Post by lightningduck on Feb 13, 2023 21:16:05 GMT
I'm an American Sinophile and just hooked up with some local Chinese musicians to play traditional Chinese music. As I've been playing bass guitar for 35 years, including fretless bass, I've opted to try to learn Sanxian (the larger one, I call them 'bass sanxian' and 'tenor sanxian')
According to Wikipedia, the bass sanxian is tuned G-D-g (although another reference says G-D-a). That's a 5th and a 4th, I'm wondering if it's possible and safe to tune mine G-C-F, this would be all fourths, the same as my bass guitar. This would allow me to use all the same scale and interval fingering patterns I am experienced with. I'm concerned about neck tension with an alternative tuning, though with both stings I'd be tuning lower so there should be less neck tension. I've tuned a four string bass D-A-d-a before so I can adapt to a new tuning if neccessary
My second question is playing style. I have only used a plectrum on bass once in 10 years and that was a heavy metal song where I needed a particular 8th note pulse...other than tha I have rarely used a plectrum on bass (although I have on guitar decades ago when I played that as well) So is it possible, does it make sense to play with fingers on the right hand? One reference said this is common in traditional Chinese music
Basically, I'm trying to see if I can treat the Sanxian as a "three string, fretless, Chinese bass guitar" using my existing techniques and experience
Or is it better to learn the instrument more authentically using the traditional tuning and plucking style?
谢谢你们
According to Wikipedia, the bass sanxian is tuned G-D-g (although another reference says G-D-a). That's a 5th and a 4th, I'm wondering if it's possible and safe to tune mine G-C-F, this would be all fourths, the same as my bass guitar. This would allow me to use all the same scale and interval fingering patterns I am experienced with. I'm concerned about neck tension with an alternative tuning, though with both stings I'd be tuning lower so there should be less neck tension. I've tuned a four string bass D-A-d-a before so I can adapt to a new tuning if neccessary
My second question is playing style. I have only used a plectrum on bass once in 10 years and that was a heavy metal song where I needed a particular 8th note pulse...other than tha I have rarely used a plectrum on bass (although I have on guitar decades ago when I played that as well) So is it possible, does it make sense to play with fingers on the right hand? One reference said this is common in traditional Chinese music
Basically, I'm trying to see if I can treat the Sanxian as a "three string, fretless, Chinese bass guitar" using my existing techniques and experience
Or is it better to learn the instrument more authentically using the traditional tuning and plucking style?
谢谢你们
