Even better than the real sheng

Listen in amazement as the Super Mario Bros. theme is played to perfection on a sheng, an ancient Chinese wind instrument
Super Mario The Mario character has seen and heard a lot in the last 30 years...but nothing quite like this! (© Antonio Jodice | Dreamstime.com)


We've reached the point where video games have a real history behind them. Video games like Pac-Man and Asteroids are over 35 years old now. They're a big part of popular culture. Nearly as old is Nintendo's superhero plumber, Mario. When Super Mario Bros. came out in 1985, it had a lot going for it. But maybe the most lasting part of the game was its awesome theme music. If you've never experienced it before (or even if you have), have a listen:

Classic theme song meets super classic instrument

Isn't that great? Timeless, even? We agree, but before we get ahead of ourselves, let's acknowledge something. 35 years ago is a fairly long time, but it's hardly ancient history. Take, for example, the sheng. This ancient Chinese wind instrument dates back to 1100 BCE. That's over 3000 years ago! And though it has undergone some changes (modern shengs use keys similar to those on a clarinet), they're essentially the same instrument today.

Now, you might not imagine that something like a sheng and Super Mario Bros. would ever fit together. But then again, this world is full of surprises. That's why we think that you should watch this. It's a video of a woman from Chinese Taipei playing a spot-on version of the Super Mario theme. She even throws in the little bling-bling-bling sounds of when Mario jumps to grab coins. Enjoy!


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