How to hold the erhu bow and make right sound

[@garnetblack5544]

So I recently picked up an erhu as a bit of an impulse buy. I haven't really played much with it, because the instruction I've found so far has almost always assumed an existing understanding of the instrument. That said, your instruction is very clear and easy to understand. Thank you for making this video, you covered things I never would have considered on my own

[@musichong]

It depends on your feeling (hand size), normally the qianjin from the stick to the string are from 38-42mm. Some stylish music maybe bigger, because the vibratos more like press the strings.

[@DerbyJammer]

New to the Erhu. Best bowing video that I have seen. Like the "figure-eight" tip.

[@musichong]

Thanks!

[@lylanormand6340]

I've been really struggling with bowing as a beginner and this video helped me so much! Thank you very much for uploading it, it was very clear and easy to understand

[@deeprollingriver52]

I just ordered my erhu. I’m going to have a lot of fun. Thank you for this lesson!😊

[@khaleemaalkainaat8178]

I just got mine too and I love it! Erhu is such a fun instrument to learn

[@akkin5460]

Thanks for the tutorial it’s a lot more specific than others

[@BeefNoodleDry]

I was planning to buy an Erhu! If you post more it'll definitely motivate me to get it! Thanks for uploading

[@musichong]

Thanks! Please check the video I post recently. 1)kzbin.info/www/bejne/bmO1aHuCipV9e5o, 2) kzbin.info/www/bejne/o33JapWgebmLa5Y, please check my eBay Store. For the prices, please email me.

[@Redheadedlady55]

~I want to purchase the instrument also...but will wait until I get more info....this guy knows what he is talking about.

[@FabiolaSimac]

From Mexico ❤thank you very much for your videos

[@palewine]

This was helpful! Please make more, I just bought an erhu and am trying to make a good tone with it.

[@musichong]

YES, I will make more free videos for the erhu lovers.

[@leif1075]

@@musichong Shouldnt the hair part of the bow be on the outisde away from your body and not the way it is here??

[@musichong]

@@leif1075 I just post a new video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gqvCqqqMZdWchKM

[@LeahBouley]

All I can seem to make is a screeching sound lol

[@musichong]

@@LeahBouley At east you could make a sound! It just like a baby they are crying and yelling, finally, they could talk to you!:)

[@peterkung6793]

I would like to supplement 3 points on driving the bow in order to get a nice sound: 1/ the bow should always move in a straight line from end to end. Watch the end of the bow while you are pulling or pushing it. It should move in a straight line, but not swinging left and right. 2/ the bow should always be moving in horizontal direction. 3/ keep the speed of the bow steady, that is constant speed. Keep these 3 things in mind, then try different right hand fingers force to press the bow to find the right pressure that could get a nice sound. The nice sound is the result of right combination of bow speed and pressure. Wish this help.

[@musichong]

You have a good enhancement to the three-points! This video is NOT for everybody before I post it on KZbin. Someone bought a erhu from me, but have no teachers around the area, I recorded the video for her, after years there are some buyers have the same questions, so I decided to share it to all on KZbin.😀

[@peterkung6793]

@@musichong One more thing I think every erhu learner should know is,: training your right hand to control the bow is much important than practicing your left hand fingers. My erhu teacher told me that when she examine erhu student, she give 75% marks on right hand technique and 25% on left hand.

[@musichong]

@@peterkung6793 right hand produces quality sound, but left hand produce musical “languages”. For the beginners probably concentrate on one hand, but playing the erhu is a whole body relationship, both of hands have different functions, but they need corporation.

[@peterkung6793]

@@musichong I have point out the importance of right hand because like me, almost all beginners concertrate their attention on left hand fingering, but ignored the importance of sound quality which is much more important.

[@musichong]

@@peterkung6793 it’s good for you! But for most of beginners I would like teach them how to balance and how to coordinate the corporation of the two hands.

[@alyssamarescalco1431]

Thank you so much for this tutorial it instantly helped me sound better!

[@ribos2762]

great tutorial, thank you very much, it cleared up many of my confusions, so press the bow string with the middle and index fingers to play the inner string, press the bow with the thumb to player the outer string

[@JiLUSZtudio]

Thank you for sharing your techniques here. Appreciated!

[@duncan3417]

Great lesson. They play this style in Viet-Nam as well. Best Wishes

[@musichong]

to Western listeners, the music is similar, even most Chinese people couldn't recognize the difference between some regional music, of course, the music styles are different in playing methods.

[@herry74]

Thank you so much, i have this problem earlier with my low power sound of outer string, ill try this later

[@musichong]

If you have any question, please feel free to contact me. Some basic playing tech or buy the huqin (erhu).

[@NiekopTube]

Thanks; very instructive! Could you also shed some light on the left hand technique? How far should I push the strings to the neck?

[@musichong]

YES, I could make another video late.

[@Redheadedlady55]

~Yes...plz tell us anything that will get us playing this beautiful instrument.

[@mobilenerdgames]

i just picked up an erhu thanks for the video i have tried to tune it to d4 and e4 that's right so far i know,, so sometimes i get like an undertone like a iiiiiiiii or a long constant scream. i have a cheap one i think thats why the sound is not so good. i try to play evry day 30 minutes i can not play longer my Nabors will kill me lol. in the moment i just try to make a steady sound. thanks for the video good to know not to tight the bow

[@musichong]

If possible, you could send a short video to [e-mail], I may help you to resolve the problem.

[@kemae]

Thank you!

[@jeremiahmathews1650]

Thanks

[@cleoxboba]

Thank you now I am more confident to pass my grade 6 exam

[@vinsenanda]

Very helpful, thank you 🙏🏻

[@Redheadedlady55]

~Thank you SO much for an informative video...🙂

[@wilsonwong7085]

When you play do you hit both stings with the bow each time you pull/push or are you angling it to hit the D and A string separately? I've only ever played the piano so string instruments are very new to me. Thanks!

[@musichong]

Hi Wilson, It's the same as all the bowed string instruments, when you play the melodies, it only plays one string either inner or outer (or different strings), except playing the harmony like the violin or some other string instruments could play two strings in the same time. This video shared my experience of how to control your bow and smoothly move the horse hair between two strings of the erhu.

[@tonitram]

Merci 🙏✅

[@mintstreaks]

My erhu does not make sound with bow? Any ideas?

[@musichong]

You probably forgot to put rosin on the bow hair.

[@lxcky21]

I just received an erhu and this video is really helpful. Thank you! I tend to use my two middle fingers to kinda spread the bow open, with my ring finger pressing on the hair and my middle finger pushing the stick out, is that a bad habit forming?

[@musichong]

Thumb press down to bend the bow stick for outer string.

[@lxcky21]

@@musichong Oh! That makes a lot of sense, thank you so much!

[@RindikBaliArt]

Amazing tutorial, +1subscribed n liked🙏

[@Redheadedlady55]

~Can you give info on which erhu to purchase first?

[@musichong]

Everything depends on the budget. I prefer to buy a good one, I could use it for a long time. Even I don't use it, it is still a valuable musical instrument. If you want to have more information, please feel free to contact me at [e-mail].

[@eminale3201]

The bamboo keeps touching the outside string when I play the inner string. Does that because of my bow?

[@musichong]

NO, you didn't use your thumb to keep the bamboo stick on the side of the string.

[@southpark5555]

Excellent video! One ultra important question is - if I may ask it is ----- does the 'qianjin' need to be at some precise position along the neck? Just asking because I'm amazed how erhu players know exactly which position along the string to press in order to get a precise pitch. But - from one erhu to another different erhu, the qianjin can be at a different height or level, so would that different set-up impact negatively an erhu musician's finger position 'calibration'? And - even though an erhu player has no markers or positions along the erhu neck to know where to press the string - to reliably get the correct pitch, and even though people do rely on their own memory and brain memory for string-pressing at the 'correct' points ----- I really think it is extraordinary how erhu players really do reliably (and somehow) hit the right notes precisely - at will - all the time. I have no idea how they do that. It is surprising - because the erhu really hasn't got marker locations. And one erhu might have a different qianjin level when compared with another erhu. This could lead to a nice video about methods for erhu players to calibrate their erhu so that their remembered finger positions will always result in the correct note/pitch.

[@musichong]

the qian jin is normally from the bright to the qianjin position about 41-43cm, the width is about 38-42mm.

[@southpark5555]

@@musichong Thanks Hong! Much appreciated!

[@wave122101]

Are you currently teaching private session

[@musichong]

I don't teach now, but I could teach. I used to teach students in the San Francisco Bay Area.

[@Theslavedrivers]

Are you playing one or both strings at a time?

[@musichong]

Yes, tuning, or hair with bow stick for some pieces.

[@Theslavedrivers]

@@musichong I don't understand. What is the difference between the outer and inner strings. Do you usually play just one at a time?

[@musichong]

@@Theslavedrivers when you play melody, YES, you only use one of strings to play the notes.

[@Theslavedrivers]

@@musichong I see, thank you. Does the key of the tune affect which string you choose?

[@musichong]

@@Theslavedrivers yes,if you want to play a song, find out the lowest and highest notes from the melody, then you could decide which key is perfect for it.

[@JosiahWillis-u7q]

How loose should the bow hair be?

[@musichong]

@@JosiahWillis-u7qUsually the bow can be a little loose for slow songs and tighter for fast songs.

[@JosiahWillis-u7q]

@@musichong Ahh thank you!

[@maxseikatsu1485]

i still not get it i im not getting any Right Tones on an Open String in my case it sounds more like an swipe on the String

[@maxseikatsu1485]

is there a specified Tutorial on how to basiclly get an Tone from an Open String?!

[@musichong]

@@maxseikatsu1485 YES, I was planing tpo post some video about getting right tone. But it really take time to do it. For sure, I will post something late.

[@kanatohito]

It is so piao liang

[@gayakunoku]

To much about your speak english then how to play that instrument.

[@musichong]

@@gayakunoku あなたが中国語を理解できるなら、私は中国語を話すことができます。パフォーマンスのデモンストレーションは説明と組み合わせる必要があります。

[@NickTimmer]

I can't watch 240p.

[@musichong]

I’m so sorry for that, this was a old video I recorded for an erhu buyer many years ago. You could check other video I post. Thanks!

[@levy7749]

Mine isn’t even make a sound haha

[@musichong]

Keep the horsehair on the string and moving for sound!:)