The only hard evidence we have is the stringing of a theorboed guitar
('chitara tiorbato') by Stradivari (c.1720s) in which various violin strings
are described for stringing the guitar. In short and translated:
1 & 2 strings - 'like two guitar first course strings' (helpful!)
3 & 4 - like two guitar second course strings (ditto)
5 & 6 - like two large violin firsts
7 - a violin second
8 - a guitar second course string
9 - thickest possible violin second
10 - a violin first
Therefore, provided we can determine the sizes of violin strings at the time
and locality, in thoery the stringing of this guitar can be calculated. However
surprisingly little is really known about early violin stringing (just a bit
more than guitars) and the low tension used by most 'baroque' fiddlers these
days seems based on some supposed very low French tension. There is some
evidence that Italians used much higher tensions (higher even than modern
violins).
Nonwithstanding this, my paper in FoMRHI Quarterly (C663, Oct 1985) ' The
stringing of a baroque guitar' used Riccati's (1767) and Tartini's (1734)
reported stringing and, making assumptions on pitch etc, concluded the
following tensions:
String 1 & 2: - 3.3Kg
3 & 4: - 3.3Kg
5 & 6: - 3.3Kg
7 (low octave): - 3.0 to 3.2 Kg (depending on wether Tartini or Riccati)
8 (high octave): - 4.5Kg
9 (low octave): 2.4 to 2.6Kg (T or R)
10 (high octave): 3.6 to 3.9Kg (T or R)
Note that the octaves on the 4th and 5th course are at a higher tension. if
using a single first I would suggest around 4/4.5Kg with this set up.
In practice, on my 'Sellas' guitar (string length 69.5cm) I modify this
slightly and use:
1st course (single) 4.7Kg
2nd 3.6Kg
3rd 3.3Kg
4th (high octave) 4.1Kg
4th (low) 3.1Kg
5th (unison high) 3.6Kg (if putting on a low 5th, tension is 2.8Kg).
Martyn
Monica Hall <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Monica,
>
> I asked a few days ago regarding string tensions for baroque guitars. Do
> you have any opinions?
Well - I'm not well qualified to comment as I am only an amateur player and
my guitar has a shorter string length than many people seem to think is
appropriate today.
It is based on an instrument by Giovanni Tessler in the Royal College of
Music here in London and has a string length of 61.5 cms. It was made in
1978 and I guess ideas about how guitars were constructed might have
changed a bit since then.
I had it made like that specifically as being one of the fair sex - as
Campion has it - I wanted it to be favorable to my lovely hands.
Just as a matter of interest it is strung with plain gut without a bordon on
the 5th course with the following guauges - which are less than those in
Tylers book viz:
1st course 2046
2nd 2056
3rd 2066
4th 2050
2100
All Kurschner
5th Sofracob .6000
I usually tune it to around a semitone below modern concert pitch.
I am not a mathematician but I guess that works out at a very low tension.
Perhaps you can work it out from that? It suites me - and it sounds
reasonable although it has a rather thin sound perhaps because it is also
flat backed and rather shallow.
I would guess that most of the gentlemen on this list would want something a
bit beefier.
I don't honestly know whether there is much evidence about what sort of
tension players in the 17th century would have used. However, probably 50%
of them were members of the fair sex who might have had similar requirements
to myself! Something which is often overlooked.
The strings that I use are those recommended by the original maker and
Northern Renaissance Instruments which is or was run by Eph Segerman who is
or was considered an expert on strings.
It would be very interesting to hear more about what other players do today.
Monica
>
> Thanks,
>
> ed
>
> At 02:56 PM 1/28/2008 +0000, you wrote:
>
>>Subject: [LUTE] guitar stringing
>>
>>It is common practice to string the baroque guitar with the treble strings
>>of the 4th and 5th courses on the thumb side of the course. This is
>>because both courses tend to be used primarily as if they were treble
>>strings and having them this way makes these stand out.
>>
>>The only 17th century source to mention the practice is Ruiz de Ribayaz.
>>
>>However there are 2 or 3 mid-18th century sources which clearly indicate
>>that the guitar is strung in this way. By this date this arrangement was
>>not really necessary for the kind of music being written for the guitar
>>so it is probably a feature that has lingerd on from the past.
>>
>>Hope that is helpful.
>>
>>Monica
>>
>>>Talking of stringing, where does the idea come from of having the octave
>>>string on guitars uppermost (i.e. towards the ceiling). It seems common
>>>practice.
>>
>>>
>>>Nigel
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>To get on or off this list see list information at
>>>http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>--
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>
>
>
> Edward Martin
> 2817 East 2nd Street
> Duluth, Minnesota 55812
> e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> voice: (218) 728-1202
>
>
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