[NSP] Re: Jimmy Little
If you haven't yet got yourself one of these CD's, I suggest you give it serious thought. I just got my copy and am thoroughly enjoying it. Thanks Anthony. (see: [1]http://robbpipes.com/HowDoesItGan.html) To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: NSP duet with other instruments
Stringing of baroque violins is another can of worms since tension varied widely according to local conventions and personal preferences. There is also the question of equal tension versus progressive tension and whether wound strings should be used for the G and/or D. It is, or at least used to be, widely believed that baroque string tension was lower than modern. As Philip points out, this is not true - even though playing was generally less high-tension than modern violin playing. A good starting point for anyone interested is here: http://www.nrinstruments.demon.co.uk/hstvnst.html (I have no vested interests). It is interesting that modern baroque is an approximation of common 19th century practise. I have personally found that very slightly progressive tension using rows CDEF (all gut) for the ascending strings of a violin at A = 415 gives good results (strictly equal tension gives a very thick G string and a very thin E, which may be historically correct (cf. Leopold Mozart's treatise), but feels uncomfortable to my modern fingers). Some argue that equal tension really means equal feel anyway. DEFG would give similar results a semitone lower. I have also tried tuning a modern violin fitted with Dominant Heavy strings down to concert F and the results were good. I think the heavy versions of a lot of strings on the market today could give satisfactory tensions at lower pitch (especially the steel one, if you like that sort of thing). c -Original Message- From: lute-...@cs.dartmouth.edu [mailto:lute-...@cs.dartmouth.edu] On Behalf Of Philip Gruar Sent: Tuesday, February 09, 2010 1:37 PM To: nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Subject: [NSP] NSP duet with other instruments Margaret's comment: When I'm playing duets with Andy's nsp, I always tune down. For me, I've spent a long time trying to find the right fiddle and strings so it doesn't sound like a kipper-box (or I hope it doesn't) when tuned lower. made me think, what about baroque violinists? Specialist baroque orchestras and soloists play at A=415 or a semitone lower than modern standard pitch and very occasionally even lower. This is getting on for low enough to play with standard-pitch Northumbrian pipes. Proper baroque violins have the neck set at a flatter angle than ordinary modern violins/fiddles (neck angle was increased in the 19th cent. among other things to enable higher string tension - louder tone). 18th century classical technique had a lot more in common with the playing styles of traditional music than modern classical technique does e.g. bow-hold, sometimes playing with fiddle held lower, using first position and open strings more etc. - and generally it was less high-tension than modern violin playing. This doesn't mean it lacks life, and good baroque violinists certainly don't sound as if they're playing on a kipper-box strung with knicker elastic. Would using specialist baroque-violin gut strings on a standard fiddle make for better results at the lower pitch? Just some thoughts from a non-string player, so excuse any ignorance shown! Philip To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: kipper box
Would someone care to admit to a close enough acquaintance with a female baroque violinist to safely enquire about her knicker elastic? I'm working on it ;-) c To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: kipper box
Hi Chris, Is this anything to do with your vested interests (or lack of them). (See other thread) Barry christopher.bi...@ec.europa.eu wrote: Would someone care to admit to a close enough acquaintance with a female baroque violinist to safely enquire about her knicker elastic? I'm working on it ;-) c To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: NSP duet with other instruments
Never tried Infeld. I'm not too keen on the medium dominants but the heavies work well for this purpose. Heavy Evah Pirazzi or Obbligato might do a good job too. I use the mediums on my normal fiddles. c -Original Message- From: lute-...@cs.dartmouth.edu [mailto:lute-...@cs.dartmouth.edu] On Behalf Of Di Jevons Sent: Wednesday, February 10, 2010 10:44 AM To: phi...@gruar.clara.net; nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu; BIRCH Christopher (DGT) Subject: [NSP] Re: NSP duet with other instruments Hi there I play fiddle regularly with NSP at Alnwick Pipers' Society and find that my fiddle (which is a Magini copy and has a deep bassy tone) works well with Thomastik Infeld strings (red packet). I know very little technical gubbins, but do know that these particular strings enable me to get a lot more out of the tuned-down fiddle than the Dominant strings which I generally use on my 'normal' fiddle. Di Jevons - Original Message - From: christopher.bi...@ec.europa.eu To: phi...@gruar.clara.net; nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Sent: Wednesday, February 10, 2010 9:14 AM Subject: [NSP] Re: NSP duet with other instruments Stringing of baroque violins is another can of worms since tension varied widely according to local conventions and personal preferences. There is also the question of equal tension versus progressive tension and whether wound strings should be used for the G and/or D. It is, or at least used to be, widely believed that baroque string tension was lower than modern. As Philip points out, this is not true - even though playing was generally less high-tension than modern violin playing. A good starting point for anyone interested is here: http://www.nrinstruments.demon.co.uk/hstvnst.html (I have no vested interests). It is interesting that modern baroque is an approximation of common 19th century practise. I have personally found that very slightly progressive tension using rows CDEF (all gut) for the ascending strings of a violin at A = 415 gives good results (strictly equal tension gives a very thick G string and a very thin E, which may be historically correct (cf. Leopold Mozart's treatise), but feels uncomfortable to my modern fingers). Some argue that equal tension really means equal feel anyway. DEFG would give similar results a semitone lower. I have also tried tuning a modern violin fitted with Dominant Heavy strings down to concert F and the results were good. I think the heavy versions of a lot of strings on the market today could give satisfactory tensions at lower pitch (especially the steel one, if you like that sort of thing). c -Original Message- From: lute-...@cs.dartmouth.edu [mailto:lute-...@cs.dartmouth.edu] On Behalf Of Philip Gruar Sent: Tuesday, February 09, 2010 1:37 PM To: nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Subject: [NSP] NSP duet with other instruments Margaret's comment: When I'm playing duets with Andy's nsp, I always tune down. For me, I've spent a long time trying to find the right fiddle and strings so it doesn't sound like a kipper-box (or I hope it doesn't) when tuned lower. made me think, what about baroque violinists? Specialist baroque orchestras and soloists play at A=415 or a semitone lower than modern standard pitch and very occasionally even lower. This is getting on for low enough to play with standard-pitch Northumbrian pipes. Proper baroque violins have the neck set at a flatter angle than ordinary modern violins/fiddles (neck angle was increased in the 19th cent. among other things to enable higher string tension - louder tone). 18th century classical technique had a lot more in common with the playing styles of traditional music than modern classical technique does e.g. bow-hold, sometimes playing with fiddle held lower, using first position and open strings more etc. - and generally it was less high-tension than modern violin playing. This doesn't mean it lacks life, and good baroque violinists certainly don't sound as if they're playing on a kipper-box strung with knicker elastic. Would using specialist baroque-violin gut strings on a standard fiddle make for better results at the lower pitch? Just some thoughts from a non-string player, so excuse any ignorance shown! Philip To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: NSP duet with other instruments
This is interesting to me as I have an unreconstructed baroque violin from about 1820 which is currently strung with Larsen strings and playing in G, wheras we also have a c.1900 czech violin strung with I know not what which is tuned down to F'n'abit for playing with nsp. Seems it might be better to have them the other way round. Am I right in thinking that before 1920ish and the current standardised concert pitch at G that many instruments' G was lower anyway, which would have led to lower tension anyway. Also is pitch purely dependent on tension, does the same tension in gut and metal and composite automatically produce the same pitch? and if not, were non gut strings made to emulate the pitch/tension combination of gut strings so as not to upset the structural tensions of a strung fiddle? Trouble is, if I tune down the baroque, which i prefer to play, I'll play the pipes less. Please don't let that affect the response of anyone who has heard me play, fiddle or pipes! Tim - Original Message - From: christopher.bi...@ec.europa.eu To: phi...@gruar.clara.net; nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Sent: Wednesday, February 10, 2010 9:14 AM Subject: [NSP] Re: NSP duet with other instruments Stringing of baroque violins is another can of worms since tension varied widely according to local conventions and personal preferences. There is also the question of equal tension versus progressive tension and whether wound strings should be used for the G and/or D. It is, or at least used to be, widely believed that baroque string tension was lower than modern. As Philip points out, this is not true - even though playing was generally less high-tension than modern violin playing. A good starting point for anyone interested is here: http://www.nrinstruments.demon.co.uk/hstvnst.html (I have no vested interests). It is interesting that modern baroque is an approximation of common 19th century practise. I have personally found that very slightly progressive tension using rows CDEF (all gut) for the ascending strings of a violin at A = 415 gives good results (strictly equal tension gives a very thick G string and a very thin E, which may be historically correct (cf. Leopold Mozart's treatise), but feels uncomfortable to my modern fingers). Some argue that equal tension really means equal feel anyway. DEFG would give similar results a semitone lower. I have also tried tuning a modern violin fitted with Dominant Heavy strings down to concert F and the results were good. I think the heavy versions of a lot of strings on the market today could give satisfactory tensions at lower pitch (especially the steel one, if you like that sort of thing). c -Original Message- From: lute-...@cs.dartmouth.edu [mailto:lute-...@cs.dartmouth.edu] On Behalf Of Philip Gruar Sent: Tuesday, February 09, 2010 1:37 PM To: nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Subject: [NSP] NSP duet with other instruments Margaret's comment: When I'm playing duets with Andy's nsp, I always tune down. For me, I've spent a long time trying to find the right fiddle and strings so it doesn't sound like a kipper-box (or I hope it doesn't) when tuned lower. made me think, what about baroque violinists? Specialist baroque orchestras and soloists play at A=415 or a semitone lower than modern standard pitch and very occasionally even lower. This is getting on for low enough to play with standard-pitch Northumbrian pipes. Proper baroque violins have the neck set at a flatter angle than ordinary modern violins/fiddles (neck angle was increased in the 19th cent. among other things to enable higher string tension - louder tone). 18th century classical technique had a lot more in common with the playing styles of traditional music than modern classical technique does e.g. bow-hold, sometimes playing with fiddle held lower, using first position and open strings more etc. - and generally it was less high-tension than modern violin playing. This doesn't mean it lacks life, and good baroque violinists certainly don't sound as if they're playing on a kipper-box strung with knicker elastic. Would using specialist baroque-violin gut strings on a standard fiddle make for better results at the lower pitch? Just some thoughts from a non-string player, so excuse any ignorance shown! Philip To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: NSP duet with other instruments
This is interesting to me as I have an unreconstructed baroque violin from about 1820 Sorry Tim, but it ain't baroque . . True, this is very late to be referred to as baroque, but if it's unreconstructed it's probably closer to the baroque setup than a real modern violin. Maybe it was made by a conservative maker. As for don't fix it, I wish I had said that. (you will ... you will) c To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: NSP duet with other instruments
I have a smallish fiddle with a neck very similar to what is seen on baroque instruments. I have been told by a luthier friend, however, that it probably doesn't even predate 1900. I don't think makers and players have ever been all that conscientious about fitting in with the history books ;-) Hey, it's ca. 1660. we'd better start using wound strings! c -Original Message- From: lute-...@cs.dartmouth.edu [mailto:lute-...@cs.dartmouth.edu] On Behalf Of tim rolls BT Sent: Wednesday, February 10, 2010 11:42 AM To: Francis Wood Cc: NSP group Subject: [NSP] Re: NSP duet with other instruments Hi Francis, I bow to your superior knowledge. I was told by someone that it was unreconstructed baroque since it has the flatter angle on the neck, with the cut away finger board to accomodate the belly curve. I understand that many fiddles of that era were improved by having the neck angle changed. Since I am a bit picky over correct definitions of vintage and veteran cars and the like, i am quite willing to accept that baroque is not the correct term for a fiddle of this age or construction. Any other info gratefully received. Has anyone else heard of a fiddle maker named Coulson from Stamfordham However, what about the rest of my questions? tim - Original Message - From: Francis Wood oatenp...@googlemail.com To: tim rolls BT tim.ro...@btconnect.com Cc: NSP group nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Sent: Wednesday, February 10, 2010 10:34 AM Subject: Re: [NSP] Re: NSP duet with other instruments On 10 Feb 2010, at 10:25, tim rolls BT wrote: This is interesting to me as I have an unreconstructed baroque violin from about 1820 Sorry Tim, but it ain't baroque . . Trouble is, if I tune down the baroque, which i prefer to play, I'll play the pipes less Well, if it ain't baroque, don't fix it! Francis To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: NSP duet with other instruments
On 10 Feb 2010, at 10:42, tim rolls BT wrote: However, what about the rest of my questions? Hi Tim Your other questions . . . Am I right in thinking that before 1920ish and the current standardised concert pitch at G that many instruments' G was lower anyway, which would have led to lower tension anyway. Others will know far more about that than I do. However I will say that the internationally agreed pitch of 'concert'A = 440Hz is not always followed faithfully and in modern orchestral practice is continuing to rise variably in individual cases. The 'baroque' pitch of A = 415Hz is a modern compromise-concept since pitch varied from town to town and court to church. Similarly an old French pitch is (for the sake of convenience) given as a very low A= 392 Hz. Leaving the consequent effect on knickers entirely apart, this is virtually the same pitch difference between our pipes and concert G. Also is pitch purely dependent on tension? Purely? No. But this is far too complex for me. I'd say that mass has a considerable effect, as well as material characteristics and the nature of the sound plate that the string is communicating with. The danger with such a question is that one might receive a full and comprehensive answer, which in such cases is usually to be regretted! Apologies for being so picky with the 'baroque violin' description. It does sound like an interesting instrument and it is fortunate to have escaped the 'improvements' which the vast number of Stradivari violins has received. Francis To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: NSP duet with other instruments
I have a smallish fiddle with a neck very similar to what is seen on baroque instruments. I have beenold by a luthier friend, however, that it probably doesn't even predate 1900. I don't think makers and players have ever been all that conscientious about fitting in with the history books ;-) I believe country amateur fiddle makers would sometimes borrow the squire's violin and copy it. And maybe the squire didn't play, but his father or grandfather did so he let the local farmer copy the old violin lying around up at the Hall. This would be one explanation of a persistance of old designs of instrument, especially among players of traditional music, church band musicians etc. On the subject of pitch, Tim, at the beginning of the 20th century it was usual for pitch to be higher than we use now. It was generally low in the 18th century and rose during the 19th century. Historical pitch is a huge subject exhaustively researched and written up in what is now the standard book on the subject by oboist Bruce Haynes A history of performing pitch; the story of A. Before Haynes' work, understanding what was going on with pitch standards, transposition etc. especially in 16th century music was such a confusing can of worms for many musicians interested in the period that a biblical quote from Proverbs was often appropriate He that toucheth pitch shall be defiled therewith. BTW, with all due respect to those concerned, when doing a comment on this list please don't just click reply all, otherwise we can get multiple copies coming in. The dartmouth address is all that's needed in the To line for us all to get it. And disable the function on the email sending program which automatically requests a reply from the recipient. Philip To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: NSP duet with other instruments
Francis Wood wrote: Also is pitch purely dependent on tension? The danger with such a question is that one might receive a full and comprehensive answer, which in such cases is usually to be regretted! This is one case where I think the answer is simpler than one might expect. Quoting from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vibrating_string f = (1/2L) * sqrt (T/mu) L is the length Double the length and you halve the frequency T is the tension. You need to raise the tension fourfold to double the frequency mu mass per unit length. Four times the mass (weight) and you half the frequency SimpleS. If you start talking harmonics and tones it then does get an awful lot more complicated. (Oh my poor head). If only pipes were so simple Barry To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: NSP duet with other instruments
Thanks Barry. Returning to the core topic of piping, do similar principles apply in human behaviour terms? In NPS Committee meetings for instance, if you double the evident tension in the meetings does this result in a proportionate decrease the frequency of meetings? Similarly if you double the length of meetings does this have a similar effect on the frequency of those meetings? Francis On 10 Feb 2010, at 12:38, Barry Say wrote: Francis Wood wrote: Also is pitch purely dependent on tension? The danger with such a question is that one might receive a full and comprehensive answer, which in such cases is usually to be regretted! This is one case where I think the answer is simpler than one might expect. Quoting from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vibrating_string f = (1/2L) * sqrt (T/mu) L is the length Double the length and you halve the frequency T is the tension. You need to raise the tension fourfold to double the frequency mu mass per unit length. Four times the mass (weight) and you half the frequency SimpleS. If you start talking harmonics and tones it then does get an awful lot more complicated. (Oh my poor head). If only pipes were so simple Barry To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: NSP duet with other instruments
Barry said If only pipes were so simple The formula for strings: f = (1/2L) * sqrt (T/mu) neglects all sorts of effects, such as the bow or the finger, the rigidity of the string, the speed of tension waves in the string, etc. And we haven't thought of the motion of the fiddle's bridge and body yet. Similarly, the analogous formula for a one-open-ended pipe: f = (1/4L) * sqrt (gamma P/rho) neglects the effects of the reed at the 'closed' end or the hole at the other. Or the bore, or the 'dead' bore below the open hole, the vibration of the wood, etc... Acoustics is hard but the approximations are easy, and *fairly* good. John -Original Message- From: lute-...@cs.dartmouth.edu [mailto:lute-...@cs.dartmouth.edu] On Behalf Of Barry Say Sent: 10 February 2010 12:38 To: NSP group Cc: Francis Wood; tim rolls BT Subject: [NSP] Re: NSP duet with other instruments Francis Wood wrote: Also is pitch purely dependent on tension? The danger with such a question is that one might receive a full and comprehensive answer, which in such cases is usually to be regretted! This is one case where I think the answer is simpler than one might expect. Quoting from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vibrating_string f = (1/2L) * sqrt (T/mu) L is the length Double the length and you halve the frequency T is the tension. You need to raise the tension fourfold to double the frequency mu mass per unit length. Four times the mass (weight) and you half the frequency SimpleS. If you start talking harmonics and tones it then does get an awful lot more complicated. (Oh my poor head). If only pipes were so simple Barry To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: NSP duet with other instruments
Or the pitch of the discussion could rise... -Original Message- From: lute-...@cs.dartmouth.edu [mailto:lute-...@cs.dartmouth.edu] On Behalf Of Francis Wood Sent: 10 February 2010 13:01 To: Barry Say Cc: NSP group Subject: [NSP] Re: NSP duet with other instruments Thanks Barry. Returning to the core topic of piping, do similar principles apply in human behaviour terms? In NPS Committee meetings for instance, if you double the evident tension in the meetings does this result in a proportionate decrease the frequency of meetings? Similarly if you double the length of meetings does this have a similar effect on the frequency of those meetings? Francis On 10 Feb 2010, at 12:38, Barry Say wrote: Francis Wood wrote: Also is pitch purely dependent on tension? The danger with such a question is that one might receive a full and comprehensive answer, which in such cases is usually to be regretted! This is one case where I think the answer is simpler than one might expect. Quoting from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vibrating_string f = (1/2L) * sqrt (T/mu) L is the length Double the length and you halve the frequency T is the tension. You need to raise the tension fourfold to double the frequency mu mass per unit length. Four times the mass (weight) and you half the frequency SimpleS. If you start talking harmonics and tones it then does get an awful lot more complicated. (Oh my poor head). If only pipes were so simple Barry To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: kipper box
I've a clear mental image of seeing somewhere, a photograph of an old street musician playing what looked very like a strung kipper box. He was holding it like a fiddle. I saw the photograph at least 25 years ago, and I'm fairly sure it dated from the 1950s at the latest. I think the musician used to play in the streets of Cork. Does anyone else recall having seen such a thing. To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: kipper box
I've a clear mental image of seeing somewhere, a photograph of an old street musician playing what looked very like a strung kipper box. He was holding it like a fiddle. I'm sure the staff at the Irish Traditional Music Archive would be able to help with this query, Dru. My apologies for introducing a non-piping flavour with the `kipper box' reference in my original posting. It's a phrase common in our family to describe a fiddle that sounds distinctly ropey - my great great aunt Nellie from Woodhorn used it when talking about a local fiddle player, and it's stuck ever since. Margaret -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: kipper box
On 10 Feb 2010, at 13:26, Dru Brooke-Taylor wrote: I've a clear mental image of seeing somewhere, a photograph of an old street musician playing what looked very like a strung kipper box. He was holding it like a fiddle. Hello Dru and others, This does sound extremely likely. People have always improvised string instruments using boxes that were immediately available. Even Fritz Kreisler is said to have begun on a cigar box fiddle. Though I wonder why a well-to-do cigar smoking Viennese family didn't just give him a real fiddle. I recently did some workshops in French primary schools, making instant instruments. One of these was a harp-like thing for which I requested substantial numbers of expanded-polystyrene boxes. I was sure these would be difficult to procure, and certainly didn't realise that the nearest town, La Rochelle, is a major fishing port. Perfect boxes were obtained in generous quantities, none of them smelling fishy, because they were all new. Whether or not there is a recollection or photo of a kipper box fiddle, it's a good bet that a few people will have tried this in the past, and may even have been pretty fair performers. Francis To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: NSP duet with other instruments
Gibbons, John wrote: Barry said If only pipes were so simple The formula for strings: f = (1/2L) * sqrt (T/mu) neglects all sorts of effects, such as the bow or the finger, the rigidity of the string, the speed of tension waves in the string, etc. And we haven't thought of the motion of the fiddle's bridge and body yet. I believe that of all the approximations in acoustics this one works pretty well for strings under the conditions we find in musical instruments. However, it does assume that the string is uniform and stretched between two fixed points - nut and bridge. There again, that is the normal arrangement for tuning. Similarly, the analogous formula for a one-open-ended pipe: f = (1/4L) * sqrt (gamma P/rho) neglects the effects of the reed at the 'closed' end or the hole at the other. Or the bore, or the 'dead' bore below the open hole, the vibration of the wood, etc... This may be a good starting point but I believe that for NSP in particular it is very approximate. Wall effects which are generally negligible in other instruments become significant at the bore sizes we use. The effective reed length is a whole can of worms. Barry To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Strings etc
On 10th Feb Christopher Birch wrote: Never tried Infeld. I'm not too keen on the medium dominants but the heavies work well for this purpose. Heavy Evah Pirazzi or Obbligato might do a good job too. I use the mediums on my normal fiddles. c Lots of Trad players didn't move in this league of string quality. Willie Taylor bought his from Gillian Birnies' (nee Yellop) father who supplied us all with East German steel strings at -L-3:50 per set. This at a time when Dogals were -L-7:00 and Thomastik steel core were -L-10:50. Even Dominants were about -L-20 is those days. No wonder they didn't take kindly to being tuned down! Cheers Anthony -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: kipper box
struggling to find a kipper box, but plenty of cigar boxes here http://www.cigarboxnation.com/page/free-plans Tim - Original Message - From: Francis Wood oatenp...@googlemail.com To: Dru Brooke-Taylor d...@brooke-taylor.freeserve.co.uk Cc: nsp nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Sent: Wednesday, February 10, 2010 2:16 PM Subject: [NSP] Re: kipper box On 10 Feb 2010, at 13:26, Dru Brooke-Taylor wrote: I've a clear mental image of seeing somewhere, a photograph of an old street musician playing what looked very like a strung kipper box. He was holding it like a fiddle. Hello Dru and others, This does sound extremely likely. People have always improvised string instruments using boxes that were immediately available. Even Fritz Kreisler is said to have begun on a cigar box fiddle. Though I wonder why a well-to-do cigar smoking Viennese family didn't just give him a real fiddle. I recently did some workshops in French primary schools, making instant instruments. One of these was a harp-like thing for which I requested substantial numbers of expanded-polystyrene boxes. I was sure these would be difficult to procure, and certainly didn't realise that the nearest town, La Rochelle, is a major fishing port. Perfect boxes were obtained in generous quantities, none of them smelling fishy, because they were all new. Whether or not there is a recollection or photo of a kipper box fiddle, it's a good bet that a few people will have tried this in the past, and may even have been pretty fair performers. Francis To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: Pitch and kipper boxes
Sorry missed me B didn I Dave S wrote: Hi, arry mentioned between the nut and the bridge OK but if the nut gets tight does the pitch go up or down? ciao Dave To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 9.0.733 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/2679 - Release Date: 02/10/10 08:40:00
