The ''leiqin'' (
雷琴 or
擂琴, literally "thunderous instrument"; also called ''leihu'') is a Chinese bowed string
musical instrument
A musical instrument is a device created or adapted to make Music, musical sounds. In principle, any object that produces sound can be considered a musical instrument—it is through purpose that the object becomes a musical instrument. A person ...
.
Construction
It has a metal soundbox covered with snakeskin and a long fretless fingerboard. The two strings pass over a small bridge that is placed on the snakeskin, near the top edge.
Playing technique
The leiqin is played while the player is seated in a chair, with the instrument's body resting in his or her lap and held in a vertical or near-vertical position. Unlike the ''
erhu
The (; ) is a Chinese two-stringed bowed musical instrument, more specifically a spike fiddle, that is sometimes known in the Western world as the ''Chinese violin'' or a ''Chinese two-stringed fiddle''. It is used as a solo instrument as ...
'' and other instruments in the ''
huqin
''Huqin'' () is a family of bowed string instruments, more specifically, a spike fiddle popularly used in Chinese music. The instruments consist of a round, hexagonal, or octagonal sound box at the bottom with a neck attached that protrudes ...
'' family, the strings are touched against the fingerboard in the same technique as the ''
sanxian''.
History
The ''leiqin'' was adapted from an earlier traditional instrument called ''
zhuihu
The ''zhuihu'' ( 坠胡, pinyin: zhùihú; also called ''zhuiqin'' or ''zhuizixian'') is a two-stringed bowed string instrument from China. In construction, it resembles the '' sanxian'', and likely evolved as a bowed version of that musical inst ...
'' in the 1920s.
See also
*
Zhuihu
The ''zhuihu'' ( 坠胡, pinyin: zhùihú; also called ''zhuiqin'' or ''zhuizixian'') is a two-stringed bowed string instrument from China. In construction, it resembles the '' sanxian'', and likely evolved as a bowed version of that musical inst ...
*
Huqin
''Huqin'' () is a family of bowed string instruments, more specifically, a spike fiddle popularly used in Chinese music. The instruments consist of a round, hexagonal, or octagonal sound box at the bottom with a neck attached that protrudes ...
*
Music of China
The music of China consists of many distinct traditions, often specifically originating with one of the country's various Ethnic groups in China, ethnic groups. It is produced within and without the country, involving either people of Chinese or ...
*
Traditional Chinese musical instruments
*
String instruments
In musical instrument classification, string instruments, or chordophones, are musical instruments that produce sound from vibrating strings when a performer strums, plucks, strikes or sounds the strings in varying manners.
Musicians play some ...
External links
Leihu pageLeiqin photo
Audio
Leiqin MP3s
(click on headphones to listen to individual tracks)
Video
''Leiqin'' video
Bowed string instruments
Chinese musical instruments
Drumhead lutes
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