I routinely play lute songs down a whole step and that is normally the best transposition. If reading it down a step is daunting, just download the Fronimo file from Sarge's website and have the computer do a rough transposition. You will have to clean up some of the voice leading. I also keep a lute in F and in E for lute songs, but some of the songs really are quite playable down a step.
The two songs that you mention rely heavily on the low G, but they will still work, you can play the F (was the G) up an octave on the open string, or, if you have an open low F, even better, For verse two of "Come heavy sheep" Try "Come shape of rest and shadow of my end" as an alternative that fits the music better for the first line. dt At 06:57 AM 2/13/2009, you wrote: > A singer has asked me to accompany her on "Come heavy sleep" and "Time > stands still." The problem is, she wants to sing them in F (down a > whole step) because it's a better range for her voice. Has anyone > tried transposing them down? Any thoughts on how well (or not) this > works? > I could tune down to 415 but I'm not sure she'll go for that. > thanks, > Caroline >-- >***** >Caroline Usher, Dept. of Biology >Box 90338 >Durham NC 27708 >919-613-8155, fax 660-7293 > > -- > > >To get on or off this list see list information at >http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
