You don't really need the 12th fret. Just play the harmonic! Miles Dempster
On 2012-09-26, at 2:35 PM, Paolo Busato wrote: > Strangely enough the lute in the Costa's painting has eleven frets (instead > of twelve) and the tenth fret "covers" only the 2nd, 3rd and 4th course. > > Paolo Busato lute-maker > www.busatolutes.com > e-mail: paolo.busatoatbusatolutes.com > _________________________________________________________________________ > Il contenuto di questa e-mail e dei file allegati è RISERVATO e da > considerarsi utilizzabile solamente dalla persona o dall'ente cui è > indirizzato. Se avete ricevuto questa e-mail per errore, siete pregati di > eliminarla e di contattare il mittente (Legge italiana 196/2003). The > content of this e-mail and any files is CONFIDENTIAL and intended > solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. > If you are not the intended recipient, please delete this email > and any attachments and contact the sender. (Italian Law 196/2003) > _________________________________________________________________________ > > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dan Winheld" <dwinh...@lmi.net> > To: <lute@cs.dartmouth.edu> > Sent: Wednesday, September 26, 2012 5:53 PM > Subject: [LUTE] Re: Best Body Frets? > > >> William, >> >> While body frets were certainly not standard (Francesco was just one player >> known for going above the frets, as not doubt was Pietro Bono and others) , >> they were an option going as far back as the late 15 Century- see Lorenzo >> Costa's "Concert", ca. 1485-95, National Gallery, London. 3 ebony looking >> frets right there on the 5 course lute. >> >> Anyway, Not quite the point of my question. Been there, done that. My six >> course lute was body fretless for decades, and I had zero trouble nailing >> the notes with perfect intonation, after some practice. In fact, I have a >> new student who is a violinist. He almost can't stand ANY of the frets- neck >> and body- interfering with his ability to get the perfect intonation he is >> used to, and accomplishes very easily by touch/hearing. At least as >> beginner, he finds them very difficult. >> >> But the necessity of clear, defined singing tone for those last 3, 4, or >> more semitones takes precedence in the music I am playing on these days. >> Which is why I put them on my eight course lute, which I was playing without >> body frets for the first 6 months after I got it- and yes, it is great >> practice. But the freedom to get really get accurate intonation was trumped >> but the need for more clearly defined tone. A pity, really, as the 12th fret >> requires some tricky slanting to get the octave "n" in perfect tune from the >> first down to the 4th course, then others take their position cues from that >> fret. And they are not all perfect- compromising happens. >> >> 17th century French practice is not 18th century German practice. While >> Dowland mentions ten tied frets in addition to body frets, 9 seems to have >> been standard and sufficient for the French virtuosos, but Weiss has you >> going right up to the octave, and there seem to be quite a number of late >> swan neck lutes with 14 total frets. >> >> Sam- I wouldn't use that double sticky tape for more than temporary position >> exploring. I thought it was the cat's pajamas myself for a few weeks, then >> they started getting knocked around, and the sound (on my lute, of course!) >> was markedly inferior to properly glued frets. The tape layer that carries >> the glue creates a barrier to proper sound transmission- already compromised >> the further up you go- and makes fret thickness sizing more troublesome. >> Just my experience. >> >> Dan >> >> >> >> On 9/26/2012 12:26 AM, William Samson wrote: >>> What nobody has mentioned yet is that body frets, while not unknown, >>> were comparatively rare back in the day. There's a brief mention of >>> them in 'Varietie' and only a few paintings show evidence of their >>> use. Accurate stopping of the string on the soundboard might well have >>> been the norm - and of course a 'singing' tone would be out. I suspect >>> the reason people want them is that Dowland used fret positions right >>> up to the 12th, and of course all the Bream recordings that lurk at the >>> back of many players' minds have a wonderful sustained tone on these >>> notes. Would Dowland himself have used them or would they be regarded >>> as a crutch for amateur performers who couldn't stop the string >>> accurately - a bit like some learning violinists use tied-on frets? >>> >>> After the longer-necked lutes of the early 17th century came along >>> (neck/body join at around the 10th fret usually) you have to look hard >>> to find pieces that use notes above the 10th fret, for the rest of that >>> century. >>> >>> Bill >>> From: Dan Winheld <dwinh...@lmi.net> >>> To: lute@cs.dartmouth.edu >>> Sent: Wednesday, 26 September 2012, 0:37 >>> Subject: [LUTE] Best Body Frets? >>> A question tossed onto the waves of this Ocean of Lute Wisdom- >>> Any consensus regarding the best material for body frets? My woodies >>> often sound a little too "woody"- they are some light colored wood, no >>> idea what species; and lately I've been knocking them off the >>> soundboard. So instead of just regluing them, I wonder if other >>> materials might sound better (but still be easily glued, preferably >>> with white glue?) >>> I can think of ebony, maybe other legal/available tropical or other >>> hardwoods, other materials? Ivory-like materials, celluloid, etc? And a >>> format that's easy for the workshop-challenged non-luthier to deal >>> with. (non-tapered toothpicks, half-round or something of that nature.) >>> Thanks, all. >>> Dan >>> To get on or off this list see list information at >>> [1]http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html >>> >>> -- >>> >>> References >>> >>> 1. http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html >>> >>> >> > >
