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Post by kikookua on Jul 9, 2014 1:33:20 GMT
Hello everyone. So I have been searching the web and I was wondering if any of you had seen this: www.supersoundintl.com/Their instruments include the gayageum/guzheng, haegeum/erhu, geomungo/wugonghu?, and janggu. They are all electric instruments. What do you think of this? Thanks! P.S. If this is in the wrong place, could you please move it? Thanks again.  |
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Post by davidmdahl on Jul 9, 2014 16:22:01 GMT
I have never seen these instruments, and I am biased in favor of purely acoustic instruments, so please take my comments as only one data point. My first reaction to the original ads that were posted on Facebook, was negative. The photo of the huqin-like instrument makes it look more like a sword than musical instrument, designed more to look cool than work well for someone used to playing an erhu or haegeum. I see that the current website features children playing the instruments. This is probably an improvement over the photos of sexy young women. I have nothing against sexy young women, but suggestive ads such as were used are better employed for selling cosmetics and clothing, not musical instruments that we are supposed to take seriously. Finally, if you want to make the sound of an electric guitar, then why not use an electric guitar? I love the sound of guzheng and erhu as they are, and don't see the need to make them into heavy-metal instruments.
Someone with imagination, creativity, and skill can make wonderful music with just about anything, so I would not want to discourage musicians interested in the Super Sound instruments, or others of this type. I am going to stick with the traditional sounds.
Best wishes,
David
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Post by kikookua on Jul 9, 2014 16:53:51 GMT
David,
It was kind of a strange advertising campaign. I was more interested in the learner models. Gugak instruments (Korean traditional instruments) are really expensive- a starter gayageum starts at around 500 USD while a starter guzheng can start at around 100 USD cheaper. I was more interested in that aspect of this. I quite like the acoustic ones better as well (and I don't think that the electric ones are the most serious instruments either), but I think it would be one way to make gugak more accessible. Child sized geomungos aren't really accessible the same way that you can get child sized pipas or even janggus.
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Post by davidmdahl on Jul 10, 2014 8:26:28 GMT
The one feature that I like about electronic instruments is that they can usually be played quietly or silently. In close quarters with family and neighbors, practicing without bothering others can be a challenge. Guzheng is one thing, but they sound reasonably pleasant even when played by a beginner. The sound produced by a beginning erhu player is another matter. The tendency for a self-conscious novice erhu player is to play as quietly as possible, but this is not going to result in good habits. If the experience of playing an electric instrument is not too far away from that of playing the real thing, it might be a good option. The Supersound fiddle appears to be so different that I don't think it would be a good choice for a practice instrument.
Best wishes,
David
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Post by edcat7 on Jul 11, 2014 0:54:03 GMT
The one feature that I like about electronic instruments is that they can usually be played quietly or silently. In close quarters with family and neighbors, practicing without bothering others can be a challenge. Guzheng is one thing, but they sound reasonably pleasant even when played by a beginner. The sound produced by a beginning erhu player is another matter. The tendency for a self-conscious novice erhu player is to play as quietly as possible, but this is not going to result in good habits. If the experience of playing an electric instrument is not too far away from that of playing the real thing, it might be a good option. The Supersound fiddle appears to be so different that I don't think it would be a good choice for a practice instrument. Best wishes, David And you have to be careful not to buy a fake. Ed |
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Post by cloudlesszen on Aug 29, 2014 14:38:27 GMT
I have also seen the ads for these electric versions. I have to say I think they look pretty cool. While I am also biased to acoustic and mostly traditional Taiwanese/Chinese folk music, I think electric versions are a great idea. There are a few erhu players in Taiwan that sometimes do some jazz or freestyle open sets with rock bands, and those sets really rock. Its cool to see an erhu crossing the normal musical boundary into something more modern, shall we say. To be honest, mostly only old people are that interested in classical Chinese music, at least here in Taiwan. For every erhu player in Taiwan, there are probably a hundred guitar players. I think its a cool idea to spread the spirit of the instruments and I would like one....when I can actually play something that doesn't sound like dying cats.
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