[LUTE] Re: machete

[EUGENE BRAIG IV]

   ----- Original Message -----=3CBR=3EFrom=3A Rob MacKillop
   =26lt=3Blutepl= ayer1=40googlemail=2Ecom=26gt=3B=3CBR=3EDate=3A
   Saturday=2C May 3=2C 200= 8 4=3A52 am=3CBR=3ESubject=3A =5BVIHUELA=5D
   machete=3CBR=3ETo=3A Vihuela=
   =26lt=3Bvihuela=40cs=2Edartmouth=2Eedu=26gt=3B=3CBR=3E=3CBR=3E=26gt=3B
   = Following the ukulele theme backwards=2C it seems to
   have=26nbsp=3Bdevel= oped from the Portuguese =3CBR=3E=26gt=3B
   Machete=2C which I believe was= wire-string=2E What do we=26nbsp=3Bknow
   of the machete=3F Strummed=3F =3C= BR=3E=26gt=3B Plucked=3F Fingers=3F
   Plectrum=3F I=27ve known about=26nbs= p=3Bthe machete for years as they
   have one in =3CBR=3E=26gt=3B Edinburgh= University Museum of musical
   instruments - and a cute little thing it i= s=2C although broken
   =3CBR=3E=26gt=3B and=26nbsp=3Bstringless- but have = never read any
   research or heard one=2E=3CBR=3E=26nbsp=3B=3CBR=3EThere i= s one in the
   Stearns Collection of Michigan with a soundbox carved into = the shape
   of a fish=2E=26nbsp=3B The headstock becomes the tail (thus th= e
   instrument=27s=26nbsp=3Bneck makes for what would be a grotesquely hyp=
   ertrophied caudal peduncle)=2C and there are even little carved bone
   tee= th set into the fish=27s mouth=2E=3CBR=3E=26nbsp=3B=3CBR=3EI
   don=27t kno= w much of the machete=2C but believe there were some
   gut-strung variants= =2C including that of Madeira=2E=26nbsp=3B There
   is a quote from=26nbsp=3B= a ca=2E 1860 English guidebook of Madeira
   given in the article to which = I just referred in reply to
   Bill=26nbsp=3B(odd approach to punctuation p=
   reserved)=3A=3CBR=3E=26nbsp=3B=3CBR=3E=22The machete is peculiar to the
   = island=3B it is a small guitar with four catgut strings=2E=26nbsp=3B
   The= instrument is used by the peasantry to accompany the voice and the
   danc= e=2E=26nbsp=3B The common music consists of a succession of
   simple chord= s=3B but in the hands of an accomplished player=2C the
   machete is capabl= e of much more pleasing harmony=3B and the stranger
   is sometimes agreeab= ly surprised to hear the fashionable music of our
   ballrooms given with c= onsiderable effect=2C on what appears a very
   insignificant instrument=2E=
   =22=3CBR=3E=3CBR=3E=26nbsp=3B=3CBR=3E=26gt=3B BTW=2C astonished at some
   = of the strumming these uke players can=26nbsp=3Bdo=2E There is one
   guy o= n youtube=3CBR=3E=26gt=3B
   http=3A//www=2Eyoutube=2Ecom/watch=3Fv=3DOLAwS=
   OELH9s=26amp=3Bfeature=3Drelated =3CBR=3E=26gt=3B demonstrating a
   =27fan= strum=27 which is a form of repicco - but goes like
   this=3A=26nbsp=3Bli= ttle finger down=2C ring =3CBR=3E=26gt=3B finger
   down=2C thumb down=2C t= humb up=2C which he can do at a phenomenal
   speed=2E I might get a DVD =3C= BR=3E=26gt=3B devoted to strumming
   the=26nbsp=3Buke=2C as there is so mu= ch there of use to baroque
   guitar players=2E =3CBR=3E=26gt=3B The=26nbsp= =3Brepertoire might be
   different - Sweet Georgia Brown instead of La Fol= ia - but
   the=26nbsp=3Bbillions =3CBR=3E=26gt=3B of=26nbsp=3Balfabeto pie= ces
   are not so far off=2E=3CBR=3E=26nbsp=3B=3CBR=3EIndeed=2E=26nbsp=3B T=
   he most famous strummer of ukes in cyberland may be Jake Shimabukuro=2C
   = of course=2E=26nbsp=3B He=27s all over Youtube=2E=26nbsp=3B Search
   him u= p too=2C especially the now ubiquitous arrangement of =22While
   my Guitar= Gently Weeps=2E=22=3CBR=3E=26nbsp=3B=3CBR=3EEugene --


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