Absolutely agree that technique is important!
But those 90 percent that are still set up wrong, ouch! all those
missed notes, so unnecessary.
On a double strung instrument, it is a cart-horse scenario. You cannot
develop technique unless the spacing is correct, just like you can't
dance in the wrong trousers. Pedaling the cart and horse backwards.
Main reason people don't make a good sound: wrong setup.
So, you may say, I don't want to replace my lute or drill out the
bridge--fair enough! Try one of mine first. You will be convinced in
five minutes and also reap the health benefits of a stay in California.
The spacing at the rose to which you refer is part of the equation.
Three points determine the string lines: bridge, nut, plucking point
(string thickness as well, if you don't measure from the edges).
I'm now doing some super-macro videos that show how the strings vibrate
in tandem when spaced correctly. It is very interesting!
As far as chords on the theorbo, Linda does a great job, I just saw a
vid of her playing the Stabat Mater, and if one had large hands, one
could of course play every chord.
And if one didn't have large hands, one could change the spacing to
play everything as well--no double strings on the modern theorbo to go
twang in the night.
dt
__________________________________________________________________
From: Martyn Hodgson <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]
Cc: Lute Dmth <[email protected]>; [email protected]
Sent: Wed, April 11, 2012 1:46:06 AM
Subject: Lute size and set-up was Re: What makes a good lute?
David,
Clearly the overall size of an instrument and things like string
spacing are relevant to the ease of playing. But if a player struggles
with a particular size and/or specification of lute, before jumping to
erroneous conclusions it's important to see if the player's posture and
hand position/technique are not the real culprits.
Regarding the 'wrong' size instrument: a player may seem to struggle
with a larger instrument than that they are used to simply because they
are holding it an unsuitable/inappropriate manner - rather that their
arms/hands are intrinsically incapable of the stretch required. For
example, if a player holds a large lute instrument as a modern
'classical' guitar (ie cradled low down in the lap and at a relatively
low angle to the ground) they may find left arm stretch difficulties
which can readily be overcome by adopting a posture with the instrument
resting on the right thigh (as often seen in early representations).
This can result in the instrument now being held some 10/15cm to the
player's right and bringing the nut a similar distance closer to the
left hand and so stretches which had previously seemed difficult may be
more readily achieved. Holding a large instrument in a more upright
position also helps since it better fits with the
arm/body geometry and increases the effective stretch of the left arm.
The end result of all this is to give up to 15cm extra left arm stretch
and thus increasing the effective left arm stretch from, say, 76cm
string length to around 90cm.
Similarly, if a player is playing well up to the rose rather than close
to the bridge, the natural tapering of string separation from bridge to
nut will result in a small, but noticeable, reduction in string
separation at the actual plucking point which is not the fault of the
string spacing at the bridge but of the player's own technique.
Finally, specifically with regard to the theorbo, as Lynda Sayce
points out ([1]http://www.theorbo.com/Theorbo/Theorbo.htm), if a
theorbo player is trying to employ ordinary lute fingered chords,
rather than those appropriate to the theorbo, they may also struggle.
In short, before blaming an instrument's size and specification the
player should look to themselves first and ensure the problem isn't
with their own posture and technique.
Martyn
--- On Mon, 9/4/12, David Tayler <[email protected]> wrote:
From: David Tayler <[email protected]>
Subject: [LUTE] Re: What makes a good lute?
To: "lute" <[email protected]>
Date: Monday, 9 April, 2012, 22:27
Ninety percent of the lutes I see are set up wrong and are also the
wrong size for the person playing. I doubt that this will change
anytime soon: once someone buys the wrong size instrument, they
either
keep it or trade it in for another one that is the wrong size.
So I would rate size and setup as the number one issue, based on my
experience that the player will have to go through a very long
retraining period
after learning on a lute that is the wrong size. Why pedal
backwards?
Of the setup issues, the number one issue is the span and spacing.
Without the right span and spacing, which reconciles two numbers,
the
size of the hand (and fingers) and the rules which govern the span
and
spacing of strings. Without these two numbers in balance, it is
impossible, or very difficult to make a good sound.
When these numbers are in balance, it is easy to make a good sound;
in
fact, it is difficult to make a bad sound. No one would wear size 4
or
size 11 shoes if they are a size 9, and yet, that is precisely what
happens. Sadly, people are rarely fitted to the lute, even though
the
lute is from the age of "custom made". Equally sadly, most people do
not understand the basic physics of twang, thwack and pluck, which
involves some simple experiments with a special bridge and nut that
are
universally adjustable. Generally speaking, and I mean VERY
generally,
the plucking-point spacing is wrong, that is, the place where you
actually pluck the string, and it is almost always too narrow.
However,
it is the ratio of the bridge to nut, factoring the string length,
and
figured at YOUR plucking point that gives numbers for the "thou
shalt
not buzz" dimensions. Empirically, anyone can see that the spacing
is
different at any point on the string.
A player with years of experience can give you some advice, after
watching you play, about the setup. You may have to compromise
somewhat
on the overall span, or use a sliding scale so that the treble has
more
room.
After these two biggies, there is a seemingly endless list of
features,
all of which are important. And here you will need some experience
to
guide you.
However, I would add that most lutes made nowadays are not copies of
originals. They are rescaled, resized, rebarred, rebridged, reglued,
revarnished.
Available is everything: everything-except-original.
Now, you may want that. Personally, I think everyone needs a reality
check instrument that is a copy of an original. Otherwise, it is
just a
guitar, basically, with wonky pegs.
Since you asked about sound in your list, it is no fun playing a
monochromatic instrument of any kind, but that is just a personal
preference. I would say most lutes made today lean towards
monochromatic.
Main thing is to make a good sound. If you aren't making a beautiful
sound, it isn't you: your lute is set up wrong, is the wrong size,
or
both.
Lute players may think that their feet are the wrong size, but when
you
think about it, this cannot be the case. Everyone is different, and
the
instrument must fit.
My teacher told me that you don't choose a lute, it chooses you.
Maybe
that is true.
dt
__________________________________________________________________
From: William Samson <[2][email protected]>
To: Lute List <[3][email protected]>
Sent: Sat, April 7, 2012 6:25:47 AM
Subject: [LUTE] What makes a good lute?
I haven't really got much to add to the subject line. I've been
chatting with Rob about this and various points have emerged I'd
be
interested in hearing what priorities you might put on the various
characteristics of a lute in deciding if it's 'good' or otherwise.
The kinds of things that have come up are (in no particular
order):
* playability (action, string spacing etc)
* sound (which I can't easily define)
* authenticity of design/construction
* materials used
* quality of craftsmanship
* reputation of maker
Of course these are rather broad headings and might easily be
refined,
clarified or broken down.
Thoughts, please?
Bill
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