New Instrument

[Apprentice Philosopher]

   Hi,I

I'm a french student and I wanted to know if it is possible to learn a chinese traditionnal instruments by himself. At the beginning, I wanted to buy a Pipa but I've learned this is very complicated. In fact, I never play music in my entire life but I love the sound of chinese music. 

Please, help me, 

Thanks.

[edelweis]

Note: I play the guitar but I've never tried playing the pipa - so far.

 

If you know the basics of solfège (rhythm, scales=gammes), maybe you can learn to play the pipa by yourself with a book and/or DVD. I don't know any books or DVDs in French or English, perhaps someone here has some titles to recommend.

If you can read Chinese you will have a much larger choice of self-teaching materials.

Some Chinese music books use Western style sheet music (portées)  while other (most?) material uses a number system to indicate the height of the sound (but rhythm notation is similar to sheet music rhythm notation).

 

Example of Chinese music notation from a pipa book:

My advice is to get a teacher.

If you don't find a pipa teacher close to you, (or a guqin or guzheng teacher who can help you learn Chinese music notation and the basics of string instruments),

maybe you should get a guitar teacher to learn the basics of scales, rhythm notation, and playing music on a plucked instrument with frets (you can find a second hand acoustic guitars at a cheap price, I'm not so sure about the price of a mandolin for instance).

[edelweis]

err forgot again to summon the original poster

@Apprentice Philosopher

[Apprentice Philosopher]

    Hi,

Unfortunately, I don't know basics if solfege, I guess I'm gonna abandon the idea