Liuqin introduction
（The Plucked String Instruments）
柳琴（彈撥類樂器）簡介
The shape of the liuqin looks like a 'liu (willow in Chinese) leaf', hence its name. It is also commonly called 'tu pipa' (native pipa) and 'jingang tuei' (leg of martial Buddha) and is a popular instrument in Shandong, Anhui and Jiangsu Provinces. The liuqin is the principal accompanying instrument for the traditional Liuqin Opera common in southern Shandong and northern Jiangsu, the Sizhou Opera of Anhui and Shaoxing Luantan of Zhejiang. Originally the liuqin was an alto instrument fitted with two strings and seven frets. It was reformed into soprano plucked instrument with 4 steel strings and 24-29 frets in the 1950s to fulfill the need of the Chinese ensemble/orchestra. Its range is as wide as four octaves comparable to that of a violin. Its tone quality is solid in the low register, tender in the middle and sonorous in the high register with strong penetrating power. It is a plucked-string instrument for playing high-pitched melodies, has exuberant expressions and is hailed as the 'pearl' of Chinese orchestras.
柳琴這項樂器發展至今約有200年的歷史，早期由於柳琴的形狀看起來像柳葉，因此它的名字被稱為柳葉琴，又被稱為「土琵琶」（未精制的琵琶）或「金剛腿」（佛像的腿）。是一個流行於山東，安徽，江蘇三省的樂器。柳琴原為山東南部、江蘇北部的柳琴戲、安徽的泗州戲和浙江的紹興亂彈，戲曲中的主要伴奏樂器。形制方面，柳琴，最初只是中音域樂器，有兩條弦，7個品。後來為了滿足20世紀50年代的中國樂團所需，而進行了一系列的改革，成為現今的4條鋼弦、24-29品的高音彈撥樂器，擁有範圍寬廣類似小提琴音域的四個八度。低音區部分，它的音質是厚實的，中音部分鏗鏘有力，而高音部份具有很強的穿透力。它是一種中國傳統的彈撥樂器，能演奏出高亢動人的旋律，具有強烈的表現能力，被人們譽為國樂團中的「珍珠」。
＊tuning chart(柳琴定弦及音域)
＊Plectrum（pick）撥片
A plectrum is a small flat tool used to pluck or strum a stringed instrument. For hand-held instruments such as guitars and mandolins, the plectrum is often called a pick, and is a separate tool held in the player's hand.
A plectrum (pick) is typically a thin piece of plastic or other material shaped like a pointed teardrop or triangle. The size, shape and width may vary considerably.
picks are made of a variety of materials, including celluloid, metal, and rarely other exotic materials such as turtle shell, but today delrin is the most common[. For other instruments in the modern day most players use plastic plectra.
撥片是一個小的平面物件，用於彈奏或撥奏弦類樂器。屬於手持式工具，例如吉他、曼陀鈴這類樂器也都有運用撥片，撥片又被稱之為”pick”，是演奏者手中一個獨立的演奏工具。通常是用一塊薄薄的塑料或其它材料，像一個尖尖的淚滴形或三角形等等，有很多不同的尺寸、形狀和寬度。撥片製作所運用的材料，還包括賽璐珞、金屬，和其它特殊材料如龜殼，但現今聚甲醛樹脂（塑料）是最常見的。
