Erhu sound area and handle position

In fact, the sound range of the erhu is only the part of the outer string, plus the 4 notes of the inner string. A total of 3 groups of notes, 3 octaves. Erhu has only two strings, and they are close together, so string handles are inevitable. There is no dispute about this. The key is whether to clearly define the position in performance and teaching. Since Mr. Liu Tianhua introduced Erhu into the classroom, he has clearly distinguished the positions. And it is based on this in performance and teaching, and it is also based on this when assigning fingerings to music, which has played a very important role in the development history of erhu.
With the development of national music, new thinking has emerged in the performance of erhu. For new repertoires, rehearsing according to the old tradition does not apply. Therefore, some people have proposed that the erhu is not divided into positions, and how to play the middle finger is convenient. Some people even suggested that the "top key" playing method should not be used, and simply changed to "fixed key" playing method. These thinking methods are debatable.

First of all, it should be understood that the erhu is a national musical instrument, a national musical instrument with unique Chinese characteristics and ethnic customs. Compared with the piano and violin, although there are lessons to be learned, it has its own characteristics in its application. Erhu has only two strings and they are close together. When playing, the pressing finger only moves up and down, not left and right. The fingertips are like being placed on a string. That is to say, the fingering of the erhu has only the kung fu of upper and lower, and only the knowledge of upper and lower, and the knowledge of upper and lower is the string.
My point of view is: in the creation of erhu repertoire, in the practice of etudes and music, there may be no concept of position. The fingering is scientific and convenient. In theory, there should be a concept of position in the teaching of erhu, which will lay a good foundation for students and practitioners in the scientific preparation of fingerings; and lay a good foundation for understanding the relationship between intervals and whole tones and semitones. The concept of the position of each note on the piano is clearer, so that the fingering can be used freely, and the blindness and confusion of fingering can be avoided.
This is a process from rules to no rules, from necessity to freedom, and from prescribed formulas to free play. In the teaching and practice of piano fingering, there are also standardized fingering exercises of one, two, one two, one two three, one two three, one two three four, one two three four. It has laid a solid foundation for the performers to play freely and dazzling techniques in the future, and heralded a sufficient artistic space. If there are no rules, there will be no circle, and without rules, there will be no nature. This is the development law of general things, and the fingering of the erhu is also the same.

There are three main types of erhu handles

The first: one two, one two three, one two three, one two three, one two three four four: one, two, three, four.
The second type: one two three, one two three, one two three, one two three four four: one, two, three, four.
The third type: one two three four, one two three four, one two three four, one two three four four: one, two, three, four.
With the concept of the position, the awareness of the phoneme is higher when playing. Provoked, the idea is clear, the concept is clear.
The above three are all bitmap conversions. There are also half-position and mixed-position strings, such as: one-two, one-two, one-two-two, one-two: one, two, three, etc.
A handle is a sound zone, and a handle is a concept of pitch and interval. There are three or four phonemes in each zone. It is easier to remember the position of the handle in the "big jump" than to remember the position of the note, and it is more guaranteed to grasp the pitch of the note.
Stringing is an important technical means in erhu performance. Correct posture, natural and unrestrained posture, speed and natural connection between the handle positions are all very important, and they complement each other and are indispensable.