Howdy, Dan! I do use markers, as I play many different sized instruments. I recall working with a lutenist about 8 years, ago, practicing duets. This particular lutenist plays many different kinds of lutes, and in one piece, he was not hitting the right note up on the 8th or 9th fret. I suggested a marker on the 7th, & he initially resisted, but then decided to consent in trying it. After using a drop of "white out" on the 7th fret, he played the correct note every time. He was a convert at that time.
Paul O'Dette also uses markers, and for good reason - it makes him a more accurate player. If one had only 1 instrument, then it would be less of a need to mark the 7th fret. However, with many different styles and length lutes, it really is helpful to use a marker, in my opinion. I am curious to see, hear, or play the newly loaded strings; however, I am satisfied with copper or solver gimped, as they are true & accurate. Dan Larson stopped loading strings years ago, for the same reasons that Mimmo did. It was too time consuming & expensive. Many strings would break, many were false. It was also too time consuming for him to be replacing false loaded strings. So, he stopped production, and went with a gut bass that sounds great & the quality control is vastly improved - the gimped string. ed At 12:25 PM 11/4/2007 -0800, Daniel Winheld wrote: >Uh-oh boys 'n girls- we're mixing our threads here. I've never felt >strongly about the marker marks except that they've always bothered >me aesthetically- but on rare occasions helped me out when playing >strictly from memory; which (classical) guitarists have always done >far more than any of us lute critters. (How do you get the guitarist >to shut up? -Give him sheet music) > >I still want answers about the new, improved loaded basses that are >UNDOUBTEDLY coming our way any minute now... > >.. And isn't it interesting that by the mid 17th century, seventy >some years after the Great String Improvement the French lutenists >had dropped the 1st course down to "f", singled out the 2nd, and >re-established 8ves at the 6th. Of course Dowland could have been >voicing a musically elite and minority opinion in regard to the >unison 6th. > >Not sure what the norm was for 8ves in Italy- but still set up for >mostly doubled firsts on liuti attorbiati, no? > >Dan > > >For what it's worth... > > > >Perhaps the difference is that we lutenists daren't take our eyes > >off the tablature, and so we have to find our way about the neck of > >our instrument by touch, not sight. Having said that, I think I > >might just stick something close tothe 7th fret... > > > >Alan > >----- Original Message ----- From: "Daniel Winheld" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >To: <lute@cs.dartmouth.edu> > >Sent: Sunday, November 04, 2007 6:15 PM > >Subject: [LUTE] Re: historical lute stringings > > > >> > "I think Mimmo Peruffo may not reply because he may not want > >>>to appear to be advertising his wares on this list. It is a > >>>difficult situation for string makers and lute makers whenever they > >>>communicate, it could be considered that indirectly they are trying > >>>to sell their wares." > >> > >>Couple of thoughts- I'm sure that Mimmo, our most advanced, dedicated > >>commercial stringmaker, wouldn't merely be sharing his latest > >>conclusions and historical/scientific research results just for the > >>hell of it- something's got to be up; and he knows how badly some of > >>us want the next inevitable step to fall (waiting patiently for the > >>other shoe to drop?) in regard to the loaded gut bass strings. They > >>were so close! -But as pointed out, too many problems and headaches > >>involved. > >> > >>I still have a pair of perfectly matched, in tune, loaded guts for > >>the only satisfactory unison pairing of this string type I've > >>encountered for the 6th course of my 7 course Andreas Holst lute. At > >>the 2005 LSA event in Cleveland Cathy Liddell was still wearing a > >>very carefully maintained set of loaded gut bass fundamentals 6 - 11 > >>on her Baroque lute. > >> > >>Come on, Mimmo! You've got our attention, big time- unload the loaded > >>guts on us- please! Dan > >> > >>P.S.- How many of us have had success- long term, that is, playing > >>cleanly and maintaining in tune the doubled first course, any string > >>material or on any instrument? > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >>-- > >> > >> > >> > >>To get on or off this list see list information at > >>http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html > >> > >> > >>-- > >>No virus found in this incoming message. > >>Checked by AVG Free Edition. > >>Version: 7.5.486 / Virus Database: 269.15.17/1103 - Release Date: > >>01/11/2007 06:01 > >> > > > > > >-- > >I am using the free version of SPAMfighter for private users. > >It has removed 1056 spam emails to date. > >Paying users do not have this message in their emails. > >Get the free SPAMfighter here: http://www.spamfighter.com/len > > >-- >Rachel Winheld >820 Colusa Avenue >Berkeley, CA 94707 > >[EMAIL PROTECTED] >Tel 510.526.0242 >Cell 510.915.4276 > > > > >-- >No virus found in this incoming message. >Checked by AVG Free Edition. >Version: 7.5.503 / Virus Database: 269.15.20/1108 - Release Date: >11/3/2007 9:42 PM Edward Martin 2817 East 2nd Street Duluth, Minnesota 55812 e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] voice: (218) 728-1202
