And, yes, Anthony, you can accidently cross-post this to the
'proper' lute list if you want!
Rob
I will do my best not to; so I will reply straight away, before I
forget.
I was very interested in what you said recently about the development
of D minor tuning, and previously, about choosing the 9 ribbed Maler
model for the free sound that benefitted the open string resonances
of this tuning.
However, I believe that gut, also gives a freer sound than
synthetics, so from that point of view, I am sorry you have needed to
change to nylgut.
I just went in exactly the opposite direction from you, on my
Renaissance lute. I hadn't dared to put a gut top string on the top
for fear of immediate breakage, and I thought the nylgut was ok.
However, just before Christmas, I changed to a Kathedrale gut string.
At first I wasn't impressed, but all strings take time to settle. I
also changed the 2c, and that improved the sound.
Since then, I can say that the gut definitely sings better than
nylgut. For the moment the Kathedrale are holding, but I notice the
top is slightly more difficult to tune than it was initially, but
that was quickly true with nylgut also.
However, this is a 60 cm string length lute at 440 Hz, but yours is
at 69 cm, although tuned to A 392 Hz and tuned down in any case. As
my future lute will have a 70cm string length, I am very much
interested in how you fare.
I am sorry you have felt you need to go to Nylgut D-type basses. My
impression is that nylgut top are acceptable, but wirewound basses
are more of a problem.
I realize that on a 69 cm lute, you end up with either very thick
gut, or low tension, or gimped, none of these are very easy to
handle. I understand that loaded will be much more stable, but of
course they are still not available. If I couldn't have loaded
strings, I think I would be tempted by demi-filé, which is what Lynda
Sayce, apparently, is using. These are probably historically
incorrect, but at least, almost, available.
"Overall, I prefer the sound of gut, especially at home, late a
night, with candle light "
As an amateur, I always play in this sort of condition, although I
haven't yet tried the candlelight, which might add an impression of
warmth, but I have ordered my Mouton wig …
Regards
Anthony
Le 14 janv. 08 à 15:27, Rob a écrit :
You may recall my acquisition of a new 11c lute and experiments in
pitch
with all-gut strings. I really like the sound, for the most part,
but the
basses were impossible to tune or keep in tune, and first strings
were an
expense. Anyway, still experimenting, I thought I would try Nylgut
- here
are the measurements (A=392, string length 69cms):
1. 46
2. 50
3. 62
4. 75
5. 91
6. 124D + 60
7. 140D + 68
8. 185D + 76
9. 165D + 91
10. 155D + 75
11. 210D + 100D
The sound is radically different. I have to say that when I first
put them
on I thought they sounded awful. The lute became a monster, out of
control.
But after a week they have settled quite a bit. The sound is still
VERY
different to gut, but there are aspects of them I find attractive -
playing
in tune for one! I use a few different tunings: F sharp or E flat
in the
basses, but I also play many pieces from Balcarres in D Major
tuning - all
the f strings become f sharp (including the first course) and a c
sharp on
the 11th. Tuning a gut first-string to f sharp was impossible. All
the other
strings would have to go flat. So, EASE OF USE is a big factor with
nylgut.
When I first put the nylgut on I had to adapt my playing style
quite a bit.
Slow movements like sarbandes, Tombeaux, allemandes, sounded very
'heroic',
rather than intimate. But as the strings begin to relax, I feel
myself being
able to play the way I want to play, closer to how I played with gut.
Overall, I prefer the sound of gut, especially at home, late a
night, with
candle light (it was Christmas, after all), but professional
engagements in
cold churches, air conditioning, warm changing rooms, etc. I think,
ultimately, I want a bit of both, the warmth of gut, the
convenience and
stability of nylgut.
I made new sound files this afternoon. See what you think:
http://www.rmguitar.info/Maler.htm - scroll to near the bottom of
the page.
My wife says the lute sounds better 'live' than on the
recordings.Comments
welcome. And, yes, Anthony, you can accidently cross-post this to the
'proper' lute list if you want! ;-)
www.rmguitar.info
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