11 sec; mono; 22kH, 8 bit; 265kB

play

This sample from my CD Music Beyond Sound is notated as follows (from p. 78 of Music Beyond Sound, the book. The book includes some explanation of qin tablature; online Christopher Evans has more under Technique and Notation.

Printed under the staff notation are lyrics which say, "bi tian ye ru xi, yue zhao huang yun cheng shang, han wu jie, ya ya zhi shang ti" (jade sky evening becomes pure; moon shines yellow clouds city above, cold raven joins, 'ya' 'ya' branch on calls). Under this is the handwritten tablature.

The tablature is translated below. "Chi #" in the first column refers to the symbols or clusters in the tablature line.

Chi #	Note #	Translation of the Chinese shorthand
0	nil	(omitted as superfluous; it says "left and right [hands] together")
1 - 3	1 - 7	open strings; right index finger "brushes" from strings 1 to 7
4	nil	harmonics begin
5	8	left ring finger at 7th position; right middle finger "hooks" 1st string inward
6	9	same but on 2nd string
7	10	same but on 3rd string
8	nil	harmonics end
9	11	left thumb stops below 6th position; right index finger "rubs" 7th string inward
10	nil	beginning of a section called "moon"
11-14	12 - 20	left thumb stays in position; right fingers do "long chain" (9 notes) on 7th string.
15	nil	harmonics begin
16	21	left ring finger at 7th position; right middle finger "kicks" 6th string outward
17 - 19	22 - 24	same but on 5th, 4th then 3rd strings
20	nil	harmonics end
21	25	left thumb stops below the 6th position; right thumb "splits" 7th string inward
22	nil	"don't move" the left finger (in preparation for a later note)

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