Play the Pipa in GarageBand for iPad
The pipa is a lute used in Chinese classical music. It has four strings (tuned A-D-E-A from low to high) and is played with finger picks. Plucking the strings is called pi outward and pa inward. You can press down on the strings to add vibrato, and you can also bend and strum strings while playing. An important technique called Lunzhi involves rapidly plucking the string with different fingers while fretting a note.
Open the Pipa
Tap the Browser button
, swipe to World, then tap the Pipa button.
Play chords
Tap the Chords/Notes button to switch to Chords view.
To play a chord, swipe up or down on one of the chord strips. You can also tap strings to play individual notes of a chord.
You can add your own custom chords to play.
Play a pattern
Tap the Chords/Notes button to switch to Chords view.
Drag the Autoplay slider to one of the numbered positions.
Tap a chord strip. Tapping a different chord strip plays the same pattern with the notes of that chord.
To stop the pattern playing, tap the chord strip again.
Play individual notes
Tap the Chords/Notes button to switch to Notes view.
Do any of the following:
Play notes: Tap the strings on the fretboard. You can also bend a string vertically to bend the pitch of a note up.
Strum notes: Swipe vertically on the area to the right of the strings.
Play notes of a particular scale: Tap the Scale button
, then tap the scale you want to play.
Add Lunzhi tremolo
You can add Lunzhi tremolo while playing either notes or chords.
Touch and hold the Lunzhi slider as you play. You can control the speed of the tremolo by moving your finger left or right.