Web Composer: 
City Chinese Orchestra
Wong Chin Loon
E-mail:
chinloon@pacific.net.sg
Updated:
28 Jun 1997
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and suggestions
are welcomed.
Yangqin is similar to Piano, it produces sound through hammering on the strings. Unlike Piano, which has one hammer for each string, Yangqin uses two hand held wooden hammers to hit any strings freely. If a Piano can play complicated chord of ten notes, Yangqin can only hit two notes at one time, or a maximum of four notes at one time (two notes being hit by each hammer). The advantage that Yangqin has over Piano is that it can play a same note repetitively at a higher frequency than the Piano.
During Ming Dynasty, Yangqin was commonly used in Chinese Operas. At the beginning of Ching Dynasty, it was used for Guandong Music, Jiang Nan Si Zhu and Shandong Music. In Modern China, it became one of the major discipline in the College of Music. It became a instrument capable of performing Solos on Folk Song and even Western Orchestra Works. Many interesting techniques of performing are developed over the year which make it attractive to Chinese Music Lovers. It is a good accompanying instrument for Erhu Solos.