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Post by maaltan on Aug 30, 2006 10:04:13 GMT
That is a beautiful bow... I didn't know they made more decorative erhu bows. You could try stringing it with UNWAXED dental floss (waxed will do a number and 7/8 on your bow hair) until your strings show up. 3-4 strands for A and 6-8 for D string. twisted together and strung normally. Sounds horrible and a pain to play (very light touch) but its something to try if you suffer too much erhu withdrawal. it will stretch horribly for about 3-4 hours but will actually stablize. My laptop is next to where I practice my erhu and one thing leads to another. basicly every time I check the forum I start thinking of erhu and i start practicing and vice versa. ehh whatever keeps me practicing i guess.
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Post by calden on Aug 30, 2006 13:48:46 GMT
Shadrad:
Glad you're in with us. Erhu is great, ain't it?
The tuning pegs can be tricky. This has nothing to do with hand strength, by the way. You can get the pegs to grip in one of two ways. First, try going to a violin music store and buying a tube of compound made for this. It looks like a short tube of dark brown lipstick, and made by W.E. Hill company. This makes the pegs turn smoothly but grip at the same time.
Or, if you're feeling cheap and you don't want to shell out more bucks (pounds?) for erhu-related junk, just grabe a piece of chalk and dust the pegs, as Grandmaster David suggested. That ought to help them grip almost as well.
Whatever you do, do not use rosin on the pegs. This will help them stay put, but it builds up over time and can become gummy and part of the finish.
As was also suggested, you can lightly sand the peg. Your problem is likely a slight high spot on a part of the peg that prevents full surface contact, so it can't grip. You can find this spot easily by using a soft lead pencil and lightly drawing on the inside of the peg hole (you'll have to wipe this off later because it's a lubricant, but that's easy.) Then insert the peg slowly until you have contact, then withdraw it and you'll see graphite where the peg first contacted the hole - and I bet you'll see a couple of small spots rather than a nice, fat, evenly distributed ring. If so, lightly sand those marks off and you'll be sanding the high spots. If you do this, use fine grade sandpaper, like 220, at first, and see if it does any good. If not, go to the next rougher grade like 200 if you can find it or 180. You don't want to be changing the shape of the peg, just gently getting rid of the high bumps.
Once you've gotten more used to playing and these little problems have been ironed out, you'll find that this is really quite a cheap and easy instrument to maintain. I'm accustomed to playing several stringed instruments in a professional band and after ten years I'm weary of hauling around multiple cases of things to gigs. I dream of being a solo erhu-ist, walking into a venue with a couple of small cases and a satchel, and being ready to go in a few minutes.
Carlos
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Post by sanmenxia on Aug 30, 2006 14:54:25 GMT
I find that the pegs' position in the neck is not fixed, I mean by how far they fit into the holes. If you push the pegs more into the hole, it's harder to turn but they don't slip, and if they're not pushed into the hole far enough they will slip. I once tuned an erhu that had what I suppose were good fitting pegs, you can feel it as you're turning the pegs, they turn smoothly and the pitch goes up gradually whereas bad or tight pegs are jerky. Often you get cracking noises when you turn pegs that are too tight. Unforfunately on my erhu it's either hard to turn but doesn't slip, or easy to turn but slips. So I use fine tuners for the final tuning.
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Post by maaltan on Aug 30, 2006 20:30:03 GMT
on the subject of fine tuners, I was reading something somewhere about non metal ones (wood or plastic can't remember) that smoothly deformed the string rather than the sharp bend the metal ones make (or so ive been told). Plus being non-metal and hopefully a different resonant nature will prevent it from changing the tune of the erhu.
Or maybe i just imagined it. ahh well it cant hurt to ask i guess.
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Post by damien on Sept 4, 2006 13:58:10 GMT
Welcome shadrad.....Im pretty new to the Erhu too but can't say i get much trouble with the tuning pegs. I just try to push them in as far as i can so while you are turning push at the same time, i know it is just common sense but that's all i got, sorry.
I got my new professional white hair bow and believe me the qulity of the bow is so much better than the black ones that came with my Erhu. Not just because it is white hair and rosin is supposed to stick to it better but because the tension and tightness of the bow is great, so less stretching with the right hand.
And what ever you do, don't get ebony bridges, it really does drain the sound out.
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Post by davidmdahl on Sept 4, 2006 20:59:50 GMT
In my experience, the "right" bridge depends on the skin, strings, and the phase of the moon. <g> An ebony bridge might sound great on one erhu and crummy on another. You just have to experiment.
Best wishes,
David
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Post by song on Sept 5, 2006 2:08:53 GMT
I'm glad you like the bow Damien. Well, about ebony bridges, David is absolutely right. Its depends on your erhu actually. It works well on most erhu, giving it a more mellow tone, which some prefer and some loathe. You can try positioning the bridge slightly higher than the centre of the snakeskin. See if it makes a difference.
Thanks, Sung Wah
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Post by davidmdahl on Sept 5, 2006 4:01:44 GMT
I got my new professional white hair bow and believe me the qulity of the bow is so much better than the black ones that came with my Erhu. Not just because it is white hair and rosin is supposed to stick to it better but because the tension and tightness of the bow is great, so less stretching with the right hand. Be careful not to overtighten the bow hair. If the hair is as tight as on a violin bow, that is way too tight for erhu. Best wishes, David
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Post by calden on Sept 5, 2006 4:46:43 GMT
Good way to get the bow tight:
With a good right-hand bow position, push your slackened bow against the strings as if you are loosely playing the nei xian (okay, that's the low string) without a lot of finger tension pushing the hair against the string. Because the bow is loosened, the wood bow will be pushing against the string, and because the hair is slack, it is squeezed between the wood and the string, Now tighten it up JUST TO THE POINT that the tension on the hair keeps the bow away from the string when held loosely in this playing position.
Carlos
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Post by song on Sept 5, 2006 8:33:18 GMT
Personally, I like my bow to be a bit loose actually. I find that a loose bow produces a tone that is less tense and handles better.
Yeah, an erhu bow ain't a violin bow.
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Post by damien on Sept 7, 2006 19:20:45 GMT
I have done the test and found that making it loose does actually sound a touch better but when loose you can make the hair bounce off the strings while bowing quick. I find you can be accurate when tight and don't need to pull the hair too much with your right hand. My white hair bow has thick hair not like my original black hair one that came with my Erhu, the hair sometimes rubs both strings but i think this is just down to composure and does not cause too many problems. I guess each to there own but either way, I like my bow
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Post by damien on Sept 12, 2006 12:09:38 GMT
Just a quick question.
What is the tension like on peoples strings? Is it very tight or fairly loose? Or does it differ?
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Post by calden on Sept 12, 2006 12:40:52 GMT
When I play I have noticed that if I'm bouncing around then the bow is too tight, and I need to back it off half a turn or so.
Here's a pitch for Yinhao and Song: One of my teachers said if you're playing regularly, like, oh, four times a week, you'd need a new bow once a year. So get your paypal accounts in line.
Carlos
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Post by maaltan on Sept 13, 2006 0:11:57 GMT
i have found i like a tighter tension for faster songs. It helps me change strings faster.
On slower notes its harder to control and can start getting bouncy as calden mentioned.
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Post by damien on Sept 27, 2006 15:27:09 GMT
So really it's just about pressure, movement and the tension of the strings. Thankyou...
As you may know i bought a white hair bow must be about a month ago now (oh how time goes so quickly these days), I rosined my bow and made sure alot was on there in powder form and shaking it lightly after to get rid of any little lumps of rosin, and sure thing after bowing nearly everyday for atleast an hour i have not needed anymore rosin. Yet when i had the black hair it needed rosin all the time, so thanks to Carlos and the others for the advice.
Also has anyone found any Erhu tuners on ebay or anything? I still don't have one and play it by ear by going to a violin website and listening to the two middle strings being played in audio samples.
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Post by paulv on Sept 27, 2006 18:03:41 GMT
............ Also has anyone found any Erhu tuners on ebay or anything? I still don't have one and play it by ear by going to a violin website and listening to the two middle strings being played in audio samples. .............. damien, If you're using a PC, go to this URL and download the tuner: www.aptuner.com/cgi-bin/aptuner/apmain.htmlRegards, Paul...
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Post by damien on Sept 28, 2006 19:07:00 GMT
I know, i have it Paul but it seems to change and not very accurate.
Thats why really i could do with a proper tuner.....Thanks for the try.
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Post by davidmdahl on Sept 28, 2006 20:34:16 GMT
I know, i have it Paul but it seems to change and not very accurate. Thats why really i could do with a proper tuner.....Thanks for the try. I use a Sabine MT9000 tuner/metronome. It can produce a desired pitch as well as indicate how in-tune a pitch is being played. There are other tuners that look good as well that are available at any guitar or general music shop. I think several Korg tuners are pretty popular. You should be able to bring your erhu to a music store and try out different tuners and see which of them suits you best. www.music123.com/Sabine-MT9000-Tuner-Metronome-i93676.musicBest wishes, David
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Post by calden on Sept 28, 2006 21:04:12 GMT
Don't forget to also daily try to tune it by ear using a tone (piano, tuner with tone, etc.) Find the A and match it, by ear, then tune the D string to the A, by ear. Then, after doing your best, check it with the tuner.
Yeah, yeah, you're not going to be accurate for the first X times (10, 20, 100, etc.) but you are giving your ear a good workout, and this will translate to being on pitch when playing.
Carlos
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Post by jetz320 on Sept 28, 2006 22:13:43 GMT
Yeah. Most people tune it according to the piano. My conductor tunes with a sheng. What's creepy though is that he can tell if the sheng is off too.
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Post by davidmdahl on Sept 28, 2006 23:17:40 GMT
Yeah. Most people tune it according to the piano. My conductor tunes with a sheng. What's creepy though is that he can tell if the sheng is off too. But a Sabine or Korg tuner fits into an erhu case a lot easier than does a piano. <g> Best wishes, David
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Post by paulv on Sept 29, 2006 14:08:02 GMT
I know, i have it Paul but it seems to change and not very accurate. Thats why really i could do with a proper tuner.....Thanks for the try. Damien, I don't understand why you're having problems with AP Tuner -- mine works great and I've checked it against a tuning fork and it's right on. I do have a small computer microphone clipped to the rear of the erhu's resonator box which is better than trying to use the built-in microphone on a laptop. Also have an electronic tuner I keep in the erhu case for group practice/concerts. Regards, paul...
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Post by sanmenxia on Sept 29, 2006 14:39:49 GMT
"My conductor tunes with a sheng. What's creepy though is that he can tell if the sheng is off too. "
Sounds like he's got absolute pitch (perfect pitch), most people have relative pitch.
I use a tuning fork for tuning, although a combined tuner with metronome would be very, very useful, I think I'll need to get one, mainly for the metronome. If you haven't got a reference note to tune to you could also tune to a recording from a CD etc. A weird thing is I have a CD of the ten Liu Tianhua solos played by Wang Guotong but his erhu is tuned to D flat and A flat, a semitone/halfstep lower than the standard D and A.
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Post by maaltan on Sept 29, 2006 14:49:36 GMT
There is a bar on the left side of the window (ap tuner) that changes the threshold where it starts scanning. Drag it about 1/4 inch under the typical volume you are using to tune by.
Also, laptops are notorious for crappy sound cards. AC line frequency bleeds into the input/mic channel causing a 60hz (50hz or whatever they use where you live) buzz in all recordings. the simple solution is to run off of battery power when recording/tuning.
Also, I might be your bowing technique. Play very firm and loud when tuning. I find it gives me the most stable tone.
On this note, place your microphone where the input volume thing in ap tuner goes about 3/4 of the way up. If you go to the top you are clipping the waveform since the hardware can't handle the volume. Basically the top and bottom of each audio wave is chopped off and leveled off at max volume. Im sure you have heard the effect in recordings before. A strange buzzing when the volume gets too loud. This messes up AP tuner royally. I would assume this would be true with any electronic tuner.
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Post by sanmenxia on Sept 29, 2006 15:03:21 GMT
Re problem with AP tuner, might be because of unsteady bowing...
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