Wether or not you performed without clothes would depend on which you thought was your strong suite- your playing or your body. I'll keep practicing.
But if you did perform in the nude, you could probably call it performance art and get a grant to fund it ;-) I don't know what's available in Australia, but I've found that a piece of chamois leather on my lap keeps the lute from slipping without being too sticky. I can buy it in the auto care department of any large store in the U.S. There is also something called guitar grease (not actually a petroleum-based grease) which can be rubbed into the grooves in the nut to lubricate the strings. It's a little neater than pencil graphite. Stewart-Macdonald sells it online. I found that once I got the lute in tune, if I kept it in its case when I wasn't playing it and was reasonably careful about where I left the case, it really didn't go out of tune all that much, even with gut strings -- and I could get it back in tune pretty readily. >From the warnings I had read, as a newbie I had expected it to require major retuning every time I picked it up. Tim > > >---- Original Message ---- >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Subject: RE: Broken string >Date: Mon, 29 Nov 2004 11:47:18 -0000 > >>Dear Caroline, >> >>It would appear that your F string is a wound string. Wound strings >>tend to get stuck at the nut. You can avoid this by rubbing a pencil >>on the nut and on the string, where they come into contact with each >>other. The graphite of the pencil lead acts as a lubricant. >> >>To find the right place on the string, tune the string roughly up to >>pitch, mark the top of the string immediately over the nut with your >>pencil. Unwind the string enough for the pencil to get all around >>it, and plaster it with graphite at the place marked. Then when you >>tighten it back up, it slips easily over the nut. >> >>Martin Shepherd's advice is quite important, i.e. always tune >>strings from below the note upwards, rather than from above the note >>downwards (in pitch). You may need to keep turning the string down >>to be able to do this. If you are not sure whether a note is in tune >>or not, or you know it is not in tune but can't tell whether it is >>flat or sharp, again, do what Martin suggests. After you've turned >>the string down, you'll hear the note recognisably flat, and then >>you'll hear it grow into tune as you turn the peg. >> >>I have less enthusiasm for Howard Posner's suggestion of playing >>without any clothes on. The lute has a tendency to stick to one's >>skin, which can't do the varnish much good. Besides, if you are used >>to practising that way, what happens when you come to perform? >> >>To add to what Howard says about turning the pegs, I would suggest >>thinking of the peg more as a screw than a nail. In other words, >>push the peg inwards as you turn it, as if screwing it in, rather >>than tune the string up to pitch, and then push the peg straight >>into the peghole like a nail hammered into a piece of wood. Pushing >>the peg in without turning it, may distort the pitch of the note >>slightly, and may even damage the peghole. >> >>Best wishes, >> >>Stewart McCoy. >> >>----- Original Message ----- >>From: "Caroline Chamberlain" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>Sent: Monday, November 29, 2004 12:11 AM >>Subject: Broken string >> >> >>> Dear Lute Listers >>> >>> I obtained my first lute a couple of weeks ago and have just >>broken a >>> string. There has been a lot of technical stuff about strings on >>the >>> discussion list in recent times, but to be honest, such >>technicalities are >>> beyond me. I should like some practical advice, please, because I >>don't >>> understand why I broke the string. I was trying to tune it to F, >>and had >>> got to E, so it was well below what I was aiming for. I should >>have thought >>> that there was no reason for the break. I had successfully tuned >>the lute a >>> couple of times in the previous week, so I know it's possible! >>> >>> As a classical guitarist, I do find the tuning pegs awkward. >>Indeed, I am >>> finding the whole lute awkward at present, but I've no doubt that >>> eventually I might get the hang of it and actually be able to play >>something! >>> >>> In the meantime, any practical hints on tuning - without too much >>science - >>> would be most appreciated. >>> >>> Thanks, >>> >>> Regards >>> >>> Caroline >> >> >> >> >>To get on or off this list see list information at >>http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html >>
