#Two stringed instrument how to
#Two stringed instrument Patch

Professor Li introduced that the soundbox is a very important part of the instrument.

#Two stringed instrument Patch

Erhus used for professional performance are commonly made out of red sandalwood or mahogany, one side of the soundbox is covered by a patch of snake skin, and the two strings are suspended along the neck of the instrument. Representative erhu performers began to integrate traditional playing techniques with some avant-garde playing styles that require remarkable skills.ДЄn erhu is composed of a soundbox, a neck, two strings, two tuning pegs, and a bow. The fourth stage occurred in the 21st century and was characterized by individualism. There were also bold innovations in playing techniques and musical expressions that broke through traditional styles and added a modern touch to erhu works. Various genres of erhu works emerged, including concertos, narratives, and rhapsody. The third stage from 1979 to 1999 features new explorations and innovations. In addition, many erhu performers tried to compose erhu music, leading to the creation of a number of erhu works, the likes of which had never been heard before. Erhu artists in this period inherited Liu TianhuaвЂ™s principle of infusing Chinese tunes wtih Western musical influences, as well as AbingвЂ™s traditional folk vibes, thus creating a set of sophisticated and professional playing techniques. Systematic education gradually came into place during that period with music academies established across the nation, and experienced erhu performers were hired as teachers at those academies. During the post-war period, social stability and peopleвЂ™s broadened aspirations for richer and colorful cultural experience created an enabling environment for the development of traditional arts. The next stage from 1949 to 1979 saw booming development of the erhu playing art, in the opinion of many experts, owing to the founding of the PeopleвЂ™s Republic of China. The first stage refers to the period from 1915 to 1949, with artists Liu Tianhua and Abing laying a foundation for erhuвЂ™s modern evolvement. It also become an important accompanying instrument in a variety of folk operas and even a lead accompanying instrument in some operas.ДЄccording to professor Li, erhu underwent major developments in the 20th century, which can be divided into four stages. The emergence of tune art (a singing style in opera) especially brought about a significant development in the art of erhu. With the rise of some folk art forms, including orchestra, cross-talk, and local operas, erhu playing underwent a historical evolvement during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. Examining these valuable murals, experts found that erhus during the time the murals were painted already showed great resemblance to the modern erhu in terms of its holding position and playing techniques. The earliest images of this instrument were found in Yulin Cave and Eastern Thousand Buddhist Cave (both of these caves are part of the Mogao Grottoes, a world heritage site on the ancient Silk Road) in Gansu Province, where five erhu images were discovered on the murals. To study about the history and evolution of erhu, historians usually reference ancient paintings, sculptures, and murals. As it was mainly played by ordinary people and the playing technique was passed down by oral tradition, there are few written records about erhu that can be found in antiquity. In the Song Dynasty (960-1279), musicians had already begun to use this type of huqin to perform a variety of melodies, and thus it became quite a popular instrument among the society. The modern erhu developed from a musical instrument that was played by many ethnic minorities during the Tang dynasty (618-907) called xiqin. Two seniors enjoy playing erhu together in Bama Yao Autonomous County, Hechi City of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. вЂњI became captivated by its unique sound the first time I played it,вЂќ she said, then added, вЂњEven though it only has two strings, they can produce quite expressive music.вЂќ

Later when she was 15 years old, Li began advanced studies of erhu at a local conservatory.

#Two stringed instrument how to

When Li was little, she started to learn how to play erhu from her father who was an erhu lover. вЂњAmong Chinese bowed stringed instruments, erhu is the most widely used in a variety of folk arts,вЂќ said professor Li Ying of Minzu University of China. It is the most popular of the huqinВ family of traditional bowed string instruments played in China.

Erhu is a traditional Chinese two-stringed bowed musical instrument.