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Yingkou Key Changeable zheng

A pentatonic key-changeable zheng made by the Yingkou Musical Instrument Factory in the mid 1970s, with a four button control that would change the pitch of strings in every octave simultaneously. This 21-string zheng was considered a successful model for its capacity to changing to five keys (D-G-C-F-Bb) which was considrered adequate for most compositions. There was a great interest in China in producing zhengs that could change keys quickly and easily to be able to perform more modern western style compositions. Most of these experiments were awkward, cumbersome to move, and never stay in tune. This version was the touring instrument of Mei Han, who used it on tours with the Zhanyou Ensemble throughout China.

Country: China
Region: Asia
Type: zither

yingkou zheng
©  R. Raine-Reusch, Jan. 1999