Thank you Michael and Ernic (and Arle off-list),
Actually, gusli is accurate for both plucked and bowed string
instruments depending on where it is being used. The old Slavonic
word "gosl" refers to string, and so gusli refers to a plucked zither/
lyre-like instrument in Russia, Ukraine and other northern locations.
More to the south--namely, Bulgaria, Crete, the former Yugoslavia--
the name gusli, guslice etc refers to the bowed variant. I am here
referring to the Northern, plucked version, which is what I have.
This is the second of Roland's instruments I have owned, and the
first was larger and steel-strung. Therefore, the tension was rather
high. In the end, right after I wrote that message last night, I went
to the germanic lyre I built back in 2004, and calculated the tension
on that instrument. I found that it was on average at 4.16kg--more
than a harp but lighter than a HG (I somehow figured a HG was on
average not so much tension, but you're right, Ernic--the HG has
heavier tension, it is a bit stockier.) So, I have already ordered my
strings; many thanks to all, and as Ernic has opinted out, this is
the HG lsit and not the lyre list (though it does discuss "liras"---
tee hee!), so I'll close the thread now with many thanks to all.
Two curiosities before eI sign it off though--does anyone know of
anywhere the HG referred to as a variant of the name "gusli"? And
does anyone know the actual average tension on a HG? 6 or more like
8kg, as Ernic suggests?)
cheers,
Vlad
Wolodymyr Smishkewych
wolodymyrsmishkewych.com
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
On Jan 05 2008, at 11:47, Michael Muskett wrote:
It may be that some people are giving he name gusli to a plucked
instrument, but it is the standard name (gusla, gusle) for a bowed
string instrument, shaped like half a pear, and one string played
with a bow, used in mediaeval times ( 3-4 strings) and still played
in Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and Crete. ( And see Marcuse. Musical
Instruments
Michael
t
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On
Behalf Of Ernic Kamerich
Sent: 05 January 2008 08:49
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [HG] string tension help
A gusli is a plucked instrument, so it is not to be compared with a
hurdy gurdy: it may have a much lower string tension, say about 3
kg instead of 6 to 8 kg.
Nylgut will work fine, I suppose: it works fine on many early
plucked instruments. A short time ago I heard Sequentia (in this
case Benjamin Bagby + another fine player/singer) play two
reconstructions of a medieval lyre with nylgut, with a fine sound.
You might try to contact Sequentia directly or go to the early
music list ( [EMAIL PROTECTED]). The hg is not a list to
discuss other instruments.
I have tried nylgut on my hurdy gurdies, it works, but I prefer gut.
By the way, nylgut has a somewhat lower density as gut.
Good luck.
Ernic
---------------------
2008/1/5, Wolodymyr Smishkewych < [EMAIL PROTECTED]>:
Cali and Alden, and anyone else:
I am trying to calculate strings I need for an instrument (not a
HG), and am at a loss. Just for comparison's sake, what is the
string tension and usual vibrating length on a HG that you folks
make, and what string gauges of gut would you use for stringing
chanterelles, if the customer so desired? I think the instrument I
have would withstand about the same tension as a HG, so it would
certainly help me figure it out. I am using Arto's string
calculator for my calculations ( http://www.cs.helsinki.fi/u/wikla/
mus/Calcs/wwwscalc.html ) but if anyone has any other suggestions
they'd be very welcome.
The instrument I am stringing up, by the way, can be viewed at:
http://www.rolandinstrument.com/ind/index.php?page=8&lang=2
I'll be using Nylgut, which has similar density to regular gut, but
is very reliable. Anyone tried it for HGs yet?
Thanks so much!
Vlad
Wolodymyr Smishkewych
wolodymyrsmishkewych.com
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
