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@@vanessagreen3986 I have not 😂

@@vanessagreen3986 oh, I think I get the joke. I am slow 😂😂😂

@@laudonschuett3019😂

Hi Travis! First of all, I'm a big fan of your instruments, always love playing them when I get the chance : ) I'm sorry we didn't get to meet at Lute Fest this year. I stayed home for a family medical reason. Hopefully, in the future. I'm really glad to hear that there are good things going on in Vancouver. One of my former students just did a summer program with Lucas and loved it so I am sure it was fantastic. I'm a big fan of the consort and broken consort repertoire. I'm hoping that we are just living through a period of change and that the community will come out stronger in the end, maybe with more local level investment in early music. Anyways, thank you for your note and looking forward to your next workshop video. Cheers from Nashville, Laudon

@@vanessagreen3986 absolutely! I know there are some child lute programs in Europe but definitely not a thing here. Smaller and cheaper instruments would definitely help : )

@@laudonschuett3019there’s this program in KY that inmates build mountain dulcimers that get used for educational programs. Now I know a lite is structurally way more complicated than a mountain dulcimer. It would be cool to see what instruments they are using with the children in Europe.

@@adamkgray hi! That is technically not a trill (like in the Baroque period) but called a groppo or the plural, groppi. In this period, each note is articulated (plucked). By the early 17th century you start seeing true trills in French music indicated by a trill sign. This can be a little strange if you are used to Baroque music like Bach and Weiss but is endemic to the Renaissance lute repertoire. Please let me know if you have any other questions! : ) Cheers, Laudon oh yes, and the fingering is indicated in the score! Let me know if you want the link!

@@robertpurrenhage1400 definitely not a no-no! You find the same pieces in different sources with different fret positions all the time : ) the only time I would hesitate is when it changes the color too much or is obviously intentional (Albert de Rippe clearly puts things in different positions for the color effect, for example)!

@@MrDyne01 you are too kind! : )

@@miqbri believe it or not, it is the same problem in many parts of the United States. If you live in NYC, Boston, Chicago, etc. there are tons of things going on but if you live somewhere else it can be very isolating. It definitely helps to be open to making friends with singers and bowed string players : )

@@laudonschuett3019 I mean, I believe it. US the pretty spread out, Nashville is half the size of Prague.. :) so yeah, must be even harder there

@@miqbri I will do some looking around Prague because I feel like there should be a lot more there. I will let you know if I find anything : )

@@laudonschuett3019 Thank you :) I don't think you'll be more successful than me searching in Czech but maybe you can 'smell' the early music. I've found a performance of "Czech lute" but that's a name of a baroque piece, I'm not sure there is even a lute part. Maybe Jan Čižmář plays some theorbo in it :D

@@miqbri I will do it the American way…yell loudly in English until someone helps me 😂 I will ask around on FB : )

@@MrDyne01 thank you : )

@@grecofolkesson6924 thanks! It’s my darn allergies. I feel like it is always better when I record outside of summer but who am I kidding, they are usually pretty bad in the fall and spring as well. I’m a classic mouth breather! 😂 Cheers : )

@@laudonschuett3019 I think its a recording / focusing thing. Weird, it happens to a lot of people. From my perspective it makes the recording more organic.

@@grecofolkesson6924 I’m glad you feel that way : ) it drives me nuts…definitely something I keep trying to reduce lol Though it does not bother me hearing other people so much!

@@robertpurrenhage1400 Thank you for the update! Yes, I feel like every day is a gift and every day that I can still play the lute is the icing on top of the cake : )

Thank you! : )

@@miqbri thank you! I look forward to hearing how it goes with the new position : ) Always good to experiment!

@@vanessagreen3986 absolutely! I will also just say that these lessons are not intended for children, but for adult learners who don’t have access to a teacher. Unless it is absolutely impossible, I think children should always have an experienced private instructor. Thank you for posting this!

@@laudonschuett3019oh yes! I made that comment so people would know to modify and a teacher can help. And also I hope there are other teachers possibly watching and they might consider how their students’ might be motivated (especially if the student is gifted; a gifted student is probably more prone to people pleasing and over practicing and more prone to a repetition strain injury.)

@@vanessagreen3986 I loved your comment! Just thought I would use my reply as an opportunity to say something I think I should have mentioned in the video : )

I'm glad you found this helpful! Rob is a great player and there are a number of excellent players that use rest stroke quite a bit, but I generally hate the words "always" and "never." I do think there are some places you will find where rest stroke is helpful but it can also be problematic in a lot of places. I'm sure they used it in the 16th century (even though they don't write about it) but it probably varied from player to player and period to period. I think it is VERY helpful with 10-course repertoire and it is clear that they do start using it more in the 17th century. Anyways, I think finding what works for you and what works in a given situation is the best way to go about...flexibility is the key! : ) Cheers, Laudon

It is very interesting! It definitely seems like Dalza tried to avoid the A finger whenever possible. There are a couple subtle spots that make me hesitate to say he never used it. Check out the last line, second measure of this page: browse.lutemusic.org/facsimiles/DalzaJ/Intabulatura_de_Lauto/v.4_1508/55.png. My instinct is to play that thumb on the first bass note and then use I,M,A for the upper three notes that follow (especially at faster tempos).....but it would be interesting to play around with it and see how it sounds thumb going through or index stroking up (though I would expect to see a dot for that). I will also just say that sometimes the thumb strokes/or PPMI rolls don't sound as good to me in the intabulations on the four note chords as they do in the dances. This is a taste thing though, and he certainly may have liked it or not been bothered by it! Of course, all this assumes that our primary goal is to play it as Dalza did and yet our whole concept of the "Dalza" stroke is preserved in German sources, by other players.His preface just gives us so little information.... My personal view is to try to sound like a "reasonable" lute player from the period (some combination of Spinacino, Dalza, Capirola, etc.), though I also think there is great value in trying to determine the specific playing style of a composer. Anyways, I think these are very valid things to ruminate on. One of the unfortunate restrictions of making these videos is that there is no conversational element, so I always love seeing comments like this in the comment section! Thanks for posting! I'll play through the book in the next couple weeks and see if I find any other interesting spots to discuss : ) Cheers, Laudon

@@banjoboy01 I don’t generally record the student pieces that I have been giving out because I don’t want students to feel pressured to play them at my tempos : ) I have had a couple requests but I have mixed feelings about it. I don’t want people to just copy what I do… I am considering it, though!

@@laudonschuett3019 got it, too bad we don't have recordings from the 1500's

@@banjoboy01 it would be great to have a bunch of different players playing the same piece! That way we could get a sense of the range of styles : )

Good question! I think the best way to go about it is to pick one genre. For example, if you choose late 16th century English pavins. Go find 10-15 of them (Johnson, Dowland, Holborne, etc.) and analyze them. You will start to see some common patterns. For example, with those pavins, you will find that they often open with a half note followed by two quarters (though often ornamented), they are broken into 3 sections with ornamented repeats, they have a regal character, and will commonly end with a reprise of the second half of the first A section. You will also find that the harmonic rhythm is fairly complex (lots of chord changes in a single measure). After you have analyzed the pieces and played them a bit, steal a bass line from one of them and write your own piece above it. This is an excellent way to create an entirely new work with a structure that you know is historical! : ) Rinse and repeat after that!

I think that just comes from me switching back and forth a lot : ) Sometimes my hand just goes for what feels and sounds best for that particular moment. I don't necessarily think it would be the same for someone else. It is interesting looking at historical paintings and images and seeing the great variety of right hand positions people used. It is definitely a spectrum and not so simple as thumb-under and thumb-out, though it is a convenient way to divide things : ) I think stretching exercise would be particularly hopeful when learning new techniques since that is definitely the time when we are most likely to injure ourselves! Something I will keep in mind for a future episode : )

@@banjoboy01 for sure! I actually talk about it in an upcoming LSA article. One thing I found very helpful was to spend some time playing the common C major shape with 2 3 and 4 instead of the usual 1 2 3. Once you are really used to playing C major that way, you just move it up to D and drop that first finger. There are a few other tricks that I will definitely discuss in a future video : )

@@laudonschuett3019 thanks again, guide, slide, pivot, anchor fingers etc. are great but when that chord comes out of nowhere I'm too slow, I'll wait for the future vid

@@banjoboy01 it can be brutal. I think going SUPER slow and practicing getting all of the fingers down at exactly (or almost exactly) the same time. Forming that shape in the air and slowly lowering it. You do this over and over and over and it does start to get easier and faster. The trick is to NEVER cheat and put one finger down ahead of the other. Then find a piece with a bunch of them and practice getting into it in different context. I will make video!

@@laudonschuett3019 well said, I've been fighting my "fly away" pinky on guitar for years and this frustrating lute chord is going to cure that problem! I just looked at Abondante thinking they were intermediate tunes...lots of D major

@@laudonschuett3019 hey..making the left hand "claw" and adjusting the elbow really help, I'm going to shut up and practice now

@@keithwilcox7489 thank you so much!

@@keithwilcox7489 thank you so much!

If you continue with the series, you will find that all of these topics are covered. I also provide links in all of my videos that help to fill in gaps. For example, my very first episode includes a link to the LSA beginner's guide, which covers all note names and gives basic instruction on changing strings. I also go into further detail in episode 7 (introduction to tablature) and I provide links to music education programs like artusi. I do have a video coming out in a few weeks that includes tips on lute maintenance and care. While it is important to learn note names, I don't think it should be the first priority when you pick the instrument up. Getting a good sitting position and a good sound from your right hand should come first. Students are often overwhelmed with too much information in the beginning when they should be using their ears. Unlike other instruments, lutes also come a great variety of tunings and can be strung in different ways. Without knowing what instrument a student has, it can be difficult to give the best advice. Do they have an A lute?G? F? D? How many courses? Do we want octaves on all the basses? What pitch level is best? This is information is best conveyed individually. Lutes really don’t have a standard tuning or stringing like other instruments, but I do talk about this over the course of the series. While you may not agree with my order, this information is included in this series so I would recommend watching more before passing judgment. Additionally, many students are VERY interested in the historical elements and I believe they are important to the understanding of the instrument and why we play it the way we do. As for being a show off, I don't know what to say....I'm a performer, of course I'm going to show off. I'm not going to apologize for that! Finally, I will just say that this is a FREE series that I am creating to help students who do not have a teacher make their way on the lute. I could just post performance videos and call it a day....but I think that combined with using google and a few other resources, it could really help someone who does not have access to private lessons (which are the best way to learn when available). Here is my video on tuning if you need help with that: ruclips.net/video/knShPBOhTpY/видео.htmlsi=beoNHBQdUkU-SDLk

@@laudonschuett3019 usted debe ser el único o quizás uno de los pocos que da esa explicación. Por otro lado, no digo que presumir sea malo sino que solo se concretan a esto. Hay un señor que también explica muy bien casi todo. De todas formas miraré los links que a los que usted refiere tener colgados en sus clases y no se ofenda que de los comentarios inquietos también se aprende. Saludos, Carmen

Thank you, Arash! That means a lot coming from you

@@jameslouder thank you so much, James, that is very kind!

@@banjoboy01 yeah, that would be amazing if we did

What an incredibly generous comment. Thank you for making my day! : )

Thank you so much!

Thank you so much!!

Thank you so, much! that really means a lot to me : )

Thank you, I am so glad you are finding the videos useful! : ) Happy practicing!

Thank you!

Thank you so much, Vanessa : )

@@miqbri it is a VERY special piece and I agree that it seems ahead of it’s time. The broken texture (almost style brise) and other things as well. I think you would like playing it! : )

@@laudonschuett3019 I'll make sure to add it to my 'on day hopefully' list ;)

So they never talk about it but I suspect they used dampened strings, especially when using the "Dalza" stroke, which is a strum with just the thumb. If you look at Dalza pivas, there will be random chords with splits and it just sounds weird to stop the strum, so I have always just dampened the string in between. I can't prove they did it but would blow my mind if they didn't : )

@@laudonschuett3019 also.....how often was an octave string used on the 4th course? any articles on the subject? I like the effect but need to watch when to use the index finger, thanks again Laudon

@@banjoboy01 Definitely used through Milano, Albert de Rippe, etc. Things get murkier after that. I'll see if I can find some up-to-date articles. The ones I remember are now getting pretty old and may not include more recently discovered sources! There are clues in the repertoire and I would say that the octave really starts to disappear in the 1590s, though it was probably already gone in some places and some repertoire. I'll pop back here in the next couple days if I find a good recent article!

@@banjoboy01 here is a nice little introductory article: luteshop.co.uk/2016/11/04/octave-stringing-irregular-to-the-rules-of-music/ I will see if there is something more comprehensive in the LSA journal or quarterly….

@@laudonschuett3019 I have seen Martin Shepard's site. article from 2016 so I didn't mention it after you responded. I'm not a LSA member but it looks like I can browse

P=thumb, I=index, M=middle, A=ring. I will put a note in the description to remind people of this. I'm pretty sure I mentioned it WAY back in episode 2 or 3 but it would be crazy to think that people would remember that this far in : ) Thank you for asking and I will put a clarification to help people! Cheers, Laudon

@@banjoboy01 it’s a great piece!

@@laudonschuett3019 I just looked at your version because I only play 6 course music. I like the minor key variation, is that uncommon for a bergamasca?

@@banjoboy01 that was inspired by this big beautiful change to minor in another ground, called Arthur’s Dump. I thought it would work nicely in a Bergamasca as well, though it would blow my mind if there isn’t an example in the literature. They definitely liked to play with Major/Minor/flat/sharp variations. The Milanese is basically a major version of the passamezzo antico. Thanks for asking and if I spot a bergamasca with that change, I will let you know : )

@@laudonschuett3019 thanks so much, one more thing...how strict is the ground since I don't have the low octave, there are times when a 1st or 2nd inversion could work in the bass, I'm just trying to avoid so much repetition of the root string

@@banjoboy01 great question! So they were fairly strict since the bass is the ground and not necessarily the harmony BUT there are some exceptions (just off the top of my head). First, you can add extra harmonies between the ground bass notes as long as those ground bass notes arrive on the downbeat of the next measure (John Johnson Quadro pavins for example). Second, I have seen substitutions, though I think all the ones I have seen were root position. Things like switching out an F major chord in a passamezzo moderno with a d minor chord. Usually this is after several iterations of the ground so it is clear that it is a variation.I think one of the great challenges is to keep it interesting over that static bass but I’m sure if you look hard enough through the repertoire, you will find some examples of 1st inversions of the ground. 2nd inversions would be avoided because of the 4th against the bass, which is cadential in the 16th century. I’ve only seen a few examples of non cadential 2nd inversion chords in fantasies where the composer got stuck and they usually find a way to pass through it quickly or break it up with a texture change. One thing I did before composing was a big survey and analyze of about 150 pieces and that helped to create a list of common traits and things they avoided. I hope this helps a bit! You know, looking at Vallet again after all these years, it has a few spots with inversions so there you go! I would say that that is fairly special but they obviously did it so okay to do! : ) m.49 and m.53 if you are looking for them….

I will be honest, I am not a huge fan of Pyramid, especially their bass fundamental strings (though I know some people really like them...). Over the years I have ended up with a chimera of strings that I use. For my bass fundamentals, I use the Aquila Corde "Reds." I absolutely love them. For the bass octaves and my 2-4 courses, I use Aquila Corde nylgut and then for my chanterelle, I use Savarez nylon. I like using the Aquila Corde chanterelles but they kept breaking on the road so the Savarez has been great, but I will admit that I don't like the sound or feel as much as the Aquila Corde nylgut. I've used real gut as well but it is just too expensive and finicky for the road. Keep in mind though that lutes are all so different. A string that sounds bad on one lute might sound great on another. Assuming you are in the United States, you might want to reach out to Chris at Boston Catlines. He is a string dealer who does a fantastic job of working with people to find the best strings for their individual instrument. Here is the website in case you don't have it: www.bostoncatlines.com I hope that helps a bit!

@@laudonschuett3019 very helpful! that's awesome. what gauge for Aquila chanterelle? I beat mine up with a thumbpick and she won't break! I'm going to experiment with Savarez trebles (carbon) since they are not expensive and I did get much use from the nylgut. I've tried the bass Reds, thanks for the suggestion and the website

@@banjoboy01 I don't remember but they were pretty thin. I might go back and try them again (this was years ago) because I do like the sound so much. The Savarez chanterelles I use are .47mm and I don't think I have ever broken one. I should also mention that the Savarez KF series bass strings are excellent as well if you are looking for an alternative to the reds. I'm not the type to change my strings often so sometimes I do forgot what I have on : ) Have fun experimenting!

@@sottosopravoce Thank you! yes, I’ve found those sort of things to be the most helpful as well. Combined with getting into a good mental state, it can completely change a practice session : )

@@dtrumpster thank you so much! : )

Thank you so much, Paul!

@@hansekin there is my little piglet! I was getting worried about you. You mentioned you were so much older than me and I feared that you went and got lost in the woods or maybe a big bad wolf got you, but no, here you are safe and sound. I ruminated on your advice and have decided that you are right. I will quit music and choose a new profession. I have decided to become a truffle hunter and you can be my little truffle sniffer, my piglet. I can already see you marching in front of me with your little snout and whiskers pushed into the dirt, searching for those delicious morsels! What do you think, my dearest?! I think we would make quite the team

@@robertpurrenhage1400 best of luck!! Outdoor performances are always hard and yes, often comes to down to just making sure you are audible. Like you said, though, it is often a great way to reach new ears : )

Great comments and questions! Let me try to unpack everything here. First, I would say that this video really isn't for someone like you. My experience with beginners is that usually they are not paying attention to their tone at all. It sounds like it is something that has been very much at the front of your mind when playing and for a student like you I might say something like, "it's good to think about your tone but don't let it freeze you up." I do think that tone is very important for beginners to work on and it is often something that is totally ignored, but that may not be the case for you. Now, for the bit from 6:25 to 6:35....yeah, I got some pretty nice tone on that index finger! As for the thumb, who knows, maybe it was an off day or my skin was drier than normal, or I've worked so hard to get good tone on my index that it is actually more consistent now. I don't think the thumb tone was bad, it just got outshone in this moment by the index. Sometimes microphones pick things up in different ways and it sounds totally different live. It's really just about falling in to a range of good (nobody will ever be perfect!). It's a good example of the human quality of playing the instrument. There are a lot of VERY edited videos on RUclips and I made the decision early on that I wouldn't do that because I do want students to have realistic expectations. If you watch a live video of one the lute greats (Paul O'Dette, Nigel North, Hopkinson Smith, etc.), you will hear buzzes, twangs, squeaks, etc. These are things that are often edited out of professional recordings like on cds (I can say for a fact that NOBODY sounds as perfect as they do on a professional recording and that is okay). Now, as for hitting both strings on that fourth. Good catch. You'll notice a little later in the video I was debating on whether I should retune the lower string of that course because they were a little out but I made the decision to just leave it. If one of the strings in a course goes out of tune, I will generally try to avoid hitting it (instead of rerecording the whole video or stopping to tune). Now, that said, I am also not obsessed with always hitting both strings in a course and I certainly do not believe that they should always be hit equally (especially bass strings). Depending on the context, I will change the emphasis. This idea of always hitting both courses appears to be a modern one....off the top of my head, I do not know of a single period source that says you should always hit both strings. It does make a nice sound but it is not always the "right" sound for the moment so I think it is much better to be flexible. There are also contrapuntal situations where you absolutely must emphasize one string of the course or the other or the voice leading is completely lost. Anyways, I hope this helps a bit and by no means do I want working on tone to get in the way of enjoying the instrument and learning pieces! Like you, I've worried about tone a lot and it can be good but it can also get in the way of the big picture. Let me know if you have any questions and I would be happy to answer those as well. Sorry for how long this is but figured I would give a well-rounded response : ) Cheers, Laudon

@@laudonschuett3019 > "it's good to think about your tone but don't let it freeze you up." That is a good advice, thank you. I am worried about building muscle memory of 'playing wrong', but it is probably something to accept, be aware of and work on gradually. > I don't think the thumb tone was bad, it just got outshone in this moment by the index. Sometimes microphones pick things up in different ways and it sounds totally different live. It's really just about falling in to a range of good (nobody will ever be perfect!). I didn't think that either! Just an observation. Mine definitely sounds bad, I can even get a nicer tone out of my ring finger consistently. But I am sure it comes from practice. For example, I've played ukulele for couple months and used PIMA without finger alteration, just assigned strings, so my A finger definitely got a lot of exercise on the highest string. :D > If you watch a live video of one the lute greats (Paul O'Dette, Nigel North, Hopkinson Smith, etc.), you will hear buzzes, twangs, squeaks, etc. Yes! That's one of the things that also draw me to the lute. Maybe it's a combination of the lute not being that loud so the microphones have to be set up in a way that they pick up all these little imperfections, maybe it is the rougher strings, maybe it's the no nail playing, maybe there are all kinds of reasons, but but the lute performances often sound very human and 'raw'. > off the top of my head, I do not know of a single period source that says you should always hit both strings. It does make a nice sound but it is not always the "right" sound for the moment so I think it is much better to be flexible. There are also contrapuntal situations where you absolutely must emphasize one string of the course or the other or the voice leading is completely lost. That makes sense, although in your case it is a deliberate choice, which is then even more impressive than always hitting both strings. In my case, it's more of 'hope to it both well but it does not always happen'. Maybe it emerges on its own to a degree where in slower or louder passages one would hit both more often and it would fit, while in lighter a faster passages it might more often only ring one. Either way, definitely something to work on for me. --- Thank you for taking the time to post such a detailed reply, it's very helpful.

@@miqbri Of course, I love nuanced conversations like this! I really hate the "you must do this always" mentality. Don't beat yourself up about hitting both strings in the course always, I guarantee you that if you listen through my recordings you will find plenty of things (buzzes, ugly notes, single string when I meant to hit two, etc.). Listening to myself drives me nuts. Paul O'Dette told me once that he went to get a massage and the person put one of his cds on. He said it was awful because he didn't have the heart to tell the person turn it off so he had to listen to all his mistakes while trying to be relaxed! So, if Paul O'Dette feels that way, I think it is just part of being a musician : ) Cheers and happy practicing!

@@laudonschuett3019 That's a great story. It underlines that if we are only happy with perfection (even if beginner's perfect is awful compared to yours or Paul's perfect), we just won't get to be happy. :D Thanks!

@@laudonschuett3019 this would make a great future video, I get frustrated when alternating thumb/index on the basses and then over emphasize the octave, usually in a faster run