Ten Steps to Learning Guzheng

New instruments can be overwhelming! Here are 10 steps to learning the guzheng.

#1: Find a Teacher

There are plenty out there! Check out the map of teachers around the world or ChineseZither.net’s longer list of teachers. These lists are updated separately so check both.

Don’t be afraid to start learning with a less experienced teacher (perhaps a college student?). They can help you with the basics before you move on to a higher level instructor. While it would be great if we could all study with masters, young teachers are often more available and have lower rates.

Seriously consider a teacher over self study. A few minutes with a teacher can do more for your early foundations than an hour on the internet.

#2 Meet your Teacher!

Each of my teachers preferred to get to know students before agreeing to teach them. It’s a great opportunity to get advice on where to rent or buy guzheng in your area or to answer other questions you may have.

Even if you decide not to pursue weekly lessons it’s important to get connected with your local community. It’s always nice to have contacts before you need them, so do take the time to find other guzhengers in your area.

#3: Find an Instrument

We have four pages for you. Cost of Ownership will help you set your budget. Buy New will help you navigate retailer websites and Buy Used will help you set second-hand guzheng prices, issues to watch for, and when to negotiate. Finally, Stores is a short list of English-language guzheng sellers in North America, Europe, and Asia.

Guzheng come up second hand on classified sites, including:

And the big ones like eBay, and technically Amazon, though most there are new (both Global). Warning: if buying second hand AND getting it shipped to you, make sure the seller knows how to pack it. See the Shipping page for help. I’ve had two guzheng get heavily damaged in the mail because shippers who said they knew better, but didn’t.

#4: Prepare

Read Cost of Ownership if you haven’t already so you know what costs to expect. Then check out Care and Maintenance. It will help you plan where to setup and store your instrument.

#5: Setup

Once you get your instrument you’ll need to set it up. A teacher can help you (recommended!) or you can head over to the Tuning page to place bridges and tighten strings yourself.

#6: Get to Learning

If you have a teacher lined up, start going to lessons! You can expect them to go over basic posture and exercises and direct you to a book or pdf for you to practice with at home. (One teacher photo copied every page for me!)

If you are teaching yourself you’ll need to find teaching resources. Head over to the Learning Materials page for links to online courses and books.

You can also purchase books to learn from. Check out the Books section of the Sheet Music Sources page for a list of all known English guzheng teaching books. If you are learning entirely free form you’ll want to keep this overview of Chinese Cypher Notation on hand.

#7: Find More Music

It can be frustrating to play the same practice piece over and over. Add some variety by searching out new music sources. Find online examples to play against so you can here what to aim for.

#8: Technique References

As you explore through lessons and references you’ll hear about techniques you haven’t learned yet. Visit the Techniques page for brief orientation as to what they all are.

#9: Talk with Others

Reach out to others and start some conversations! You’re not in this alone. Reddit’s r/Guzheng and the Guzheng Forum are great places to go online. Look for area groups to get involved in or ask your teacher to chat with other students. You’ll be amazed at how much richer life becomes when you mix in more people.

#10 Don’t forget to have fun!

You’re here to enjoy. Don’t get lost in the levels and skills and difficulty. We all have different journeys, we’ll all have different paths. Celebrate your time and enjoy the beauty of the guzheng.

And there you have it, your 10 steps to get started on your guzheng journey. As always, feel free to send in questions through the contact forms. Happy plucking!