What gives a Chinese Pipa its unique timbre in comparison with a guitar?

1. What is the timbre of a pipa?
2. What makes the pipa unique?
3. How is the sound of pipa?
4. What kind of instrument is a pipa?

What is the timbre of a pipa?

The timbre of pipa is bright and clear. It is commonly used to accompany singing, folk arts, theatrical music, orchestra, instrumental ensemble and solo.

What makes the pipa unique?

Part of what makes the pipa such a complex instrument is the 70 to 80 different playing techniques for both the left and right hand. In fact, the onomatopoeic name of the instrument describes the sound of two of the basic plucking techniques. ... The second, “pa,” is the sound of the thumb plucking from left to right.

How is the sound of pipa?

A fitting description of the instrument's delicate tonality can be found in a poem by the Tang Dynasty's Bai Juyi: "The bold strings rattled like splatters of sudden rain. The fine instruments hummed like lovers' whispers. Chattering and pattering, pattering and chattering.

What kind of instrument is a pipa?

The pipa, pípá, or p'i-p'a (Chinese: 琵琶) is a traditional Chinese musical instrument, belonging to the plucked category of instruments.