Erhu
The erhu has two strings, no fingerboard and a voice close to singing.
Three things that give the erhu its voice
Nothing under the strings
The strings float in front of the neck, and fingers press with nothing behind them. Every note is found by ear.
Fingers tighten the bow
The right hand holds the bow from below and pulls the horsehair taut with the fingers. Tone changes with that pull.
Skin carries the tone
The bridge passes vibrations into the python skin on the sound box. That skin gives the erhu its warm, throaty voice.
Two strings can hold a whole life.
Buying an erhu online
Real python skin falls under CITES. Moving it across borders takes permits, and shipments without them can be seized. Ask for paperwork or choose synthetic skin. California also bans selling python products.
Erhu
Hand-picked pieces are on the way.
Good to know
What is an erhu?
An erhu is a two-stringed Chinese bowed instrument, played sitting down with the sound box resting on the thigh. Many people call it the Chinese violin.
Is the erhu hard to learn?
Yes, mainly for pitch. With no frets or fingerboard, your ear must place every note. A clean sound takes months of patient practice.
Is the skin on an erhu really snake?
Usually, yes. Most traditional erhus use python skin, which shapes the tone. Synthetic skins exist too, and they avoid the permit trouble and fuss less in dry air.
