Liuqin construction
柳琴樂器結構介紹
1. 琴頭 head
Some liuqins are adorned with carved heads. Below the head is a hollowed-out compartment (the peg box ) through which the tuning pegs pass. The instrument's strings are wound around these pegs. The head and peg box are almost always carved out of one piece of wood.
一些柳琴琴頭有雕刻與裝飾。在琴頭下方有挖空的間隔（軸箱），琴軸穿過軸箱固定於此。樂器的弦纏繞在這些軸上。琴頭和琴軸幾乎都是用同一塊木頭雕刻出來的。
2. 琴軸 pegs
Liuqins are tuned by turning the pegs in the peg box under the head, or by adjusting the fine tuner screws at the tailpiece .To tune a liuqin , the G or D strings is first tuned to a standard pitch (usually 442 Hz ), using either a tuning device or another instrument.
柳琴透過轉動琴頭下的琴軸，或透過調整琴尾端的微調來調整琴弦。柳琴使用調音設備或其他樂器來調G或D弦，但首先要調到一個標準的音頻（通常為442赫茲）。
3. 微調 fine tuners
All liuqins have pegs; fine tuners (also called fine adjusters ) are optional. Most fine tuners consist of a metal screw that moves a lever attached to the string end. They permit very small pitch adjustments much more easily than the pegs. By turning one clockwise, the pitch becomes sharper and turning one counterclockwise, the pitch becomes flatter.
所有柳琴都有琴軸；微調（也稱為精細調節器）可選用。微調連接弦和可移動的金屬螺絲。他們可以調整非常小的間距更勝過於使用琴軸。順時針旋轉，可使音變高，逆時針旋轉，則音變低。
4. 山口 Nut
A nut is the piece at the end of the frets that keeps the strings properly spaced apart (and at the right height). Most stringed instruments have a nut. Without it, the strings would wander around, rolling out of the way every time you tried to fret a note. The nut may be made of ebony , ivory , cow bone, brass or plastic, and is usually notched or grooved for the strings. The grooves are designed to lead the string from the frets to the headstock or pegbox in a smooth curve, to prevent damage to the strings or their windings.
山口是品最上端的一個部位，主要是隔開的琴弦（使琴弦在正確的高度並保持適當的間隔）。大多數弦樂器有一個山口，如果沒有它的話，每次一按品，琴弦就會四處移動。山口可以用烏木，象牙，牛骨，黃銅，或塑料製成，通常有切口或凹槽來固定琴弦。這些凹槽設計可使琴弦從琴碼到琴軸保持在一條平順的曲線上，以防止弦的損壞或纏繞。
5. 琴碼 bridge
The bridge is a precisely cut piece of bamboo that forms the lower anchor point of the vibrating length of the strings and transmits the vibration of the strings to the body of the instrument. Its top holds the strings at the proper height from the frets in pluck or strum, allowing each to be sounded separately by the plectrum. It also transmits vibrations between the top and the back of the instrument.
琴碼是經由一塊竹子切割精製而成，能將琴弦的振動傳遞到整個樂器上。它的頂部保持在適當的高度，使弦在每個品上的發音，透過撥片的彈挑單獨發出聲響，並能傳送樂器面板和背板之間的振動。
6. 琴弦strings
plucking an open string (that is, a string played without any finger stopping it) gives a different sound from a stopped string. The strings may be sounded by plucking them . The left hand regulates the sounding length of the string by stopping it against the frets with the fingertips, producing different pitches.
空弦（即手指不按任一品）或按品彈奏可變化不同的音，透過彈撥弦即可發音。而左手指尖按下不同的品，即會發出不同音高的音。
7. 品 frets
These frets are arranged in half-step intervals. Note that the frets on liuqin are high so that the fingers never touch the actual body—distinctively different from western fretted instruments. This allows for a greater control over timbre and intonation than other western counterparts, but makes chordal playing more difficult.
品被分置於每個半音的間隔。需要注意的是柳琴的品很高，因此，手指實際上並沒有接觸到琴身，與西方樂器直接接觸琴身有明顯的不同。也因此比起西方樂器，有更多的音色和音高變化，但演奏上也更加困難。
8. 背板 back
Liuqin’s back is assembled from hardwood (maple, cherry, ebony, rosewood, gran, or other woods ) , a rounded body for the instrument.
背板是由硬木（楓木、櫻桃木、黑檀木、紫檀木、花崗岩、或其它木材）組裝而成的，一個圓潤的琴身。
9. 面板 sound board
Sound board is the surface of a string instrument that the strings vibrate against, usually via of bridge. The resonant properties of the sound board and the interior of the instrument greatly increase loudness over the string alone.
面板是反射弦樂器振動的表面，通常是透過琴碼，能大大增加面板和樂器內部的共振性能，響度超過單憑琴弦。
10. 音窗 sound holes
A sound hole is an opening in the upper sound board of a stringed musical instrument . The sound holes can have different shapes.
音窗是弦樂器面板上的開口，音窗可以有不同的形狀。
11. 腿托 leg rest
A leg rest is a piece of wood (or plastic、metal) attached to the body of a liuqin to aid in the positioning instrument .
腿托是連接柳琴琴身的一塊木料（或塑料、金屬），為穩定或支撐柳琴演奏姿勢之用。
