Hi Matyn, If you can find gut (or even nylgut) strings that will allow a theorbo of 90cm in A to be tuned without re-entrant tuning, please, let me know. I will be willing to try them! Diameter also have to do with tone quality. Such an extremely thin string on that string lenth would sound very flimsy. If you use a thicker diamenter, the tension would be unbearable for the instrument. If you think that the reason for the re-entrant tuning of the theorbo is not conditioned by physical reasons but musical, I can tell you that you are on the wrong direction of thinking.
Alfonso On 13-okt-2006, at 16:52, Martyn Hodgson wrote: > > Setting the top one or two courses of the theorbo an octave down > has nothing whatsoever to do with the diameter of the string (as > pointed out many times before - see archives). It has to do with > the string length, the string material and the pitch. This leads > to the breaking stress related to the pitch at which a string of a > given material and length will break. > > Thus for two strings of the same material and length, the pitch at > which they will break is identical. For example, a string of say > 10mm in diameter will, of course, require a much greater force to > break than one of, say, 0.01mm but it has a much greater cross- > sectional area and the Breaking Stress (ie Breaking Force/Cross- > sectional area) is identical for the two strings. > > MH > > Alfonso Marin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Dear Craig, > > The re-entrant tuning on the theorbo has its origins on the physical > nature of gut strings. The long string lengths of this instrument > makes impossible to get gut thin enough to have the 2nd and 1st > strings at "normal" pitch. This apparent drawback, used with > intelligence on continuo playing can actually be of help. The problem > is that the re-entrant tuning makes the instrument somehow less > logical and [EMAIL PROTECTED] have to study its possibilities > carefully to make good use of it. > I hope this helps, > Greetings, > > Alfonso > > > The re-entrant tuning on the > On 13-okt-2006, at 13:19, Craig Allen wrote: > > > Dear Collective Wisdom, > > > > The subject says it all. Re-entrant tuning is used on the theorbo > > and if I recall the gittern. But why? I have not played an > > instrument tuned this way so don't have any practical experience > > with the sound or feel. Why are these (and presumabley other) > > instruments tuned this way? > > > > Regards, > > Craig > > > > > > > > ___________________________________________________________ > > $0 Web Hosting with up to 200MB web space, 1000 MB Transfer > > 10 Personalized POP and Web E-mail Accounts, and much more. > > Signup at www.doteasy.com > > > > > > > > To get on or off this list see list information at > > http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html > > > > Send instant messages to your online friends http:// > uk.messenger.yahoo.com --
