Guqin playing technique
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The playing techniques of the guqin, sometimes called fingerings, are more numerous than those of any other Chinese or Western musical instrument.
Basic sounds
The music of the qin can be categorised as three distinctively different "sounds." The first is san yin 〔
According to the book Cunjian Guqin Zhifa Puzi Jilan, there are around 1,070 different finger techniques used for the qin, with or without names. It therefore uses the most finger techniques of any instrument in Chinese, or even Western, music[1]. Most are obsolete, but around 50 or so are sufficient to know in modern practice.
Nails
When plucking the strings,
Technique
-
〈挑〉 Tiao
-
〈勾〉 Gou
-
〈劈〉 Pi
-
〈撥〉 Bo
The above four figures are from an old handbook. [2]
Right hand
There are eight basic right hand finger techniques: pi 〈
Left hand
Left hand techniques start from the simple pressing down on the string (mostly with the thumb between the flesh and nail, and the ring finger), sliding up or down to the next note (shang 〈上〉 and xia 〈下〉), to vibrati by swaying the hand (yin 〈吟〉 and nao 〈猱〉, there are as many as 15 plus different forms of vibrato), plucking the string with the thumb whilst the ring finger stops the string at the lower position (qiaqi 〈掐起 / 搯起〉), hammering on a string using the thumb (yan 〈掩 / 罨〉), to more difficult techniques such as pressing on several strings at the same time.
Both hands
Techniques executed by both hands in tandem are more difficult to achieve, like qia cuo san sheng 〈掐撮三聲/掐撮三声〉 (a combination of hammering on and off then plucking two strings, then repeating), to more stylised forms, like pressing of all seven strings with the left, then strumming all the strings with the right, then the left hand quickly moves up the qin, creating a rolling sound like a bucket of water being thrown in a deep pool of water (this technique is used in the Shu style of Liu Shui to imitate the sound of water). [3]
Other issues
In order to master the qin, there are in excess of 50 different techniques that must be mastered. Even the most commonly used (such as tiao) are difficult to get right without proper instruction from a teacher. Also, certain techniques vary from teacher to teacher and school to school. [4]
There are also a lot of obsolete fingerings and notation that are rarely used in modern tablature. There are now new books that have begun to be published about these fingerings and notation as qin culture and study gains momentum. [5] Sometimes, guqin can played with violin bow. It has a tone similar to that of a cello, but raspier.
Footnotes
- ^ Guo, Ping. Guqin Congtan 【古琴丛谈】. Page 112.
- ^ Zhang, He. Qinxue Rumen 【琴學入門】. Volume 1, leaves 39, 40, 43 and 47.
- ^ Wu, Jinglüe and Wenguang. Yushan Wushi Qinpu 【虞山吴氏琴谱】 The Qin Music Repertoire of the Wu Family. Pages 507-526.
- ^ Wang, Binglu. Mei'an Qinpu 【楳盦珡諩】. Volume 1 leaves 18-24.
- ^ Yao, Bingyan and Huang, Shuzhi. Tangdai Chen Zhuo Lun Guqin Zhifa: Yao Bingyan Qinxue Zhu Shu zhi Yi 【唐代陳拙論古琴指法‧姚丙炎琴學著述之一】.
References
- Gong, Yi (1999). Guqin Yanzoufa 【古琴演奏法】; 2nd ed., rev. inc. 2 CDs. Shanghai: Shanghai Educational Press. ISBN 7-5320-6621-5
- Zhang, Huaying (2005). Gu Qin 【古琴】. Guizhou: Zhejiang People's Press. ISBN 7-213-02955-X
- Guo, Ping (2006). Guqin Congtan 【古琴叢談】. Jinan: Shandong Book Press. ISBN 7-80713-209-4
- Zhang, He (1864, 1998). Qinxue Rumen 【琴學入門】. Beijing: Cathay Bookshop. ISBN 7-80568-865-6/J‧236
- Wang, Binglu (1931, 2005). Mei'an Qinpu 【楳盦珡諩】. Beijing: China Bookstore. ISBN 7-80663-297-2/J‧331
- Wu, Jinglüe and Wenguang (2001). Yushan Wushi Qinpu 【虞山吳氏琴譜】 The Qin Music Repertoire of the Wu Family. Beijing: Eastern Press. ISBN 7-5060-1454-8/I‧78
- Gu, Meigeng (2004). Qinxue Beiyao (shougao ben) 【琴學備要(手稿本)】. Shanghai: Shanghai Music Press. ISBN 7-80667-453-5
- Yao, Bingyan and Huang, Shuzhi (2005). Tangdai Chen Zhuo Lun Guqin Zhifa 【唐代陳拙論古琴指法】. Hong Kong: Yushi Zhai.