The pipa is a traditional Chinese plucked string instrument with melodious timbre and rich expressiveness. For beginners with no knowledge of pipa, it is very important to know some basic knowledge. This article will explain in detail the beginner's knowledge of pipa, including the structure of pipa, playing posture, playing skills, and some Xi suggestions to help beginners quickly get started in the world of pipa.
1. The structure of the pipa
The shape of the pipa: The pipa is mainly composed of the body, neck, pins, strings and other parts. The body is semi-oval in shape and is generally made of sandalwood or mahogany, covered with thin sheets of wood.
Number of strings: A traditional lute has four strings, which are the treble, alto, bass, and sub-bass strings. Modern lutes are also available in variants with five or six strings.
2. Performance posture
Seated playing: Usually the lute player plays in a seated position, placing the lute on his lap or on a pipa stand. Keep your body relaxed and maintain a correct sitting posture.
Fingers & Techniques: Use your thumb and other fingers to press and pluck the strings. The thumb is used to hold down the strings, and the remaining four fingers are used to pluck the strings and produce the tone.
3. Playing skills
String pressing: Use your left finger to hold down different strings and frets to produce different pitches.
Plucking technique: Use your right finger or fingernail to pluck the strings of the lute to produce a sound. Commonly used right finger techniques include the index finger, middle finger, ring finger, and thumb.
Fourth, Xi suggestions
Find the right teaching materials and guidance: Choose a pipa teaching material suitable for beginners or find an experienced pipa teacher for guidance to systematically learn the basic knowledge and skills of Xi pipa.
Combination of theory and practice: Learning Xi pipa requires not only understanding theoretical knowledge, but also practical Xi. Xi the pipa to cultivate the flexibility and sense of the fingers.
Listen, See, Imitate: Listen to the pipa playing more, **professional players**, and imitate their playing postures and techniques.
As a beginner to the lute, it is necessary to understand the structure of the lute, the correct playing posture, and the playing technique. By selecting appropriate teaching materials and guidance, combining theoretical Xi and practical Xi, as well as listening, watching, and imitating professional performers, beginners can gradually master the basic knowledge and skills of pipa, and enjoy the fun and sense of accomplishment brought by pipa performance.
Pipa playing