First, tune the guzheng to the key of D, and then lower the 1 (do) of the key of D by a semitone (shift the piano to the left) to convert it to the key of A. Guzheng is a pentatonic musical instrument, and its phonemes are arranged according to the pentatonic scale do, re, mi, sol, and la. The standard tuning of the 21-string guzheng is currently in the key of D.

Guzheng, also known as Hanzheng, Qinzheng, Yaozheng and Luanzheng, is a traditional musical instrument of the Chinese nation and belongs to the plucked instrument. It is one of the unique and important national musical instruments in China. It has beautiful timbre, wide range, rich playing skills and strong expressiveness, so it is deeply loved by the majority of people.

Guzheng strings have 19 to 26 strings, and the most commonly used size is 21 strings. Guzheng has four strings that are green or red, 3 strings, 8 strings, 13 strings, and 18 strings, respectively. The function of this color identification is to make it easier for players to distinguish the clear range. The interval relationship between the two closest green strings is an octave, and the pitch of the eighth string is a1 (a in a small group).

The unified size of the guzheng is: 1.63 meters, 21 strings. It usually consists of a panel, strings, zither code, etc. The sound quality of a guzheng depends on the panel and the strings. The panel for professional performance of guzheng is best with open lines; the early strings were made of horsetail and deer tendons. In the current period, nylon steel strings are the mainstream, which increases the volume and enhances the charm.