Read the foreword, introduction, what-have-you. I know, I know, who wants to read introductions and forewords? In this case, it's enlightening. I'd be more specific as to intro or foreword, but I can't lay my hands on my copy right now. Still, it should answer some of those nagging questions.
I always felt like Lundberg wasn't trying to show me how to build a lute, but rather he gave glimpses of how he built his lutes. Sort of like visiting his workshop and watching him. I agree that David Van Edwards course plus Lundberg's book is a formidable combination. Augment that with knowledge gleaned ( or wrested in some cases) from here, and you've got everything you need to start the process. Interestingly enough, after a sacroiliac injury, I'm seriously thinking about building a flat backed lute just so I can have an instrument to play whilst laying about on the heating pad. Good luck! Garry -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Tuesday, December 16, 2008 4:37 PM To: luciano bernardi; [email protected] Subject: [LUTE-BUILDER] Re: What to build. Hi. I can't speak with authority but I think the Lundberg as great as it is did not work out as had been hoped. There are great holes in the work and it can in no way be called a true how to. I don't know why but these holes were never filled. I suspect Lundberg's poor health interfered. For example Lundberg starts out by making a mold which is not faceted. Then in the next installment he begins to install ribs onto a mold which is faceted. How did he get to that point? The real value of the book is in the theory section. However with Van Edwards in hand the practicum section of Lundberg made more sense to me. I valued being able to see how great instruments were made in 2 very different ways. Ken -------------- Original message ---------------------- From: luciano bernardi <[email protected]> > Hi, > I have used Lundberg instructions for my 2 first lutes. Indeed it worked > well for me, but I had some previous general knowledge of woodworking and > musical instruments construction. > I have found that -again in my opinion- David's courses are much more deep > and detailed, so very useful not only for absolute novices, but also for > some (self-supposing) little more experienced people like me. > Sincerely, > Luciano > > > On 15-12-2008 22:11, Rob Dorsey, [email protected] wrote: > > > Like so many things in life, the best way to learn lute building is to do > > it. Build a lute. > > > > I most highly recommend Robert Lundberg's book "Historical Lute > > Construction" available through the Lute Society. First carve your mold (I > > do not personally believe in the skeletal molds but rather the solid forms) > > and then start building. A 6 course renaissance instrument is a good > > starter. Take your time and don't be afraid of mistakes, you will make them. > > And, in correcting them you will learn the real luthier's magic - a good > > recovery. A good recovery is worth a thousand first time completions. > > > > Build, it's how you learn to build, > > > > Rob Dorsey > > http://LuteCraft.com > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] > > Sent: Monday, December 15, 2008 2:14 PM > > To: [email protected] > > Subject: [LUTE-BUILDER] Re: What to build. > > > > Hello Paul: > > > >>> I am considering building a lute. Unfortunately, I have little > >>> knowledge of the lute other that hearing the wonderful, mellow tone of > >>> the lute on various recordings. I see there are plans available for > >>> building various types of lutes. Does any one know of a resource that > >>> has a list of the various types of lutes and a sound sampling of each > >>> type? > > > > it is diffucult to list and describe instruments which failed to survive but > > are known to have existed. > > > > How the lute was used has changed considerably over the centuries it has > > been in use in europe. Three and four instruments of differant pitches, > > each a 5 or 6 course instrument might take the several parts of a motet, > > madrigal, partsong or what have you. An instrument for accompanying voice > > might have extra bass strings and benefit from a larger body, but could be > > tuned in the tenor range (G lute); or Alto (A lute). > > > > As we get later in the repetoire, lutes are more used for basso continuo > > with large body size and exended necks for bass string sets which came to > > resemble harps, and replicas begin to need their own tickets to fly. > > > > Laux Maler made excellent lutes in the late 1500's, much valued by later > > generations; worthy of being converted into 9,10,11,12+ course instruments; > > so much so that few if any survive today with original neck and top. > > > > Douglas Alton Smith has a book out on the history of the lute, Lundberg has > > another on Historical Lute Construction; both are complements to the Dave > > Van Edwards DVD course. Galpin Society Journal, Oxfords quarterly _Early > > Music_, Early Music America, the journals and magazines of Lute Society, > > Lute Society of America, and the numerous other lute societys are all of > > interest if you are seeking reading material. > > -- > > Dana Emery > > > > > > > > > > To get on or off this list see list information at > > http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html > > > > > > >
