There are six main positions on the Dan Bau that correspond to six pitches, which are: C G C E G C C1. The six pitches are called: C2, E2, G2, and C3. From the position of these notes, we use the rod, pushing it to the left and right (higher and lower) to find other pitches. These six positions are called "nodes", or hand positions: I, II, III, IV, V, and VI. The order goes from right to left, from the first node to the last one close to the rod.
 Now, I will teach you how to find hand positions. Find the midpoint between where the string is tied to the rod and the tailpiece. This midpoint on the string is where you rest your hand to find C1. also called the first-hand position (I) Once you find this midpoint, rest the edge of your right hand right where the midpoint is and simultaneously pluck the string to find the first C of the six notes in the neutral position of the rod.  Trace where the plectrum rests onto the surface and mark the spot. So now we have C1.
Next, in a similar fashion, we will divide the string from the tailpiece to where it is tied to the rod in three equal parts. The first 1/3 point on the left will be the first G note. With the same method, we now have the position for G1. That's the second-hand position (II). Divide the string in four to find the second C (III - third-hand position). Divide the string in five to find E (IV - fourth hand position). Divide the string in six to find the second G (V - fifth hand position).  Divide the string in eight to find the third C (VI - sixth hand position). That is how you find the positions of the six notes in the neutral position of the rod on the Dan Bau. Remember, this is the rule to find the positions which help us figure out the notes on the Dan Bau. As hands vary in size, the distance from the plectrum's end to the nodes will also vary, meaning different plucking points on the string. Therefore before playing, you have to find

- Firmly hold the plectrum.

- Maintain a fixed distance between the plucking position and where your right-hand rests on the string.

- Keep the right hand and plectrum off the string after plucking a note – only make contact with the string when you play the next note.

- Keep the left hand on the rod in a proper manner so that it doesn’t affect notes in the neutral position. 

 

-     Produce pure, clear, and correct tones when playing notes in a neutral position while maintaining volume control.

-     Ensure that all notes are connected when moving from one note to the next regardless of pitch and duration.

 

-     Practice quick movement of the middle and ring fingers to support the plucking technique.

-     Place the left hand on the rod properly so that the fingers do not exert too much force on the rod and affect the notes in the neutral position. 

-     Practice moving the right hand from one position to another, between positions that are close to each other and between positions that are far apart, remember to alternate the order of positions. At first practice in slow tempo, and once you have memorized the positions and you play the sounds correctly, gradually increase your tempo. During this phase of practice, we encourage you to listen to and get inspired by the exercises and pieces we have prepared for you. Once you are able to play the correct pitches without the help of the tuner and/or our exercise video, you can turn the audio off and just follow our video score – that might help with keeping the tempo and playing the correct rhythm.

-     Move onto the exercise and the corresponding folk song once you are reasonably comfortable with the techniques introduced in this lesson.

-     You can try practicing with a metronome to control your tempo.

 

-     Every day for two to three weeks (two to three hours per day depending on your personal schedule and capability). 

 

In these 2 exercises, we marked every note so it can help you to follow the pitches and the rhythm of the notes.