短锁five-note lock
Pinyin: duǎn suǒ
Right hand, compoundA five-note lock on one string: two slow notes, a slight pause, then the three notes of bei suo.
How it is played
On one string, mo and gou slowly, one note each; a slight pause; then ti, mo and tiao quickly. Keep the spacing clear: loose at first, tight at the end.
How it sounds
Five repetitions of one note, the first two relaxed and the last three compact.
In the classical handbooks
短鎖也，同絃得五聲也。同絃上先抹句慢彈二聲，加背鎖，共得五聲是也。Gist: Duan suo: five notes on one string. On the same string, mo and gou are played slowly for two notes, then bei suo is added, five notes in all.
同絃上先抹一聲，次勾一聲，少息，加前之背鎖，共得五聲是也。Gist: On the same string, mo once and gou once, a short rest, then the preceding bei suo, five notes in all.
Where sources disagree
The first two notes, and the total count
- Mo and gou first, then bei suo (ti, mo, tiao), five notes in all. Source: Qinxue Rumen (Introduction to Qin Studies), vol. 1; Chengjiantang Qinpu, “Qinpu Zhifa” section(opens in a new window) · View the original page
- Mo and tiao first, then a quick ti, mo, tiao, five notes in all. Source: 《白菡萏香馆琴谱》 (via the Guoqinwang technique database)(opens in a new window)
- Mo-tiao, then gou-ti, then ti-mo-tiao, seven notes in all, also called duan suo. Source: Fengxuan Xuanpin (via the Guoqinwang technique database)(opens in a new window)
Easily confused with
- 背锁bèi suǒ· three-note lock (ti, mo, tiao)Bei suo is only the three notes ti, mo, tiao.
- 长锁cháng suǒ· seven-note lockChang suo adds mo and tiao before the duan suo, seven in all.
References
- 国琴网指法库「短锁——澄鉴堂琴谱」(opens in a new window)Qin community
- 国琴网指法库「短锁——白菡萏香馆琴谱」(opens in a new window)Qin community