How NOT To Play A Hulusi | LOOTd Unboxing

The Hulusi is a traditional Chinese instrument known for it's very pure, very mellow clarinet-like sound. But how does it sound when given to a man with zero experience with wind instruments?
Spoilers, pretty bad.
(Possibly bad) Hulusi
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[@LOOTd]

Which instrument should we check out next?

[@ezramontero1116]

Didgeridoo my boy

[@lt.tactical7917]

Yes A didgeridoohickey thing

[@mylogify]

Roland JP-8000!

[@Ajoura]

If you're on the Chinese woodwind bandwagon now, how about you try xiao?

[@britshell]

Theremin www.amazon.com/Great-Sounding-Theremin-At-Price/dp/B009WQJCLQ

[@ezramontero1116]

I'm literally crying. Such beautiful music. I can really feel the emotion behind the notes, giving a window into the soul of the musician. Absolutely superb.

[@liebestraumboi3366]

Ezra Montero it really shows his soul

[@КЛИН-е2з]

So you want to say his soul looks like trash... 😂

[@britshell]

You should change the Channel's name to "Luted" to be more in line with your musical content

[@LOOTd]

Not a terrible idea!

[@Arathrum]

hahahah i have precisely that hulusi and went through the exact same process. i too questioned its quality due to the price tag. but it's really the most unintuitive instrument out of everything i've learned to play so far, which totals at around 11. so yes it is definitely weird. usually it's not that hard to get a feel for an instrument because the feedback (good and bad) makes sense, even though you don't know what you're doing. like hitting the edge of a drum, holding down a fret on a string you're not picking, not applying enough pressure on your bow, or pressing four adjacent keys on the piano. THIS thing however seems to have a mind of its own. you can bend notes with both your fingers and your breath. you can also make tones while sucking or breathing inward. if you hum while blowing, you can create very digital sounding resonant harmonies (like a comb filter). if you don't blow hard enough, you will not get any other pitch than that dreadful monotonous cry of incompetence. no matter how much you dance around the first 4-5 holes. however, if you blow too hard, it literally 'honks' back at you like an oldskool vehicle horn. but also, due to this high backpressure, you can actually apply circular breathing, which is the essential technique to master the didgeridoo. this is the platypus of instruments. if you're unsure about ordering this thing, remember that you'll always have a great time with it. either you fail hilariously and had fun experimenting with the most confusing instrument in the world. or you might be a natural, in which case you'll be able to play hauntingly beautiful melodies. and brag to your friends about it.

[@Jennifer-ok6cv]

Thank you for this. I literally just received this exact Hulusi and I was concerned I couldn’t make sounds...

[@garrettpeterson9816]

Hey there, I just bought a pungi similar but different. I play didgeridoo so I know how to circular breathe, but this is not working. Are you supposed to do anything with your lips like didgeridoo where you pinch them together or you just supposed to blow in it like a flute? I think I got a bunk one but I'm not sure I got it on eBay for like $35...

[@lucinxar2931]

Hey I have an idea for your videos, you should find a video of someone playing it well then find the sheet music or tabs for that piece and try to play along with it while editing it side by side for a comparison of someone really good with a pure beginner

[@LOOTd]

Could be quite a laugh!

[@Ajoura]

One of the major problems of a (cheap) hulusi is that you don't have much control over the air chamber, just like for a vertical bawu, which is basically a hulusi without drone pipes. Go to Aliexpress, grab a cheap transverse bawu and play as much as you want with your mouth as a fully controllable air chamber.

[@LOOTd]

Ace, I'll be sure to check one out!

[@calinguga]

thanks for the suggestion, i was just about to look for a hulusi without drones.

[@RyoAshikara]

I have one but it’s smaller but from the same company. It can play perfectly well. Your blowing too much air...

[@strikingtiger-filipinomart5043]

The funny thing is that I just got my instrument from eBay and got it delivered today to me in the mail. The rysam loose pieces that I had to glue with a Epoxy gel. It's interesting but mine is the exact same one as yours without the Box because I only paid $11USD including shipping. I've had much better luck with Irish Tin flutes That sounded way better then this hunk of garbage! It might look good on the wall is a decorative piece but other in that I think it's a big piece of Crap! Of course I'm only speaking to the cheap models from eBay

[@theyhaventfedmesince]

It's not because it's cheap. I mean Chinese instruments aren't even really Expensive at all to begin with

[@saxonliw9502]

Your fingering is wrong. You should be opening the holes at the bottom end first if you're going to play a scale. When you open the holes at the top, the pipe is already shortened and the holes at the bottoms will not affect the pitch much anymore.

[@sudnoss]

3:57 *jesus christ* ben, chill😂😂😂

[@bluebrickstudios6048]

😂

[@jakevaldez5025]

that ending tho. 😂

[@iitzcobyy]

you played it wrong...its not like regular wooden flute

[@AulisA.O.T]

2:14 wow, It's Sound Made of butt clarnet 😕

[@damonz.1474]

That’s nether plastic or wood , that’s a dried vegetable

[@TMLMusic_3]

It’s actually easy. You just have to understand the Hulusi to play it well.

[@koninkrijk1530]

You pronounce it (hû or kû) (hu lu sīé) not like hulusy or hulusiy is Mandarin kulusi is Hubei dialect don't say it like there is a y at the end.

[@georgetarbaya2001]

Man common. You just need to blow hard with the whole power of your lungs. Than you will get a real sound and not that scrap which I've just heard. The statement that this instrument is only for PRO is not the truth. I did not have any experience and I managed to learn how to use it and how to PLAY it.

[@bdbparanormal82]

Omg I have one of these WAIT I HAVE THE EXACT SAME CASE

[@Aeiouuoiea777]

Sometimes you need to adjust or to clean the reed, then should be fine

[@MegapiemanPHD]

Wind instruments are perfect for you since you're full of hot air :P

[@LOOTd]

Damn I'm going to need some ointment for that burn

[@LoneWolf-yv4xt]

*Instant click*

[@vince8849]

Get a didgeridoo!

[@OxygenBeats]

yeah, i think you got a bad instrument... it's actually really easy to pick up.. i am not even really a "wind instrument player"... also, you don't seem to understand how the fingering works at all... the holes in any wind instrument are there so you can adjust the length of the instrument. The longer the resonating cavity, the lower the pitch. But covering the holes, you make the cavity longer. By releasing the holes, you make the cavity shorter. As soon as the sound starts escaping, it doesn't matter how long the rest is, so you're basically doing nothing by fingering the holes AFTER you've left an opening in on of the prior holes.

[@thewateratnight]

Kay! So... The two pipes on the sides are the drones. They give you two different tones that go along with the melody you're playing. You have to blow hard enough to get the right tones, and you can't really blow too hard, honestly. If you blow too softly, it just honks, because there isn't enough air resonating through the gourd and down into the pipe itself. Uncork the drones on either side and you get something that I lovingly call a "Chinese Bagpipe" sort of sound. It's haunting and has a decidedly ancient sound even though it was invented in the late fifties, haha.

[@VesuvioVistani]

I have one. I came here to learn to play it. I had the same experience as you. I eventually got sounds out of it, but i had to like, force them out of it. I thought it would be a relatively easy instrument that you just have to breathe into. Nope. You are getting a CPR lesson.

[@villeandersson1487]

That Hulusi does not look even remotely close to an actual gourd! Gourds can be shiny, but not *that* shiny!

[@onlywei1487]

……I totally have no idea how you stopped without figuring out how to play different notes, at least find out Do Rai Mi?

[@jazzper8762]

hulusilujah!

[@Gryfder]

Just a note, use more breath! ^~^ I bought this from Sichun years ago but it wasn't functional, I just back from Yunnan recently where I bought my Hulusi and where I learnt it properly, it could be said that it's a Chinese bagpipe because if you blow properly you'll feel your exhalation being contained And it's 葫芦丝 (if you wanna listen from the pronunciation) "hu lu sze"

[@jimthethirdprobably]

im not a hulusi player but i do play dizi so its still painful to watch him attempt to make noise

[@przemosgoat]

to play on it good you need to now how to perfectly play on an recorder

[@c-lao]

Your supposed to place your finger on the back hole

[@yootyeet6111]

Dude, plz don't forget to mention me in your futur videos when you have 1million subs, cuz this channel is gonna blow up.

[@spiritualwarriorhealer6154]

I bought two.. Its horrible but i bought for gifts only..

[@TheBeardedSandman]

Ooooooh... That's how it's supposed to sound...

[@Orthodoxcuber]

It sounds like a melodica

[@hivanfarias]

Cuantos cafés te tomaste?

[@bladebair3636]

Me binging LOOTd’s old videos: Comes across this Legendary noise 2:47

[@liyuqi8092]

Hahaha pronunciation is hilarious. Actually the "si" has a ts sound at the very beginning.

[@Abbatiello053i]

Thank you! I wanted to learn to play a new instrument! Gona start this!

[@AkilBalu]

You're Awesome ! That instrument is meh ...

[@cuifangdu6729]

Ik how to play it and I’m only 7

[@japanfanatic1415]

looks like a snake flute

[@logans8517]

It’s indan

[@mk_nugget]

Omg... I’m getting so emotional. It’s such magnificent music.

[@futuramabender2078]

I feel bad for Charles! He just wants to learn how to play the bloody instrument but all he gets are bloody long intros! 😡 UK folks help me out, did I use the word "bloody" right?

[@danielheinley2514]

Do another wish video! I want more weird product reviews. 😂

[@LOOTd]

Got a Wish video lined up for next week! :D

[@claptrapunit3490]

I mean I might be able to figure it out I play trunpet

[@claptrapunit3490]

It's roboticannoyance btw

[@bigmac51290]

I'm pretty sure you put your weed in there.

[@trackerbro2472]

3rd

[@javiererhumusicachina462]

this guy is a problem on this world. ufff

[@chef5749]

Keep on the grind

[@silasklein2013]

can you post the link for where you bought this? I really want one!

[@yingyangmapper5399]

I learned to play hulusi 3 years ago and this video was pretty hilarious😂

[@yy-ho3cn]

2nd comment

[@animesavedmylife3648]

I have a hulusi, should I post a video for you?

[@kierannedies6612]

I think this channel should have more subscribers . They are underrated . They spend so much money on this channel they deserve it . Love your channel ❤️❤️

[@VioletMidnightProductions]

Looks like a giant pen!!

[@danielheinley2514]

I like Ben

[@cameramanben1836]

Me too.

[@Ntsevlis]

It's easy to play and learn it just takes deacation to learn them

[@creatorxp3909]

You played it wrong just correcting.

[@bigwilly1964]

I think they might be Hindu characters

[@skittlekitty7264]

You're blowing too hard I think that's the only issue 😭😂

[@hughhogarth3679]

Why aren’t there many likes anymore?

[@pacificjoe9142]

Isn't melodica a wind instrument?

[@romelsilhay9067]

Try the Indian pungi

[@Scucca1]

Please speak faster

[@beneath.the.rosesluciddrea8470]

This was hilarious

[@bluebrickstudios6048]

*I HAVE NEVER BLOWN SO HARD* 😂😂

[@iksdk]

Hey dude, thx for the good laugh 😂

[@Annalyese7786]

😆

[@paigenewham2251]

Had to pause to ask where you got that top?!?

[@LOOTd]

Found it years ago in Top Man, but it's been out of print for a long time now :(

[@paigenewham2251]

@@LOOTd bummer, my brother loves that kind of style!

[@yootyeet6111]

Nice intro

[@isaackeller1816]

Based on this video, it would only take me 2-5 hours of messing around to get good enough with this thing to make music. I play the flute mostly.

[@futuramabender2078]

@5:21 That's the sound of lootd signing off! Kinda like how a TV goes off the air.

[@terminallydrunk1900]

lol i got one of these from the 2 doller shop when i was homeless but was actually 10 dollers. i made abit from it just playing the old snake charm sound. an also tryna play with the bro on the gat. even had some chinese off the crusie ship recognise an give coin cause of it which was cool. good times. that how u really dont play it.

[@liljuicylogic]

I got a dizi flute with the exact same case