Finger Techniques of Guqin - Right Hand

The following are the basic finger techniques of the right hand that should be used when playing the Guqin.  It is important to keep a good posture when playing with back straight and shoulders relaxed, but not slumped forward.  Feet should be squarely on the floor and elbow is usually at a relaxed position next to the musician's body.

Thumb

bō / pi4
The middle finger rests several strings lower (further away from your body), elbow is raised, thumb plucks straight across and downward toward your body.  Motion is focused in shifting of hand and arm while thumb remains somewhat stiff and rounded.  Do not extend the thumb upward after plucking motion.





tuō
The middle finger rests several strings lower (further away from
your body), but elbow is lowered to relaxed normal position, hand is set sideways.  Lower side of thumb plucks string away from your body and slightly downward.

The thumb fingerings of the right hand are really only used for the highest two string which are nearest your body.  For bō, hand can sometimes come completely off the strings and towards the musician's body when plucked.

Pointer Finger

mu4
Hand should be relaxed and with a natural shape.  Pointer finger is straight and stiff, plucking downward and towards your body to stop on the next string.  Movement is focused in your large knuckle while other joints remain static.




tiāo
Middle finger is rounded with the tip resting on a string one or two forward.  The thumb is bent with tip pressing against the the pointer finger and the first joint.  Make the empty space between pointer and thumb circular.  Using your fingernail, pluck downward and away from your body, but don't hit the next string or the body of the instrument.  The thumb should add the necessary stability and control.

Middle Finger

gōu
Similar the mu4 of the pointer finger, keep hand relaxed, slightly rounded and fingers close together with your thumb down and its top facing parallel to the strings.  Middle finger is stiff and movement occurs only in the large knuckle as you pluck the string downward and towards your body.





tī
Middle finger slides upward against one string higher (closer to your body) than the one you want to strike until the tip comes to rest on top of the string.  The string should touch just under the fingernail; the middle finger is quite bent while other fingers are relaxed, uniform and only slightly rounded.  The middle finger then extends quickly to pluck against the string in front of it.  Be careful not to cause the string which you were resting on the sound.

Index Finger

dǎ

This technique is the same as gōu, but done with your index finger.









zhāi
This technique is the same as tī, but done with your index finger.

Index finger techniques are rarely used.  Most playing is done with the thumb, pointer, and middle fingers.



For the written characters that are associated with each of these techniques, see this post:  Characters Representing Right Hand Finger Techniques.