Playing chords on the Guzheng is a great tool to add depth and richness to songs and to your playing in general.
So what is a chord? A chord is 3 or more notes played together to form a harmony. If you play an interval (2 notes together) then add one more note it becomes a chord. For example , if we play Do (D string) and Mi (F# string), then add a lower Mi (F# string) it becomes a chord. If you need to review the string names we have a blog post on The String Names On The Guzheng
Let’s try the same idea on Re (E string) and La (B string), then we will add another Re on a lower octave.
It is important to make sure all three fingers are playing the strings at the same time. Before you pluck the strings place your fingers on the strings and try and remember what that hand position feels like, so you can come back to it later with the correct hand shape.
To add more richness to the chord we can add another note to make a 4 note chord. Now that we are playing more notes we have to be strategic with our fingerings – play La with the ring finger, Do with the middle finger, Mi with the index finger and the lower La with your thumb.
Just like with the 3 note chords, be sure to practice playing all 4 notes at the same time. Remember what your hand feels like when you are resting your fingers on the string and practice finding that position until it becomes a habit.
Once you get the hang of the finger position try and move the 3 or 4 note chord up or down a string to practice adjusting your wrist to the changing positions. Concentrate on a smooth attack where all fingers play at the same time.
Now that you have a handle on playing chords with the right hand you can practice playing the same chords but with the left hand. Remember, the left hand plays on the Guzheng almost in the middle of the string area. If you are unfamiliar with this we have a great blog post on Guzheng Playing Area The good news is you can use the same fingerings for left hand as you did for the right hand with the 3 or 4 note chords.
Now that you know how to play chords on the Guzheng there are some specific chords you should know. But for now concentrate on getting the fundamentals down and getting acquainted with playing multiple strings at the same time with a balanced attack.
Here is a video excerpt from Bei Bei’s Guzheng Tutorial on playing chords on the Guzheng