Could be--I thought he was suggesting an octave higher. Let me know how it works, and also how you moved the frets :) dt
At 11:05 PM 11/10/2009, you wrote: >David, isn't this the tuning that has been suggested by Eph Segerman, >I think, for the shorter string length English instrument? Actually, >there shouldn't be any problem with strings or tensions as the top >courses in the new tuning are similar to the pitches of the octave >strings in the original tunings. I'll have to try it when I don' need >to use my cittern for a bit. > >-- Doc > >On Nov 11, 2009, at 12:59 AM, David Tayler wrote: > >> Everyone loves the cittern. But suppose you want to play in >>meantone? >> Specifically, alternating major and minor semitones such as in this >> delicious photo? >> [1]http://www.cittern.theaterofmusic.com/old/img_1600/34cm_citternscale >> .jpg >> Let's look at a few possibilities. >> The French 4 course tuning >> aa'a' gg'g'd'd'e'e' >> and the Italian >> bbggd'd'e'e' >> And let's assume this is tastini free--puh-leeze-- >> Right away, we see the the G makes an A flat on the first fret of >>both >> tunings. Rats, shades of F minor. >> And right away we see that the Italian tuning is no good because >>there >> is a both a B and a G. >> But if we tune the French tuning up a fifth--and adjust the >>strings-- >> we get the pitch set >> E D A B >> Which gives the following scales >> E F F# G G# A >> D Eb E F F# G >> A Bb B C C# D >> B C C# D D# E >> This gives good meantone for chords, and has both an E flat and a D >> sharp, although for solo music the the E on the top course is a bit >> high, this is mitigated by the the lowness of the open string. >> For the Italian tuning, a single extra fret would help the G >>sharp, as >> it does on the baroque guitar. >> dt >> -- >> >>References >> >> 1. >> http://www.cittern.theaterofmusic.com/old/img_1600/34cm_citternscale.jpg >> >> >>To get on or off this list see list information at >>http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html >
