Sound intensity radiated by Gaohu

Gaohu is one of the main bowed stringed instruments used in Guangdong music and Chinese native Orchestra. However its sound intensity has never been carefully measured. In this paper the sound power measurements of Gaohu were performed in a reverberation chamber according to the Chinese national standard. Two qualified musicians performed on their own instruments. The mean sound power levels and the dynamic ranges of Gaohu were investigated by four channel acoustic measuring equipments when single notes, music scale and melodies were performed under pp, mp, f and ff dynamics. Great differences were found when Gaohu performed single notes, while the sound power levels were quite close when music scale were performed under f dynamic to those when melodies were performed under normal dynamic mark, the sound power levels of Gaohu when music scale was performed under f dynamics were suggested as the typical and representative value of the sound intensities of Gaohu instrument.