You misunderstand my point. It is, of course, the relatively low breaking
stress of gut (compared to modern nylon, say) which requires lowering the top
one or two courses on a theorbo.
You also seem to be unable to comprehend the elementary laws of physics.
Might I suggest you read the archives.
MH
Alfonso Marin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
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
>
>
>
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