Chinese Traditional Music Instrument - Er Hu

Erhu (二胡), also known as Huqin, the full name for Hu. Its early ancestor was known as Xiqin (string instrument of a Mongolian tribe called Xi) in the tenth century. The instrument has two strings and is played with the bow clasped between them. Its two strings are generally tuned a fifth apart and its range can reach 3 or 4 octaves. The sound box is covered by snake skin which gives the instrument its distinctive mellow and bright tone.

Under the influence of the regularly trained musician Liu Tianhua (1895-1932) and the local minstrel Hua Yanjun (known as the blind Man Ah Bing, 1893-1950) during the 1920's, the Erhu developed into a solo instrument. Today the Erhu is one of the most widely used bowed instruments in China, It is appropriate both for deep tragedy and for the momentum of an avalanche. Besides, it also assumes a central position in the modern Chinese orchestra, as well as in the accompaniment of singing and dancing.

Playing techniques are rich for both hands, including, harmonic tones, trills, glissandos, pizzicatos for the left hand and legatos, detaches, martellatos, saltandos, tremolos, flying staccatos for the right hand.