For me, it is so much in the quality of the way the six course lute responds, with a simpler bar pattern in the soundboard, a less "complicated" sound with more emphasis on the fundamental, less in the higher frequencies, and a good volume balance between all the courses, that seem on equal terms in volume and ability to articulate the bass, treble and all the range in between. Using octaves down to the 4th course also helps. I find it much more straightforward to phrase the repertoire for six course ON a six course. In the same way, I find it much easier to articulate the repertoire for the 11 course lute on the 11 course, rather than a 13 course. Kenneth Be In a message dated 2/18/2006 4:40:22 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
On Feb 18, 2006, at 1:15 PM, Daniel Shoskes wrote: > So, I'm glad that people who have 6 course lutes are thrilled with > their instruments. What I don't fully understand is why the 6 course > literature is "so much easier" to play on a 6 course lute. I have an > 8 course that I love: great sound, fits my hands well, guitarists > look at it and are freaked out by how many strings there are (until I > bring out my 13 course!). My only difficulty in playing early 6 > course music is some of the left hand stretches. But wouldn't the > solution to that problem be a shorter string length rather than fewer > courses? What are the other advantages people find from their 6 > course lutes that is missing from their 8 course lutes (of equal > quality)? > > DS -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
