Sanxian

The Sanxian (Ch :三弦, pinyin Sanxian, Wade- Giles San -Hsien ) is an instrument of traditional Chinese music.

Form and Structure

It is a three-stringed, fretless lute with a long fingerboard; the resonant body is usually covered with snake skin. The Sanxian is manufactured in different sizes for different purposes, since the late 20th century, a four-stringed version exists. The Sanxian the North usually measures about 122 cm, while it brings the southern variant, only about 95 cm.

Sound

The instrument produces a dry, powerful sound and features similar to the banjo over a considerable volume of sound. Leg reaches the larger variants of the range over three octaves. In general, the strings with a thin, hard plectrum made of animal horn, today also made ​​of plastic, plucked, rarely also with your fingernails.

Use

Mainly comes the Sanxian as an accompanying instrument in both orchestras as well as in small ensembles for use; but nevertheless, there are also solo pieces for them. In more recent times, pop and rock musicians occasionally attack back to the fact of traditional Chinese music associated Sanxian; this is about the famous singer He Yong. Nevertheless, the importance of Sanxian goes back today and will, in particular compared with the pipa or guzheng learned by only a few students.

From Sanxian the Japanese shamisen, whose resonance body but mostly covered with dog or cat fur instead of snakeskin later developed.