索铃string of bells
Pinyin: suǒ líng
Right hand, compoundThe left hand stops each string in turn along a slant while the right index finger plucks across them, like a row of bells; used mostly in harmonics.
How it is played
Shaped like gun, but the right hand uses tiao rather than zhai: when the left hand stops string seven the right plucks seven, when it stops six the right plucks six. The stopping position slants as the score directs (for example from the seventh hui down to the ninth), and the right hand plucks each string in turn, note after note.
How it sounds
A chain of notes whose pitch shifts step by step, bright and distinct, like a row of bells tied on a cord.
In the classical handbooks
如滾之式，左按七則挑七，按六則挑六，次第往前一路急挑去。或自七徽而斜至九徽者，或自九徽而斜至七徽者，如鈴索之聲，磊磊落落……Gist: In the manner of gun: when the left hand stops seven, pluck seven; when it stops six, pluck six; one after the other, quickly plucking forward along the row. Either from the seventh hui slanting to the ninth, or from the ninth slanting to the seventh, like the sound of a string of bells, bright and clear …
亦多用於泛音，取聲與滾相類，惟一用摘一用挑以別之。Gist: Also used mostly in harmonics; the sound resembles gun, distinguished only by using tiao instead of zhai.
Where sources disagree
Whether the right hand uses tiao, lun or zhai
- The right index finger plucks each string outward in turn. Source: Chengjiantang Qinpu, “Qinpu Zhifa” section; Qinxue Rumen (Introduction to Qin Studies), vol. 1(opens in a new window) · View the original page
- The left thumb stops strings seven, six and five at the seventh hui while the right hand rolls (lun) across all of them. Source: Qinshu Daquan (Great Compendium of Qin Writings) (via the Guoqinwang technique database)(opens in a new window)
- The right hand plucks zhai from string seven along a slant, passing through strings six, five, four, three and two. Source: 《琴学正声》 (via the Guoqinwang technique database)(opens in a new window)
Easily confused with
- 滚gǔn· downward sweep (ring finger)In gun the ring finger plucks zhai and the left hand need not shift from string to string; in suo ling the right hand uses tiao and the left-hand stop follows each string.
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「索铃——澄鉴堂琴谱」(opens in a new window)Qin community
- 国琴网指法库「索铃——今虞琴刊」(opens in a new window)Qin community