try playing with a snug surgical glove on your plucking hand. very revealing.
----- Original Message ----- From: "Vance Wood" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "lute list" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "Serge-Andr� Comeau" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Saturday, October 25, 2003 5:07 AM Subject: Re: Right Hand Questions > Hi All: > > I am the one who posted the original message in this string about the right > hand and Oil of Tarter. The replies about the oil of tartar I was not > surprised to find. I am still not sure what we think is Oil of Tarter is > what Besard was talking about. Aside from that, it really was a separate > issue in Varietie and was related to imparting flexibility to the hands and > not a condition to the skin that made playing better. However when it comes > to the washing of the hands in hot water and the sound the right hand > produces afterwards, if this was not such a significant difference I would > not have posted it. > > I remember a couple of months ago there was a discussion here about loaded > base strings, and why in some of the paintings these items seemed to be red. > Several conclusions were that the strings were loaded with lead or arsenic. > This of course brought up the obvious dangers of using such strings. It > was mentioned that a couple of modern artists are of the habit of licking > the fingers of their right hands, during a concert, to improve the sound. > This would be dangerous to the player who uses such strings. > > I view this little tid bit of information as a conformation that others may > have discovered this same issue and use licking the fingers as a working > alternative to washing or soaking in water. The argument that I should > adjust my technique to achieve this same sound, without the washing, is a > rather shallow solution understanding that there is no way, direction, or > angle of attack that will render this same sound, I have tried every thing; > every possible way of striking, plucking, brushing, and pinching the strings > has been examined with the exception of my toes, though some may accuse me > of playing the Lute with them now. Nothing can match it. I am left with > the conclusion that the remedy is in the skin of the hands and not the > direction or method of articulation. I appreciate the efforts of all who > have replied to my question and will try some of the alternatives mentioned. > > Vance Wood. > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Serge-Andr� Comeau" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Friday, October 24, 2003 9:51 PM > Subject: Re: Right Hand Questions > > > > I have also found the sound is better just after washing my hands. As a > > substitute, I sometimes rub my finger tips back and forth on my corduroy > > pants ( a rough nail file might work to...) > > > > Serge-Andr� > > > > > > > >
