Tone Production on Renaissance Lute

Tone Production on Renaissance Lute

This is about the most important thing in lute playing, and also one of the most difficult things: making a good tone on your lute. This is my approach on finding the best possible tone on my lutes.

Make sure you feel both strings of a course, when you touch a course.
Make sure you press both strings towards the top of the lute.
Make sure you release both strings at the same time.

Place the lute on your lap, top upwards, facing you.
Put your index finger on both strings of the second course.
Press both strings towards the top.

When your finger is almost touching the top, release both strings by turning the finger in the direction of the third course.

Do the same with the thumb.
Move the thumb in the direction of the first course.

Find the best possible tone, savour this tone, make it your tone.

Only then hold the lute in your usual way.
Play slowly, with alternating index finger and thumb, reproducing the tone you just made.

Return to this excercise regularly. I do.

(Sorry about the out-of-focus video, my camera is made for taking pictures, not for making videos ...).

David van Ooijen

[leftyjm]

Good point David ! When I was first "initiated" to that problem of tone production by Hoppy Smith, years ago he used another very eloquent image to help get a more precise sensation; he said : "your finger should be attracted as if there was some elastic band or spring pulling it from your elbow"; the idea was to produce a bell like tone with both strings of the second or third course.
thank you for reminding us all of the necessity of going back to "essentials" regularly !

[bizhanhooman]

Excellent explanation and demonstration... thank you!