SIlk strings and old style fretting

[dawei]

Hello!

I was wondering if any of you that play pipa also play the older style version, that is, with silk strings, real not artificial fingernails, and the older gapped fretting.

For example, I have a book "Tsen Yang Fan Pipa" by Ling Fei Xing, published in Hong Kong in 1977, and purchased circa 1980 in San Francisco Chinatown, and it is for the older "unreformed" instrument.

The fretting seems similar to the Nanyin pipa. 

Frankly, I prefer the silk strings and not using fake nails! I do know that this is NOT the current modern pipa style, but somehow I still like it.

Anyway, if there are some of you that are interested in the old version of the pipa, please let me know.

[christephens]

I'm very interested in this way of playing pipa! Do have any recordings or videos of this style? I'm also interested in playing improvisational pipa style

[dawei]

I'm still trying to locate more info on the old way of playing. Thanks for the reply.

As for improvising on the pipa, well, I do it all the time! I'm not sure the music is good for anything but my own personal enrichment, though.

[christephens]

I'd love to hear your Pipa improvisations! Please share if you have video/recordings. I have stuff on YouTube.com/chrisitar

[dawei]

Jul 27, 2017 14:38:48 GMT christephens said:

I'd love to hear your Pipa improvisations! Please share if you have video/recordings. I have stuff on YouTube.com/chrisitar

Thanks, but I have not recorded anything of this sort for public release. I appreciate the interest and will let you know when - and if - I do make such videos.