应合answering open string
Pinyin: yìng hé
Terms and marksAfter a stopped note slides to a new position, the right hand plucks an open string at the same pitch to answer it.
How it is played
Stop and pluck a note, then without lifting slide up or down to a new hui; the right hand at once plucks another, open string whose pitch matches the note the left hand has reached, so an unplucked note and a plucked one answer each other. For example, in standard tuning the ring finger at the tenth hui plays gou on string four, slides up to the ninth, and the right hand plucks open string seven: string four at the ninth hui and open string seven share a pitch. Scores often have several slides in a row, each matched with an open string.
In the classical handbooks
應合也。於位按彈後，用指或上或下有聲，以應散彈別絃之聲，曰應合。假如名指按彈四絃十徽，隨上九徽，卽彈七絃散聲，與之相應而合也。或按彈九徽，指下十徽，卽彈六絃散聲，與之相應而合也。曲中有數上數下，俱用應合，閱譜所註便知。Gist: Ying he: after stopping and plucking at a position, the finger moves up or down with sound to answer the open sound of another string plucked. For example, the ring finger stops and plucks string four at the tenth hui, then moves up to the ninth and open string seven is plucked, answering and matching it. Or having plucked at the ninth hui, the finger moves down to the tenth and open string six is plucked to answer and match. Where the piece has several ups and downs, all use ying he; the notes in the score make it clear.
應合也。按絃後而指或上徽或下徽有音，以應次絃有聲，曰應；次絃之音合前聲，曰合。假如名指四絃十徽已彈，上九徽，于次彈七絃散聲，應合同聲也。Gist: Ying he: after stopping, the finger moves up or down a hui with sound to answer the sound of the next string: that is ying; the next string's note matches the preceding sound: that is he. For example, the ring finger having plucked string four at the tenth hui moves up to the ninth, and open string seven is then plucked, answering at the same pitch.
Where sources disagree
One open string per ying he, or several in a row
- After the pluck the left finger moves up or down with sound, answered by an open string; where the piece has several ups and downs, each uses ying he. Source: Qinxue Rumen (Introduction to Qin Studies), vol. 1, left-hand symbols(opens in a new window) · View the original page
- After the ring or middle finger stops and plucks, the right hand plucks several strings in succession while the left finger travels up and down, every hui it passes answering the right hand's open notes. Source: Jinyu Qinkan (as collected by Liu Peng)(opens in a new window)
- Some old scores also write a single open note after a stopped pluck as ying he, but usually only two or more notes are so called. Source: Yihe Qin Society, “Jianzipu: a short guide to technique symbols”(opens in a new window)
When the open string is plucked, and how loud
- Only when the ring finger has slid to the ninth hui is the open string plucked, and lightly: the note slid to is faint and the open string merely sets it off. Source: Erxiang QinpuMeihua Xianguan Qinpu (as collected by Liu Peng)(opens in a new window)
- Meet the left hand's rising or falling note with the open string just as it is about to arrive; the two must not be staggered. Source: Qinxue Chujin (as collected by Liu Peng)(opens in a new window)
- As the ring finger reaches the ninth hui, open string seven is plucked together with it as one sound. Source: Zhifa Huican Queji (as collected by Liu Peng)(opens in a new window)
Easily confused with
- 如一rú yī· as one soundRu yi sounds a stopped and an open string together as one; ying he first stops and plucks, slides to a new position, then matches with an open string.
- 放合fàng hé· release and matchFang he releases the stopped finger so the open string matches a stopped note on the neighboring string; ying he slides the stopping finger to a new hui and then matches with an open string.