Qia Qi

[Si]

It is ok that qia qi's sound a bit woody -

because the thumb and nail are so close to the sound board i often get a knocking sound as well as the string sound.

Especially when going it quickly or when the thumb has just come from pressing a string in the joint position and has to alter so you strike the qia qi with the thum nail.

[Charlie Huang]

Qiaqi should be done with the nail position and not the joint of the thumb.

What do you mean your thumb and nail are close to the surface? You sound as if you're talking about a yan rather than a qiaqi...

[Si]

because the string is pressed with the ring finger the string is near the sound board - so the sound is not as pure.......has a wood sound

[Charlie Huang]

Does it? The sound isn't crystal clear, but it is not 'wooden' in my sense. The sound should be similar to when you stop a string normally with the ring finger. Also, is your ring finger firmly pressed on the string before the qiaqi? your thumb must also pluck the string with some pressure for the string to sound.

I had similar problems with it at the beginning, but you usually work it out by yourself, a bit like fanyin.

[Si]

I the qin pu do you ever have just the qi ( as from qia qi). Cos I have it and I dont know what it means?

Its not a harmonics begin marker - i can tell that.

[Charlie Huang]

You need to describe what context it is in, because it could mean a multiple of things.

[Si]

[Si]

sorry cant get the url to appear

[Charlie Huang]

OK, the qi is defo an zhaoqi/daqi.

The other thing is zaizhuo (i.e. repeat). You repeat from the marker, in this case, zhongzhi 8 hui chuo gou 2 xian (there is a line next to it).

[Si]

Thanks

It does not look like the usual zhuaqi or dai qi. Do you just have to assume that it is cos I see no little strokes above the qi?

I find that not only does one have to work out the fingers etc but one also has to dicipher the idiosyncrasy of each writers writing style.

[Charlie Huang]

In old tablature, that is the case. Also, Ming dynasty tablature's 'pi' is really 'tuo' and vice versa.

[Si]

But im curious to know how should one assume that the qi is a zhao or dai qi and not a basic qia qi.

[Charlie Huang]

Well, obviously if it was a qiaqi, it would indicate what hui to put the ring finger on, as per other qiaqis in the same tablature!

[Si]

oh so its a dai / zhao qi on the 7th string 8 hui.

[Charlie Huang]

Yep.

[Si]

when playing qai qi, do you have a longer nail on the thumb to help pluck up the string away from the wood?

[Charlie Huang]

No. The thumb should 'lift' the string up by hooking it.

[Si]

sorry to labour you all with this - but i think i have been doing it wrong for months.....

so after plucking the string with thumb - should it be in mid air and not touching the sound board (like mine usualy is)?

I am practicing on the 7th string and it seems impossible to lift the string without using the nail to hook it .

so annoying

[Charlie Huang]

Plucking it like that will make the pluck too strong, so yes, the direction should be slightly upward. The only reason why it maybe difficult is if you press on the string with the tip of the thumbnail (or near it) so you can't use the tip to gain momentum in the pluck. The thumb should really 'hook' on the string, the joint bent, so that when you lift off the string plucked and vibrates. Also, your wrist should be low so that the angle makes it easier to hook the string at a 45 degree angle (the direction of the thumb is not straight up or across the soundboard but diagonal).

[guzhenglover]

Does the qia qi appear in real fast passages? Or what is the most difficult context in which qia qi appears known to you?

[SCWGuqin]

The qiaqi does appear in fast passages, especially in repeated form. I'm sure you'll recognize the figure that I'll render as "CDCCDCDCC"; that comes from repeated hammering-on and -off of the thumb.

[Si]

There is that hammering bit near the end of Yang guan san die - but i think its not so fast and its not called a qia qi.

[Charlie Huang]

It's called "qiacuo sansheng".

[SCWGuqin]

Many players do some sort of variation on the basic qiacuo sansheng pattern, depending on location. For instance Le Ying does CDCCDCCDC and I've heard Gong Yi do CDCCDCCDCC with various syncopations.

Last year I developed a "gimmick" technique for use during flashy improvisations, which could render as CDCCECCFCCECCDCECFCCECCDCC etc., as fast as possible. Requires some "reach" with the thumb cuz the ring finger stays put.

[Si]

utmostvacuity2 - how long have you been playing qin, may i ask?