular brass or copper bocal to which a small double reed is affixed, and possesses a detachable metal bell at its end. The double-reed gives the instrument a sound similar to that of the modern oboe.

Wood, Brass / Copper, Metal

It has a distinctively loud and high-pitched sound, and is used frequently in Chinese traditional music ensembles, particularly those that perform outdoors. It is an important instrument in the folk music of northern China, particularly the provinces of Shandong and Henan, where it has long been used for festival and military purposes. It is still used, in combination with sheng mouth organs, gongs, drums, and sometimes other instruments, in wedding and funeral processions.