Free virtual instrument · Play online, no download or sign-up
Play a virtual guzheng online, for free
Play a virtual guzheng for free online with your keyboard, mouse or touchscreen. Start with the D pentatonic notes, try expressive techniques, then practise numbered jianpu sheets at your own speed.
- 21 playable strings
- Keyboard, mouse and touch
- Free Play and jianpu practice
- Works directly in your browser
01
How to play the online guzheng
- Choose Free Play, then click, tap or press the key displayed beside a string.
- Hold Shift for tremolo (摇指), or rub sideways across a string on touch devices.
- Hold Space or 按 while plucking a green string to bend 3 → 4 or 6 → 7.
- Swipe across several strings for a glissando. Use Tuning −/+ to transpose the instrument.
02
Beginner guzheng practice
Begin with the jianpu notes 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 in one octave. Play them slowly up and down, then repeat the pattern across the other octaves. Add one technique at a time: a smooth glissando, tremolo on one note, then the two press bends.
For rhythm practice, open Sheet Play, load the demo, choose Timed, set a comfortable BPM and loop a short A–B section. Choose Own pace when you want every note to wait for the correct pluck without a timer or score.
03
Practise with jianpu sheet music
Load the included 21-string warm-up or upload a sheet in the app’s compatible JSON format. You can listen to the notes, practise at an exact BPM with a synchronized metronome, repeat an A–B section and track timing with forgiving score and accuracy feedback. Both practice styles keep up to five upcoming notes visible in a stationary queue so you can prepare without extra motion.
The Sheet Editor creates and edits numbered notation and exports it as JSON. To use a sheet photo or PDF, convert it to the compatible JSON format before uploading it.
04
Guzheng controls and techniques
- Pluck a string
- Click or tap a string. On a computer, you can also press its mapped keyboard key.
- Tremolo (摇指)
- Hold Shift while playing, or rub sideways across one string on a touchscreen.
- Press bend
- Hold Space or the 按 control and pluck a green 3 or 6 string to reach 4 or 7.
- Glissando
- Swipe up or down across several strings.
- Transpose
- Use Tuning −/+ to move every string up or down by semitone.
- Slow practice
- Set a Tempo in BPM for timed practice, or choose Own pace so each note waits for you.
05
21-string guzheng keyboard map
The strings run from low D2 to high D6 in a repeating D pentatonic pattern. On computers, the on-screen labels can show keyboard shortcuts alongside jianpu numbers and pitches. Touch layouts hide those keyboard shortcuts and keep the note labels compact.
Show the full keyboard-to-string map
| String | Keyboard | Jianpu | Pitch |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tab | 1 | D2 |
| 2 | Q | 2 | E2 |
| 3 | W | 3 | F#2 |
| 4 | E | 5 | A2 |
| 5 | R | 6 | B2 |
| 6 | T | 1 | D3 |
| 7 | Y | 2 | E3 |
| 8 | U | 3 | F#3 |
| 9 | I | 5 | A3 |
| 10 | O | 6 | B3 |
| 11 | P | 1 | D4 |
| 12 | [ | 2 | E4 |
| 13 | ] | 3 | F#4 |
| 14 | \ | 5 | A4 |
| 15 | Del | 6 | B4 |
| 16 | End | 1 | D5 |
| 17 | PgDn | 2 | E5 |
| 18 | N7 | 3 | F#5 |
| 19 | N8 | 5 | A5 |
| 20 | N9 | 6 | B5 |
| 21 | N+ | 1 | D6 |
06
Online guzheng questions
Is this online guzheng free?
Yes. The virtual guzheng plays in your browser without an account, payment or app installation.
Can a beginner use it to learn guzheng?
It is useful for learning the 21-string note layout, jianpu numbers, basic timing, glissando, tremolo and simulated press bends. It complements practice on a physical guzheng rather than replacing its touch, posture and technique.
Does the virtual guzheng work on phones and tablets?
Yes. Touch users can tap strings, rub one string for tremolo and swipe across strings for a glissando. A computer keyboard provides the full mapped-key controls.
What tuning does the online guzheng use?
It starts in D pentatonic tuning, repeating D, E, F♯, A and B across 21 strings from D2 to D6. The tuning controls transpose every string by semitone.
Can I practise jianpu sheet music?
Yes. Load the included warm-up or upload a compatible JSON sheet, then practise at a chosen BPM with the metronome or let each note wait for you in Own pace.
Can I upload my own guzheng song?
You can upload a sheet after converting it to the app’s JSON format, or create one in the Sheet Editor. Photos and PDFs are not imported directly. You can also add a YouTube accompaniment and transpose the guzheng to match its key.