双弹double snap
Pinyin: shuāng tán
Right hand, compoundAlso written: 鼓, 双撮
The thumb holds back the middle and index fingers, which are released in turn, middle first, for two notes. The old handbooks also call it gu.
How it is played
Curl the middle and index fingers and hold them back with the thumb to store force; release the middle finger (ti) and then the index finger (tiao), each snapping against the string like a finger-flick. Qing handbooks mostly use it on two strings of the same pitch, one stopped and one open, so the two notes sound as one.
How it sounds
Two short, springy notes; where two strings share a pitch it gives the effect of “two as one”.
In the classical handbooks
鼓也，同在一兩絃得二聲也。一按一散，剔挑次弟彈其兩絃竝響，先剔後挑二聲，又名雙彈。Gist: Gu: two notes on one or two strings. One stopped and one open; ti and tiao pluck the two strings in turn so they ring together, ti first and then tiao, two notes. Also called shuang tan.
雙彈也，即鼓也，與半輪相似。Gist: Shuang tan: the same as gu; it resembles ban lun.
剔挑同絃二聲，以大指揑中食二指，先中後食逐聲擊出，要一按一散取兩絃如一之聲，又名雙彈。Gist: Ti and tiao, two notes on the same string: the thumb pinches the middle and index fingers and releases them one after the other, middle first and then index, striking out note by note. It needs one stopped and one open string to make the two strings sound as one. Also called shuang tan.
Where sources disagree
One string or two
- Two strings of the same pitch, one stopped and one open; ti first, then tiao. Source: Qinxue Rumen (Introduction to Qin Studies), vol. 1; Chengjiantang Qinpu, “Qinpu Zhifa” section(opens in a new window) · View the original page
- Ti then tiao on the same string, played very quickly so the two notes sound as one, without touching the neighboring strings. Source: Huiyan Mizhi (via the Guoqinwang technique database)(opens in a new window)
- The thumb grips the middle and index fingers; the middle finger's ti is released across two strings as one sound, then the index finger's tiao across two strings as one sound. Source: Taiyin Daquanji (via the Guoqinwang technique database)(opens in a new window)
Its relation to ban lun
- Shuang tan is gu, and resembles ban lun. Source: Qinxue Rumen (Introduction to Qin Studies), vol. 1(opens in a new window) · View the original page
- Shuang tan is ti then tiao, each across two strings as one sound; a single snap on one string is ban lun. Treating shuang tan as ban lun is a mistake. Source: 《太古正音琴谱》 (via the Guoqinwang technique database)(opens in a new window)
Easily confused with
- 半轮bàn lún· half rollBan lun is the ring and middle fingers plucking zhai and ti in turn on one string; shuang tan is fingers held back by the thumb and released, usually on two strings.
- 三弹sān tán· triple snapSan tan adds the ring finger for three notes.
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
- 国琴网指法库「双弹——梅花仙馆琴谱」(opens in a new window)Qin community
- 国琴网指法库「双弹——今虞琴刊」(opens in a new window)Qin community
- 国琴网指法库「双弹——一经庐琴学」(opens in a new window)Qin community