Sunday, June 30, 2013

Combining leisure activities together

Watching a China matchmaking tv show 非诚勿扰 (channel 830 on Singapore's Starhub cable service at 9:10pm-10:40am on Saturdays and Sunday nights) while trying to learn a new piece on guqin 忆古人. Good training for concentration. Hahaha

I figured that if I combine my leisure activities together (watching tv + playing guqin), I'd have time for other more important stuff. haha. Surprising, yes I did manage to memorize a few lines (just a few lines, better than nothing) of the new guqin tune while watching tv. LOL

[I tuned my Tobaya silk strings relative to 20 cents to the left of C (aka B-sharp or C-flat) on the thickest 1st string.]

I think the guqin is only half of the story. The silk strings matter too. So far, Tobaya silk strings seem to work best with my JunTianFang guqin and my ZhangYong guqin. Opened up their voices. I could clearly hear harmonics at 13th hui 1st string where it was previously muffled with other brands of silk strings. I can now tune my Tobaya silk strings relative to B or C-flat or even C on thickest 1st string easily without fear of thinnest 7th string blithing. I could now play guqin with tv blarring kids fighting in my living room. Haha. That is 正点 Sugoii!! to me. Haha. Dunno whether that is considered 正音 by other people but I do!

One thing I observed when I was playing my guqin with Tobaya silk strings (something which I could not previously observe with other brands of silk strings) was: the long sustain of the notes, especially the harmonics. I could hear clear 'undulating' Waaaahhhh Oooooo Waaaahhhh Ooooooo Waaaahhhh Ooooo sounds (for lack of a better term) in the long sustaining notes, so much so that I was forced to slow down my playing so that the notes would not start clashing into one another. I observed this same phenomenon with Tobaya silk strings on both of my guqins. Previously with other brands of silk strings on these same 2 guqins, I could not observe such long sustain of 'undulating sounds' in the notes. haha








Sequence of tuning guqin strings using harmonics on the right side of the qin

Sequence of tuning guqin strings using harmonics on the right side of the qin.



This is the sequence I typically go through to tune my guqin strings. Hope this is helpful to you!

A 'harmonic' 泛音 (pinyin: Fan Yin) can be executed on the guqin by lightly touching the string at a point that is aligned to any hui marker (with either the left hand's thumb, left hand's fore finger, or left hand's ring finger) while flicking the string with a finger on the right hand.

Note: qins have seven strings, numbered from the far side of the player, and 13 markers (hui).


IMPORTANT! First you must use an electronic Chromatic tuner (clip it to the bridge of the guqin) and tune the thickest 1st string to B-flat for silk strings (also shown as A-sharp on the electronic tuner), or to C pitch for metal-nylon strings.


Step 1:
A harmonic played on the 5th position of the 3rd string should have the same sound as a harmonic played on the 4th position of the 1st string.


Step 2:
Since the 3rd string is now tuned, we'd use it to tune the 6th string.
A harmonic played on the 7th position of the 6th string should have the same sound as a harmonic played on the 5th position of the 3th string.



Step 3:
Since the 6th string is now tuned, we'd use it to tune the 4th string.
A harmonic played on the 5th position of the 6th string should have the same sound as a harmonic played on the 4th position of the 4th string.


Step 4:
Since the 4th string is now tuned, we'd use it to verify that it is correctly tuned to the 1st string.
A harmonic played on the 7th position of the 4th string should have the same sound as a harmonic played on the 5th position of the 1st string.



Step 5:
Since the 4th string is already tuned, we'd use it to tune the thinnest 7th string.
A harmonic played on the 7th position of the 7th string should have the same sound as a harmonic played on the 5th position of the 4th string.


Step 6:
Since the thinnest 7th string is now tuned, we'd use it to tune the 5th string.
A harmonic played on the 5th position of the 7th string should have the same sound as a harmonic played on the 4th position of the 5th string.


Step 7:
Since the 5th string is now tuned, we'd use it to tune the 2nd string.
A harmonic played on the 7th position of the 5th string should have the same sound as a harmonic played on the 5th position of the 2nd string.


Step 8:
Since the 2nd string is now tuned, we'd use it to verify that is correctly tuned to the 4th string.
A harmonic played on the 5th position of the 4th string should have the same sound as a harmonic played on the 4th position of the 2nd string.



(Note: A harmonic on the 5th position of the 5th string will NOT have the same sound as a harmonic played on the 4th position of the 3rd string.


Repeat Step 1 to Step 8 until you are satisfied that everything is perfectly in tune on your guqin.


=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=

Video: demonstration of how to tune silk strings on guqin




[Reference: diagram and words were adapted from Mr. John Thompson's webpage at http://www.silkqin.com/08anal/tuning.htm]

Fun Sunday evening playing guqin

I'm taking turns playing guqin with my 4 year old daughter. Haha! Hope you are having a fun Sunday too! Take care now.







Xian Weng Cao 仙翁操

Explanation of the 1st guqin tune that every beginner learns: 仙翁操 Xian Wang Cao. There are some other variations. However this is the modern version taught in many guqin schools around the world.

The score of this seminal tune can be perused in this book, which you can buy from Taobao (I bought my copy of this book+DVD set here) via www.sgshop.com.sg or www.taobaoring.com If you only want to buy one guqin book+DVD set in your life, this is it. You won't regret it. It's that excellent. ^_^



Movie - Confucius 孔子

A very nice movie about 孔子 Confucius for all the 漢服 hanfu and 古琴 guqin music fans out there. Enjoy!

(The guqin shape 'zhongni' was named after Confucius.)


漢服 Hanfu t-shirts by HuSenJi 花笙记

Like to wear 漢服 hanfu? Not practical to wear hanfu in hot and humid Singapore?

Rejoice! Now there's 'hanfu' t-shirts for you and your beau.

Check here to check out HuSenJi's designs. You can buy items from Taobao or Tmall using www.sgshop.com.sg If you are not in Singapore, you can consider using another reliable taobao agent www.taobaoring.com






Recommended bass guitar chromatic tuner for guqin

This is my recommended bass guitar chromatic tuner for guqin (which I use): the Ibanez-brand bass guitar chromatic tuner + Seiko wired clip for attachment to the guqin's bridge. (Each sold separately, batteries included) WARNING: please do *NOT* ever use Energizer alkaline batteries for your tuner. Ever. Not even 'spent' Energizer-brand batteries. They leak badly and may ruin your electronic devices.Thank you for your kind attention.

In my experience, regular guitar tuners may not work very well with guqin. They cannot 'hear' the low sonic range of guqin. Bass guitar chromatic tuners work much better with guqin.

There is a sale now at Singapore's Swee Lee musical instruments store (until 28 July 2013). Grab yours today!

In my humble opinion, guqin silk strings seem to be able to perform optimally (loud enough to 'cut through the mix' of environmental ambient noises) when all 7 strings are tuned relative to thickest 1st string being tuned to either B-flat (also shown as A-sharp on tuner), B, C-flat (also shown as B-sharp on tuner) or C. Yes, Tobaya silk strings can be easily tuned relative to C pitch on thickest 1st string and they feel super slinky. My kids find it very easy to flick those super slinky strings even with their thin weak fingers. They also feel smooth to the touch even when mounted on guqin, so kids may find it easier to slide their left thumb or left ring finger on the Tobaya silk strings.

Even for other brands of silk strings (such as Taigu or HuQiu or JinWu/JinYu) I still tune all 7 strings relative to B-flat (shown as A-sharp on tuner), even in humid Singapore. Silk strings seem to sound better and louder at this sonic range, probably because the higher tension in the strings can 'move' the bridge better which in turn vibrates the guqin's soundbox more.

In my experience, if the guqin is tuned relative to anywhere below A-pitch on thickest 1st string, it may sound very soft (almost inaudible) and the strings would feel 'floppy.'

Normally, in each practice session, I would take out my guqin from its hard foam case (I do not hang my guqin on a wall like others do), tune up my guqin, play the guqin for at least an hour, and afterwards slacken all 7 silk strings (most people may only slacken their thinner 6th and 7th strings), wipe the guqin fingerboard and silk strings with a piece of microfiber cloth (the same kind I use to wipe my computer screens) and finally keep the guqin back into its hard foam case for storage.




Free instructional videos for guqin learners

[Special thanks to Faery for providing this info!]

Click here to check out free instructional videos for guqin learners.

Happy learning guqin! ^_^








10 ancient famous qins 中国古代十大名琴

[Thanks to Faery for providing this info!]

Click here for the slideshow of the 10 ancient famous qins in China.





Playing guqin while watching tv with family

Tonight I tried to practice playing guqin while watching a very popular tv show 非诚勿扰 (channel 830 on Singapore's Starhub cable service) with my family. The way I figured it, it is not fair to ask other people to keep quiet so that I can play guqin. haha

Even during concerts, professional guqin players (and other kinds of musicians) also have to content with the audience making noises, talking, coughing, children crying, etc.

Playing without silence afforded a very special learning experience for me, as I tried to play my guqin. I had to create a special space -- a bubble of concentration -- so I could 'do my job' and make sure that the pitch of the notes I was playing were correct, regardless of whatever was happening all around me. I shall continue to train in this manner in the future. hahaha ^_^

[I tuned my guqin silk strings relative to B-flat (20 cents to the left of B pitch 440Hz on my electronic Ibanez tuner) and I was pleasantly surprised that the sounds of the Tobaya silk strings on the guqin could still 'cut through the mix' of the noises all around me.]


Saturday, June 29, 2013

Gtar Enterprises in Bras Basah is selling guqin + tables

(Special thanks to Mr. Kenny Leong for providing this valuable info!)

Gtar Enterprises in Bras Basah Complex in Singapore is reportedly selling guqin and guqin tables.

Please drop by and take a look and test play the guqins if you plan to buy one. According to Mr. Leong, the guqins are in the price range of a few hundred Singapore dollars to a couple of thousand dollars. The guqin tables are in the price range of a few hundred Singapore dollars.

Quality wise, it seems that, according to Mr. Leong, the guqins are quite loud as they are when still fitted with metal-nylon strings. To me, this is a good sign that if the metal-nylon strings are removed and fitted with Tobaya silk strings (yes, nowadays I unabashedly only insist on recommending Tobaya silk strings, haha), they may sound really sweet and still loud enough without any jarring metallic buzz (as there is no metal inside silk strings).

Gtar Enterprises 231 Bain Street
#03-55 Bras Basah Complex
Singapore 180231
Tel: (65) 6338 6693


Weekly Guqin 古琴 yaji 雅集 at 茶渊 Tea Chapter@Neil Road (Tuesdays at 7:30pm)

Singapore's  Han Cultural Society would be having guqin 古琴 yaji 雅集 at this address on a weekly basis. Please do join them if you are free. ^_^ (Disclosure: No, I am not affiliated with the Han Cultural Society.) Feel free to bring your own qin, or simply turn up and play their qin, or just sip tea while listening to others play qin. 挺好的! Very excellent!

You can register at their webpage at: https://www.facebook.com/events/669804149699024/?ref=3

Venue:
茶渊 Tea Chapter@Neil Road
9-11 Neil Road, Singapore, Singapore 088808

Time:
7:30pm onwards


Friday, June 28, 2013

Guqin lecture + recital in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia on 27th July 2013

Check this out if you plan to go to Malaysia. There is a guqin lecture and recital in Pataling Jaya in Malaysia on 27th July 2013. (Thanks to Mr 吕 for sharing this info on Facebook)

Details can be perused in the poster below:


朱砂仲尼式古琴 Red guqin zhongni-shaped

朱砂仲尼式古琴 Red guqin zhongni-shaped. RMB15,000 which is about US$2,433 or about Singapore S$3,073.

Source: http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z10.1.w4-17433772724.11.5FaBbs&id=24532548804

If you live in Singapore, you can consider using www.sgshop.com.sg to buy items from Taobao.

If you live in the North America, Europe, Australia, or anywhere else in the world, you may consider using www.TaoBaoRing.com to buy and ship items for you from Taobao (thanks to Steve for this info!). As a golden rule, always use seafreight to ship guqins from China, as they may crack during airfreight due to the fact that the density of the guqin's top and bottom wooden boards are usually made of different materials and may expand or contract at different rates. Please also remember to ask the Taobao agent to request the Taobao seller to construct a wooden crate (normally may cost extra RMB100) to protect the packaged hard foam case (with your guqin doubly protected inside) so that it can survive the seafreight from China to your country. Enjoy! ^_^

(this is just a PSA. No I am not taking any commission for this! haha)



翠绿蕉叶 Green guqin

蕉叶式古琴 “翠绿蕉叶” Green guqin. RMB16,000 which is about US$2,595 or about Singapore S$3,278.

Source: http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.186.SrZk5t&id=24532452842

If you live in Singapore, you can consider using www.sgshop.com.sg to buy items from Taobao.

If you live in the North America, Europe, Australia, or anywhere else in the world, you may consider using www.TaoBaoRing.com to buy and ship items for you from Taobao (thanks to Steve for this info!). As a golden rule, always use seafreight to ship guqins from China, as they may crack during airfreight due to the fact that the density of the guqin's top and bottom wooden boards are usually made of different materials and may expand or contract at different rates. Please also remember to ask the Taobao agent to request the Taobao seller to construct a wooden crate (normally may cost extra RMB100) to protect the packaged hard foam case (with your guqin doubly protected inside) so that it can survive the seafreight from China to your country. Enjoy! ^_^

(this is just a PSA. No I am not taking any commission for this! haha)



5-color Banana-leaf shaped guqin

蕉叶式古琴 “五彩蕉叶” 5-color Banana-leaf shaped guqin. RMB16,000 which is about US$2,595 or about Singapore S$3,278.

Source: http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.193.SrZk5t&id=24532676191

If you live in Singapore, you can consider using www.sgshop.com.sg to buy items from Taobao.

If you live in the North America, Europe, Australia, or anywhere else in the world, you may consider using www.TaoBaoRing.com to buy and ship items for you from Taobao (thanks to Steve for this info!). As a golden rule, always use seafreight to ship guqins from China, as they may crack during airfreight due to the fact that the density of the guqin's top and bottom wooden boards are usually made of different materials and may expand or contract at different rates. Please also remember to ask the Taobao agent to request the Taobao seller to construct a wooden crate (normally may cost extra RMB100) to protect the packaged hard foam case (with your guqin doubly protected inside) so that it can survive the seafreight from China to your country. Enjoy! ^_^

(this is just a PSA. No I am not taking any commission for this! haha)



Baina-style banana-leaf shaped Tang dynasty replica guqin

蕉叶式古琴 “寒山百纳琴” BaiNa-style (hexagonal pices) Tang dynasty replica guqin. RMB15,000 which is about US$2,433 or about Singapore S$3,073.

Source: http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.165.SrZk5t&id=18172185371

If you live in Singapore, you can consider using www.sgshop.com.sg to buy items from Taobao.

If you live in the North America, Europe, Australia, or anywhere else in the world, you may consider using www.TaoBaoRing.com to buy and ship items for you from Taobao (thanks to Steve for this info!). As a golden rule, always use seafreight to ship guqins from China, as they may crack during airfreight due to the fact that the density of the guqin's top and bottom wooden boards are usually made of different materials and may expand or contract at different rates. Please also remember to ask the Taobao agent to request the Taobao seller to construct a wooden crate (normally may cost extra RMB100) to protect the packaged hard foam case (with your guqin doubly protected inside) so that it can survive the seafreight from China to your country. Enjoy! ^_^

(this is just a PSA. No I am not taking any commission for this! haha)



Thursday, June 27, 2013

Playing Guqin is easy for kids

The guqin is very easy to play for little kids. That's probably because all the 7 strings are already very well harmonized as they are tuned to the Chinese 'pentatonic' scale. She even tried to do some 'harmonics' 泛音 (pinyin: Fan Yin) on the silk strings. ^_^

It's amazing how a hyperactive naughty little girl (like my 4 year old daughter) without any formal music training at all can immediately quieten down 靜心 once she sits down and plays with silk strings on guqin. This is the only musical instrument she has tried so far (she has also tried to play violin, piano, recorder flute, but they were too tough to play for her) where she can fully play freely and express herself without any worry of 'playing badly' or 'sounding bad.'

At his point, she does not know how to play any 'proper' tunes yet. She's just exploring the sweet tones on the silk strings. She  told me she tried to search for the notes on the guqin to play 'twinkle twinkle little star' but it did not sound like that famous western tune at all. hahaha.





文言文 (Wen Yan Wen) books for absolute beginners

Took a short break (on afternoon of Wednesday 26th June 2013) to check out these two 文言文 (Wen Yan Wen) books for absolute beginners (like me!)

You can also buy these 2 books from Amazon.





 




Chinese Library in NTU

Photos of Chinese Library in NTU (Nanyang Technological University) in Singapore (where I visited briefly on Wednesday 26 June 2013). Anybody from the general public can just walk in to read the books and even photocopy information you need. Afterall it was built with Singapore tax payers' hard earned money. ^_^