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How to Play ERHU

The erhu is a two stringed violin that originated in the Tang Dynasty in China during the years 618 and 907 A.D. It was often played at imperial banquets and has survived to today. It is used in many Chinese orchestra pieces. It is made out of ebony or sandalwood and stands about 3 to 4 feet tall. Playing the erhu requires bowing and placing your fingers in appropriate positions, which aren't marked by fret rests. You must also understand how the erhu is tuned to create appropriate chords.

Things You'll Need

Chair
Erhu
Bow
Tuner

Instructions

- 1
  Sit down on your chair and hold your legs slightly open and place your left foot slightly forward. Place the erhu between your legs.
- 2
  Hold the neck of the erhu in your left hand and hold the bow with the right hand between your thumb and index fingers. Make sure the angles between your left shoulder and neck and between your left arm ankle and instrument body is at a 45 degree angle.
- 3
  Push down the strings with your left hand, moving up and down the next to play higher and lower notes. Push down with your finger tips. Press firmly to avoid creating dissonance or buzzing.
- 4
  Hold the tuner against the body and play the string to the right of the instrument as it sits between your legs. Turn the knobs on the top of the neck to tune the string. Make sure the right string is at at a "D" and the left is set to "A."
- 5
  Rub the bow across the strings in a horizontal direction using your wrist. Pull it slowly to create sustained notes and pull it quickly to play faster notes.

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