Miqe à jour le 20/03/2024                 

Learn to play

After Maguy Gérentet (See in the professional pages) HERE), over the years, other professional musicians have fallen under the spell of the zither.

Among the most active today, it is only fair to name Catherine Weidemann who has done and continues to do an immense amount of work to develop educational materials accessible to all.(See the professional pages) HERE).

So here's a first option for those who like to go on adventures with a minimum of guarantee.

But so much Maguy (HEREthat Catherine (HERE), they organize courses for all levels, sometimes with themes.
Dates and locations are updated regularly.

There are also local, non-professional "teachers." You can inquire about them. HEREpfor your region.

Quelques réponses à de légitimes questions                             

  • I don't know anything about music, can I learn to play the zither?
Yes, it's possible to achieve concrete results quickly, though obviously not without work. But we can say without hesitation that the zither is for Tintin readers, so for people from 7 to 77 years old. Before or after that, please consult the professionals!

  • I am almost blind. Is it a dream to wish to play the zither?
It is necessary to dream. Maguy seems destined to help realize this dream, being visually impaired herself.

  • I am not yet 77 years old, but I have a lot of arthritis, is it feasible?
Yes, with Catherine, who is an occupational therapist and very attentive to this type of pathology. Her playing style (called "pulling") is also more suitable.

  • I can't afford to buy an instrument, are there any available for rent?
The association is working on this issue. Make yourself known on the page Let's stay in touch.

  • That's really too much difficult For me to learn, wouldn't there be something simpler?
One solution is to tune using a pentatonic scale (that is, with only five notes), which ensures you're always in tune. But the playing possibilities are more limited.In any case, it's a possibility to "rest" when learning is too difficult.

There is the system of diagrams which were and are used for the folk zither. The playing is necessarily somewhat limited, but this system allows one to play pieces practically without any musical knowledge.
There is an association in Mulhouse which brilliantly uses diagrams in orchestral music. It is possible to obtain them from Jean Hurter.

  • So what are these diagrams?
Here's a photo already!...and Jean Hurter explains very well who this system is primarily aimed at and how it has evolved...
in these few lines