Dear all,
Don't forget the right hand and arm placement. It should be very close to
the bridge with fingers nearly perpendicular to the strings. This is not only
historical, but it helps the instrument cut through an ensemble much better
than the delicate tone produced by playing over the rose. I typically start by
placing the instrument so that the historically appropriate right hand
technique is possible and I can reach the left hand notes. Usually this
automatically puts the theorbo right in place, without having to constantly
cajole it. (Becomes more difficult on a "mucho macho" tiorba.)
I find that an almost-vertical position makes it very difficult to get the
right hand close enough to the bridge without feeling like you're in a Picasso
painting.
Chris
Dr. Christopher Wilke D.M.A.
Lutenist, Guitarist and Composer
www.christopherwilke.com
--------------------------------------------
On Thu, 10/3/13, Dan Winheld <dwinh...@lmi.net> wrote:
Subject: [LUTE] Re: Thigh support for theorbo
To: "Martyn Hodgson" <hodgsonmar...@yahoo.co.uk>
Cc: "William Samson" <willsam...@yahoo.co.uk>, "Lute List"
<lute@cs.dartmouth.edu>, "Daniel Shoskes" <kidneykut...@gmail.com>
Date: Thursday, October 3, 2013, 12:12 PM
For the upright, almost vertical
position check out the Pipa player's technique. I have NEVER
seen them held horizontally- and those are not excessively
large lutes. Having played the viola da gamba quite
seriously years ago, I can attest to the great ease of long
stretches on a vertically held instrument. It's not uncommon
for a typical (usually Renaissance) lute player to get a
tenor size viol- only to discover that it's uncomfortably
small for the vertical position for long, serious
practice/playing.
Except for the larger/longer archlutes, holding comfort
& security has never been an issue for me (unlike
Classical Guitar; scoliosis & tendonitis- thanks a lot,
Segovia!). A large suede guitar strap handles my small
arciliuto quite handily, and I now hold my guitars the way I
hold my lutes- on the right thigh, legs crossed either way,
low seat, or sometimes RIGHT foot on a low footstool or
guitar case end, the cat, or whatever may be underfoot in
stomping distance.
One of my new students spent weeks finding no comfortable
lute position- until the day I had her try a simple lute
song (she was a singer) -she inhaled, straightened up
somewhat on her chair- channeling her "singing awareness
position"- and the lute fell right into place on her lap,
comfortable and easy to hold & play. In that vein one
might treat the problem of holding lutes as an almost Yogic
sort of challenge. Also perhaps contact Jacob Herringman- he
is a licensed Alexander Technique practitioner as well as a
hell of a fine lute player, but I don't know if he has any
experience with the larger instruments.
But suction cups on lutes? SUCTION CUPS???
Lord have mercy! ("Excuse me, Herr Kapsperger, is that a
toilet plunger in your hand or are you just glad to play
continuo for me?")
Dan
On 10/3/2013 12:57 AM, Martyn Hodgson wrote:
> Dear Bill,
> Most early representations show
theorboes being held quite high up
> and resting on the right thigh
rather than between the legs as a modern
> 'classical' guitarist.
Further, many early extant instruments have
> fixing points for a
cord/strap/ribbon: a button (or similar) at the end
> of the body and one on the back
of the first pegbox roughly where the
> pegs are. Incidentally I can't
see evidence of a practice of sitting on
> the strap end.
> By resting the instrument on
the right thigh (similar to a flamenco
> player's posture rather than a
modern 'classical' guitarist- ie
> inbetween the legs) and using
such a strap I find all one needs is
> something like a rough thick
chamois leather placed on the thigh to
> avoid any possibility of the
instrument's lower side sliding forward.
> No doubt, as has been suggested
before (Bob Spencer I think), the heavy
> coats of earlier players served
much the same purpose.
> It is also helpful to hold a
theorbo more upright than a lute so that
> the centre of gravity is closer
in - it also helps a bit in playing
> large left hand stretches. I've
seen quite a few newcomers to the
> theorbo struggle mightily with
trying to play a theorbo in an almost
> horizontal position as they
play the lute and who soon find it much
> easier when it is held more
upright.
> regards,
> Martyn
>
> From: William Samson <willsam...@yahoo.co.uk>
> To: Lute List <lute@cs.dartmouth.edu>;
Daniel Shoskes
> <kidneykut...@gmail.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, 2 October
2013, 22:42
> Subject: [LUTE] Re: Thigh
support for theorbo
> Interesting question. Do
we know how it was done back in the day?
> Bill
> Sent from Yahoo! Mail on
Android
>
__________________________________________________________________
> From: Daniel Shoskes
<[1]kidneykut...@gmail.com>;
> To: Lute List <[2]lute@cs.dartmouth.edu>;
> Subject: [LUTE] Thigh
support for theorbo
> Sent: Wed, Oct 2, 2013
9:35:50 PM
> Dear Theorbistas: has
anyone ever tried one of the classical guitar
> rests/cushions/supports
that many guitarists now use instead of a
> footstool for their
theorbo? Some have suction cups or clamps which I
> wouldn't be thrilled to
use on my instrument, but some, like the
> Dynarette don't.
> I'm still struggling to
find an ergonomic position and the "sitting
> on
> the strap" options just
don't fit my body.
> Thanks
> Danny
> To get on or off this
list see list information at
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> --
> References
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>
> --
>
> References
>
> 1. mailto:kidneykut...@gmail.com
> 2. mailto:lute@cs.dartmouth.edu
> 3. http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
> 4. http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
>
>
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