>During all this months I avoided consciously playing the renaissance >lute, but a month ago the need of it was so big that I took it from the >case and played a little. For my delight I noticed a big improvement >with it: the work with the baroque lute was also useful for the ren one.
I've had the same experience since I've taken up the B lute seriously in the last year or two. 90% of the problems for me learning Baroque lute were (are) finding the correct bass strings. I found all that attention to my thumb gave me a new insight on the Ren lute. As for B. B. starting on both B and R lutes at the same time, I would say he probably was a pretty accomplished guitarist by then and there is no doubt about his talent. I don't know if I'd say 'don't try this at home, kids' but certainly 'your mileage may vary'. My two yen. -- Ed Durbrow Saitama, Japan http://www9.plala.or.jp/edurbrow/
