About those twisted strings - I have 3 on my orpharion: 2 that are more loosely twisted on the 5th course and the bass half of the 6th course that is more tightly twisted. I got the strings from NRI. The fifth course sounds better than the 6th, especially when fretted. When I first started to play the orpharion it was hard to get a good sound, but that has gradually gotten better. I think the problems were less when I played cittern because of the shorted thinner strings and using a pick. Nancy
>>Doc, >> >>Out of curiosity, what did you find difficult to "get used to"? > >whistling noises from my r-h fingers. > >I'm going to try them again when I have the time to devote to it. >They work well on the renaissance instrument. How do yo get on with >them? > >> >> >>-A: >> >>At 08:28 AM 2/4/2008, Gregory Doc Rossi wrote: >>>I like Malcolm Rose iron and brass wire for the upper 4 courses. I've >>>tried several things for basses, including twisted brass, silk-core >>>and Savarez Argentines. I think the twisted brass probably sounds >>>best, but I couldn't get used to them. Bruce Brook made them for me >>>and he suggested that I should try reverse wound. The Argentines >>>blend in the best and hold the tuning well. >>> >>>Can't wait to see and hear it, Frank. >>> >>>On Feb 4, 2008, at 5:04 PM, Frank Nordberg wrote: >>> >>>>I'm having a replica of a Hansen Norwegian cittern built for me and >>>>suddenly realised I have no idea what strings to put on it. >>>> >>>>Any suggestions? Scale length is 43 cm and I'm planning to tune it >>>>like an English guittar probably with slightly heavier strigns than >>>>what is historically "correct" (it's not an exact replica anyway. >>>> >>>> >>>>Frank Nordberg >>>>http://www.musicaviva.com >>>>http://www.tablatvre.com >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>>To get on or off this list see list information at >>>>http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html >>> >> >> > > Nancy Carlin Associates P.O. Box 6499 Concord, CA 94524 USA phone 925/686-5800 fax 925/680-2582 web site - www.nancycarlinassociates.com Representing: FROM WALES - Robin Huw Bowen, Crasdant, Neil & Meg Browning's Never Mind the Bocs & Carreg Lafar, FROM ENGLAND - The City Waites, Jez Lowe, & Jez Lowe & The Bad Pennies, FROM FRANCE - Gabriel Yacoub, FROM SPAIN - La Musga=F1a and now representing EARLY MUSIC - The Venere Lute Quartet and Paul Beier Administrator THE LUTE SOCIETY OF AMERICA web site - http://LuteSocietyofAmerica.org --
