Hello John, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> > I've read up on shapes, sizes, tunings, plectra, string technology etc, etc. > but I have not yet seen a cittern played nor handled one (Someone suggested > restringing a normal mandolin as a "training simulator", but this would > require > the calculation of the correct string gauges, if the result were to feel > right). If you have a spare Waldzither you can use that rather than a mandolin. The scale is aproximately the same as a renaissance cittern. > 1. Is the cittern an all-key instrument, or is it one of those (like the > classic banjo) that is very easy to play in one key, reasonably easy in a > couple > of more, but awkward in more distant keys? About the same as a guitar I'd say. > And if so, what keys are handy on the 4-course "Italian" tuning? G major is definitely the "home key." > Does the > "French" tuning offer advantages or disadvantages, and if so, under what > circumstances? Don't know. Never tried the French tuning. > 2. I've read about the non-equal-temperament fretting of the cittern. Does > this apply to the diatonic variety with the"missing" frets, or is it used on > the > chromatically-fretted variant, too? That depends a lot on the luthier. > 3. Must the cittern be played in a polyphonic style, or is it possible to > accompany a song or an instrumental melody using chords, as on the folk > guitar? Strumming is OK. The cittern is possibly the least "polyphonic" of the 16th C. instruments. 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
