beginner seeks advise

[Si]

Hi all,

I have loved the Gu Qin for years and now i have decided to try to learn it. Previously I learnt Er-hu but sort of gave up because my teacher was changed and I really prefer the gu qin sound.

Now, I m living in shanghai these days and there are lots of teachers but I only speak simple chinese and cannt read it. Basic first question - I am I wasting my time to attempt to learn it with minimal chinese skill.

Second, I learnt the Chinese 12345 music system when I was studying er-hu. Is this system ok for learning the Qu Qin? Are there any sites where I can get a primer as I am a bit rusty on the symbols etc?

What can I do to give me some help and additional training, so that I will not be totally lost.

If only there were more english instructional info out there!!!

Cheers - Simon

[Charlie Huang]

Calm down dear!

Number notation is not much use when it comes to learning qin. You need to learn qin notation in order to progress. Chinese would help, but it's not very essential. For a good source that explains qin notation, you should first go to my article (see my signature) and go down to the bottom of the page where there I have listed loads of links. Under sites dealing with notation, there is a link to Judy Peiyou's qin site. She systematically goes through all the most common fingerings and notation. Another thing I advise you is to get Li Xiangting's and Gong Yi's VCDs and books. The VCDs are essential, coz even though they do it in Chinese, you can get the gist out of them by watching what they are doing.

As for training, since you are in Shanghai, it's best to try and find some teachers in the area. Try and find Gong Yi, etc. Language may be difficult but if you presist, you can correct a lot of bad habits and be enlightened by them enough to progress further.

[Si]

I spoke to Gong Yi today on the phone. He charges 300rmb - 1 on 1 which is a bit steep for Shanghai (although he is a professor so he can change a lot I suppose), and as Im such a beginner I really dont want to waste his time. But he said he will have a class of foreigners soon - so I can take part in that - I hope.

So If I just buy a qin on my own, you think I can make progress?

You said that the chinese notes system is not usefull, but do you mean to say that you only use the qin note system by its self???

Cheers - Simon

[YouLanFengChune]

300 rmb is OK for Gong Yi!

Trust me. Don't reduce pprices. Its not a matter of moneyt but of face, if you know the chinese system of "face".

When you buy Qin, try and get those at least reputable.
I just managed to secure some qin from an old Qin workshop in China. The maker became paralysed due to sickness, and i bought out all he had. Most sound quite good, though the price is rather cheap, usually under $1000.

[calden]

Syburn:

Hi - I wandered over from the erhu forum. I'm a closet guqin admirer. I'm also waiting for both of my kids to get to college (four years!) so I can move to Shanghai or Taipei or somewhere to really study erhu. I admire you for being there! Shanghai is one of my favorite world cities.! The culture! The food! The shopping! The circus-like traffic! It's all great.

I would think studying with a known master for 300 rmb is probably a good deal. That works out to about $37! It may be because you're a foreigner (I assume you're not ethnically Chinese, could be wrong) but it's still not bad. There are lots of people - me for one - who certainly pay that much and more for the privelege of living in Shanghai and studying with a music master.

I was also going to suggest contacting the music academy - can't remember the name - Yin Yue Xue Yuan probably - out west of the city center in the French section, right?

Good luck! Waiting to hear your guqin adventures.

Carlos

[Charlie Huang]

300RMB = $37 = £18. That, gentleman, is cheap as chips! Is that for one hour or a day? Either way, still cheap if you ask me.

Yes, you can basically learn a qin score directly from qin notation (if you can't, then they'll be no qin music, would there?). You learn from tablatures, it's not like staff where you simutaniously read and play at the same time. This is called dapu. Of course, there's more to it, but I'm not going to write an essay right now.

[davidmdahl]

After going it alone, studying with so-so teachers, and studying with good teachers, I can testify that a good teacher can make the difference between success and disillusionment. One might think that you don't need a master teacher at the very beginning, but that may be one of the best times to get top-notch help. If you can start out correctly and not form bad habits, rapid progress is more likely, and you will spend less time along the way strugglng with the results of bad habits.

Some great masters don't like to teach beginners and are more effective for advanced students who already have accomplished technique, but others love to teach at all levels. It may take some investigation to find out about Gong Yi. He may be a gold mine of inspiration and get you started right.

If you truly cannot afford regular lessons with a great master, ask for a referral to one of his students. I don't know how this would be received in China, but it is a common thing in the USA.

Best wishes,

David

[calden]

Syburn:

I fully agree with David's remarks about beginners with master teachers.

If this guy is really the genuine article then I'd jump on this opportunity and do exactly whatever it is he tells you to do - even if the exercises or whatever seem odd or unrelated to learning what you think you want to learn.

If you learn technique the right way at the very first then learning in the future will be so much easier. You'll be able to pick up tunes quickly and won't be sidetracked by bad technique. I've taught music on and off for years and can testify that students who take the time to learn things right in the first few months simply sound better and enjoy playing more after that point.

By the way, what are you doing in Shanghai?

Carlos

[Si]

Yes 300rmb (for 1 hour) is a fare price for the Professor of Gu Qin at Shanghai Conservatory. He said to me that he has a few Wei Guo Ren also interested and that he will try to arrange a grounp of us for a class. I'm more happy with that at first.

His student Dia Xiao Lian (I think) is also available at this new Gu Qin Shop outside the conservartory, so i will check that out too.

Seems the normal price is about 60-80rmb, for normal teachers.

I am working in Shanghai as a designer.

If any of you visit Shanghai, this special Gu Qin shop is really nice. Old men teaching, qin books on all the shelves, seems like a full collection of ROI qin CD's (which I was very suprised at because you can not get imported CD's in China unless they are Pirates- I usually have to buy all my Qin CD in Singpaore or HK)
They have gatherings on Saturdays too!!

[Charlie Huang]

Gong Yi is definately a 'master' player! He does do beginners. He taught in the CMSS in the UK a few years ago (he's doing it this years as well), and he does teach beginners. He even wrote teaching manuals so he definately is geared towards beginners as well as the more advanced.

Go for it, coz once he gets an agent (like LXT did), his prices might go even higher...