Dear Jon,
one can approximate the tuning of a certain time and certain region for
instance by using the surviving instruments with fixed pitch as example
(organs, flutes etc.).
I think the idea that the "carry" (as you put it) of sound would decrease
with a lower pitch is a legend based on hearing habits formed in the
romantic period.
Thomas
"Jon Murphy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> am 01.02.2005 10:06:27
An: <[email protected]>, <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Kopie:
Thema: Re: Antwort: RE: Gutsy stories
Thomas,
As David said, high tension = thick string, given a pitch. But I yet
question the pitches involved. We are all aware of the rather large
differences between the a's in different systems - but somehow we have an
actual frequency for them. I'm sure there is good evidence for the actual
pitch frequencies, perhaps comparative working of the instruments that can
be "pitch evaluated". But they didn't have "sillyscopes" to measure the
absolute frequency back then, although they could hear the relative
differences.
Perhaps the whole musical world was pitched lower in the old days.
David's point is valid, the guage of the string doesn't influence the
"breaking pitch" (which he details) - the string material does that. So if
the holes are smaller it just means that they were using lower tension for
the same pitch (on the assumption that they had no space age materials).
The
lower tension adds some overtones (within limits), but reduces the "carry"
of the sound. There are a lot of trade offs, but I suspect that the overall
perception of pitch was different.
Best, Jon
----- Original Message -----
From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, January 31, 2005 3:26 AM
Subject: Antwort: RE: Gutsy stories
>
>
>
>
>
> Dear Rob
>
> the implication of smaller holes in the bridge would be either the old
> lutenists used a higher tension than we do or the strings they used would
> be made of a different material. I've read somewhere in an article
guessing
> the gut strings would be different from our modern times gut strings
> (assuming environmental influences). I think this is somehow plausible
but
> still guesswork. Or is there evidence for this?
> So I would think they used higher tension.
>
> Best wishes
> Thomas
>
>
>
>
>
> "Rob MacKillop" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> am 30.01.2005 09:20:54
>
> An: "'Lute net'" <[email protected]>
> Kopie:
>
> Thema: RE: Gutsy stories
>
> A luthier once told me that many of the original bridge string holes are
> too
> small for the diameters we choose for 'modern' gut. Is this true, and if
so
> what are the implications?
>
> Also, many luthiers drill bridge holes on their instruments for wound
> synthetic strings, and when you decide to experiment with gut, you too
will
> find that the holes are too narrow. On two occasions I have had to have
the
> holes widened.
>
> There is some connection between these two paragraphs...
>
> Rob
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Edward Martin [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Sent: 29 January 2005 20:20
> To: Michael Thames; LGS-Europe; Lute net; Edward Martin
> Subject: Re: Gutsy stories
>
> No argument here. The extended bass length is precisely for that
> purpose.......with the longer basses, the required strings will
necessarily
>
> require a smaller string diameter. I am uncertain if it gives more
volume
> and sustain, but for sure, a better clarity of pitch and sound. These
> instruments were designed for gut strings.
>
> ed
>
>
>
>
>
>
> To get on or off this list see list information at
> http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
>
>
>
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