![]() ![]() One of the more ancient types of zither is the Alpine Scheitholt. What we do know is that this type of instrument was extremely common across Europe, India and Africa. Similar to the guzheng, the origins of this instrument are lost in the mists of time. ![]() According to ‘Britannica’ online, a zither refers to any “stringed musical instrument whose strings are the same length as its soundboard”. In contrast to the guzheng, we have the humble zither to consider. Many other playing techniques originate from different regions of China and Mongolia that you can listen to on contemporary recordings. In most cases, the right hand plucks the string whilst the left hand creates changes in pitch, slides, vibrato, and even harmonics.Īnother commonly heard sound is the tremolo that is produced when the player’s right thumb swiftly rotates around a single pitch. The use of plectrums in performance these days is the preferred method of creating sound.Īttached to the four fingers on each hand the player can play using a variety of techniques. Again, the parallels with the acoustic guitar. The guzheng is played using either finger, fingernails, or a plectrum. One of the first zithers was thought to have as many as thirty-eight strings.įifteen strings were the most common number during the Ming and Qing dynasties while the sixteen-string version was more popular as the Republic of China began.īy the late 1940s, the shape and style of the guzheng we are familiar with today were firmly established. The number of strings on a guzheng has changed considerably over the evolution of the instrument. You will often find that the guzheng is finely decorated using inlays, painting and carving giving the instrument a unique appearance that frequently reflects the people who created the instrument. ![]() Today these strings are made of steel or brass wound wire but over the lengthy history of the guzheng, they have been made from silk and brass. Whilst tunings vary according to region, the traditional tuning of the strings is close to a pentatonic scale. With a frame constructed of white pine, the side panels along with the ‘tail’ and side panels are usually constructed from redwood or even Burmese rosewood. These strings are arranged over a rectangular wooden sound box that acts as a resonator for the strings in a similar way to an acoustic guitar.Ĭommonly, the first choice of wood for a guzheng is paulownia from Lankao, in Henan. When these strings were plucked the sound was pleasing, and so what was once a tool of destruction transformed into an instrument of pleasure and creation.Īs a guiding set of measurements, today’s guzheng is around 1.63 meters long and has a total of twenty-one strings. The story runs that originally this weapon was without strings. Can you imagine that this stunning instrument had its birth as a weapon of war? That is one side of the discussion. Of the many stories that offer explanations as to the beginnings of the guzheng the one I find most appealing, and even most probable is this one. Its exact origins are unknown but much speculation surrounds the guzheng. Like many celebrated national instruments, the guzheng is very old with its roots stretching back over two and half thousand years. The guzheng is one of the most important instruments in China. ![]()
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