Post by davidmdahl on Nov 17, 2004 5:40:10 GMT
Twilight wrote:
>>
I am Vnmese and I have the dan bau. Unfortunately, I can't make a sound on it. I have a book to learn from. It tells me to place my left hand gently on the string, but the sound just gets muffled huhuhuhuhu do you have any tips as to how I can make it play? I live in Houston, TX. If possible, can you send me a video tape showing me how to play it? I'm willing to pay all expenses. I currently play the dan tranh, dan nguyet, and would love to learn the dan bau too.
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That is great! I want to learn the dan nguyet myself. I had the great fortune in September to jam with a dan nguyet master visiting from VN. It was a lot of fun. He could also play dan nhi, and now I want to play that as well. Unfortunately the dan bau is enough of a challenge that the rest will have to wait.
The best way to learn to play the dan bau is via a teacher. I should know since I spent about six months flailing about on my own before finding a teacher. I do know someone in Houston very much connected in the traditional VN music world. Contact me privately (davidmdahl@comcast.net) and I will put you in touch with her. Maybe she will be able to help.
The dan bau is played by plucking the string while briefly touching the string with the edge of the RIGHT hand at the nodal points. In my experience it is best to pluck the string with a bamboo pick. I have tried plucking with my middle finger and with a horn pick, but bamboo works best for me.
The LEFT hand manipulates the buffalo horn "whammy bar". In Vietnamese this is known as the voi ddan. I don't know its name in Chinese.
I tune the string so that it plays the note "C" or "Do". On the piano keyboard, this is one octave below "Middle C". When you pluck the string at the first node, you will hear "Middle C".
To play the dan bau, you must locate the string's nodal points and mark on the wood under the point on the string where to pluck. I have used small bits of colored tape for this, but I have seen some players make chalk marks. The first node is at the half way point of the string. The next node is half way between node one and the whammy bar.
I will be in Austin for the first two weeks in December. Too bad it is not Houston.
That is probably enough for now. Please let me know if you have more questions, or wish my Houston contact.
Best wishes,
David Dahl
Portland, Oregon
>>
I am Vnmese and I have the dan bau. Unfortunately, I can't make a sound on it. I have a book to learn from. It tells me to place my left hand gently on the string, but the sound just gets muffled huhuhuhuhu do you have any tips as to how I can make it play? I live in Houston, TX. If possible, can you send me a video tape showing me how to play it? I'm willing to pay all expenses. I currently play the dan tranh, dan nguyet, and would love to learn the dan bau too.
<<
That is great! I want to learn the dan nguyet myself. I had the great fortune in September to jam with a dan nguyet master visiting from VN. It was a lot of fun. He could also play dan nhi, and now I want to play that as well. Unfortunately the dan bau is enough of a challenge that the rest will have to wait.
The best way to learn to play the dan bau is via a teacher. I should know since I spent about six months flailing about on my own before finding a teacher. I do know someone in Houston very much connected in the traditional VN music world. Contact me privately (davidmdahl@comcast.net) and I will put you in touch with her. Maybe she will be able to help.
The dan bau is played by plucking the string while briefly touching the string with the edge of the RIGHT hand at the nodal points. In my experience it is best to pluck the string with a bamboo pick. I have tried plucking with my middle finger and with a horn pick, but bamboo works best for me.
The LEFT hand manipulates the buffalo horn "whammy bar". In Vietnamese this is known as the voi ddan. I don't know its name in Chinese.
I tune the string so that it plays the note "C" or "Do". On the piano keyboard, this is one octave below "Middle C". When you pluck the string at the first node, you will hear "Middle C".
To play the dan bau, you must locate the string's nodal points and mark on the wood under the point on the string where to pluck. I have used small bits of colored tape for this, but I have seen some players make chalk marks. The first node is at the half way point of the string. The next node is half way between node one and the whammy bar.
I will be in Austin for the first two weeks in December. Too bad it is not Houston.
That is probably enough for now. Please let me know if you have more questions, or wish my Houston contact.
Best wishes,
David Dahl
Portland, Oregon