The Erhu is an instrument that is hard to pick up. One of the bottlenecks when learning the Erhu is getting used to the posture of the right hand, which you hold the bow with. Another is with the left hand. Unlike our western counterpart the violin, Erhu does not have a fret board. It will be more challenging for learners to find and remember the position of notes and how much force to use for every note to find the correct intonation. In exchange, we have a number of techniques that are unique to the Erhu which the violin is unable to perform. Having said that, the Erhu is an extremely rewarding and satisfying instrument to learn. An instructor can definitely make your learning much more simple and enjoyable!

Usually, an Erhu for beginners can cost about SGD$100 to SGD$300. On the other spectrum, Erhus may cost 5 or even up to 6 figures! Higher priced Erhus sound clearer, thicker and to a certain extent, somewhat easier to play on. Click here for our range of Erhus.

The Erhu may not as loud as you might think! According to empirical research, the Erhu played at a forte level is about 80-90dB, which translates to somewhat louder than a conversation, which is about 60dB, when played at a normal level. If you are afraid that the volume might affect your family or neighbours, the Erhu has a mute which suppresses almost half of your playing volume.

The Erhu, like the violin, often carrying the melodies and counter melodies in an orchestra. Erhus are also often heard supporting main melodies by either playing rhythmic verses or playing harmonic accompaniments to the main melody.

As a bowed string instrument, the Erhu is mainly played using a bow held in a underhand grip in a push and pull manner. The strings can also be plucked or strummed for certain pieces but it does not resonate as well the violin. Some more recent pieces also require Erhu players to tap the snakeskin of the Erhu.

An Erhu sounds somewhat like a violin, but not as bright and somewhat melancholic. It has a unique sound that is difficult to express using words and is often said to resemble the sound of a human voice.

The Erhu is made up of 2 main parts. The bow and the instrument. The bow is made using either wood or bamboo, with the latter being more common. The hair of the bow is made of horsehair. 

The whole instrument (pegs, body and resonating box/chamber) is made of one type of wood. Common wood types used to make Erhus are Ebony wood, Rosewood and Sandalwood. In the past, it is common to see tuning pegs are made with different wood than the main body. 

Some Erhus are installed/fitted with mechanical bronze tuners. These are not as common now and the design of these bronze tuners differ between the region it is made in, such as Shanghai and Beijing. 

Similar to the head of the Erhu, tuning pegs often have decorative ends that are made with plastic. In the past, they are also made with of ivory or even bone, but has since been discontinued. 

The decorative piece of the Erhu's resonating box/chamber is made out of a different type of wood than the main body. The most vital part of the instrument responsible for producing the sound and vibrations of the instrument is located on the other side, which is the snakeskin. 

The strings were made of silk in the past. Now, we use steel strings and some have gold or silver coated on them.

The Erhu can play various melodies, but not chords. The Erhu can play traditional pieces and also certain Western classical pieces such as Zigeunerweisen and even Carmen Fantasy, both by Sarasate, but transposed to other keys.