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Post by drescher on Jan 22, 2011 3:28:02 GMT
hi there i have a new guqin and and am a beginner. i notice that the notes when 'fretted'( strings pressed against the soundboard) are sharp compared to when the strings are plucked for harmonics according to the sound board markings...is this a common issue with guqins...is it because the action is too high and the strings 'stretch' into a sharp note when fretted?
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Post by kyokuhon on Jan 24, 2011 4:29:25 GMT
Hi, drescher, and welcome to the qin and the forum.
Really quickly, just take the dots as approximations for fingering, and play the note in tune. All strings will stretch a bit sharp as you push them down, which is why guitarists, etc., like the strings set up just above the "buzz" point over the frets to minimize this effect, and a good guitar will have that compensated for in the frets. But with a qin, as with a violin, you can make the adjustment by the placement of your finger. So yes, your finger position when you press down the string will be slightly to the left of the exact position of the harmonic.
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Post by Charlie Huang on Jan 26, 2011 10:59:05 GMT
There are two things one must bare in mind:
1. All qins are made differently and some are more sensitive than others. Therefore, one must feel for the notes more and get use to the idiosyncaries of that particular qin. String tension and height also factor into this. Plus, type of string.
2. Beginners qins are a minefield as I have known once that one qin had all the harmonic positions in the wrong positions...
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Post by drescher on Feb 2, 2011 15:51:20 GMT
thanks for your replies, do people ever lower the action on qins? it seems like they would play beter with easier action...or is tampering considered taboo?
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Post by Charlie Huang on Mar 9, 2011 18:26:59 GMT
You could lower the strings but then there might be two issues:
1. If the strings are too low then they would likely keep slapping on the surface or create buzzing sounds if the surface has flaws when playing.
2. Your fingers would hit the surface of the qin so the slope towards the bridge would have to be more deep which could create further issues as the sound box would have to be altered to allow for the space of the slope.
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