Sound of China Guzheng Basic Tutorial - English Guzheng Teaching Book with online youtube video tutorials

Sound of China Guzheng Basic Tutorial

Discover the beauty and intricacies of the guzheng with our comprehensive basic tutorial. This tutorial is designed for beginners and includes an English teaching book along with online YouTube video tutorials to enhance your learning experience. Here's what you can expect:

Content Index

Introduction to Guzheng

• Overview of the instrument and its history

Tuning of the Guzheng

• Step-by-step guide to tuning your guzheng

Numbered Music Notation (Jianpu)

• Introduction to Jianpu notation

D-Major Music Notation for Each String

• Understanding the D-Major scale on the guzheng

Lesson One: Basic Plucking Skills

• Drill 1-7
• Songs: "Blossom", "Flower or not Flower (花非花)", "The Rainbow Sisters (虹彩妹妹)", "Purple Bamboo (紫竹調)", "The Great Wall (萬里長城)"

Lesson Two: Chords / Blocks

• Drill 8-9
• Songs: "Flower Drum Song (鳳陽花鼓)", "Memory of Hometown (憶故鄉)"

Lesson Three: Vibrato

• Drill 10
• Songs: "Lake Taihu (太湖船)", "June Jasmine (六月茉莉)"

Lesson Four: Glissando

• Drill 11
• Songs: "Spring Breeze (望春風)", "Yellow River Tune (黃水謠)", "Wild Geese Descending on the Sandbank (平沙落雁)"

Lesson Five: Advanced Right Hand Plucking Skills

• Drill 12-13
• Songs: "Rhythm Practice", "Stairs (爬樓梯)", "Happy Chinese New Year (恭喜發財)"

Lesson Six: Basic Left Hand Plucking Skills

• Drill 14-18
• Songs: "Little Town Story (小城故事)", "Weeping Willow"

Lesson Seven: 4 (fa) and 7 (ti)

• Drill 19
• Songs: "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star", "Deck the Halls", "Jingle Bell"

Lesson Eight: Left Hand Bending/Sliding/Portamento

• Drill 20-23
• Songs: "Picking Tea Leaves (採茶曲)", "Jasmine Flower (茉莉花)", "Beautiful Flower Under the Full Moon (花好月圓)", "Cranes Triumph the Cloud (鶴衝霄)"

Lesson Nine: Tremolo

• Drill 24-26
• Songs: "Edelweiss", "Nocturne of Suzhou (蘇州夜曲)"

Lesson Ten: Arpeggio and Broken Chords

• Drill 27-29
• Song: "Prelude to the Melody of Water (但願人長久)"

Lesson Eleven: Harmonics

• Song: "A Fisherman’s Song (漁光曲)"

Lesson Twelve: “Lun Zhi” Rotating Fingers

• Drill 30-31
• Song: "Tear of Lady Xiang (湘妃淚)"

Lesson Thirteen: G Major and Other Tunings

• Songs: "Fisherman Song of Wusuli (烏蘇里船歌)", "Moon Over West River (西江月)", "Auld Lang Syne"

Comprehensive Music Scores

• "The Return of Fisherman Boat (漁舟唱晚)"
• "Much Sorrow (幾多愁)"
• "Hard to be Apart (別亦難)"
• "Moon Lute (月琴)"
• "Green Mountain (高山青)"
• "Autumn Moon Over Calm Lake (平湖秋月)"
• "Full Moon and Beautiful Flower (月圓花好)"
• "Praising the Red Plum (紅梅贊)"
• "Face Like Peach Blossom (人面桃花)"
• "Amazing Grace"
• "Autumn Moon Over Han Palace (漢宮秋月)"
• "Spring River Flower Moon Night (春江花月夜)"

This tutorial is perfect for anyone looking to start their journey with the guzheng, providing a solid foundation in both technique and repertoire.