When the cold of winter comes quietly, the air is filled with cold atmosphere, for the erhu this traditional musical instrument, it also ushered in a period that it needs special care. As an indispensable member of Chinese folk music, Erhu is deeply loved by musicians for its unique timbre and expressive force. However, because its structural materials are mainly natural materials such as wood and python skin, it is more sensitive to environmental changes, especially in the winter when the temperature drops sharply and the air is dry.

In order to ensure that Erhu can still produce beautiful melodies in the cold winter, the musicians must take a series of meticulous maintenance measures. Here are a few key points:

Humidity control: Maintaining the appropriate humidity is the first priority of Erhu winter maintenance. Too dry environment will cause the wooden parts to shrink or even crack, while too high humidity may relax the python skin and affect the quality of pronunciation. The ideal indoor humidity should be maintained between 40% and 60%. You can use a humidifier or place a water basin to increase the moisture content of the air, while avoiding direct exposure to the erhu near heating or fire sources.

Temperature management: try to keep Erhu in a relatively stable temperature environment and avoid excessive temperature difference. If you enter a warm room from the cold outdoors, it is recommended to put the erhu case in the shade for a period of time, and then open the case to take out the erhu after the temperature is gradually adapted to reduce the stress change caused by the temperature difference.

Wipe and oil regularly: Gently wipe the surface of Erhu with a soft and clean cloth frequently to remove dust and stains. For the wood part, you can apply some special instrument maintenance oil, such as rosewood oil or olive oil (be careful not to use products containing acidic ingredients), which not only helps protect the wood, but also adds luster.

Python skin care: Python skin is one of the key parts of Erhu sound, easy to become tight and fragile in winter. In addition to maintaining proper humidity, you can also apply a small amount of professional python skin care agents in a timely manner to help soften and moisturize the python skin, but pay attention to the moderate amount to avoid excessive moisture.

Proper use: Despite the cold weather, the erhu should not be left idle for a long time. Moderate playing allows all parts of the instrument to be fully active and prevents performance degradation caused by long-term standing. Before and after each use, check whether the various connection parts are firm, and adjust the tightness in time.