guqin
what it is
The guqin (Wades-Giles ku-ch'in; literally "ancient stringed instrument") is the modern name for a seven-string Chinese instrument of the zither family. It's a very quiet instrument, with a range of about four octaves, and its open strings are tuned in the bass register. Its lowest pitch is about two octaves below middle C, or the lowest note on the cello.
✦ start here: albums


✦ who's making it, level by level
level 5 · all the way
deep experimental
✦ make guqin a playlist
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questions
What is guqin?
The guqin (Wades-Giles ku-ch'in; literally "ancient stringed instrument") is the modern name for a seven-string Chinese instrument of the zither family. It's a very quiet instrument, with a range of about four octaves, and its open strings are tuned in the bass register. Its lowest pitch is about two octaves below middle C, or the lowest note on the cello.
What are good guqin albums to start with?
Try Treasure Edition: Ancient Qin Solos (Zhen Cang Ban: Guan Pinghu Gu Qin Pian) by Guan Pinghu, Gold Finger: Chinese Guqin by Zeng Chengwei, Sleeping Lotus by Li Xiangting, and Collection of the Most Famous Guqin Players by Various Artists.
Who are some women making guqin?
musicisforgirls.com/genres/guqin/girls lists women, non-binary artists, and bands with women making guqin, from mainstream to underground.
genre notes from last.fm listeners · artists and albums from last.fm, updated 2026-10-22



