Hi John, I picked up the Lute about 8 months ago after playing the guitar for nearly 40 years ( I still play it ) so I share your frustrations. One thing that speeded up my transition and helped my technique was to get hold of my 12 string and tune it to lute e.g. G strings to F# capo at the third, this helped me get used to the feel of the strings on the Lute and then I practiced pieces using the 'Thumb Under ' technique for a few weeks & then went back to the Lute, it helped me a hell of a lot, but I'm not sure how the 'traditionalists' would view this advice. It worked for me.
This is a great list to be on. Everybody is extremely helpful and quite willingly pass on tips and links etc, I have gained a lot from the members. Best Regards Neil Woodhouse -----Original Message----- From: vance wood [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 28 April 2007 15:00 To: Lute List; John Scott Subject: [LUTE] Re: Hello! A couple questions. Hi John: As to restringing the Lute: I agree, and I do prefer unison tuning for English music. However understanding that the Lute is new to you I would suggest that you leave the Octaves on the bases for the time being. The big problem in making the transition from Guitar to Lute is getting used to striking both strings in a course. If you leave the octaves on you will know this is being accomplished at least with the base strings, the trebles and tenors are an entirely different issue. It is here that your right hand technique is going to have to evolve and change. You are probably playing as of now with a right hand trained for the Guitar; wrist bent down and thumb extended. This technique will work but you will eventually find that it is very difficult to activate both strings in a course in this way. Most Renaissance music was played with the "Thumb in technique" where the thumb is more toward the inside of the hand and the fingers are extended. The idea is to activate the strings with the pinky side surface of the fingers with the joints relaxed enough so that both strings are activated at once. With Guitar technique you are generally using the thumb side surface of the finger tips where it is easy to strike one string in the pair. It gets complicated and a competent teacher would be a great help to you. Don't get frustrated, just practice your scales and simple tunes, if you can find some, slowly with a relaxed posture in the hands and concentrate on the sound of the two strings struck together. Vance Wood. ----- Original Message ----- From: "John Scott" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, April 28, 2007 4:25 AM Subject: [LUTE] Re: Hello! A couple questions. > Dear Andreas (and others) > > I'm very new to this list (2 days) and very new to the lute (1 week ago > I got an 8-course 'student' lute) > > Andreasm I was going to sit quietly a while longer and say nothing, but > seeing your message makes me want to say a big 'thank you' for your > little book. I got a copy just yesterday, and I can see that not only > am I going to learn a lot from it, but also it's an absolute delight to > browse through it because of the many photographs. > > > > And since I've now come out of hiding, a few words to say 'hello' to the > group (and ask a few things that are already troubling me). > > I live in Northern Ireland. For several years I've been playing lute > music on guitar. I've always wanted to try the real thing, but lute > prices were out of my financial range. Now I have one - and it's much > MUCH more difficult to play than I expected. > > Foolishly, I assumed that after 30 minutes of playing, I would get used > to the differences, and would be playing the pieces as easily as I play > them on guitar... NOT SO! The technique is clearly going to be very > different, and I need to become a beginner again! > > But, a few quick questions... > > What can I use to tighten the tuning pegs? One has a tendency to slip > every time I try to adjust the tuning. The lute came with a little > piece of black wax labelled 'Peg Paste', but it looks like it might > lubricate the peg rather than add traction. What is the best material > for a) giving pegs more friction and b) giving them *less* friction? > > Secondly, my lute has the bass strings all tuned in octaves. I mostly > play Dowland, and seem to recall that he said octave tuning was > 'contrary to the laws of music'. This makes me inclined to restring my > lute with all unison tuning, and I'm wondering if this will drastically > affect the tension and do something awful to the lute! > > Actually I have lots of questions, but I've already gone on far too > long, so I'll shut up now! > > Thanks! > > John Scott > > > > > Andreas Schlegel wrote: >> Dear Josh >> >> It's not usual to make advertising, but in this case, it could be >> helpful for you: >> >> I wrote and published a book (end of December 2006) with the title >> "The Lute in Europe. A History to Delight". It's just a book for a >> person like you who like to get an overview on all the different >> types of lute, the ideas behind the several forms of lutes etc. Have >> a look on my homepage www.lutecorner.ch under "NEW..." >> >> It depends from the country where you live which way will be the >> cheapest one to buy it. You will find informations there. >> >> Have a nice day! >> >> Andreas >> >> >> >> The Lute Corner >> Andreas Schlegel >> Eckstr. 6 >> CH-5737 Menziken >> Schweiz >> +41 (0)62 771 47 07 >> www.lutecorner.ch >> >> Am 27.04.2007 um 21:54 schrieb Josh Winters: >> >> >>> Hello everyone, >>> >>> >>> >>> I'm new to this mailing list, having only been here for about a week. >>> >>> >>> >>> I do not play the lute, but I have always enjoyed the sound of lute >>> music, and over time I've become interested in learning to play. >>> However, during my research I have found too many conflicting >>> answers to >>> my questions. I hope nobody minds me asking them here. >>> >>> >>> >>> To the best of my knowledge, the music I enjoy the most is from >>> England, >>> approximately mid 1500s, maybe even most of that century. If I >>> wanted to >>> start by learning the music of that period, which lute would you >>> recommend? I know that different eras would require different >>> setups, so >>> I want to make sure I don't buy the wrong thing and get stuck playing >>> other music (although, I'd probably still enjoy it). >>> >>> >>> >>> Also, would you recommend a different mailing list? >>> >>> >>> >>> Thank you very much for your help, and I apologize if I was a bother, >>> >>> >>> >>> Josh >>> >>> >>> -- >>> >>> To get on or off this list see list information at >>> http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html >>> >> >> >> -- >> >> > > > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.467 / Virus Database: 269.6.1/778 - Release Date: 4/27/2007 > 1:39 PM >
