I have observed Hoppy Smith's changing manner for holding the lute over many years and was unable to really use them until the most recent one:
He has an end button and has a short slip-knot cord on that which connects to a single long (6-7 feet) broad ribbon. On end of the ribbon is tied around the pegbox (I use it at the very end). It is then tied to the slip chord where it meets the end button around the back of the instrument . The ribbon goes around your back in normal "guitar-style" and then continues on under your rear. He rests (as do I) the instrument on his right thigh, using a small chamois-type cloth (silver chest liner from Wallmart) and uses a low foot stool. The ribbon can be pulled tight under you as you see fit and the slip knot can also be adjusted easily by loosening. Your are able to sit up quite straight and the instrument is held firmly in place without your hands. I have had great success with my vihuela, am still working on the 7c, and have not tried it on a bigger instrument yet as I need to have the end button installed. The vihuela feels perfect to me this way and very comfortable. Sandy ----- Original Message ----- From: "Stephen Arndt" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <lute@cs.dartmouth.edu> Sent: Wednesday, May 03, 2006 9:08 PM Subject: [LUTE] Re: lute straps > Dear Lute List, > > A long-time reader though infrequent contributor to this list, I was on > the > verge of posting a related topic when Katherine initiated the thread on > lute > straps, a thread that I have followed with great interest. > > Primarily from using a computer keyboard and mouse, I had developed under > my > right shoulder blade a "knot" that felt like a knife stabbing me in the > back. The problem seemed to be exacerbated by reaching around the lute, > which is a rather deep-bodied instrument. From my shoulder the pain seemed > to radiate all the way down my arm, inflaming the ulnar nerve and my > wrist, > and numbing the ring and little finger of my right hand. > > I made several adjustments to my computer equipment (raising the monitor, > switching the mouse to my left hand, etc.) and underwent chiropractic > treatment, acupuncture, massage, and medication therapy (muscle relaxers > and > pain pills). Yet, the problem was still so bad that I worried that I would > have to give up the lute. > > Originally, I held the lute more or less in the classical guitar style, > i.e., on my left thigh and using a footstool. Once my physical problems > developed, I tried using a strap in the "traditional" manner, i.e., tying > it > to the first peg, wrapping it around my shoulder, and tucking it in under > my > right thigh, on which I now rested the body of the lute. Doing so helped > but > did not really solve the problem. In desperation I drove to the nearest > "luthier" (a maker of violins, violas, and cellos, but not of lutes), who > was two and a half hours away, and had him put two strap buttons on my > instrument, since I was afraid of doing so myself and cracking my > instrument. I have since used both a regular, guitar-style strap, attached > to the first peg and the clasp button, and the "slider-strap" recently > mentioned on this list and attached to the clasp button and another button > just below the neck. Doing so seems to have improved my tone since I am > able > to hold the lute higher, so that my forearm is more closely parallel to > the > strings, and has also alleviated the pain somewhat. At this point, > however, > I am merely managing the pain but have not been relieved of it. > > I would like to ask whether any other members of the lute list have > experienced similar physical problems and, if so, how they solved them. I > would be very appreciative of any help anyone could give me. > > Thank you in advance, > > Stephen Arndt > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Katherine Davies" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <lute@cs.dartmouth.edu> > Sent: Tuesday, May 02, 2006 10:08 AM > Subject: [LUTE] Re: lute straps > > >> There are lots of renaissance pictures of people >> playing lutes while standing up without any sign of a >> strap. Does anyone do this? Any ideas on how - or if - >> it could be done? >> >> I'm not having a go at strap-users; I'm just a bit >> puzzled - I have enough trouble keeping the thing in >> place when I'm sitting down. >> >> thanks, >> Katherine Davies >> >> >> >> To get on or off this list see list information at >> http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html > >
