Stuart Walsh wrote:
Stuart Walsh wrote:
I just can't imagine how you get a loud, full sound playing the
instrument fingerstyle when the instrument has such a tiny body. (But
with a plectrum the instrument truly chirps). I think it was Stewart
McCoy who, in a previous discussion of this same subject, said that
mandolino strings at that short string length are going to feel like
steel bars...and they do. So the technique of getting a sound from
the strings of a lute or guitar or wire-string instrument (e.g.
English guitar) wouldn't be any use at all - it would surely be far
too gentle? Well, not for me, anyway.
Well I came across this youtube video of Alex Timmerman playing an
Alemanda by Ceccherini (it's also in Tyler's book). Played with gusto!
Sounds forceful and loud - and punteado/fingerstyle. Dunno how he does
it. Nails?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SYZ8L2aLww
Stuart
Jake Shimabukuro (modern uke virtuoso) gets a great, full sound but
he seems to have an odd technique based around the RH thumb - nothing
like early guitar or lute technique.
)All those medieval depictions of gitterns have the celestial folk
playing with plectra too.)
So what 's the secret? Nails? Or some unusual aspect of construction
that enables players to use punteado style successfully?
I'd be really interested to hear/see the instrument played
(punteado) - mp3, youtube, anything. A little demo - with fingers,
plectrum, with other instruments??
Stuart
-Original Message-
From: lute-...@cs.dartmouth.edu [mailto:lute-...@cs.dartmouth.edu] On
Behalf Of Susanne Herre
Sent: Monday, May 17, 2010 6:38 AM
To: EUGENE BRAIG IV; Lute List
Subject: [LUTE] Re: playing technique of baroque mandolin
Thank you Eugene!
Is there in fact any iconography of baroque opera showing a
mandolin
player at all?
Yes, if you play with the quill you will hear more higher harmonics
because the section which hits the string is not as large as if you
play with your finger...
Yes, if you play with thumb-out and want to hit both strings of one
course you have to play also with a bit of your nail. That happens
automatically, I made this experience as well.
All the best,
Susanne
- Original Message -
From: [1]EUGENE BRAIG IV
To: [2]Susanne Herre ; [3]Lute List
Cc: [4]davide.rebuffa
Sent: Monday, May 17, 2010 3:35 AM
Subject: Re: [LUTE] playing technique of baroque mandolin
I agree with Davide. I'm just aware of no baroque-era
iconography
that implies plectra/quills on 4th-tuned, gut strung
mandolins. If
it were common in the pit for obligati parts, I would think
plectrum
use would be at least occasionally evident in the sketchy
iconography.
I also use quills and more modern plectra on early and modern
Neapolitan mandolins, even on a gut-strung mandolino Toscano,
so I
am accustomed to using plectra. I don't really gain appreciable
volume applying quill to my 6-course mandolin/o, but in using
quill,
I do lose any bass response I get by using my fingertips. That
said, I use a combination of flesh and nail on my mandolin/o.
Again, I'm just not aware of any good written references to
technique on 4th-tuned mandolins (or reference to quill use on
same)
until they get only peripheral mention in the literature for
Neapolitan mandolins of the latter half of the 1700s.
Best,
Eugene
- Original Message -
From: Susanne Herre
Date: Sunday, May 16, 2010 3:00 am
Subject: [LUTE] playing technique of baroque mandolin
To: "davide.rebuffa" , Lute List
>
> Dear Davide,
>
> Thank you for your comments!
>
> I still think we can not be so sure about certain things
because
> we don't
> have much evidence.
>
> > - to my knowledge - there is no evidence at all that it
> could be played
> > with a quill before the late XVIIIth century.
>
> Do you have any evidence against quill technique e.g. in
operas?
> It is possible to play with a quill...
>
> I know about some paintings which show the finger technique
(all
> in all we
> don't have much, have we?) but I also saw one picture (English)
> where there
> seems to be a kind of plectrum. But it is an anonymous picture
> without any
> year. Also I have seen a still life by Baschenis where there is
> a quill and
> I don't believe that the violin, the harp or the lute on this
> picture is
> played with it...
>
> I can't say that I have much experience of comparing the
> loudness of
> different playing techniques with an audience. This maybe also
> depends on
> different acoustics (as I would use different bows in different
> concert
> rooms)
> But I think you get a brighter s
