In a small studio in Dongying, Shandong Province, Shi Qichao is revolutionizing music by transforming everyday objects—from carrots to construction materials—into fully functional instruments.

Dongying

Shi Qiqiao, a resident of Dongying in China's Shandong province, has gained recognition for creating functional musical instruments from household items, construction materials, and even fresh vegetables. His inventive approach has attracted widespread attention online, though it has also faced skepticism from some viewers who question the authenticity of his instruments and performances.

Despite criticism, Shi continues to innovate and recently held a live-streamed concert featuring his unique creations, which was met with an unexpectedly large audience. He has also begun using his platform to support local farmers by live-streaming the sale of fresh produce, further integrating his musical innovations with community engagement.

Redefining music: Shi Qichao uses household items as instruments

In a compact studio that resembles a sound lab in Dongying, a city located in the Shandong province of eastern China, a middle-aged man named Shi Qiqiao is redefining lines between music and everyday life. He does this by creating functional music instruments from common household items, construction materials, and even fresh vegetables. I noticed that carols look a lot like flutes by chance, and I started wondering. When I made the first whole and played it, the sound was surprisingly beautiful. That's when I started researching on how to actually make it into a real instrument. Shi Qiqiao's unconventional musical inventions have gone viral, showcasing remarkable ability to turn ordinary objects into playable art. Yet, his online fame has been met with skepticism, as some critics dismiss his work as mere attention-seeking rather than authentic musical innovation. When I posted my first video, the comment section exploded. Some people said that the musical instruments were not real, while others said that they were custom-made. I tried to explain. For instance, when I played the carol flute, I broke it into half immediately after I finished playing. However, it did not work. They thought it was dubbed. There was a lot of skepticism. Some even accused me of curiosity mongering, but I personally believe it's actually an innovation. Recently, Shi hosted a live stream concert outside his studio, showcasing his self-made waste-free drum kit, vegetable flute, and pipe organ. The turnout was beyond what he had anticipated. Before the concert started, I thought I'd have one or two audiences, and they might leave after a glance. But so many people stayed through to the end. I am so glad about it, and it really boosts my confidence. As Shi's fame increased, he started leveraging his platform to assist local farmers by live-streaming the sales of fresh vegetables straight from the greenhouse.

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