Thomas, I risk it, I speak to the English language and sound. I haven't the vaguest idea what the term Bourdon means, but if your description is right I would call it "sympathetic vibrations". That would not apply to the bagpipes, as they are very unsympathetic (to most people <g>, although I was brought up on them). If your definition is right then the easy way to test it would be to damp the sympathetic strings and see if the sound changes. (A finger, or a bit of tape).
Best, Jon > I have learned (in school) Bourdons would be sounds which are not > produced directly (by plucking a string or hitting a key) but just sound > when other tones appear. The sound of a bagpipe is also described as > having bourduns. or the viola d'amore has a second set of (bourdon) > strings which are not bowed - they just sound along and enrich the sound > of the bowed tones. > > I guess the english language has a different usage of this word. > > I never thought of the bases of a lute as bourdons and would have used > "diaparsons" (which doesn't sound so similar to the german "Bordun") > > Best wishes > Thomas
