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[LUTE] Re: [LUTE] Re: [LUTE] Re: Double headed 12c/ loaded/Demi-filé

Martyn Hodgson
Sun, 08 Jun 2008 08:27:56 -0700





--- On Sun, 8/6/08, Anthony Hind <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

> From: Anthony Hind <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Subject: Re: [LUTE]  Re: [LUTE] Re: Double headed 12c/loaded/Demi-filé
> To: "Jarosław Lipski" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, "Martyn Hodgson" <[EMAIL 
> PROTECTED]>, "lute@cs.dartmouth.edu Net" <lute@cs.dartmouth.edu>
> Date: Sunday, 8 June, 2008, 3:09 PM
> Jaroslaw and Martyn
>       I believe the difference in calculation comes from Martyn
> using a  
> stiffish high twist (rather than a rope). This can possibly
> be pushed  
> through quite a narrow hole, where a flexible rope would
> not go through.
> Mimmo is taking the calculation for a rope diameter as
> being 80% of  
> the size of the hole, as Segerman seems to have said.
> Perhaps,  
> Segerman's ropes at that time were unsmoothed, perhaps
> not.
> Then, we know that ropes have a higher degree of flexibity
> than stiff  
> gut. Thus when you raise the rope up to tension, it will
> become  
> thinner than its original size. So it will be thinner than
> 80%,  
> perhaps around 70% to 75% (if it began at 80% of the size
> of the lute  
> hole).
> 
> Now, this would be what would happen, with the type of
> stringing that  
> Satoh uses (Pistoys). However, Martyn seems to be using a
> stiff gut  
> high twist of 1,4 that he thinks will go through a hole of
> 1,5mm.
> Have you actually tried that Martyn? 

Yes, I've explained previously how hole sizes are often measured (eg by 
inserting known diameters -often a drill bit),  so a hole measuring 1.5mm by 
this method is certainly at least 1.5 and will indeed take a 1.4mm string (if 
uniform diameter and stiffish) - the trick is to also rotate when putting in - 
so that it's not the higher static coefficient of friction which is acting.


Now according to
> Charles  
> Besnainou, inharmonicity is caused by the stiffness of the
> string at  
> the bridge and the nut. I simplify, but the sound waves
> encounter the  
> greater stiffness at the nut and bridge end, and some wave
> forms are  
> returned out of phase, and these partially cancel the
> initiating wave  
> form (particularly the high frequencies) givin
> inharmonicity.
> 
> If the high twist and the rope are at normal high tension,
> the result  
> will be far worse for the hightwist, as it will be stiffer.
> However,  
> perhaps you can lower the tension more on a high twist,
> before it  
> loses its ability to vibrate.
> As you lower the tension, so the stiffness will presumably
> decrease  
> at the nut and the bridge. Perhaps at a very low tension
> this means  
> that the hightwist is not so inharmonic as it was
> previously.

Indeed, the inharmonicity is less (as Segerman in fact demonstrated many years 
ago) MH


> 
> This sort of thing can be measured. I will ask Charles
> whether he has  
> done comparative studies of such strings at lower tensions.
> 
> Martyn, what is the sound like of your high twist at 1,5Kg?
> Does it  
> sound good. Could you make a recording for us? Have you
> actually  
> tried using a 1,4 string with a 1,5 hole?

I think you mistake my position if you think I'm uncritically advocating this 
sort of stringing, I merely wish to draw attention to it as an option to loaded 
and which can perhaps too easily be overlooked (some others have also made the 
same point).  I have, however, strung a trial lute this way (a 9 course at 64cm 
in the old tuning C D F G c f a d g  with the 9th down to C at A415).  I'm not 
wholly satisfied with the result but this may well be because I devote 
insufficient continuous time to developing the necessary low tension technique 
(v close to bridge etc) since I use more 'normal' tensions for concert (ie 
mostly continuo) work. In fact my subjective preference continues to lean 
towards loaded basses but, as said, I think it important that we try to explore 
all reasonable avenues. MH
PS I have no recording facilities!

> More importantly, even if this CAN be done, is it
> comfortable? Is it  
> hard to push the string through (even if it is possible)?
> Would you  
> want to do that each time you put a string on your lute?
> If this is not the case why did they not make slightly
> larger holes?
> 
> Have I in any way twisted your hypothesis. I tried to state
> what I  
> understand, and the possible consequences. Please let us
> know your  
> thoughts.
> Anthony
> 
> 
> Le 8 juin 08 à 15:35, Jarosław Lipski a écrit :
> 
> >
> > Hi Martyn,
> > I just talked to Mimmo. He explained that the  tension
> of 0.9 till  
> > 1.2 Kg
> > came out from mathematical calculations made by
> Ephraim Segerman  
> > considering
> > the bridge holes of surviving lutes. He calculated
> some 1.2 till  
> > 1.5 Kg. but
> > this was made considered the density of a low twist
> gut (that  
> > unstretched at
> > all). He made new calculations considering the only
> alternative to the
> > loading of a gut that is stretchable and less dens
> roped string.  
> > This is why
> > tension would be around 1 Kg each bass string on such
> historical  
> > lutes.
> > Best
> > Jaroslaw
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Martyn Hodgson
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > Sent: Friday, June 06, 2008 12:45 PM
> > To: 'Lute'; Jarosław Lipski
> > Subject: Re: [LUTE] Re: [LUTE] Re: [LUTE] Re: Double
> headed
> > 12c/loaded/Demi-filé
> >
> >
> > I don't know where Mimmo gets the tension of 0.9 -
> 1.0Kg from, but  
> > as an
> > example: take a Dm tuned lute at 68cm (with top course
> f' tuned as
> > reasonably high as it will go without excessive
> breakages allows a  
> > pitch of
> > A415) with a bass string hole allowing a max string of
> diameter of  
> > 1.4mm
> > gives a string tension of around 1.45Kg.
> >
> > MH
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > To get on or off this list see list information at
> > http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html


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  • [LUTE] Re: [LUTE] Re: [LUTE] Re: Double headed 12c/ loaded/Demi-filé Martyn Hodgson