Is cold/hot temperature cause for concern?

[guzhenglover]

Hi

I am sure this topic has been discussed before (or at least touched upon), but I'd still appreciate people's kind comments and advice if you have any. I know what people have said about the danger of the changing climate, humidity and all that and how we should go about protecting our guqins. My question is just whether sudden changes in the temperature - and temperature alone, not the humidity - is also cause for concern. I am thinking about situations where one lives in a hot climate and is often going in an air-conditioned room, only to get out of it again, etc. with his guqin. Some of these rooms can be very cold, while the temperature outside can be like in the mid 30s.

[Charlie Huang]

The only cause for concern with temperature is the glue holding it together. If it gets very hot, the glue will become unstable. So I suppose sudden changes in temp is not good. What one should do is let the temp change gradually rather than suddenly. Avoid direct sunlight.

[davidmdahl]

The trouble is that changes in temperature are often accompanied by changes in humidity, and it is the latter that does the damage. Air conditioning in particular lowers the humidity. I don't know what you can do for a large instrument, but I keep my wood and bamboo flutes in plastic bags to insulate them from dramatic humidity changes.

Best wishes,

David

[blueharp]

There is a risk of the lacquer cracking. False duan wen are produced by "shocking" the instrument - heating it up and then quickly cooling it in ice. Cold to hot can have a similar effect.

This can happen on other instruments too. A number of years back a friend had a concert grand gold harp (currently ~US$60,000) shipped in the winter from Chicago to California. The temperature in Chicago was below 0F and we were having a warm spell in California of around 70F.

When the shipping trunk was opened and the instrument exposed to the warm air, its french polish cracked and then proceeded to fall off. According to my friend you could see and hear the cracks spreading over the instrument.

The danger is in rapid temperature changes. Most of the time a case will slow down changes in temperature. It is usually a good idea to allow time for the instrument to acclimate before exposing to one extreme or the other (opening the case). Also common sense like not leaving the instrument exposed to direct sunlight (heating it up) or leaving it in a parked car will prevent damage.

[guzhenglover]

Thanks blueharp for the interesting story about the fateful harp - what a shame. I know stories to do with pianos, but the harp story is certainly a useful cautionary note. Thanks also to Charlie and David for their advice, as always.

Back to the guqin, though: Do you guys practise with the air-con on? (I guess many of you will have to, for otherwise it might get too hot/cold for you...) Where I am it's like summer all year and it's a bit difficult not to have the air-con on while I am practising. Is it sufficient if I just put the guqin back in its soft case (you know, the one made of silk) in order to protect it from sudden changes in temperature? Or do I have to put it back in its hard case? I mean, I do love my guqin and want to take every measure that's necessary in order to protect it, but it'd be good if I don't have to take it out and put it back in the case every time before/after my practice, not that I am lazy (though if this is what people do, please tell me and I'll do the same?). Or is there perhaps something that people could use a temporary cover and place it over the guqin between practice sessions (by "temporary" I mean between practice sessions, which may be a short break of anything between 10 minutes to a day, depending on whether or not I am done for a day's practice, etc.).

Also I think I should be more specific in what I mean by sudden changes in temperature. Here the normal room temeperature is between 20 to 35 degrees celcius year-round, and the air-conditioned room is as low as 17 degrees celcius, but not lower. Would you guys say that the changes in temperature in my situation then is both exreme and sudden?

[Charlie Huang]

I don't have AC, yet I'm fine. However, I have to put the humidifier on during the hottest days in summer to stop my qin from internal damage. I would suggest 20 C constant (i.e. room temperature). If it is lower, it's OK. The only danger is if it gets too hot.

You can slip it in a cloth case, but hard case offers more protection.

[Si]

All I can say is dont put the AC so low. Is 17 really necessary? I will have to start dresing for winter at that temp!!!!!!!!!!!

When I lived in singapore (summer every day!) i never even used the AC - just a fan and my appartment has the sea breeze.

But if you have to have AC then just have it in lmid 20's - I would feel worried about my qin with the sorts of temps/ humity changes that your room will be experiencing.

[guzhenglover]

Thank you for your advice, everyone. So do you guys meticulously put the guqin back in its cover and/or the hard case every time after you finish practising? If that's what's supposed to happen, then I'll do the same.

I am actually living in Singapore at the moment and I am finding the weather really hard to get acclimatised to as I haven't been here long and I am more used to a cooler and drier climate. I know that here the locals are actually quite happy with their fans on and the sea breeze, but unfortunately I need the A/C on. But you are right syburn in that everyone thinks that 17 degrees is far too cold for them. I think that, like you and Charlie have said, I'll try and be careful with the guqin and try not to let it experience too many changes in the temperature. At the moment I have my guqin sitting in the lounge room which is more open, rather than in the air-conditioned music studio where I have my guzheng and my piano. In other words, the guqin is enjoying the normal temperature of between 20 and 35 degrees (though I did once have the guqin in the 17 degree celcius room; however, the guqin was in its protective soft cover).

I wonder what those people do who run a music business, like guqin/guzheng teaching and/or sales? Do they leave the A/C on every night after closing, or do they leave it on? Do people know?

And any ideas on a temporary cover to put over the guqin?

[Charlie Huang]

You can ask other qin players in Singapore about what they do with their qins.

I live in the UK, and the temp/hum is constant enough for me to hang it out. I only stick it back in its case sometimes.

[Si]

There is a guqin teacher in China Town Point. Walk around the sloping ramp up past all the chinese souvenir shops and "bobs your uncle" the is a guqin teaching studio.

I read a post a while back that said that if you buy a qin from the south of china then it will be more suitable to the SE Asian temps.


There are many singaporean members of this forum so they can help more than me on your questions.

[guzhenglover]

I know the guqin shop there and have in fact been there and acquainted myself with what's happening. I think that, having received advice from you guys and also my guqin teacher, I should be able to look after my guqin now better than before (not that I didn't care for it before).

I understand that it's less of a worry when a "northern" guqin travels to the south than when a "southern" guqin travels to the north, as the dry climate can be a real killer. I have a northern guqin and I got it from my teacher, and I've been assured that it's perfectly OK so long as I know the basics of how to look after it (including the things that you guqin experts have mentioned).

Are there really many Singaporean members on this forum? I didn't think so, but like I said in my response to you in another thread, I'll look into it. I know a few guqin players here but they all seem to be perfectly contented doing their own things.

[Si]

Who is your teacher?

So you have met some players - do they study on there own?

How long have you been learning?

What is they why you are being taught?

Etc etc etc ? ? ?

PS - I think there are alot of singaporeans on this forum but not many that specialise in qin. And there are many mysterious people that dont state there location too...............

[guzhenglover]

Well I am kind of self-teaching myself the guqin. I get advice from a Chinese student studying here in Singapore, but our meetings are very ad hoc. I've met some guqin players, but I think those that I've met all prefer to be on their own...I haven't been playing long, really, so you guys are the experts!

What about you, syburn? Whom are you learning from? It sounds like your guqin teacher is Taiwanese. Have you been learning long? Are you coming back to Singapore? Maybe we could meet up when you are back in town...

[Si]

My teacher is tiawanese, but she has gon back to tiawan for the winter.

So I have lined up another teacher form Shanghai - one of Dia Xiao Lins old students - hope it turns out well cos I have not started that till next tuesday.

Why not try the teacher in china town point (near the hong lim centre off north bridge road)?

I will be back during Chinese new year so we can organise something!

P.S.
Keep a look out for concerts in Sinagpore - i have seen more qin concerts in singapore that i have ever seen advertised in china. Strange that............I spoke to the lady in the new qin shop about it and she said in china they never have qin concerts because its too much hassle to get approval from the governmant and not enough people are interested