Hello! (Brand-new erhu player)

[amadhia]

Hi!

I couldn’t find an “Introductions” area, so I’m hoping this “General Chat” area is the right place to make introductions.

First, I want to thank Charlie and David for creating and for maintaining these forums.  Just the little I was able to see as a guest made things a lot easier with my first days with my erhu.  Real, applicable info on the erhu was super hard to find.  So thank you.  I really appreciate you taking the time and effort to put this all together.

After dreaming about getting an erhu for years, and being so frustrated that I couldn’t bring one back with me when I spent some time in China, I finally got an erhu of my very own!

I’m both geeked and overwhelmed.  I’ve never played a bowed instruement before, (though I play classical flute, bamboo flute, and Celtic harp... and make somewhat harmonic noises on shakuhachi, guitar and piano).

I feel so full of questions, I hardly know where to begin — most of which revolving around how to not damage the beautiful, new instrument, and how to not develop bad habits while I self-teach.

And I’m looking forward to just chit-chatting about things erhu and Asian music with others who feel drawn to them too.

~Amadhia

[davidmdahl]

Welcome to our forum, Amadhia, and congratulations on your erhu. It is a challenging instrument even without a teacher, but fortunately there are lots of videos online. If you are observant, it is possible to get tips from watching videos. You also might check on the course offered by Eason Music at Learn Erhu.

As for avoiding damage to your erhu, it is mostly the same treatment you would provide to other instruments made of natural materials. Avoid extremes of temperature and humidity, and keep out of reach of pets and inquisitive children. For example, don't expose to direct sunlight. It is a good idea to wipe off excess rosin that can collect on the strings and snake skin. For the wood parts, just wipe with a clean and soft cloth. Some people put some sort of moisturizer on the snake skin. Maybe this depends on the local climate, but I never put anything on the snake skin.

Best wishes,

David

[amadhia]

Jun 7, 2018 20:05:37 GMT davidmdahl said:

Welcome to our forum, Amadhia, and congratulations on your erhu. It is a challenging instrument even without a teacher, but fortunately there are lots of videos online. If you are observant, it is possible to get tips from watching videos. You also might check on the course offered by Eason Music at Learn Erhu.

As for avoiding damage to your erhu, it is mostly the same treatment you would provide to other instruments made of natural materials. Avoid extremes of temperature and humidity, and keep out of reach of pets and inquisitive children. For example, don't expose to direct sunlight. It is a good idea to wipe off excess rosin that can collect on the strings and snake skin. For the wood parts, just wipe with a clean and soft cloth. Some people put some sort of moisturizer on the snake skin. Maybe this depends on the local climate, but I never put anything on the snake skin.

Best wishes,

David

Thank you David!  It’s only been ~3 days since I got it and I’m already loving it.

It’s good to know that the course offered by Eason Music is a good one!  Thanks for letting me know it gets your stamp of approval!  (I got a “beginners erhu” kindle book in English and was disappointed... so... became skittish of spending ~$100 for something that might turn out to also be iffy.)

I’ve been pouring over YouTube videos, and my bow-hand aches (in a good way) from being used in ways it never has before. :)

Thanks for letting me know about wiping the rosin from the strings and snake-skin!  (I was wondering about that!)

I’ll be keeping a close watch on the snake skin, I currently live in southern Arizona where it’s dry-as-a-bone.

Thanks again!  (And thanks for keeping up with the forums! I can imagine it can be like a second job!)

[juliek]

Hi!

I am new to, so welcome to us both . I have had my erhu a few weeks, but went on holiday so have also only had a few days practice. I also played classical flute, although I don't anymore, and this is my first string instrument.

I thought Eason music looked quite good to. I have also found Ling Pen's youtube videos really useful (I think she does a video course as well) and also Patty Chan's book Bridging the Gap has been very very helpful! The hard copies are very expensive so I have the android app version.

[randal]

Hello! I'm also newish - began studying late last year.

I began music with classical guitar as a youth, then flamenco. Bach and flamenco consumed me for the subsequent decades, but eventually I began to develop hand/wrist issues (which I attributed to too much guitar). I spent the past decade primarily playing violin, oud, and lever harp.

I started studying guzheng late last year.

[brunah]

Hello, I'm new here and see that others also started here to tell they are new.
I play piano, violin and cello and now I got a zhonghu and hope I can learn myself playing on. There's no teacher in the neighborhood (in the circle of 200 km around me) so I try to learn from teachers online till the moment that I can get a teacher (natural).

My piano training was very classical and from the moment I learned playing violin and cello, I was more and more interested in the sounds of other cultures. My repertoire became more and more of the kind worldmusic and I was asked to join a folk band (repertoire folk from everywhere). I also played in a klezmerband and all of these experiences opened for me a new world in music after the very nice classical music on piano. I still love classical music and also play that on my bowing instruments.

Now, with my zhonghu, and on this forum, a new world is opening for me. I never could think before that I would start learning playing a zhonghu!
I hope I have a nice and inspiring time with you all here on this nice forum! Thanks for making that possible!