Guzheng
Chinese zither with a curved soundboard and movable bridges, usually 21 strings.
What it means
The guzheng is a Chinese zither with a curved soundboard and movable bridges. Usually 21 strings run over a long, slightly arched resonating body, each with its own sliding bridge. Players pluck the strings with the fingers of the right hand, often with attached picks, and influence the pitch with the left hand.
Musical use
The guzheng is one of the most important instruments of Chinese music, and its history goes back more than two thousand years. It is played as a solo instrument, in ensembles, and in modern Chinese orchestras. The bridges are set for a pentatonic tuning; by pressing the strings to the left of the bridge with the left hand, notes can be bent and glissandi and vibrato produced, typical of the style.
The guzheng should be distinguished from the guqin, a seven-string zither without bridges that sounds quieter and more meditative, and from the Japanese koto and the Korean gayageum, which are related but differ in build and sound. It also differs from the harp in that the strings lie on the body rather than being stretched freely.
Performance practice
On the guzheng, pluck with clear, even strokes of the right hand and use the left hand deliberately for vibrato and gliding. Practise scales and simple melodies first to master the relationship between bridge position and pitch.