Ehud,
I am both a new builder and a new lutenist with no previous musical
experience. Over the last several years I've built four lutes. I
built my first lute because I wanted to take lessons but couldn't
afford a professionally made instrument. I've found that I build
better instruments as my playing skills get better, and I think that
building the instruments has made me more aware of aspects of the
music and the playing than I otherwise would. I think that if you
want to build more than one lute, you will find it easier if you take
some lessons in performance and get to at least a basic level of
proficiency.
Tim
On May 16, 2008, at 12:57 AM, Ehud Yaniv wrote:
Hi,
I am new here, having been a lurker previously. Now I am ready to
start
planning to build a lute.
My question - is knowing how to play the lute essential to being
successful
in building? I have a musical background (7 years of sax and
clarinet) and
am now studying music theory and recorder.
I have purchased the lute book published by GAL and both sets of
plans by
Van Edwards.
I know that understanding the instrument as a player is important
and would
add insight to my building but is it essential?
Any suggestions in the matter would be appreciated.
Ehud
PS: I assume that I would make more effort to play an instrument I
built
but also look at the lute as a worthy and beautiful object in and
of itself.
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