Musical Culture in Guqin Guqin always stands elegantly and gracefully in Chinese musical instruments. It has existed in Chinese culture for 3000 years, and was the favorite instrument of the literary class. Usually, you play the Guqin with your right hand plucking the string and your left hand pressing on the string. The Guqin is a Chinese musical instrument, also called a seven-stringed zither. My pursuit is to play the guqin to reflect what I feel in my heart. Shi Wen later became a court musician of the Zheng state and a music master of his time. The best way to learn guqin is face to face with a teacher - the traditional method and the way I learned. The guqin (info • help) (Chinese: 古琴; pinyin: gǔqín; Wade–Giles: ku-ch'in; literally "ancient stringed-instrument") is the modern name for a plucked seven-string Chinese musical instrument of the zither family. There are many special tablatures that had developed over the centuries specifically dedicated to qin for their reference and a repertoire of popular and ancient tunes for their choice. Vision Times tells the world everything about China in today’s context. Qin Forms . When plucking the strings, fake nails are not required to be attached to the fingers. As for music, tunes and notes do not make it extraordinary; it’s the performer’s heart that does. Until I can play music from my heart and express it through the guqin as one, I dare not let myself go to pluck or fiddle the strings freely. In Shanghai, the Guqin, an instrument with a history of over 3,000 years, is still being played in a number of different places. In this case, a harp is similar to the GuQin, so that helps even more. Shi Wen settled himself down and concentrated on learning every day. It is literally called qin yet commonly known as "guqin" (, where "gu" stands for ancient), whereas the qin has become a generic name for all string instruments today. The guqin is something of an expert at disappearing. [3], In order to master the qin, there are in excess of 50 different techniques that must be mastered. Our experienced teachers will help you progress in your musical journey with the Guzheng.Your teacher will evaluate and draw up a curriculum specially for you. Guqin - seven-stringed zither without bridges, the most classical Chinese instrument with over 3000 years of history. After a period of time, Shi Wen visited his master. The guqin is a plucked seven-string Chinese musical instrument of the zither family. Rest assured that our teachers are able to teach these traditional pieces in a captivating manner, and you will have an exciting journey learning the Guqin! It … 3 In addition to the beauty of its music and its uniquely personal nature, 4 playing guqin is a wonderful way to become involved with, and knowledgeable in, Chinese literati culture. No prior musical background is needed to learn the Guqin. This site is about how to read notation … One can play along with a good video if the tuning is pitched the same; one thing missing, though, is that … Qin Construction . The guqin is considered as an indispensable part of Chinese elite culture, and in the ancient times, it was a matter of course that a decent noblemen and scholars would be able to play it. It is sometimes referred to by the Chinese as "the father of Chinese music" or "the instrument of the sages". Sep 9, 2019 - Explore Ca Kung's board "guqin" on Pinterest. First, he played the string for metal notes. For playing guqin, the finger technique is of the highest importance. NILI. The guqin is nearly always used a solo instrument, as its quietness of tone means that it cannot compete with the sounds of most other instruments or an ensemble. The guqin is the most well-documented Chinese instruments, in Chinese or English - being one of the scholar literati’s pet interests has something to do with that. The Guqin, a seven-stringed fretless zither, is the most representative traditional musical instrument in China. Shi Xiang asked: “How’s your music now?”  Confidently, the student answered: “I can now play from my heart. The music of the guqin blends in with the traditional culture and reflects a distinct, simple, and elegant style, as well as the pursuit of a peaceful and lofty realm. My focus and desire is not on the tone or rhythm. One such scenic and picturesque destination is Lithuania. The instrument even defines the essence of aestheticism and philosophy in China. In the past, learning to play the guqin was regarded as an important element in the education of students, whose heart and spirit were enriched by the experience. Guqin masters livestream or post videos of themselves playing guqin on social platforms, rock bands use guqin as part of their collection of instruments performed on stage, guqin music is added to pop songs, and music groups play pop songs on guqin while dressed in … She wasn’t allowed to develop any hobbies before taking the college entrance examination. [2]. Being able to play any instrument is very useful for learning a new one. The guqin is a five- or seven-stringed plucked instrument originating in Ancient China. Basic Tuning FINGER TECHNIQUE AND NOTATION 彈奏指法說明 . Guzheng is a popular instrument at Eight Tones Music School. Shi Wen’s learning process illustrates the key to success. I have been told that the guqins they sell for $350 are quite usable, but I have not heard them myself (though I have heard others that sell at about that … Being able to play any instrument is very useful for learning a new one. It's a very quiet instrument, with a range of about four octaves, and its open strings are tuned in the bass register. Shi Wen’s progress was not as smooth as Shi Xiang would have expected. If it is too long then the fingers can be cumbersome and can impede performance. In old times, the se (a long zither with movable bridges and 25 strings, similar to the Japanese koto) was frequently used in duets with the qin. The guqin is considered as an indispensable part of Chinese elite culture, and in the ancient times, it was a matter of course that a decent noblemen and scholars would be able to play it. It's a very quiet instrument, with a range of about four octaves, and its open strings are tuned in the bass register. It has existed in Chinese culture for 3000 years, and was the favorite instrument of the literary class. x x x. The length is subjective and will depend on the player's preference, but it is usually around 3 – 4 mm from the finger tip. There are now new books that have begun to be published about these fingerings and notation as qin culture and study gains momentum. Sadly, the se has not survived into this century, though duet tablature scores for the instruments ar… Ancient people cared for their conduct and attended to everything with the heart. It was like the autumn breeze blowing and the grass and trees were about to mature and bear fruit. An aspiring guqin player must practice to find the right combination of finger and nail to produce a sound with body and clear onset. He followed by playing the string for water notes. The guqin is the most well-documented Chinese instruments, in Chinese or English - being one of the scholar literati’s pet interests has something to do with that. While they all do swear by the value... Six Dr. Seuss Books Will No Longer Be Published Due to ‘Stereotypical’ Illustrations, The Most Frightening Thing Is When People Aren’t Afraid of Anything, The Beautiful Tradition of Lithuania’s Papercut Art: Karpiniai. See more ideas about chinese culture, musical art, instruments. The instrument even defines the essence of aestheticism and philosophy in China. Practice mode. The existing repertoire for the Guqin contains mainly Chinese classical music. But today, musicianship in guqin is experiencing a revival. To a certain extent live online learning can substitute, the main problems usually being, first, just getting set up; 3 second, the difficulty of both parties playing together at the same time. Qin, Wade-Giles romanization ch’in also called guqin (Chinese “ancient zither”) or qixianqin (Chinese “seven-stringed zither”), fretless Chinese board zither with seven strings. Guqin, one of the oldest musical instruments of China, was banned during the Cultural Revolution by the Chinese Communist Party. During the performance of qin, musicians may use a variety of techniques to reach the full expressing potential of the instrument. It has been played since ancient times, and has traditionally been favored by educated people as an instrument of great beauty and refinement. Guqin has a unique system of notation all its own. Your hands move around back and forth on the strings, and it requires lots of focus, while the way you play a Guzheng is completely different from the way you play a Guqin.”. Han-dynasty writers state that the qin helped to cultivate character, understand morality, supplicate gods and demons, enhance life, and enrich learning. Out of these basic eight, their combinations create many. The pipa, pípá, or p'i-p'a (Chinese: 琵琶) is a four-stringed Chinese musical instrument, … Including fingering and how to read guqin music. Generally, the nails of the right hand are kep… Similar to other string instruments, it is relatively easy to learn guqin but much more difficult to play it well. Huang Wenyi's love for the seven-stringed guqin began in earnest about 14 years ago in Beijing and she has since compiled a lesson book with 20 pieces of the instrument's works for her students. Your Guqin, although black, is not at all green. Later, guqin became standardized as the one we see today and the instrument is full of symbolism of Chinese culture and philosophy. Yams are, after all, yummy and you can cook them in so many ways to make delicious dishes. At first, Wen Fangfei only thought Liu Man played the Guqin as a hobby. Generally, the nails of the right hand are kept long, whilst the nails of the left are cut short, so as to be able to press on the strings without hindrance. and i know how to play flute. Immediately, it felt like frost and snow had arrived and streams and rivers were frozen. https://visiontimes.com/2021/03/04/playing-music-from-the-heart.html Each note is written in abbreviated Chinese characters, so called "Jian-Zi." A Guqin had 7 strings. The Guqin is a Chinese musical instrument, otherwise known as a seven-stringed zither and the most ancient Chinese instrument with over 3000 years of history.It is literally called Qin (Chinese language) yet frequently known as "guqin" (, where "gu" stands for ancient), whereas the qin has become a general name for all string instruments today. Also, certain techniques vary from teacher to teacher and school to school. Click the record button to pronounce Click the record button again to finish recording ... An ancient traditional Chinese seven stringed musical instrument of … Among the musical instruments in China, the guqin has the longest history, requires the highest levels of technical skill and aesthetic taste, and … Today is the first day of Feng Yanwen’s Guqin class. Its never too late to start playing instruments! We wanted to showcase traditional Chinese culture and our team created these beautiful documentary type videos for all of you to enjoy, so...enjoy!!! Within the USA one possible source of less expensive guqins is: Sound of Asia in Los Angeles. The air instantly became a warm breeze and the flowers and grass grew energetically, as in the spring. The guqin is a unique instrument which needs to be hand made by specialist craftsmen using special wood, lacquer and a high degree of skill. Ming-dynasty literati who claimed the right to play the qin suggested that it be played … A beginning guzheng player can immediately produce a brilliant sound with tortoise-shell finger picks. Please let me play for you.”. Listen to a group of young guqin musicians playing the theme songs for the TV saga “Game of Thrones,” the sci-fi thriller “Inception” or the Japanese anime “Doraemon.” They are giving the instrument a new lease on life. 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. Wen wanted to play the same way, so he traveled to the Lu state to learn from the master. The melodies of Guqin are gentle, pure and free from vulgarity, which echo with the Zheng (uprightness) of Confucianism, the Qing (softness) of Taoism, and He (harmony) of Buddhism. Guozixuan Guqin Art School is a spare-time instrument training school in downtown Beijing. The qin is … 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. A guqin soundtrack of the 3D role-playing video game “Gujian Qitan” firmed her resolve to learn to play the instrument. The last person who knew how to play this 25-stringed instrument with moveable bridges was Wu Jinglüe (1907-87), who had a long career as a music professor at Beijing's Central Conservatory of Music. If it is too short, then the finger tip will deaden the sound as it touches the string after the nail has plucked it. The pipa, pípá, or p'i-p'a (Chinese: 琵琶) is a four-stringed Chinese musical instrument, belonging to the plucked category of instruments. For playing guqin, the finger technique is of the highest importance. Why study guqin? One will often leave their fingernails long, and cut them into an ellipticalshape. But today, musicianship in guqin is experiencing a revival. That was no easy task. He kept learning and improving. Additionally, because one can feel the qin strings better, it is best to pluck with natural fingernails. Feng says she wanted to learn to play the Guqin after hearing it played at a new shopping mall in Putuo District. When plucking the strings, fake nails are not required to be attached to the fingers. So, the Guqin is a representative instrument of … The above four figures are from an old handbook. Recording. To a certain extent live online learning can substitute, the main problems usually being, first, just getting set up; 3 second, the difficulty of both parties playing together at the same time. “ancient zither”), a 3000 year old seven-string zither, is one of the oldest and most revered of Chinese musical instruments, and occupies a vital position in the history of Chinese culture. Our trial lessons are priced at $60, as a student you will get to learn a simple song as well as gain instructions in the basic and important of right hand finger techniques.Students can try out our guqins for sale and rental, and learn all about the Eight Tones Guqin program and curriculum. For the guzheng and pipa where one must attack the strings with force, thus, susceptible to fingernail breakage, the qin requires gentle force to play. The guqin is not to be confused with the guzheng, another Chinese long stringed instrument also without frets, but with moveable bridges under each string. Chinese ancient scholars have to acknowledge four art, including play the Guqin, play Chinese chess, write good calligraphy and draw painting. So, the Guqin is a representative instrument of … We keep a close eye on China because of its influence now and the lessons we can learn from its ancient past to better our lives today. Wen Fangfei herself knew a little about how to play the Guqin. GENERAL INTRODUCTION OF GUQIN 古琴介紹 . He continued to play the string for fire notes. The length is subjective and will depend on the player's preference, but it is usually around 3 – 4 mm from the finger tip. Chinese musical instrument Guqin. There were even tales of birds flying and fish jumping to the beat and vibrations of his tunes. It contains a well known melody and is perfect for a traditional Chinese scene in film, TV or radio, or a refined atmospheric background, Instrumental, Chinese , Chinese Folk Solo These are just a few. The melodies of Guqin are gentle, pure and free from vulgarity, which echo with the Zheng (uprightness) of Confucianism, the Qing (softness) of Taoism, and He (harmony) of Buddhism. Brief Introduction of Guqin . Shi Xiang started teaching Shi Wen to tune and pitch. Traditionally the body of the qin was of a length that represented the 365 days of the year (3 chi [a chi is a Chinese foot], 6 cun [a cun is a Chinese inch, one-tenth of a chi], and 5 fen [a fen is one-tenth of a Chinese inch] long). The biggest difference between a Guqin and a Guzheng was the number of strings. With a 3,000 year history, the guqin has deep roots in Chinese culture, long being associated with Confucius, self-cultivation, scholarship, philosophy, and poetry. The Guqin is the oldest, most well-known instrument in China, but there are still many things about it that the general public don't know. Learn Guqin through using original course materials and a specially-designed syllabus put together by our highly qualified Guqin teachers, available exclusively here at Eight Tones Music School. The Guqin is a Chinese musical instrument, also called a seven-stringed zither. It is often considered “The Father of Chinese Music”, which is why it made the list. It was considered essential to know how to play the instrument by ancient men of virtue because it was a symbol of saintliness and noble character. Follow us on Twitter or subscribe to our email list. Fitness has always been a topic of debate amongst people who embrace the term "fitness freak." Your music made me feel as if I were in the real scene and experienced what genuine beauty is.”. 4 Videos fix that. Shi Xiang was thrilled and praised his student: “That was excellent. 4 Videos fix that. While there are some pop songs that have been transcribed for the Guqin, it is important for Guqin players to master the Guqin classics. Guqin (古琴 ) 1634 ... the qin, beloved of sages and of Confucius, is the most prestigious instrument in China. The fiery sun appeared and the ice and snow melted and disappeared. The guqin (Wades-Giles ku-ch'in; literally "ancient stringed instrument") is the modern name for a seven-string Chinese instrument of the zither family. Even the most commonly used (such as tiao) are difficult to get right without proper instruction from a teacher. The best way to learn guqin is face to face with a teacher - the traditional method and the way I learned. Guqin is often played by scholars or royal families because in order to play this instrument, you have to be able to recognise Chinese characters. “Guqin” 古琴The Guqin is said to date back 3000 years, making it the oldest instrument on our list. Enveloped by a fall harvest scene, he then played the string for wood notes.