Pipas and Ruans

[jetz320]

yeah. in my orchestra, we're down to only 2 pipas now. kind of sad. you can not hear them at all. even their solo part is pretty quiet. in the orchestra, when dizi players use dimo (membrane paper), you can always hear them, since its such a unique and loud sound.

[frogprince]

Yea. Dizi, even only 3 players can be so loud. And there are more than 10 erhu players. Even only 2 Bass players can be heard.... strange. I bet its cos the mic never put properly

[frogprince]

Had my first lesson last week! Getting use to use my right hand to strum the strings. Kinda a bit weird as i am a left hander and my right hand is a bit not flexible. But more practices will do, i guess Its cool. I am growing more likes to the tune of pipa.

[jetz320]

thats great. you will love the instrument when you start learning solos. you cant turn the pipa a different side? people do it with dizi. does it work for pipa.

[Charlie Huang]

Surely you can change all the strings around...

[frogprince]

Is it? But anyway teacher says that we have to use both hands anyway and having the master hand to press the strings would be much better. Which i think its true.... anyway since i am learning from start..... hehe.

[czy]

pipa is cool!i love it.people learning the pipa,good for you!

[czy]

come to think of it.wat charlie said make sense.interesting idea.maybe you can try putting the 1st string on the fourth tuning peg and so on.then you can use your left hand to play.i din know that you are left handed sia, frogprince. perhaps it might work.my juniors are left handed too, and they are always complaining difficult to play with their right hand. and 1 even tilt the pipa the other way to play.bt in the end, she got scolded and she quitted ):
next time i must try....bt first get a pipa without strings first (:

[jetz320]

the strings are set to a different peg because of what note it is tuned to. if you switch the low A string to the high A peg, it wouldn't be the same am i correct? the tension is different so i think it may possibly produce a different tone.

[Charlie Huang]

You don't change which string the tuning pegs are on, you just flip the strings around. that said, you won't be abole to play the higher notes on the thinnest string since there is a shortage of frets on the left (when looking at the pipa from the front).

[frogprince]

I find that there is really no point doing anything to the pipa... if starting to play, just get yourself used to what it is. At least now i am speaking from a left hander's point of view... since you really have to use both hands to play.... right?

[czy]

to charlie:
oh ya i totally forgot all about FRETS!! how could i?

to frogprince:
true true. we use both hands. in which training our hand-hand-eye coordintation. people who learn music, their brains degenerate at a slower pace as compared to non-music players. we will response faster compared to our friends the same age. this is more obvious when people in subject are older. this sounds so PW!

[Charlie Huang]

Frogprince: I don't think you can play a right handed instrument if you are left handed (it is possible but I find it right-handed-bias). Of course, I have never met any left handed players so I can't put forward any proof of practice, but I suppose if you are a right-hander and you can't play left-handed then that's proof enough of non-switchablility.

[jetz320]

that is kind of true. i dont usually find my left hand fingers so coordinated, but there's no problem when it comes to erhu. i think the only people who do turn things are the dizi players. that i know is a fact. they turn it to their left rather than right.

[czy]

actually, in my sec sch, my juniors are left-handed and they can also play well. it just needs a little bit more effort than the right-handers.i also realised, left handers who play the pipa are definately have more coordination than right handers in whatever they do when they have somehow got the hang of the techniques. anyway, can anybody explain to me in simplified terms on how to lun clearly and loudly??? thanks! ;DDD

[shirokitsune]

In an orchestra, there arent much Pipa players. The most I've seen from a Taiwanese orchestra is probably.. About 6? And the least I've seen was just 3 players. Anyway, the Dizi is a very loud and piercing instrument. I'm going to pick up the Pipa, though. I think it's a beautiful instrument. Well, not beautiful. Beuatifullest probably describes the best.

[frogprince]

Oh, I've seen an orchestra with only one player!

Thats me! hahahaha.

[jetz320]

pipa sounds beautiful yes, but the weight and hassle with tape is a drawback for me

[shirokitsune]

Frogprince: I think it's somehow possible for you to switch all the strings for a left-hander. You see, the 2 middle strings are D and E. Both of the strings comes from the 2 upper pegs. You could switch them around and the 2 A strings around since the both strings comes from the 2 lower pegs.

[jetz320]

but the tuning pegs are in a specific order arranged for the certain tuning of the pipa strings.

[frogprince]

The good thing is that i am now used to it already Usually having more strenght in the master hand, thus weight is more leaning towards left.. and the moving of ba wei also when pressing strings.. dont know why our mentality is that left hand has to be the one strumming strings..

My colleague who is starting to learn pipa also a left hander, also mentioned to me about not used to it.. so i just convey what my teacher told me to her which makes sense.

After playing for a period will forget about the left and right issue already.