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Post by yuhongmei123 on Jul 21, 2017 21:12:05 GMT
Recently, my erhu teacher showed us a trick: if the erhu snakeskin is too tight, drop in a TINY bit of water from the decorative carvings on the back of the soundbox so that it falls on the snakeskin from the inside of the soundbox.
This sounded a bit sketchy to me so I wanted to ask if anyone else here has ever heard of doing this before, or has done it? But then again, my erhu teacher has also said to put the bow hair above the fire of a stovetop to even out the hairs so I'm not sure! 
But he is a very talented and experienced player, I just don't want to end up destroying my erhu, lol!  (other erhu hacks are welcome on this thread)
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Post by dawei on Jul 21, 2017 21:48:01 GMT
Skin is very responsive to humidity. This trick should work, but you need experience to make sure you don't get the skin too wet. Personally I would be careful with that method.
Those old guys had some tricks up their sleeves for sure.
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Post by yuhongmei123 on Jul 21, 2017 23:28:36 GMT
"Those old guys had some tricks up their sleeves for sure" LOL! True. I'll be extremely careful and I doubt I'll try it anywhere in the near future.
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Post by dawei on Jul 22, 2017 4:25:07 GMT
I remember in the early 80's taking tar lessons from a Persian master.
He would hold the instrument above a flame to dry the skin out...one day, the skin broke while he was doing this.
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Post by edcat7 on Jul 22, 2017 10:30:48 GMT
Personally I wouldn't water your erhu skin. To accelerate the breaking in process I put my erhu in front of my HiFi speakers (covered with cushions) and left my HiFi running for couple of hours. I did this for several weeks.
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Post by dawei on Jul 22, 2017 12:28:07 GMT
I'm not sure that the water was to help "break in" the skin; I assume it was to prevent a too-tight snakeskin head from splitting.
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Post by yuhongmei123 on Jul 23, 2017 0:16:55 GMT
I'm not sure that the water was to help "break in" the skin; I assume it was to prevent a too-tight snakeskin head from splitting. Yes, I think this was why. |
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Post by yuhongmei123 on Jul 23, 2017 0:17:28 GMT
Personally I wouldn't water your erhu skin. To accelerate the breaking in process I put my erhu in front of my HiFi speakers (covered with cushions) and left my HiFi running for couple of hours. I did this for several weeks. What does putting your erhu infront of speakers do? How does it work? This sounds interesting. |
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Post by edcat7 on Jul 23, 2017 15:31:57 GMT
When you bow the snake skin vibrates. Do this long enough and it loosens. The trouble is most of us don't practice long and hard enough to loosen the skin.
So it seemed natural that putting my erhu in front of my HiFi would do the same.
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Post by yuhongmei123 on Jul 23, 2017 23:18:07 GMT
Edcat,
did this work for breaking in your erhu?
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Post by edcat7 on Jul 24, 2017 10:46:35 GMT
Yes
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Post by paulv on Jul 24, 2017 11:10:03 GMT
Way back when I started learning erhu, my teacher told me to rub a small amount of olive oil on the skin (do this once), and that's all I would have to do with it. I wish I knew about edcat7's solution back then -- it would have given me an excuse to blast my Led Zepplin music!!!
Regards,
paul...
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Post by yuhongmei123 on Jul 25, 2017 19:44:53 GMT
Way back when I started learning erhu, my teacher told me to rub a small amount of olive oil on the skin (do this once), and that's all I would have to do with it. I wish I knew about edcat7's solution back then -- it would have given me an excuse to blast my Led Zepplin music!!! Regards, paul... Olive oil?!? Wow! Did it work or did it effect the python skin negatively or anything? Is it safe to try? |
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Post by fatpanda on Jul 26, 2017 2:19:44 GMT
The most bizarre thing I heard last week when I brought my erhu for repair was to "iron the snakeskin" as in using the hot iron for ironing the clothes! The repairer told me I could do it at home!
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Post by paulv on Jul 26, 2017 11:08:43 GMT
Olive oil?!? Wow! Did it work or did it effect the python skin negatively or anything? Is it safe to try? It worked for me -- the erhu got more mellow sounding in time (as well as my bowing technique improving). BTW, the olive oil goes on the face side of the skin (scale side) and not the inside. Use the oil sparingly. Regards, paul... |
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Post by edcat7 on Jul 27, 2017 1:13:25 GMT
Olive oil?!? Wow! Did it work or did it effect the python skin negatively or anything? Is it safe to try? It worked for me -- the erhu got more mellow sounding in time (as well as my bowing technique improving). BTW, the olive oil goes on the face side of the skin (scale side) and not the inside. Use the oil sparingly. Regards, paul... i use hand cream. |
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Post by fatpanda on Jul 27, 2017 11:05:49 GMT
I use lanolin
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Post by paulv on Jul 27, 2017 11:06:45 GMT
I'd be concerned with the chemicals that are in the hand cream. The olive oil I used was extra virgin (only kind that I allow in my house!)because the cheaper, golden-colored olive oils are processed with chemicals to extract the remaining oil in the olives, so I would expect residual chemicals in the oil getting on the snake skin. Regards, paul... |
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Post by yuhongmei123 on Jul 27, 2017 20:16:44 GMT
Your Most-Excellent-Humbleness, thank you for the advice (lol!) Does anyone mind telling me how they found these "erhu hacks" out? From your teachers? Or maybe did you hear about them yourself? Every time I go on this forum. I learn something new! |
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Post by yuhongmei123 on Jul 27, 2017 20:20:06 GMT
The most bizarre thing I heard last week when I brought my erhu for repair was to "iron the snakeskin" as in using the hot iron for ironing the clothes! The repairer told me I could do it at home! OMG! You didn't try it, did you? If by any chance, this didn't ruin the skin, what exactly would it do (ironing the python skin)? This is the most bizarre thing I've heard, as well! And I would think that this could damage the wood as well. Thanks for sharing! |
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Post by fatpanda on Jul 28, 2017 15:15:36 GMT
The most bizarre thing I heard last week when I brought my erhu for repair was to "iron the snakeskin" as in using the hot iron for ironing the clothes! The repairer told me I could do it at home! OMG! You didn't try it, did you? If by any chance, this didn't ruin the skin, what exactly would it do (ironing the python skin)? This is the most bizarre thing I've heard, as well! And I would think that this could damage the wood as well. Thanks for sharing! Of course not! But the expert commented that I put too much lanolin on the skin and he used hand cream to wipe it off. After that, he advise me to make the snake skin dryer. That's why he suggested ironing. |
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Post by yuhongmei123 on Jul 28, 2017 20:40:08 GMT
Oh, good! I was worried there. What happens when you put too much lanolin on the python skin?
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Post by eugene on Jul 29, 2017 0:33:04 GMT
FYI there's a reason why a good and expensive erhu skin is normally thicker and tighter because the maker want the erhu lifespan to last longer.
A new erhu with tight skin will sounds soft and sharp.
But you play it for a period for time the skin will become loosen and softens, that when tone starts to be louder, round and clear.
And this will help sound stays good for a longer period of time before it starts to deteriorate.
When I got my first erhu, I too wanted it to become more loosen so I did try a few method as well, so that the sound will become better.
But when I got my 2nd erhu which is a lot more expensive, I didnt do that.
I started to play a lot more often and I feel that my skill and my erhu improve together. when I play I feel that this erhu is part of me.
Plus after a period for time not just the skin, the wood will become more dry(season) that's when you will find the erhu sound become more rich/mellow.
of course for me one of the other reason is also because its expensive and I wanted it to last longer as I don't think I can afford another erhu for now.
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Post by fatpanda on Jul 29, 2017 0:58:09 GMT
Oh, good! I was worried there. What happens when you put too much lanolin on the python skin? Was told that too much moisture to snake skin will disintegrate. At first I put on lanolin coz teacher said my snake skin too dry, if too dry, the skin will crack. Guess, the idea is to not make it too dry (olive oil, lanolin) or too moist (air dry or iron dry{at your own risk}). |
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Post by yuhongmei123 on Jul 29, 2017 13:16:41 GMT
FYI there's a reason why a good and expensive erhu skin is normally thicker and tighter because the maker want the erhu lifespan to last longer. A new erhu with tight skin will sounds soft and sharp. But you play it for a period for time the skin will become loosen and softens, that when tone starts to be louder, round and clear. And this will help sound stays good for a longer period of time before it starts to deteriorate. When I got my first erhu, I too wanted it to become more loosen so I did try a few method as well, so that the sound will become better. But when I got my 2nd erhu which is a lot more expensive, I didnt do that. I started to play a lot more often and I feel that my skill and my erhu improve together. when I play I feel that this erhu is part of me. Plus after a period for time not just the skin, the wood will become more dry(season) that's when you will find the erhu sound become more rich/mellow. of course for me one of the other reason is also because its expensive and I wanted it to last longer as I don't think I can afford another erhu for now. Thank you Eugene for bringing this to light! While looking for new tips to break in the erhu faster, I missed that by breaking in your erhu by playing lots and lots may take longer than some listed techniques, but it will improve the erhu's sound and the person's skill at the same time. |
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(other erhu hacks are welcome on this thread)
