Plucked Strings Section

Yangqin (扬琴)

The yangqin is a dulcimer played using a pair of bamboo mallets rubberised on one end. Besides hitting the strings with the rubberised ends, the mallets can also be turned over to create a sharper note (this technique is called 反竹 (fanzhu)). Some songs even require the player to hold the mallets vertically and use the other end or even using the player hands to pluck. It is a versatile instrument capable of playing rapid running notes or arpeggios.

Liuqin (柳琴)

The four strings are tuned G3-D4-G4-D5. By pressing slightly above any of the frets on the instrument, one can vary the pitch of the liuqin. It is commonly played using a plectrum like in the guitar. The sound is very bright and penetrating, making it a very effective soprano instrument. Its range is similar to that of a violin.

Pipa (琵琶)

The modern-day player has to wear a set of customised acrylic nails on the right hand. From simple plucking with the thumb and index finger and saoxian (sweeping one's fingers across all strings with gusto) to yaozhi (tilting the instrument and using the middle finger to continuously cut across the strings) and lunzou (by plucking with all five fingers, one after another in a wavelike motion), the playing techniques of the pipa are visibly dimensionless. Its tuning is A2-D3-E3-A3.

Zhongruan (中阮)

Mainstream ruan players use plectrums, though there are some schools which teach the fingernail technique, similar to that of the pipa. Plectrums produce a louder and more clearer tone, which makes them suitable for orchestral use. It possesses a very mellow tone.

Guzheng (古筝)

The guzheng used in the modern-day Chinese orchestra consists of 21 strings with movable bridges. The strings are tuned to a pentatonic scale, and different scales are tuned by shifting the bridges. Some modern pieces require the guzheng tuned to non-standard scales. Some other Guzheng consist of 17 strings which produce a higher note. Like pipa players, guzheng players also have to wear synthetic nails, sometimes on both hands depending on the requirements of the piece.

For NTUCO Plucked Strings Section, the Sectional Leader for Academic Year 2011-2012 Section is Wei Long .