Yes I did understand that the damping could be used to prevent sympathetic resonances (but I though this would be more appropriate to your electric guitar example with pick-up). At first thought, I am surprised this could be as big a problem with unwound gut strings as with wire-wound. I did also think you could be referring to straight damping with the cittern.
However, when I think about it, if a bass course is out of tune on a 7c lute, even the top course will sound false, so you are obviously right. It must be because it is ringing (it is just less obvious than with metal strings). Also a 6 course in gut will always sound clearer than an 8 course in gut, even when both are in tune, obviously for the same reason. On reflection, I stand corrected, and if we add the effect of the plectrum, you are obviously on to something. Best Anthony Le 1 déc. 06 à 20:30, [EMAIL PROTECTED] a écrit : > In einer eMail vom 01.12.2006 19:59:41 Westeurop=E4ische Normalzeit > schreibt > [EMAIL PROTECTED]: > >> Mark >> I am just thinking that the idea of the thumb-damping could perhaps >> be more relevant to metal >> wound strings. I think many lute players, even today, damp their >> metal wound strings (with the right-hand). >> However, on pure unwound gut strings the sustain almost instantly >> disappears when you release the >> course (I suppose this is relative, and damping could still make this >> more instantaneous) . >> Perhaps this may not be the case if the course is struck by a >> plectrum (I have never tried), so it still could be >> a position carried over from the days of plectrum use. >> Today, bass oud strings appear to be metal wound. Has this always >> been the case? >> Your cittern example is, I feel sure, metal strung. >> > > Hi, > > I am not talking about damping a string that has been struck, but > damping a > string that I don't want to play. > On a renaissance cittern if you play a G chord without a third you > just play > the highest 3 strings. So I damp the lowest and can go all Pete > Townsend :) > > > > By the way, the whole problem of basses ringing too long was > something that > even was a subject for 17th century lutenists with gut strings. The > 12 course > lute with an extension was only shortly popular in France and then > went out of > fashion because the basses sounded too long. > > best wishes > Mark > > -- > > To get on or off this list see list information at > http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
