KennethBeLute
Mon, 12 Apr 2004 09:07:12 -0700
In a message dated 4/12/2004 9:15:24 AM Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
> mostly because it's a holiday and it's raining and i'm > running out of > excuses to not do my scales... > Bill: don't feel bad! It was nice and sunny here in Cleveland yesterday, Easter Sunday, and I spent much of it indoors doing my last minute tax forms! > i'm curious to know if any of you play lute with a plectrum. > if so: > > - how many courses does your instrument have? I play a five course lute after the Arnault of Zwolle, c.1450 drawing in the B.N. Paris. Zwolle was the astrologer and physician to Philip the Good of Burgundy. His drawing contains some interesting views on the geometry of the lute plan which results in a round, apple-shaped lute with a longer thin neck. My lute has 10 frets with a parabolic curve neck cross section by the pegbox, grading towards more of a half circle by the neck join, 9 ribs of cherry and a single rose. Its five double courses are spaced far apart by the bridge and extremely close together by the nut. It really rips along for fast single line passages and has a good solid sounding of the fundamental with reduced amounts of overtones. It was made by Lawrence K. Brown in 1987 (can be heard on the Newberry Consort's recording of 14th C. Florentine music, played by Kevin Mason when he borrowed it from me for it) > - what kind of strings to you use? All the strings, including the double chanterelle, are of gut. > - what is your plectrum made of? My plectrum is cut from the top 5 inches of an ostrich quill (a feather duster = many many, in fact a lifetime's worth of, plectra!). After cutting away ALL the feathery parts except for just the end tip (mostly left for decoration and so I can visually locate the quill if I drop it!), I sand away the left over stubs until it is a smooth spine left. Then I carefully round out the tip and use fine sandpaper or a file to polish it. Ostrich can resiliantly bend in all 360 degree directions. If held about 1/2" from the tip it gives a sharper attack. If held about 3/4" away and plucked lightly it gives a much softer, sometimes even a velvety tone. > > .. > > - from what period is the music you play? Good question. Although my lute is technically a 15th C. model, I have used it for 14th C. repertoire. The Faenza Codex decorated parts are often ideal and I then utilize the plectrum WITH my ring finger to play two parts. The same is true with the Buxheimer Organ book repertoire. You can also learn to improvise over bassa danza lines and improvising in general is the most useful use of the lute. > > .. > > - if you prefer using plectrum, why? I actually prefer playing thumb under by the time I get to the "late" stuff - like Pesaro ms, Thibault ms of c.1505, Spinacino and Dalza! However, I must say: plectrum playing has helped shape my thoughts on and technique of thumb under playing (in a parallel way, baroque guitar strumming technique has offered clues to the way I approach chordal "sweeps" in 17th C. French lute music).