猱wide vibrato
Pinyin: náoOther readings
Vibrato and glidesAfter the note, the left finger swings wider and more firmly than in yin, for a vigorous, archaic ring.
How it is played
After the stopped note sounds, the left finger carries the string in a wider to-and-fro; the old handbooks give the width as anywhere from two or three to five or six fen beyond the position. The finger works firmly, large swings first and smaller after, then comes to rest. Use the flesh of the finger to avoid the scrape of the nail. On which side of the position it lies, and which way it goes first, sources disagree.
How it sounds
The rise and fall is wider than yin; the ring is thick and aged, with an upward-climbing energy.
In the classical handbooks
指于按處往來搖動，約過本位五六分，大于吟而多急烈。Gist: The finger rocks to and fro at the stopping place, about five or six fen past the position; larger than yin and mostly quick and fierce.
輕清小者爲吟，重大帶急者爲猱。吟取韻致，猱取古勁，各有所宜。Gist: Light, clear and small is yin; heavy, large and somewhat quick is nao. Yin takes grace, nao takes ancient vigor; each has its place.
指於按彈得聲位，左右往來動盪，約過按位一二三分，取音大於吟者，蒼老渾厚，亦以恰好圓滿爲法。Gist: At the position where the note was stopped and plucked, the finger swings left and right about one, two or three fen past the position, taking a note larger than yin, aged and rich; here too the rule is to be exactly right and round.
按琴譜有以在徽下取音為猱徽上取音為吟有以不拘徽之上下取音寛大蒼老者為猱纎小韻致者為吟Gist: The handbooks differ: some take the note below the hui for nao and above it for yin; others disregard above and below, calling the broad and aged nao and the fine and graceful yin.
Where sources disagree
How wide the swing should be
- About five or six fen past the position, clearly larger than yin. Source: Wuzhizhai Qinpu(opens in a new window) · View the original page
- About two or three fen past the position. Source: Qinxue Rumen (Introduction to Qin Studies)(opens in a new window) · View the original page
- Reckoned by pitch divisions, two fen either side of yin already reaches the boundary of the note; widen nao further and it leaves the note, so nao should not be larger than yin. Source: 彭祉卿《桐心阁指法析微》 (as collected by Jinxiang Academy)(opens in a new window)
Which side of the position, and which way first
- A proper nao, once the note is heard, pulls sharply up above the hui and then quickly back down to it. Source: Chen Zhuo’s fingering (Tang dynasty; in Qinshu Daquan (Great Compendium of Qin Writings), vol. 8）(opens in a new window)
- After the note, slide down two or three fen from the position, then quickly back up to it, three turns in all. Source: 黄勉之传、Yang Zongji, 《琴粹》 (as collected by Jinxiang Academy)(opens in a new window)
- From the position go up two fen and return, three times; nao must be above the position. Source: Yang Zongji, 《琴镜补》 (as collected by Jinxiang Academy)(opens in a new window)
- Down first, then up, five sounds and four turns, the opposite direction to yin. Source: 彭祉卿《桐心阁指法析微》 (as collected by Jinxiang Academy)(opens in a new window)
Faster or slower than yin
- Larger than yin and mostly quick and fierce. Source: Wuzhizhai Qinpu(opens in a new window) · View the original page
- Roughly, yin is a little quicker and nao a little slower. Source: 黄勉之传、Yang Zongji, 《琴粹》 (as collected by Jinxiang Academy)(opens in a new window)
- A little larger and slower than yin, shaking only one or two turns. Source: 《梅庵琴谱》 (as collected by Jinxiang Academy)(opens in a new window)
Easily confused with
- 吟yín· narrow vibratoYin is small and prized for rounded grace; nao is wide and prized for vigor.
References
- 管平湖《古指法考》（北京古琴文化研究会 编，中国书店出版社 2019；据 1963 年中国音乐研究所油印本整理，依《琴用指法》《乌丝栏》《太音大全》《琴书大全》考订古指法）Scholarship