 This use of fingers to pluck the instrument often shares technique with that of the "pipa" and is most commonly used in performance of "sanxian" arrangements of works traditionally written for the "pipa".This allows for "pipa" techniques such as tremolo to be used.Other techniques for "sanxian" include the use of harmonics and hitting the skin of the instrument with the plectra or fingernail (comparable to the technique used to play the northern Japanese "tsugaru-jamisen").