Instrument

Erhu

Two-string Chinese spike fiddle. The bow hair runs between the strings. No fingerboard.

Range: D4–A7
Sources: 12 (12 independent)

Mics sources recommend

21 setups from 12 sources, 12 of them independent of any mic maker. Each mic shows how many sources name it for that role, and how many of those are independent. Listed alphabetically: there is no ranking.

Studio

Close

AKG C414 ("414 TLMII" as written)1 independent source
Audio-Technica AT40601 independent source
Beyerdynamic MC 7401 independent source
Neumann KM 1841 independent source
Neumann TLM 1031 independent source
Neumann U 671 independent source
sE Electronics sE8 Omni (used as PZM boundary mic)1 independent source
cardioid microphone (type not named)1 independent source
condenser microphone (type not named)1 independent source
five microphones (models not named)3 independent sources
large-diaphragm microphones (pair, models not named)1 independent source
ribbon microphone (type not named)1 independent source

Room

AKG C414 ("414")1 independent source
omnidirectional microphones (pair, types not named)1 independent source
single-point stereo tube microphone (Blumlein)1 independent source

Main pair or array

main stereo or multichannel array (types not named)1 independent source

Overhead

sE Electronics sE81 independent source

The 19 setups behind this: placement and quotes

Close five microphones (models not named)
close, five positions: Mid-Low, Mid-High, Front, Rear and Distant (last one distant)
Samples were recorded with 5 microphones: Mid-Low, Mid-High, Front, Rear, and Distant.¹
Close microphone (type not named)
close, aimed at the soundbox (resonator), about 50 cm away; for a full sound the post says 4-5 or more mics are usually used on one instrument
二胡：MIC对准腔体，距离50厘米左右。²
Close Audio-Technica AT4060
close, single mono mic a couple of feet in front of the player
(paraphrase, from search summary) excellent results with one mono AT4060 into a Neve or NTI mic pre, on a record mixing erhu with Western instruments³
Close Neumann KM 184
close, a couple of feet from the instrument, facing the performer, at the height of the bow
A KM184 a couple of feet away from the instrument, facing the performer, at the same level of the bow³
Close condenser microphone (type not named)
close, second mic at the base of the instrument coming in from the rear, on its own track, for the low end that fades on soft passages
worth hooking up another mic, preferably a condenser, at the base of the instrument, coming in from the rear³
Close ribbon microphone (type not named)
close, at the rear/base position (poster's untried suggestion)
(paraphrase, from search summary) a third poster suggests a ribbon for that rear position, though has not tried it³
Room AKG C414 ("414")
distant, a 414 placed at a distance, through an API preamp; treat like a classical violin in a big warm room
(paraphrase, from search summary) best results came from a 414 placed at a distance, going through an API; the erhu's soft, mellow low end gets lost under its piercing top⁴
Close AKG C414 ("414 TLMII" as written)
close, single mic aimed at the back of the instrument, a bit up and away
a Focusrite red pre and a single 414 TLMII, miced the back of the instrument, a bit up and away⁴
Room 2 × single-point stereo tube microphone (Blumlein)
pair, single-point Blumlein stereo mic in a warm room
(paraphrase, from search summary) one poster used a single point Blumlein stereo classic tube mike⁴
Room 2 × omnidirectional microphones (pair, types not named)
pair, spaced omnis in a warm room
(paraphrase, from search summary) a spaced pair of omnis can work just as well⁴
Close cardioid microphone (type not named)
close, at the player's front side, about 45 degrees off the front (the usual erhu mic position)
目前二胡录音的传声器位置通常选在演奏员侧前方45度方向附近 ... 放置在二胡侧前方的心形传声器，比放置在侧后方的传声器能够拾取到更多的二胡弓、弦细节 (front-side cardioid gets more bow and string detail than the rear-side mic)⁵
Close microphone (type not named)
close, at the player's rear side, about 45 degrees behind (louder, softer and more pleasant tone; cites Zhang, Yang & Meng, 二胡录音的声学问题); blended with the front-side mic, watching phase
演奏员侧后方45度方向附近也是一个值得考虑的位置，这一位置在二胡的录制中声音响度较大，且音色也较为柔合和悦耳⁵
Main pair or array main stereo or multichannel array (types not named)
main, high and far, taking orchestra and erhu soloist as one whole, with spot mics near single instruments or sections for detail
主传声器...普遍放置在较高较远的位置 ... 将辅助传声器放置在单个乐器或单个乐器组附近 (paraphrase: main pickup high and distant, spots close for detail)⁵
Close Beyerdynamic MC 740
close (positions not described), sample-library session into a Neve 5088 and dCS 905
including a Neve 5088 console, dCS 905 AD converter and Beyerdynamic MC740 Microphones⁶
Close 2 × large-diaphragm microphones (pair, models not named)
pair, wide close stereo configuration, dry studio (Wabi Sabi Sound, Berkeley)
Most of the content was captured at Wabi Sabi Sound in Berkeley, CA, using large-diaphragm mics placed in a wide, close stereo configuration to provide presence and clarity⁷
Close Neumann U 67
close/spot, ensemble session
Neumann U67s on the erhu and zhonghu (Chinese chamber orchestra session).⁸
Overhead 2 × sE Electronics sE8
overhead, four sE8 spread evenly above the bowed-string (huqin: gaohu, erhu, zhonghu) section of a 100-player Chinese orchestra, part of an 8-mic suspended array (pair above conductor plus side mics)
A further four sE8 matrix points were evenly distributed above the string section, ensuring accurate localization and an immersive orchestral capture⁹
Close sE Electronics sE8 Omni (used as PZM boundary mic)
area, three on the floor at the front of the orchestra, to catch energy radiating along the floor from erhu and pipa
Three sE8 Omni PZM boundary microphones were positioned at the front of the orchestra to capture energy radiating along the floor from instruments such as the erhu and pipa⁹
Close Neumann TLM 103
close, in front of soundbox
Neumann TLM103 right in front of the soundbox, to bring out depth without highlighting the bow sound (paraphrase).¹⁰

On stage

Close

microphone (type not named)2 independent sources

The 2 setups behind this: placement and quotes

Close microphone (type not named)
close (placement not stated), to balance with loud percussion and winds in larger ensembles
In larger ensembles, the erhu may be amplified with a microphone¹¹
Close microphone (type not named)
close (placement not stated), for a concerto with orchestra in a big concert hall; Gao notes the sound leaves through the back of the soundbox and thinks mics sound unnatural
when an erhu player performs a concerto with an orchestra in a big concert hall, the erhu's sound is overpowered and usually a microphone is needed¹²

Advised against

Room orchestral session mics (types not named)
room, erhu recorded together with the orchestra; she asked for it to be tracked separately instead (done at Sony Pictures studio)
when they record the orchestra, you don't really get the special sound from the erhu in the same way¹³

Range

D4 to about A7¹⁴294 Hz – 3.52 kHz

A7 is where the stopping finger meets the bow; some players go beyond

Tuning: Open strings D4 and A4 (a fifth); Atlas guide 'Tuning d1 - a1'. Related huqin: zhonghu G3-D4, gaohu G4-D5. Fretless, so intonation is the player's; 'equal' here only means the open strings are given as Western pitches.¹⁵

Erhu, practical range: Atlas guide 'practical range is d1 to d3'¹⁵
Erhu with extension (scordatura): With an extension the erhu can be tuned down to A3-D4 (a - d1); not common as of 2004 (Atlas guide). Db4-Ab4 and C4-G4 scordaturas also possible.¹⁵

Where the sound goes

Tone comes from the python skin on the front of the hexagonal soundbox, not a wooden top (Wikipedia). The source shows nothing on radiation direction beyond that.

Recording it

Production Expert used a Neumann TLM 103 right in front of the soundbox, aiming for depth "without highlighting the sound of the bow". Mix reports Neumann U 67s on erhu and zhonghu in an orchestra session. Bow noise is the problem, as for any fiddle; no erhu-specific source gave distances.

About the range

D4 to A7, about 3.5 octaves, inner string D4 and outer A4 (Wikipedia). The top is a soft limit: A7 is where the stopping finger runs into the bow contact point. Some modern players go beyond (Wikipedia on Xu Ke, "more than four octaves").

Names

Chinese violin, nanhu (related); the zhonghu is the larger, lower sibling.

Sources

Ample Sound: Ample China Erhu (sample library)engineer · amplesound.net
Liu Pin, cnblogs (Sep 2010): Mic在声音拾取方面的技巧 (mic pickup techniques)educational · cnblogs.com
Gearspace: Micing an Erhu? (thread)forum · gearspace.com
Gearspace: Signal chain for Erhu? (thread)forum · gearspace.com
Huain.com (Song Qin, Jul 2023): 二胡与交响乐团的录音与制作浅释 (Recording erhu with symphony orchestra, Silk Road Strings album)engineer · huain.com
KVR Audio forum (developer post, Dec 2012): Sound Magic releases China Story Erhuengineer · kvraudio.com
KVR Audio news (Jun 2012): Soundiron releases Street Erhuengineer · kvraudio.com
Mix: Forbidden City Chamber Orchestra at United Recording (engineer Brian Vibberts)magazine · mixonline.com
Iverson Zhende Xu (Shanghai Conservatory / Full Dimension), on mjelia.com: Sound of Shanghai, The Art and Technology of Spatial Audio Reproduction (100-player Chinese orchestra session)engineer · mjelia.com
Production Expert: How To Record Traditional Chinese Instruments - Expert Tutorialmagazine · production-expert.com
Lan Tung (erhu player): Erhu, info for composerseducational · lantungmusic.com
Shenzhen Daily (Cao Zhen, Sep 2014): Innovative master enriches erhu melody (George Gao)magazine · szdaily.com
Music From The Movies interview (2007), reposted by CNMS archive (Oct 2013): Karen Han, Flavoring the Film Score (Memoirs of a Geisha)magazine · cnmsarchive.wordpress.com
Wikipedia: Erhureference · en.wikipedia.org
Atlas Ensemble / VICO: Erhu (composer's guide by Moshe Denburg)Moshe Denburg · educational · 2004 · atlasensemble.nl