Having played Classical Guitar for many years and with nails I know within that community there is a lot of discussion exchanged about the length and care of the nails. I do not see that with the Lute. If nails were an issue with the instrument I think Variety of Lute Lessons would have mentioned it. As to Milano playing with finger picks, this is a possibility because we have a letter saying that he did so. But sometimes it is a dangerous thing to place too much emphasis on one possibly questionable source.
However if you want to play with nails, play with nails you don't need justification from anyone here. You will find one day that you are going to wish you had learned earlier to play with the finger tips, I did. As to playing loud with the finger tips? I don't think you can play any louder with the nails haveing played both ways. If you play with the finger tips properly you will get just as loud a sound as you will get with the nails before distortion sets in. Vance Wood. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mayes, Joseph" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Vance Wood" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "lute list" <lute@cs.dartmouth.edu> Sent: Monday, March 27, 2006 4:42 PM Subject: [LUTE] Re: Playing With Nails > I think, upon reflection, that we have no idea how a lute is "supposed to sound." We know what we like, and that we're accustomed to hearing. > > Imagine Paul O'Dette and a time machine - He plays for Queen Elizabeth, who says, "But master O'Dette, I can't hear you!" > > Joseph Mayes > > ________________________________ > > From: Vance Wood [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Sun 3/26/2006 5:44 PM > To: lute list > Subject: [LUTE] Re: Playing With Nails > > > > That's the way the Lute is supposed to sound, more of a soft shoe. > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Mayes, Joseph" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "LGS-Europe" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "Lutelist" <lute@cs.dartmouth.edu> > Sent: Sunday, March 26, 2006 5:35 PM > Subject: [LUTE] Re: Playing With Nails > > > > For me - playing without nails is like tap dancing barefoot. > > > > Joseph Mayes > > > > ________________________________ > > > > From: LGS-Europe [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Sent: Sun 3/26/2006 3:19 PM > > To: Lutelist > > Subject: [LUTE] Re: Playing With Nails > > > > > > > > >> > =A5=AA=ED=D7~=F6=DB=8D=F4u=AD=F5=E7=CE=1CkS=DE.=BA.=9D=D6=AB=C8*'=B5e=EDO*^s > emS-=AB=B7=F6=A5=B5=EA=E7j=D8=AFy=BA.=9D=D6=AB > > >> > > > > > > This is what my playing sounds like w/ nails. > > > > On carbon, that is. > > > > David > > > > > > > > > > To get on or off this list see list information at > > http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html > > > > > > > > -- > > > > > > > > -- >
