Google didn't help
(This post is probably not going to make much sense, but I really wanted to vent.)
Does anyone know how far you can tighten a guqin string before it snaps?
The problem is that annoying seventh string. It was always too tight and I can tell you, it makes playing that string really painful, not to mention that you needed extra effort just for it. I started playing (well, practising really) again yesterday after a long hiatus and I needed the seventh string to reach an A on the 9th 'hui' (harmonics, not pressed sounds) and it. Would. Not. It was/is a whole note off. So, to tune it, I need to tighten it more. But it's already damn tight! I'm worried about breaking the string. On the one hand, made of nylon-reinforced steel and not easy to break. (Well, there's the unlikely event that I end up breaking my guqin instead.) On the other hand, the seventh string is the thinnest string and could conceivably break.
Another alternative is restringing it. I don't really want to because it'd probably mean restringing three other strings. Or a quick and dirty solution is to wedge some kind of object (toothpick?) to tighten it, but it's not elegant and could cause damage.
I'm also thinking that if the damn thing really snaps, I'll have to get a new one. Probably from my old teacher. Or I could buy new strings online, even though it takes time. On the other hand this could mean I could buy actual silk strings and restring the whole qin and achieve whatever passes for authentic qin these days. Hm*. (Silk strings, though, are way expensive. $50-$200 for a set of seven strings?** May I should just go with steel ones. Very industrial-agey.)
In other news, I've not bothered to watch the new Wu Zetian series but I came across this amusing post: Wu Zetian whips her hair around : a glimpse at Tang dynasty hairstyles Now I totally regret chopping half my hair off, because I bet I could've done some of those, heheh.***
*Also, if I had money to throw around I'd get tassels in a much nicer shade than my current grey set.
**And OMG they have silk strings for erhu!
***Though my guess is that they used lots of fake hairpieces to get that kind of look. And at least three assistants.
Does anyone know how far you can tighten a guqin string before it snaps?
The problem is that annoying seventh string. It was always too tight and I can tell you, it makes playing that string really painful, not to mention that you needed extra effort just for it. I started playing (well, practising really) again yesterday after a long hiatus and I needed the seventh string to reach an A on the 9th 'hui' (harmonics, not pressed sounds) and it. Would. Not. It was/is a whole note off. So, to tune it, I need to tighten it more. But it's already damn tight! I'm worried about breaking the string. On the one hand, made of nylon-reinforced steel and not easy to break. (Well, there's the unlikely event that I end up breaking my guqin instead.) On the other hand, the seventh string is the thinnest string and could conceivably break.
Another alternative is restringing it. I don't really want to because it'd probably mean restringing three other strings. Or a quick and dirty solution is to wedge some kind of object (toothpick?) to tighten it, but it's not elegant and could cause damage.
I'm also thinking that if the damn thing really snaps, I'll have to get a new one. Probably from my old teacher. Or I could buy new strings online, even though it takes time. On the other hand this could mean I could buy actual silk strings and restring the whole qin and achieve whatever passes for authentic qin these days. Hm*. (Silk strings, though, are way expensive. $50-$200 for a set of seven strings?** May I should just go with steel ones. Very industrial-agey.)
In other news, I've not bothered to watch the new Wu Zetian series but I came across this amusing post: Wu Zetian whips her hair around : a glimpse at Tang dynasty hairstyles Now I totally regret chopping half my hair off, because I bet I could've done some of those, heheh.***
*Also, if I had money to throw around I'd get tassels in a much nicer shade than my current grey set.
**And OMG they have silk strings for erhu!
***Though my guess is that they used lots of fake hairpieces to get that kind of look. And at least three assistants.