I'm genuinely interested in what historical lutes sounded like and how
they were played, so I'm not so interested in a "whatever works for you"
approach, however popular it may be, along with single strung
"archlutes", microscopic theorboes, and other horrors which are nothing
to do with historical evidence.
I think if there is a "dominant" lute technique it is "thumb out"(TO),
because it certainly existed in the 16th C and became the normal
technique from c.1600 on. But when I look at the iconography, like
Jurgen I see fingers at right angles to the strings, and even a
suggestion that strings were approached from beneath (as happens when I
try this position, because my middle finger is long compared to the
others). Nails, even if very short, come into the picture too. So I
think we have a long way to go to appreciate the sound and technique of
TO, and (as with the first attempts at TU in the 1970s) we have a lot of
experimentation to do to arrive at something which feels natural and
efficient. It's not just a question of reverting to "classical guitar"
technique - whatever you conceive that to be - but a more difficult
process of exploration and experimentation.
Martin
On 12/03/2019 11:48, Daniel Shoskes wrote:
Jürgen: Absolutely hit the nail on the head. It’s all about the sound and
people have different hand anatomy and physiology. Iconography and fingering is
an important starting point but if it doesn’t fit your hand (and nail growth)
it shouldn’t stop you from playing the music you want. Have seen and heard
fantastic 6 course performances thumb under, but also thumb out with pi on
runs. Ronn McF has one of the best right hands in the business and plays with
great speed and tone color variation playing thumb under on his 10 course. Best
baroque lute concert I heard last year saw the right thumb sneaking under the
index when they crossed. Brilliant West Coast baroque band led by an archlute
playing thumb under. I’ve also heard awful thumb under 6 course playing and
painfully poor baroque lute thumb out playing.
What’s more important than thumb position? Hitting both courses cleanly with
good tone and volume control, strong weak alternation in the appropriate music
whether pi or im, playing “rest stroke” on baroque instruments as default and
as a rare special effect on earlier instruments, bringing out dance rhythms and
polyphony when present, using ornamentation and improvisation, savoring the
sound of low tension gut strings. If you need to play Renaissance music thumb
out, have at it. If you have a short thumb and can’t get it out comfortably,
focus on sound production and playing musically and all is well. I’ve been
given that advice in lessons and masterclasses by numerous teachers. I have
both a short thumb and a wrist injured by decades of doing vascular and
microsurgery and the full thumb out of my classical guitar days is painful and
prevents my fingers from getting a decent sound. i won’t let that stop me from
enjoying all my instruments, from my 4 course Ren!
ai!
ssance guitar to my 13 course German theorbo.
Danny
On Mar 12, 2019, at 2:50 AM, Jurgen Frenz <eye-and-ear-cont...@protonmail.com>
wrote:
Having acquired an 8c lute in late December makes the subject incredible
relevant to me. I hope nobody is offended when I put down some personal
practical observations without referring to historic evidence.
The entire hand position needs to be different, I think. (1) As it is possible to play
p-i lines on all courses doing so with m-i ends for me somewhere on the middle F string -
the inside of the hand would just mute the high g string because of the pinky that is
planted on the sound board with my European average hand. (2) Playing distinctive bass
lines on the 7th and 8th course while playing m-i on the upper courses forces (I believe)
the hand to turn more like 45 degrees or so towards the strings and not any longer
"almost parallel" as is practical for earlier music.
The challenge to me is to produce a "gentle" sound and finger nails are a more
urgent matter than playing on a 6c lute thumb out. From what people say here I conclude
that this is quite a personal matter, individuals have different nail growth and sound
ideals.
Or would you just lift the pinky? I don't think so because it is the GPS sensor
for string geography.
On the images in Jean-Marie's links I find it surprising that the hand is
actually almost at 90 degrees to the strings, quite like classical guitar
players but the hand is placed at the corner of the bridge, miles away from the
rosette. Once again, placing the hand there would automatically turn the hand
around even further.
Best regards
Jürgen
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