Mekong NYC offers a unique music class where students learn to play the đàn tranh, the Vietnamese zither. Through this class, students experience the essence of Vietnamese music—a dynamic blend of melody and language that makes each performance truly one-of-a-kind. No melody is ever played the same way twice, inviting students to explore the flowing, improvisational spirit of Vietnamese tradition.
Zoom Meeting or in-person at
Yes We Can Music Office
40 West 135th St., Ste. 1S, NY10037
You can stick to or alternate between Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Prerequisite: none. All are welcome.
Đàn Tranh can be loaned from Mekong NYC.
Tentative Curriculum
Mekong NYC’s đàn tranh music class offers in-person and Zoom sessions, guiding students through the fundamentals of this traditional Vietnamese zither. In eight sessions, participants will learn techniques for both hands and explore Vietnamese ornamentations to convey the narrative behind each piece. The class covers three songs: the popular “Shotgun,” the heartfelt “Lòng Mẹ” (Mother’s Love), and the Southern folk classic “Lý Ngựa Ô” (Song of the Black Stallion). Each melody becomes a journey through Vietnamese musical storytelling.
Session 1
Class recording Saturday Octover 26 at 10:30AM
Class recording Wednesday October 30 at 7:00PM
Introducing the 3 songs that we will learn in this course, take a listen of these during the next few weeks:
“Lý Ngựa Ô” (Song of the Black Stallion)
Đàn Tranh’s Part and Positions (Swallow Positions, Sitting, Hand Position, Touch Points, Bead Navigation).
String order & Tuning
- Review Right Hand’s Individual Finger Techniques
- Tuning Steps
- Arranging the Swallows
- Tuning from the lowest string
- Turning the peg for significant changes
- Adjusting the swallows for fine-tuning
- “Shotgun“ – Whole song
- For returning students: Add vibratos for long notes.
- For returning students: Add à Glissandi before the first notes of phrases.
Left Hand Techniques – Do’s & Don’ts
Compare Sounds of the Zither Family
Bending up and down between G-A, C-D, D-E
“Lòng Mẹ” (Mother’s Love) – Phrases 1-2
– Set the large beads: G string
– Small beads on A (often bending to B) – D (vibratos to E) – E (vibrato as a long notes)
– Soft landing: beginning of the phrase, or after a long notes (beginning of a part of a phrase)
Session 4
Class recording Saturday November 16 at 10:30AM
Class recording Wednesday November 20 at 7:00PM
Timed Vibrations
“Lòng Mẹ” (Mother’s Love),– Bending in time – Verse and Verse’
Session 5
Class recording Saturday November 23 at 10:30AM
Class recording Wednesday November 27 at 7:00PM
– Low to high: index finger, high to low: thumb
– Straight near the bridge, straight in the middle of the string, curve near-far-near the bridge
– Double Á (2 hands)
– Destination notes usually with different finger
– Ring finger prepare ahead for the destination notes.
“Lòng Mẹ” (Mother’s Love), – Chorus
– Bending 2 strings: 3 fingers down on the first, then move middle and ring finger to the next while holding the index finger down
Session 6
Class recording Saturday November 30 at 10:30AM
Class recording Wednesday December 4 at 7:00PM
“Lý Ngựa Ô” (Song of the Black Stallion)
– Right Hand Techniques
Song Thanh (2 voices)
– Skipping 1 string
– Octave apart
Improvisation:
– Use “shapes” similar in Lòng Mẹ
– Vibration on C’s and G’s
– Adding ending bending notes (advanced)
Session 7
Class recording Saturday December 7 at 10:30AM
Class recording Wednesday December 11 at 7:00PM
Applying ornamentations
– Glissando
– Bending/Gliding
– Song Thanh
– (Tremolos)
For
“Lý Ngựa Ô” (Song of the Black Stallion)
One-on-one check-in
Session 8
Class recording Saturday December 14 at 10:30AM (Zoom and in-person: tentatively set for
the Milbank Chapel – Columbia University)
Class recording Wednesday December 18 at 7:00PM (Regular Venue
Sharing Day
Narration
Additional Exercises
- Multiple Fingers Patterns
- Quãng 8 Octaves
- Á Glissandi
- 7 suggested exercises (Feel free to create your own) – Adjust the playback speed as needed.
Books for Improvisation:
- A River by Marc Martin
Manhattan Academy of Music & Language 