Hi Ned,
This is a sticky topic and players tend to deal with it in different
ways. If the kind of music you're playing is made up almost entirely of
runs but contains the odd 3 voice chord, it's probably best to set up
your hand/arm/lute position to prioritise the p-i runs, i.e. keep the
lute and right arm as horizontal as possible. With the lute and hand
like this, your thumb will probably most naturally pass inside your
middle finger. However, if what you're playing contains a lot of 3 or 4
note chords, I find that a slightly less horizontal position allows me
to get a clearer sound with all the fingers. In this case my thumb
might pass either inside or outside my middle finger, or possibly, as
you said, move opposite or even collide with it. I think it's generally
better to avoid letting fingers collide with each other, but you should
be guided by the sound and comfort of the hands, rather than a
"principle". It will also depend on the length of your fingers and
thumb. The main thing is to find a good position for the lute, arm and
hand, then let the fingers move naturally. There is no point trying to
force the thumb or a finger to move in a direction it simply doesn't
want to go in!
I wonder if that helps at all? Good luck!
Sam
On 1 November 2010 15:37, Edward Mast <[1]nedma...@aol.com> wrote:
When playing a single line with t-i, it is clear that the thumb
finishes its stroke under the first finger. But not so clear to me
is the position of the thumb relative to the second finger when two
note chords are interspersed with the single line. Does the thumb
finish its stroke under the second finger, or in line with - perhaps
touching - the end of the first finger?
Relevant here, I guess, is the position of the thumb and second
finger at the start of the two note chord. Are they in opposition,
or is the second finger stretched out beyond the thumb, so that it
strikes its string at a point farther from the bridge than the thumb
strikes its string?
(For lutenists the phrase "rule of thumb" takes on a new meaning!).
Thanks, Ned
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Sam Chapman
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4057 Basel
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