Hi Alfonso! I think Martin was a bit crude to you...
The point is that it is not the force applied to the string that determines wether or not it will brake, but the force per cross-sectional area of the string. A thicker string needs a larger force for it to break, but it also has a larger cross-sectional area. Hope this helps. mvh Are Vidar Hansen, astrophysicist and lutenist > Dear Martyn, > > Yes, you are right, when I was in highschool, physics was always my > weak subject=A1 I think it was a wise decision to become a musician and > not a scientific. > Sorry if I misunderstood your point. > Best wishes, > > Alfonso > > On 13-okt-2006, at 18:14, Martyn Hodgson wrote: > >> 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 >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> ___________________________________________________________ >>>> $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 >> >> >> >> Yahoo! Photos NEW, now offering a quality print service from just >> 7p a photo. > > > -- >
