I wonder about the materials used in 16-18th cent. clothing, especially pants and shirts. I know that wearing leather pants would make holding the lute much easier while sitting. It would be stylish at a minimum.
--- Martyn Hodgson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Before inventing new ways of holding an instrument, it's useful to look at > what early players actually did. > > For the lute the following come to mind: > > - Iconography depicting extended peghead lutes (ie theorboes, archlutes, late > german baroque lutes) frequently shows the use of a ribbon/strap running from > the base to an attachment point on the rear of the peghead eg from Castaldi > (1622) right up to Scheidler(c1800). Most extant early instruments of this > type also have attachment points (buttons/slotted fittings). > > - Many later baroque lutes have two buttons: one at the base and one on the > back close to the neck. It has been suggested (Spence) that a chord was > passed between the two and looped around a coat button (early coats were much > heavier/stiffer than modern). I seen gut strings fastened on a few 18thC > lutes but, of course, these cld be later additions. To be frank, I've tried > this method and have not been happy with the results - has anybosy else? > > - rest the lute against a table ( early sources and some iconography) - this > also assists the resonance of the instrument (rather like Aguado's > 'tripodion'). > > Finally, it seems to me that most (not all) depictions of lute players show > the instrument being held fairly high ie against the lower chest rather than > the stomach (rather akin to the flamenco guitarist position compared to that > of a modern 'classical' guitarist) with the body resting on the left thigh > rather than in the lap. A holding arrangement should allow for this position > and posture. > > > > > Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com > -- > > To get on or off this list see list information at > http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html >
