Many beginners don't know how to do it when they practice touching the strings. Let's introduce the tips for beginners to touch the strings.

(1) "The string is shallow", "the fingertip touches the string", which is easy to understand. That is, the depth of the fingernail into the string side should be shallow, that is, touch the string with the tip of the fingernail, and the shallower the fingernail enters the string, the better. Of course, it takes skill to get the strings shallow and not pluck the strings. The more you practice, the more people will become one, and when the realm is reached, the skill will be profound.

(2) The four words "frontal touch the strings" are heard the most, and many people know it, but many people misunderstand its true meaning, and I have misunderstood it once.

Our guzheng nails are flat, and many people think that the so-called "frontal touch" means that the nails are flat against the strings to pluck the strings. Indeed, under the condition of the same depth of string entry, the nails are flat against the strings, and it is easier to concentrate the force on the tip of the nails, and the sound is stronger and cleaner.

However, our big finger grows in a different direction from the other four fingers, especially the big finger. If the nail of the big finger touches the strings flat, the other four fingers will not be able to keep flat against the strings, which will inevitably cause the operation and connection of the fingering due to the large swing of the hand and too many redundant movements during the performance. Ask for trouble.

In fact, the so-called "frontal touch string" is a relative positive, it is a variable. The guzheng nails we use are not completely flat, and the relatively flat side is actually curved. Generally, double arc nails are used. And this arc, we can use it very well to "touch the string frontally". "Arc" means an arc, then the tangent of the arc is the string, and the tangent point is the point of contact.

Pluck the strings hard at the tangent point without rubbing your fingernails on the strings, which is the so-called "frontal touch", and the sound is strong and clean. For example, when we hit the sandbag, we can punch perpendicular to the sandbag or sideways. Because your fist is round, different punches are just different contact surfaces between the hand and the sandbag. As long as the force is used practically, and the sandbag is not brushed by, then the sandbag can be knocked away—that is, vibrating the strings. That is to say, in fact, when we pluck the strings with our fingernails, the flat side of the fingernails can have an angle with the strings. In the case of an angle, we can all "touch the strings frontally", and there will be fewer movements in our hands, and the operation of various fingerings will become much easier.

(3) "Hook the strings", which many people ignore or play for a long time without realizing it. Especially in the tone that requires strong plucking, if the fingertips do not hook the strings and then pluck the strings, either the sound that comes out is not strong enough, or the plucking will slip. Therefore, you can use a strong plucking method to check whether you are touching the strings correctly. If it slips, it must be that the fingertips are not hooked on the strings, so go to pluck the strings.

In order to hook the strings, the fingertips must not be vertical to the panel, let alone lying on the strings to pluck the strings. The fingertips should be retracted a little in the direction of the fist. At this time, the joint at the end of the finger must be protruding, and it is definitely not flat. In this way, the strings can be hooked, the fingernails can be stabilized, and the force can be used when picking the strings.

In addition, the impact of the string touch angle on the timbre of the guzheng will also make people feel round and soft, full and elegant in hearing. Condition Picking at different angles creates different strumming methods. For example, the "clamping method" is to press and pluck the strings obliquely in the direction of the piano board, so that the sound is full and powerful. On the other hand, the "Fast Four Points" of the Zhejiang school means that the fingertips are perpendicular to the piano board and strings, and the strings are plucked with the force of the front and rear movement directions to make the sound crisp and bright. From the point of view of the armour touching the strings, there are roughly the following three forms that have a direct impact on the change of timbre:

1. Vertical plucking: bright tone, fast over strings, mostly used for allegro or gorgeous clips.

2. Pluck the strings obliquely upward: the sound is soft and elegant, used for lyrical adagio.

3. Press the string obliquely downward: the tone is full and round, and it is used in the adagio, in contrast to the soft and elegant tone produced by plucking the string obliquely upward.