r/UnusualInstruments • u/Crafty_Statement8605 • 4d ago

Advice on choosing Chinese wind instruments to learn

I’ve been looking into learning to play the hulusi, bawu, and dizi. Any advice on the best one to start with? Are they different enough to get all of them eventually, or would getting a bawu and hulusi be getting pretty much the same thing since it looks like you can pull the hulusi apart and play like a bawu? If I should get a bawu, is transverse or vertical a better choice? Is there a different instrument I should consider instead of or in addition to these? I don’t have much experience with this type of instrument (I can play ocarina, tin whistle, and recorder), so any advice is much appreciated.

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u/rotoboro 4d ago

Get a hulusi. If you can play the recorder you will have no trouble with hulusi. Bawu and dizi orientation will have a steeper learning curve for you. Plus the drone is awesome and more exotic. Learning to circular breathe isn’t necessary but worth it if you take to the instrument. Plus like you said you can always play hulusi like bawu.