How to change pipa strings
The pipa's four strings are tied to a wooden bridge glued to the soundboard, cross the high frets (the xiang on the neck and the pin on the face) and wind onto four large friction pegs in the bent-back head. Modern strings are steel cored and wrapped in nylon; silk was standard until the 1950s, and some players still use it.
Pipa standard tuning, string by string
From the 4th string (chanxian, thickest) to the 1st (zixian), at A = 440 Hz.
| String | Note | Hz |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | A2 | 110.00 |
| 3 | D3 | 146.83 |
| 2 | E3 | 164.81 |
| 1 | A3 | 220.00 |
How to use it
- Read the steps first and tick each one as you go. Your progress stays on this device.
- When every box is ticked, the page scrolls to the tuner. Choose A d e a or G d e a and pluck each open string until the needle centers.
- Tap Start over to clear the steps for the next string change.
Help and explanations
The tuner at the end of the guide opens on the common tuning, from the thickest string: chanxian A2 110.00 Hz, laoxian D3 146.83 Hz, zhongxian E3 164.81 Hz and zixian A3 220.00 Hz. The G d e a tuning, with the 4th string a tone lower at G2 98.00 Hz, is in the list too.
Copy the knot before you remove it
The knot at the bridge is what holds the string, and makers and teachers tie it in slightly different ways. Before you undo the old string, take a photo of the bridge from the front and from behind, so you can see which way the string goes through the hole and how the end is wrapped. Tie the new one the same way and trim the end short, so it can't buzz against the soundboard.
Change one string at a time. The bridge is glued, so it won't fall, but the other strings show you the path, the peg direction and the height over the frets.
Friction pegs
Pipa pegs hold by friction in a tapered hole. Turn and push in gently at the same time, the way you would on a violin. If a peg slips, it isn't pushed in enough or the taper is worn; if it jumps in steps, a little peg compound helps. Wind the string so it lies neatly toward the side of the pegbox, without crossing the neighboring strings.
Tips
- The zixian, the thinnest string, takes most of the attack from the nail picks and breaks first: keep a spare.
- After changing strings, check that the 4th and 1st strings are exactly an octave apart and the zixian a fifth above the laoxian: an even, clean open chord is the sign everything agrees.
- To see small drifts while the new string stretches, the strobe tuner shows cents to one decimal.
Frequently asked questions
What are the four pipa strings called?
From the thickest (4th) to the thinnest (1st): chanxian, laoxian, zhongxian and zixian, tuned A2, D3, E3 and A3 in the common tuning.
What are the notes of the pipa strings?
A2 110.00 Hz, D3 146.83 Hz, E3 164.81 Hz and A3 220.00 Hz at A = 440 Hz, written A d e a or 6 2 3 6 in jianpu with 1 = C.
What are pipa strings made of?
Today mostly steel wrapped in nylon; before the 1950s they were silk, which some players still prefer for its softer sound.
How do you restring a pipa?
One string at a time: undo the old knot at the bridge, tie the new string the same way, lay it over the frets in its nut groove, push the end through the peg hole, wind it on while pushing the peg in, and tune it up slowly.
Why does my new pipa string keep going flat?
New strings stretch and friction pegs settle in the first hours. Tune, pull the string gently at the middle, retune and repeat; nylon-wrapped strings take a day or two to stay put.