tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2323371327599206511.post1778843584361266014..comments2023-10-11T10:51:11.707+02:00Comments on Explorations: Not giving upSarah Blake Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05849468829272752689noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2323371327599206511.post-5460329271733964482008-09-11T08:42:00.000+02:002008-09-11T08:42:00.000+02:00Thanks, Melinda.If you really want a guzheng I cou...Thanks, Melinda.<BR/>If you really want a guzheng I could pick one up for you.<BR/><BR/>If my guzheng wasn't so large, I'd bring it with me for the next time we get together.<BR/><BR/>Oh, I had my first lesson. I'll be able to learn to play it fairly quickly. The music isn't in standard Western notation. So, there is an added challenge.Sarah Blake Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05849468829272752689noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2323371327599206511.post-61990301593125921822008-09-07T23:55:00.000+02:002008-09-07T23:55:00.000+02:00This is the perfect example of why I think you are...This is the perfect example of why I think you are amazing. <BR/><BR/>I would LOVE to play this instrument. Way to take advantage of the situation.<BR/><BR/>This is you:<BR/><BR/>"As long as I'm in China, I might as well buy a guzheng and learn to play it."Melindahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13626019594744434870noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2323371327599206511.post-28278011315791763002008-09-05T02:14:00.000+02:002008-09-05T02:14:00.000+02:00Thanks, Maripat.Janni, music can connect people wh...Thanks, Maripat.<BR/><BR/>Janni, music can connect people who don't have the same language. It will be good for me to learn more about China and meet more people. I'm wondering if the music is written in the "normal" manner. <BR/><BR/>There is another way music is written that we saw in Brazil--it has huge limitations, as in no place for words and not way to describe the length of the note; it made me aware that musical notation isn't as universal as I'd thought.Sarah Blake Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05849468829272752689noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2323371327599206511.post-4998474531005897952008-09-04T17:22:00.000+02:002008-09-04T17:22:00.000+02:00Music lessons sound like a great way to settle in ...Music lessons sound like a great way to settle in to a new country--a way to connect that transcends cultural and language barriers!Jannihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08256724217277645321noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2323371327599206511.post-19330104968092177522008-09-04T03:25:00.000+02:002008-09-04T03:25:00.000+02:00Cool!!!!!Cool!!!!!Sarahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12540037652716919209noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2323371327599206511.post-3953834026066553062008-09-03T14:40:00.000+02:002008-09-03T14:40:00.000+02:00I'm glad to read things are working out for you ov...I'm glad to read things are working out for you over there. Good luck with the lessons. That is cool.Maripathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17889925836344652436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2323371327599206511.post-3988687494586514312008-09-03T05:05:00.000+02:002008-09-03T05:05:00.000+02:00One more link, another by 12 girls band.This solo ...One more link, another by 12 girls band.<BR/>This solo shows off the guzheng.<BR/>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeHh_m6zsBk&feature=relatedSarah Blake Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05849468829272752689noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2323371327599206511.post-43816142105781182552008-09-03T04:31:00.000+02:002008-09-03T04:31:00.000+02:00A guzheng can create a huge range of sounds--it ca...A guzheng can create a huge range of sounds--it can sound like a harp or guitar or "cascading waterfall, thunder, horses' hooves" (Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guzheng) Plucking, glissandos, pressing the strings to create changes of pitch, vibrato or harmonics are some of the ways the strings are used.<BR/>It is tuned to a pentatonic scale--5 pitches per octave.<BR/>It is a large instrument--3-4 feet long and is placed on a stand or table. <BR/><BR/>I have experience both as a classically trained pianist and violinest. I also have a lot of jazz piano experience. I taught myself to play the celtic harp a couple years ago. I want to explore both traditional and modern guzheng music.<BR/><BR/>Here are links (sorry I don't know the code to make them into real links--copy and paste works) to a few videos--listen to the first 30 seconds or so to get a feel different sounds a guzheng makes.<BR/>Modern guzheng-<BR/>12 Girls Band: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRYu1nbN-LA&NR=1<BR/>and <BR/>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_7TN1GYUqI&feature=related<BR/><BR/>Older, but not centuries old--<BR/>Wang Chang Yuan <BR/>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVAoLtEFqN0&feature=related<BR/>and Zhan Tai Feng<BR/>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWKnURxSWYw<BR/><BR/>Of course at first I'll start off learning the simplest pieces.Sarah Blake Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05849468829272752689noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2323371327599206511.post-80951704309593248792008-09-03T03:09:00.000+02:002008-09-03T03:09:00.000+02:00Ooh! I can see you playing a guzheng. What do they...Ooh! I can see you playing a guzheng. What do they sound like--I imagine a lyre-like sound or a lap harp....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com