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Bridge
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Body |
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Stand |
Tuning Slide |
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Roller |
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String |
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The Yangqin, which literally means foreign
instrument in Chinese, had originated from the Middle East.
It was first introduced into China during the Ming Dynasty (1600
A.D.) and is similar to the European dulcimer in construction.
As the Cantonese Yangqin was once made in the shape of a butterfly,
it was also called Butterfly-qin.
The Yangqin is played with a pair of bamboo sticks. With gradual
improvement, stops have been added to provide semitones and
to increase the range of the instrument. Slides and rollers
have also been added to facilitate modulation and ensure a quicker
and more accurate tuning. The Yangqin is capable of producing
not only single notes, but also chords and quick arpeggios.
It is widely used as both a solo and accompanying instrument,
and remains one of the principal instruments in a Chinese orchestra. |
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