Tang Dynasty, Zhou Fang (AC 780-810) (attributed) “Tuning Qin, Drinking Tea” (Detail)
唐代著名仕女畫家周昉的調琴啜茗圖(局部)


Tuning Position: Use your right thumb and index fingers to turn the tuning pegs to tighten or loosen the strings. At the same time, you can also use your left thumb and index finger to slightly push the knot (Yuan-Bao Jie) towards your right or left to help to tighten or loosen the strings. The movement is very subtle, unless it is really way out of tune.

   

The basic tuning for metal string is C D F G A C D (open string from 1st to 7th string). If with silk strings, it can start with B-flat, or even lower, from 1st string and lower the rest of strings accordingly. In general, silk strings can tune to as high as metal strings. But tuning a half or whole tone lower will lengthen the life of the strings. My silk string qin is set up as Bb, C, Eb, F, G, Bb, C. As long as the 1st string is not out of tone.

Basic Tune 正調– Open String 空弦

1       2       3       4       5      6      7      (String)(弦)
C      D      F      G      A      C      D
Sol   La    Do    Re    Mi    Sol    La    (Singing Name)(唱名)
It can also sing as Do, Re, Fa, Sol, La, Do, Re.

Fan Yin Tuning 泛音調弦
Using Fan Yin technique to play and listen the sounds by follow the instruction below:

(1) Skipping 2 strings, same note 隔兩弦同音



7 弦(String) 7 徽(Hui) --- 4 弦(String) 5 徽(Hui)
                                  D --- D
                                 La --- La

Meaning: Playing the 7th string on the 7th dot should sound the same (La and La) as playing the 4th string on the 5th dot.



6 弦 7 徽 --- 3 弦 5 徽
              C --- C
           Sol --- Sol

Meaning: Playing the 6th string on the 7th dot should sound the same (Sol and Sol) as playing the 3rd string on the 5th dot.



5 弦 7 徽 --- 2 弦 5 徽
              A --- A
            Mi --- Mi

Meaning: Playing the 5th string on the 7th dot should sound the same (Mi and Mi) as playing the 2nd string on the 5th dot.



4 弦 7 徽 --- 1 弦 5 徽
              G --- G
            Re --- Re

Meaning: Playing the 4th string on the 7th dot should sound the same (Re and Re) as playing the 1st string on the 5th dot.

(2) Skipping one string, same note 隔一弦同音



7 弦 (String) 5 徽 (Hui) --- 5 弦(String) 4 徽(Hui)
                                    A --- A
                                  Mi --- Mi

Meaning: Playing the 7th string on the 5th dot should sound the same (Mi and Mi) as playing the 5th string on the 4th dot.



6 弦 5 徽 --- 4 弦 4 徽
              G --- G
            Re --- Re

Meaning: Playing the 6th string on the 5th dot should sound the same (Re and Re) as playing the 4th string on the 4th dot.



4 弦 5 徽 --- 2 弦 4 徽
              D --- D
            La --- La

Meaning: Playing the 4th string on the 5th dot should sound the same (La and La) as playing the 2nd string on the 4th dot.



3 弦 5 徽 --- 1 弦 4 徽
              C --- C
            Sol --- Sol

Meaning: Playing the 3rd string on the 5th dot should sound the same (Sol and Sol) as playing the 1st string on the 4th dot.