NEWB: Which would be more suited to me? (Cross-posted)

[upstreamsalmon]

So, I'm very interested in learning to play Chinese music. I can't decide whether to go guqin or quzheng.

I've already read other postings on this topic. The consensus seems to be to go with the guzheng for the following reasons:

1) It is more popular, and therefore easier to find good instruments and instruction
2) The technique is easier


Here's my background, which may have a bearing:
I already play a number of instruments. I am a competent guitarist and bass guitarist. I have also spent some time with the harp (celtic harp, specifically.) After watching a lot of videos of both instruments, my sense is that the guqin would be more comfortable to me personally. Why? The function of the left & right hands is closer to how they work on a guitar, whereas the guzheng seems more like a piano or a harp, which I find to be considerably more difficult. I was messing around with my electric bass today, and was able to get quqin-like effects with it. (Obviously not the real thing!) by - using harmonics, articulating with slides, lots of vibrato, and sticking with a pentatonic scale.

At the moment the reflective, private nature of guqin "culture" is also very fascinating! I perform in public on a number of instruments, and this would be dedicated more to meditative reflection at home. I'm a world history teacher, and the scholarly associations of the qin are also very appealing.

So at the moment I am leaning toward the qin. Are there other issues to be aware of? Am I smoking crack for even considering this?

[Ruisi]

Hello,
In historic perspective. From my understanding, playing Guqin is more like talking to yourself, and communicate with yourself. It is more quiet and keeps almost the original ancient version. Guzheng is developing fast since 1960s, which is booming and involving many elements after 2000. There are something new borrowed from other music. For example, harmonies and bass sound are involved. Guzheng also collaborate with modern music or other genres of music, as a trend.

In technique perspective. For guqin, left hand in charge of the pitch and tunes; right hand in charge of plucking. For guzheng, originally the functions of both hand act the same(left hand in charge of the pitch and tunes; right hand in charge of plucking), which are commonly seen in traditional pieces; while for modern pieces, the left hand also need to pluck at the right side of the bridges.

So basically there is no easy or hard issue, please find which is more suitable for yourself.

Good luck and hope it helps,
Ruisi