In a multi-voice lute part, one occassionally finds a note plucked at a time when no other notes are plucked.
To see an example, go to http://imslp.org/index.php?title=Special:FMWCUSPDisplay/Disclaimer&vals=id=12610 , click the "I accept" link, and look at the F# at the end of measure 13. Referring especially to such notes in the top voice, there are two different approaches one could take: 1. Since the note is by itself, it should be played with extra volume to compensate for the lack of other notes. 2. Since the note is a part of a voice, it should be played at a volume which corresponds to the previous note in that voice, and to the shape of the phrase, so that the voice as a whole is coherent. Is there a standard body of wisdom for addressing this issue? To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
