Ancestral Voices (original) (raw)
Hello there,
I was wondering if any of you know where I can find DVDs of Chinese Opera with ENGLISH SUBTITLES. I'm only able to find one or two on my usual shopping sites like Amazon, but surely there must be a place that has more?
Hello! I'm a cello student (about 1 year in, approx grade 5) and have been captivated by the pipa and erhu, more the former than the latter.
What reputable online sellers can I get a decent starting instrument from?
By decent, I mean I don't want a junker or one I will outgrow in a year's time.
Also, where do you get music for your various instruments?
Thank you! Things look a dead around here but I'm glad I found this community.
Hi there! I just joined the community, and I have a few questions.
I really love traditional Chinese music and Chinese opera. I'm interested in actually learning how to play a Chinese instrument - I'm not sure which one. ^^ However, I have NO clue how to go about buying a legit instrument online, much less finding someone to teach me how to play it. Does anyone know of websites that sell Chinese instruments? There are some on eBay, but I hesitate buying one there...
Second, I was wondering if anyone knew of any good Chinese opera CD's. Many of the ones I've seen online only have instrumental songs on them, while I like to listen to the actual singing.
谢谢!
Okay, I've never touched an erhu in my life. At all.
However I have heard an erhu. Bunches of times. And I really love the sound, and actually wish to play the instrument. I can already play the violin, and other string instruments, so I feel confident I can actually learn the instrument.
However it looks like my only option to get an erhu is to either a/fly to china, b/buy online, or c/find someone in the huntsville area wiling to sell one. Option a and c seem extremely unlikely, which leaves me to option b. Which I don't quite feel safe with.
So what I'm asking, in a round about way, is if any of you have tips in purchasing an erhu. Specific things I should look for in purchasing, things I should avoid, and other helpful hints. And is it not suggested to buy online? If it is, links to sites would be nice. Google is hating me today and I'd really like a second opinion. Also if there's any sort of place I could buy an erhu (and/or technique books) in the hunstville (alabama) area, either from a store or person, that sort of information would be nice.
Sorry to seem so dorky/stupid...
Video of when I played okoto in the yukata-kai in Japan in 2003: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8FSYVxkHJ4
It's the last part of the song "Itumonandodemo" from the "Spirited Away / Sen to chihiro" animated movie.
| Poster: |  neonsunshine |
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| Date: | 2007-08-02 11:45 |
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Does anyone have any good online resources for things like sheet music and extra strings, specifically for erhu? Or does anyone happen to know of any shops in the Chicagoland or Pittsburgh areas that carry those sorts of things? Thanks in advance :)
| Poster: | neonsunshine |
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| Date: | 2007-07-31 02:28 |
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Hey all, so glad to have found this community :)
I guess first off, I should say that I'm a cellist, and that I've been playing for almost 11 years now. I've always been interested in music of all sorts with a soft spot for Chinese and Japanese classical music. When I was about 10 years old and had just started to play the cello, my orchestra performed in a concert in which we had several parents play as guest performers; one of them performed several songs on his erhu for us. I was fascinated and have always wanted to play since then.
I just got back yesterday from a two-and-a-half month trip to China. I was studying Chinese at Shanghai International Studies University (上海外国语大学) and while I was there I made friends with a Chinese student who had been studying erhu as long as I've been studying cello. She let me play on her instrument a bit and I knew I had to have my own. I am fortunate in that I have parents who are extremely supportive of all of my (classical) musical endeavors, and when I told them that I wanted to pick up erhu they immediately offered to provide funds for an instrument. Not that they're that expensive, especially when compared to Western classical instruments, but on a college student's budget it's still quite a bit. Anyway, my friend came with me and helped me choose an instrument. Without her help I don't think that I would have been able to choose such a lovely instrument or get such a good price (I am white and therefore tend to get overcharged by Chinese people in China).
I have so far been teaching myself, though I plan to get a formal teacher starting this December. I've been really surprised at how quickly (read: several weeks) I was able to get comfortable and get a nice tone out of my erhu. It really, really helps that the erhu is tuned exactly the same as the top two strings on the cello, and that it is also played in an upright position. I have a etudes and song book that I bought at the same time as my instrument, and while all of the explanations and such are in Chinese, I know enough to get by... for example, songs labeled 民歌 (folk song) are more fun to play than the others. The fact that it's all written out in jianpu notation helps me keep erhu playing and cello playing separate, which is something I can see becoming a problem.
Sorry I wrote such a very long entry! I'm just glad to be sharing my experiences with others who share this interest.
| Poster: | kazahaya |
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| Date: | 2007-06-23 10:45 |
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Hello!
New member and first time poster.
I moved to Japan less than a year ago and have been studying the koto for about three months now. I aquired my koto of rather dubious quality from an Australian girl going back to Australia and have since started saving for a quality instrument.
This is Seimei. He's often out of tune, but I still have fond feelings for him.
http://pics.livejournal.com/kazahaya/pic/000dd1w2/
Does anyone have any tips (other than practice practice practice--I already do that ;) on how to improve?
Hey there, I recently picked up the Dizi (6 hours ago) and I was wondering if anyone knew what the 2-4 holes at the far end of it are for? I can get a very nice sound so far and can play a few tunes, but I was just curious on those remaining holes (they don't seem to change the pitch of the instrument in any way)
??????
Hello everyone,
my name is Sophia and I recently joined this community because I just bought an Erhu and hope to learn to play it. I am posting because I have some very basic questions about the setting up of the erhu I have just purchased, and was wondering if anyone knows of any Internet resources or books that could help guide me?
Basically I don't know how to create the bridge for the strings, and also whether there is a particular thickness of string that has to be put on each tuning peg? (my erhu came with strings in 2 different colour packets, so I am assuming I put one of each on the pegs?)
This is a photograph of what I purchased, if it helps to explain things a little.
I'm really sorry these questions are so basic, but I am not having any luck trying to research on my own - any help would be most appreciated!
Hello all,
I played my first erhu recital last weekend. It was the annual Asian Cultural Experience here in Atlanta. Its a very cool exposition of all things Asian. Food, culture, art, language...Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Thai, and for the first time I saw representatives from India. It was very cool.
My music school played a series of pieces and I was up there with them. I'm a natrually anxious, and this was no exception. I discovered that taking off my glasses allowed me to see the neck, but not the crowd. :-D
All in al, it was a great success!
My name is Lan and I play the guzheng. i used to play some yangqin and sing chinese opera, but it's been a while. both of my parents are professional chinese musicians and they also play erhu, along with every single chinese instrument that exists. anyhow, hello there! if you have any questions about chinese music or anything in general, i'll be glad to chat : )
| Poster: | moonplanet |
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| Date: | 2006-05-11 23:48 |
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I went to Japan in 2003, where I learned to play the okoto, and I bought a second-hand one to continue practicing in my home country.
My grandmother's friend knew someone who gave okoto-lessons, and who lives in a nearby city (^^). I have a lesson every once in a while, because my teacher gives a lot of concerts (she also travels to other countries), and I am in my graduation year so I'm a bit busy, and I have Celtic harp lessons every week (..^^).
Today I went to a concert of hers. She played together with someone who played on several flutes. It was music with a lot of "special effects". Only the first song was very traditional.
My sister plays the pipa (lessons every week), she started last year but she's the only non-Chinese here so her teacher wants her to play everywhere...
| Poster: | issen4 |
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| Date: | 2005-04-20 16:55 |
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Er, after being rather impulsive and commenting on the entries here, I thought it would be better to join and introduce myself. My name is Luce, and I currently play the erhu. I'm also trying to learn the guzheng, but it's turning out to be more difficult than I thought. My main problem is that the guzheng has too many strings! Grr. The erhu only has two. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it. I have a passing familiarity with most Chinese orchestral instruments, and though I do listen to Chinese classical music (and play a few songs), I also like to play pop songs on my erhu, usually with less than stellar results.
I usually hang out in the anime fandom side of livejournal, but I'm delighted to find a community like this. Hi to all!
Hm, I should use my erhu icon... but I deleted it some time back.
When you press the strings on an erhu, you get a different sound depending on the amount of pressure. On most stringed instruments, you press the string to the neck and make jolly sounds. This isn't the case with the erhu. The further you press the strings, the more the sound changes, so I'm trying to find the "sweet spot" and learn to keep the pressure constant as I change notes. It's like playing in 3D. Currently, it sounds a bit like a theramin...but not as pleasant. It would seem we're back to the murdered cat sounds for awhile...:-D
| Poster: | zanzoken |
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| Date: | 2005-03-17 20:58 |
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I've recently fallen in love with the sound of the guqin. I've played cello for about seven years, bass for five (both stand-up, and electric), and have just recently started playing at an african drum circle. In China, the cello isn't given any serious credit--it is only a member of the "plucked strings" section. In other words, it isn't viewed as a worthwhile instrument, so it isn't used to its full capability in the orchestral setting.
I saw Hero, remembered the sound of an instrument I'd heard many times before, identified it as being the same sound, described it to a few professors and friends around town, and found the name.
I'm Randall. White and Native American, but very Caucasian. I live in Albuquerque, New Mexico, attending the University of New Mexico. Thanks for creating this community.
As a little girl I heard a sound. I don't even remember where, but my parents liked things with asian influence so it's possible I heard it on a record or some such. I have no idea what it was but I loved it. Over the years I heard the sound here and there and never knew exactly what it was or how I could find more of it. For a Westerner living in a town without a super strong asian influence, (like California or NYC, even Chicago has a better Chinatown than Atlanta), it was tough to find music, or even anyone to talk to about the sound.
Somewhere along the way I found Chinese Opera. I think my first introduction to anything of the sort was the Akira Soundtrack. While Japanese, the even balance of rhythm and melody made for a strong impact. I soon after heard something from the Peking Opera in a movie somewhere and was captivated. I had no idea that the human voice could make such sounds. It reminded me of the sound I had heard and couldn't name. By now the Internet had come into public being and I could start to research.
With my rudimentary Mandarin, I soon discovered the object of my affection was the Erhu. I've loved it from afar until now. I purchased one on ebay, knowing quality wouldn't be that big of a deal since it was just going to make murdered cat sounds until I learned to play. I've played the piano, a little guitar and electric bass,I sing and even compose music, but have never worked with a stringed instrument you have to bow.
I spent forever trying to rosin the bow. I combed cello forums to try and figure out how to use the stuff! In the end, a wise erhu player I found online pointed me in the right direction.
So after all that, last night for the first time ever...I played a clean, almost continuous D for over 5 minutes. :-)
Now, to go home and practice my bowing.