The erhu (Chinese: 二胡; pinyin: èrhú; [aɻ˥˩xu˧˥]), is a two-stringed bowed musical instrument, more specifically a spike fiddle , which may also be called a Southern Fiddle, and is sometimes known in the Western world as the Chinese violin or a Chinese two-stringed fiddle.
What material is the erhu made of?
An erhu is composed of a soundbox, a neck, two strings, two tuning pegs, and a bow. Erhus used for professional performance are commonly made out of red sandalwood or mahogany , one side of the soundbox is covered by a patch of snake skin, and the two strings are suspended along the neck of the instrument.
What is a erhu made out of?
The erhu is played vertically, the tip of its neck pointing toward the heavens. Its body is usually made of red sandalwood or rosewood , its bow is strung with horsetail hair.
Is erhu similar to violin?
Erhu has widely been called “Chinese violin” because its tone similar to a Western violin . While the four-string violin is played horizontally, the two-string erhu is played vertically. ... “Without a finger board (like the violin has), it is very easy to go off-pitch when playing a note on erhu.
How many strings does an erhu have?
The erhu is an instrument with two long strings , played using a bamboo bow strung with horsehair.
Who invented erhu?
Originated in Central Asia and introduced to China more than one thousand years ago, the erhu 二胡 belongs to the large family of stick fiddles that are found in many countries. Xiqin 奚琴 was the first bowed instrument mentioned in Chinese literature in Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.).
How much does an erhu cost?
First things first, how much does an erhu cost anyway? The cheapest Erhu out there in the market can be as low as US$50 and an Indian small leaf sandalwood made by a reputable maker can cost more than US$10,000.
Is erhu a Chordophone?
The erhu is a bowed spike-lute chordophone of the Han Chinese (‘er’ means two; ‘hu’ originally meant ‘barbarian,’ but now ‘fiddle’).
What is China’s most popular instrument?
The pipa is one of the most popular Chinese instruments and has been played for almost two thousand years in China. In China, many music and stories are related to this instrument.
What is the oldest Chinese instrument?
Dating back to 7,800 to 9,000 years ago, the Jiahu bone flute is the oldest Chinese musical instrument discovered by archaeologists, as well as the earliest known wind instrument in the world.
Is a violin a fiddle?
Western classical players sometimes use “fiddle” as an affectionate term for the violin , that intimate companion and workmate. But in the United States, most often “fiddle” means the violin as used in Irish-Scottish-French traditional music and all the descendant American styles: Appalachian, bluegrass, Cajun, etc.
What is the erhu used for?
It is the most popular of the huqin family of bowed string instruments used by various ethnic groups of China. The erhu is used in both traditional and contemporary music arrangements , such as in pop, rock, jazz, etc.
What does shamisen mean in English?
The shamisen or samisen (三味線), also sangen (三絃, both meaning “ three strings “), is a three-stringed traditional Japanese musical instrument derived from the Chinese instrument sanxian. It is played with a plectrum called a bachi.
What is another name for the erhu?
The erhu is a two-stringed bowed musical instrument, more specifically a spike fiddle , which may also be called a “southern fiddle”, and sometimes known in the Western world as the “Chinese violin” or a “Chinese two-stringed fiddle”. It is used as a solo instrument as well as in small ensembles and large orchestras.
How is Gaohu different from erhu?
The erhu is played both as a solo instrument and in an orchestral setting. A higher-pitched version with a smaller resonator surface and shorter post is the gaohu, or nanhu. A larger, lower-pitched version of the erhu is called zhonghu. All three sizes are valuable members of the orchestra.
How old is the violin?
The violin, viola, and cello were first made in the early 16th century , in Italy. The earliest evidence for their existence is in paintings by Gaudenzio Ferrari from the 1530s, though Ferrari’s instruments had only three strings.
