When I have my own lute I plan to add decorations to the peg handles. They'll be very minor, especially to anyone seeing them while I play. But I'll know they're decorated, and I think it'll make me love my lute just a little more.
Interesting bits about peg paste, fret tuning by cent difference, and pegs going oblong. That's a very well-done instructional video. Thank you, Mr Shepherd.
Thank you! Great tutorial on setting up a lute! My 14-string theorbo has one of its pegs slipping, probably because the thin end of the peg is too thick and slightly oval, too. I understand that the shiny part is in fact the prominent part of the oval cross section to be scraped off. However, I don't know how to check the tightness of the thin and the thick ends independently.
Martin Shepherd, Thank you for your tips, I've been watching them for over a year, but today I picked up a used 7 course lute in G. I think I need to buy new strings because the previous owner seems to have wound the entire length of the strings onto the pegs right up to the edge making it impossible for the pegs to "hold" the strings in place. I don't know how long it has been since the lute was restrung, but I suspect the strings would not take kindly to being unwound and then re-wound again. Harp strings don't (I'm familiar with harp). Have you suggestions of where I might find "peg paste"? Is it something other instruments also use? I have subscribed to your channel.
Hi Susanne, for attaching strings to pegs see my video ruclips.net/video/nPJC0tGICMA/видео.html It sounds as though all you have to do is unwind the string, cut a bit off the end and reattach it. Peg paste is sold in a kind of lipstick container by Hills of London - you can buy it from violin shops/suppliers. Let me know if you have any further problems.
Thank you Martin Shepherd! I did some of that (unwinding, removing, cutting, rewinding...) then found the pegs wouldn't stay in place almost popping out and moving them to tighten the strings so they'd be in tune bruised my fingers (yes). So I asked my local orchestra, and the "strings" recommended a luthier who I've woked with in the past. Which bois down to the lute being with him for the time being as I wait for the new strings to arrive. He has worked with lutes before although most of his business is with the violin to double bass range. However he did note that the strings were pinched in the nut and will adjust that. With your kind permission I will contact you after the lute "comes home again and hope to arrange a few basic lessons.
I have a pretty old lute that was originally from a guy that is already dead a swiss lute player i think he played concerts my grandparents then got his lute and im trying to paly it and its not in bad shape tho apparantly he took the fretts out now i have a frettless lute but i just remember thats a tenor lute i think it has 9 double strings and 1singular string Youre videos are helping because it was pretty hard to retune the lute after it wasnt tuned for such a long time but i dont know if the strings are still good I saw in the lute that its from 1960 and i still have the replacemdnt strings (1961)
Sounds interesting! I wonder who the Swiss lute player was? Lutes (apart from modern Arabic lutes) always have/had frets, so you will need to replace them. My video shows how to tie frets but you may need more guidance in terms of where they should be placed - feel free to contact me if you need more help (contact details on my website at www.luteshop.co.uk).
Well there are lots of string suppliers all over the world, but it's not as straightforward as it is for the guitar, where typically you buy a "set" of strings. With the lute there are lots of choices concerning materials and tensions, and of course lutes come in different sizes and some of them use different tunings. Please feel free to ask any questions - if you tell me what type of lute, the tuning and the string length, I can suggest some possible solutions.
@@luteshop Thanks for the reply! So my 7 course lute was easy to find strings for because I could buy a pack from Roosebeck much like purchasing guitar strings. However, my new lute is a 10 course lute mesuring 24" from the bridge to the nut, I imagine I'd be tuning it in G. That seems to be the standard tuning.
This is wonderful! I wonder, could anyone help me find where to purchase strings? I have a 12 sting, or 6 chorus lute I would think, though I know very little about them. Any bit of research I do seems to point me to an OUD, however this particular instrument has frets. Thanks for any help and thank you for a terrific, informative video.
It depends what your lute is like - can you give us some idea of where it came from, and how much it weighs? The stringing requirements of an oud are very different from a lute.
@@luteshop I bought it used from a music school, no information about its origins. It has 12 tuning pegs that resemble a violins in that they are wood and just held in by friction. Also it has 9 frets. it looks a lot like the one from this video with an additional string option. Sorry if that isn't helpful and I thank you for any help you can offer. Very grateful to get a reply!
I have no idea if you ever got a response, but if you are looking to get strings for lutes, I would recommend contacting Aquila who specializes in strings for older instruments. For example, in the USA, you can visit them at: www.aquilausa.com/luteguitar.html
Dear Martin, I wonder what sort of peg paste will you recommend for bedding in black-stained pearwood pegs (bearing in mind your advice that the "Hill compound" would not really suit this wood?) Thanks very much, Luciano.
Hill's peg paste is dark brown, so suitable for all pegs except those which are very pale in colour - boxwood, holly, etc. It's fine with brown woods like plum or pear, though I like to be careful if the pegbox is a light colour as well. For pale pegs you can use a mixture of dry soap and talcum powder.
@@luteshop Thank you very much for your prompt and thorough reaction, it is much appreciated! The pegs are as mentioned in pearwood (black-stained) and to complement my question, the pegbox is in sycamore yew. I understand from your advice that this combination also takes the "Hill" nicely. Best regards, Luciano.
The peg is most probably stuck because an increase in humidity has caused the wood to swell up. So one way to tackle it is to reduce the humidity, which you can do by shining a desk lamp on it to warm it gently. If that doesn't work, you can try tapping on the thin end of the peg using a small dowel to make contact with the end of the peg and hitting it (gently!) with a small hammer.
Hello! Recently my family obtained an instrument which possibly could be a lute, but we aren’t very sure. I was wondering if you know of anywhere to go to ask about it or send it maybe? All the best! Thank you!
The standard tuning for the "renaissance" lute for most of the 16th century was in fourths with a third in the middle. For a lute in G, this means (starting with the highest pitched string) g' d' a f c G for the top six courses. The 7th course was usually tuned either a fourth (D) or a second (F) below the 6th. Of course lutes were always made in different sizes which had to be tuned to different absolute pitches but the pattern stays the same.
Martin Shepard ! Super presentation! I play piedmont blues of McTell and he amazing as early 20th C. Blues and ragtime gospel musician he used baroque low G with two fourths on top(!) @ Barbara Salisbury 262 vids @ RUclips.com THANK You! Once saw Paul Odette perform Dowland and pilgrams solace with tenor!Chris Young and Barb Salisbury
When you first get a lute it takes a while to get used to friction pegs. The pegs have to be pushed in tight enough that they hold, but not so tight that they're difficult to turn. When you turn a peg to tune, you may have to push it in a bit at the same time. The really important thing, though, is to have pegs which fit really well (tighter at the thick end) and which are really well bedded in with peg paste.
Yes, and this factor, called the T/R ratio, is different for different species. For a proper explanation, have a look at www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/dimensional-shrinkage/
Some people do, but they are expensive and heavy, and don't necessarily solve the main problem which is the nut - if the strings are sticking on the nut, geared pegs will not help you.
Friction pegs work extremely well if they're properly set up - in fact more tuning problems come down to the nut. If you like the idea of using machines, you can buy pegs which look like ordinary pegs but have gears inside. They are heavier than wooden pegs, and have other disadvantages - the length of time it takes to wind a string, eventual mechanical failure, etc. But the most important disadvantage is that they do not allow the string to be moved quickly by a large amount or adjust the tension either side of the nut (by feel), as is done by a skilled user of friction pegs.
For a 6-course lute, the note names are (highest pitched string first) g' d' a f c G. Any extra bass courses are tuned to a diatonic scale going down from the bottom G. Two important things to note - the actual pitch can be just about anything, depending on the size of the lute; and from about 1630 onwards different tunings started to be used, ultimately settling on what we call "D minor tuning" (for an 11-course lute f' d' a f d A G F E D C).
funny think is lute is dead so long time.lutes 150 year ago roundly turn out 2 indisturment at west mandolin and guitar. other hand which inspire lute is oud still alive and kicking turkish and arabic music at.middle easterner use it. italian sicilian look like mandolin if u look up kind a small model lot similarty with ouds. in really like volin oud is frentless but like lute can be use old days guy frets then use nylon frets but generally ouds are fretless becouse of eastern music is diffrent. tones
Видеоклипы
I am really liking your videos. They're extremely useful and informative. They're a huge help as I'm trying to find a Lute of my own in the U.S.A.
love your videos. always learning new things about the lute watching them.
Cheers, Martin, thank you very much for your tips. I enjoy all your videos, and look forward to anything else you'll share. Very motivating.
When I have my own lute I plan to add decorations to the peg handles. They'll be very minor, especially to anyone seeing them while I play. But I'll know they're decorated, and I think it'll make me love my lute just a little more.
Finally I caught the best way to improve the the lute tuning !!! Thanks a lot Maestro
Interesting bits about peg paste, fret tuning by cent difference, and pegs going oblong.
That's a very well-done instructional video. Thank you, Mr Shepherd.
thanks martin i have a 7 course descant and an oud your videos are great am beginning but so far i have made some progress
So much information, thank you!
Thank you so much for this advice.
Thank you! Great tutorial on setting up a lute! My 14-string theorbo has one of its pegs slipping, probably because the thin end of the peg is too thick and slightly oval, too. I understand that the shiny part is in fact the prominent part of the oval cross section to be scraped off. However, I don't know how to check the tightness of the thin and the thick ends independently.
Great video !!!!
Thanks a lot.
Martin Shepherd, Thank you for your tips, I've been watching them for over a year, but today I picked up a used 7 course lute in G. I think I need to buy new strings because the previous owner seems to have wound the entire length of the strings onto the pegs right up to the edge making it impossible for the pegs to "hold" the strings in place. I don't know how long it has been since the lute was restrung, but I suspect the strings would not take kindly to being unwound and then re-wound again. Harp strings don't (I'm familiar with harp). Have you suggestions of where I might find "peg paste"? Is it something other instruments also use? I have subscribed to your channel.
Hi Susanne, for attaching strings to pegs see my video ruclips.net/video/nPJC0tGICMA/видео.html It sounds as though all you have to do is unwind the string, cut a bit off the end and reattach it. Peg paste is sold in a kind of lipstick container by Hills of London - you can buy it from violin shops/suppliers. Let me know if you have any further problems.
Thank you Martin Shepherd! I did some of that (unwinding, removing, cutting, rewinding...) then found the pegs wouldn't stay in place almost popping out and moving them to tighten the strings so they'd be in tune bruised my fingers (yes). So I asked my local orchestra, and the "strings" recommended a luthier who I've woked with in the past. Which bois down to the lute being with him for the time being as I wait for the new strings to arrive. He has worked with lutes before although most of his business is with the violin to double bass range. However he did note that the strings were pinched in the nut and will adjust that. With your kind permission I will contact you after the lute "comes home again and hope to arrange a few basic lessons.
thank you lez. Congatulations on your Spanish acoustic guitar. I suspect we will both improve with patient practice. :-)
I have a pretty old lute that was originally from a guy that is already dead a swiss lute player i think he played concerts my grandparents then got his lute and im trying to paly it and its not in bad shape tho apparantly he took the fretts out now i have a frettless lute but i just remember thats a tenor lute i think it has 9 double strings and 1singular string
Youre videos are helping because it was pretty hard to retune the lute after it wasnt tuned for such a long time but i dont know if the strings are still good
I saw in the lute that its from 1960 and i still have the replacemdnt strings (1961)
Sounds interesting! I wonder who the Swiss lute player was? Lutes (apart from modern Arabic lutes) always have/had frets, so you will need to replace them. My video shows how to tie frets but you may need more guidance in terms of where they should be placed - feel free to contact me if you need more help (contact details on my website at www.luteshop.co.uk).
Great video! It seems the hardest part of playing the lute is trying to figure out where on earth to get strings from...
Well there are lots of string suppliers all over the world, but it's not as straightforward as it is for the guitar, where typically you buy a "set" of strings. With the lute there are lots of choices concerning materials and tensions, and of course lutes come in different sizes and some of them use different tunings. Please feel free to ask any questions - if you tell me what type of lute, the tuning and the string length, I can suggest some possible solutions.
@@luteshop Thanks for the reply! So my 7 course lute was easy to find strings for because I could buy a pack from Roosebeck much like purchasing guitar strings. However, my new lute is a 10 course lute mesuring 24" from the bridge to the nut, I imagine I'd be tuning it in G. That seems to be the standard tuning.
This is wonderful! I wonder, could anyone help me find where to purchase strings? I have a 12 sting, or 6 chorus lute I would think, though I know very little about them. Any bit of research I do seems to point me to an OUD, however this particular instrument has frets. Thanks for any help and thank you for a terrific, informative video.
It depends what your lute is like - can you give us some idea of where it came from, and how much it weighs? The stringing requirements of an oud are very different from a lute.
@@luteshop I bought it used from a music school, no information about its origins. It has 12 tuning pegs that resemble a violins in that they are wood and just held in by friction. Also it has 9 frets. it looks a lot like the one from this video with an additional string option. Sorry if that isn't helpful and I thank you for any help you can offer. Very grateful to get a reply!
I have no idea if you ever got a response, but if you are looking to get strings for lutes, I would recommend contacting Aquila who specializes in strings for older instruments. For example, in the USA, you can visit them at: www.aquilausa.com/luteguitar.html
Dear Martin, I wonder what sort of peg paste will you recommend for bedding in black-stained pearwood pegs (bearing in mind your advice that the "Hill compound" would not really suit this wood?) Thanks very much, Luciano.
Hill's peg paste is dark brown, so suitable for all pegs except those which are very pale in colour - boxwood, holly, etc. It's fine with brown woods like plum or pear, though I like to be careful if the pegbox is a light colour as well. For pale pegs you can use a mixture of dry soap and talcum powder.
@@luteshop Thank you very much for your prompt and thorough reaction, it is much appreciated! The pegs are as mentioned in pearwood (black-stained) and to complement my question, the pegbox is in sycamore yew. I understand from your advice that this combination also takes the "Hill" nicely. Best regards, Luciano.
I have a stuck peg, how can I loosen it?
The peg is most probably stuck because an increase in humidity has caused the wood to swell up. So one way to tackle it is to reduce the humidity, which you can do by shining a desk lamp on it to warm it gently. If that doesn't work, you can try tapping on the thin end of the peg using a small dowel to make contact with the end of the peg and hitting it (gently!) with a small hammer.
Hello! Recently my family obtained an instrument which possibly could be a lute, but we aren’t very sure. I was wondering if you know of anywhere to go to ask about it or send it maybe?
All the best! Thank you!
Can you send some photos? My contact details are on my site at www.luteshop.co.uk
Where do I go for the actual (7-course) tuning?
The standard tuning for the "renaissance" lute for most of the 16th century was in fourths with a third in the middle. For a lute in G, this means (starting with the highest pitched string) g' d' a f c G for the top six courses. The 7th course was usually tuned either a fourth (D) or a second (F) below the 6th. Of course lutes were always made in different sizes which had to be tuned to different absolute pitches but the pattern stays the same.
Martin Shepard ! Super presentation! I play piedmont blues of McTell and he amazing as early 20th C. Blues and ragtime gospel musician he used baroque low G with two fourths on top(!) @ Barbara Salisbury 262 vids @ RUclips.com THANK You! Once saw Paul Odette perform Dowland and pilgrams solace with tenor!Chris Young and Barb Salisbury
What is the music during the intro?
It's Francis Cutting's instrumental version of Dowland's song "Awake sweet love" from Dd.5.78 (Poulton 92)
Bought a lute and it doesn’t hold its tune:( when you tune it the peg loosens and get defined >_>
When you first get a lute it takes a while to get used to friction pegs. The pegs have to be pushed in tight enough that they hold, but not so tight that they're difficult to turn. When you turn a peg to tune, you may have to push it in a bit at the same time. The really important thing, though, is to have pegs which fit really well (tighter at the thick end) and which are really well bedded in with peg paste.
@@luteshop I actually fixed it you gotta push In the pegs as you tighten and now it holds its tune :)
Wood shrinks more on way than it does the other....... Right.
Yes, and this factor, called the T/R ratio, is different for different species. For a proper explanation, have a look at www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/dimensional-shrinkage/
Why not using geared pegs?
Some people do, but they are expensive and heavy, and don't necessarily solve the main problem which is the nut - if the strings are sticking on the nut, geared pegs will not help you.
why not dump the pegs altogether?
Friction pegs work extremely well if they're properly set up - in fact more tuning problems come down to the nut. If you like the idea of using machines, you can buy pegs which look like ordinary pegs but have gears inside. They are heavier than wooden pegs, and have other disadvantages - the length of time it takes to wind a string, eventual mechanical failure, etc. But the most important disadvantage is that they do not allow the string to be moved quickly by a large amount or adjust the tension either side of the nut (by feel), as is done by a skilled user of friction pegs.
Could you pass me some original plan, of a manufacture
? from email.
I wanted to hear to what notes the strings are tuned, not what devices you can use to find A.
{:o:O:}
For a 6-course lute, the note names are (highest pitched string first) g' d' a f c G. Any extra bass courses are tuned to a diatonic scale going down from the bottom G. Two important things to note - the actual pitch can be just about anything, depending on the size of the lute; and from about 1630 onwards different tunings started to be used, ultimately settling on what we call "D minor tuning" (for an 11-course lute f' d' a f d A G F E D C).
@@luteshop
Cheers, thanks for that!
{:o:O:}
انت شخص مبدع..ولكن تحتاج لي لتدريبك عالموسيقا الشرقية
funny think is lute is dead so long time.lutes 150 year ago roundly turn out 2 indisturment at west mandolin and guitar.
other hand which inspire lute is oud still alive and kicking turkish and arabic music at.middle easterner use it.
italian sicilian look like mandolin if u look up kind a small model lot similarty with ouds.
in really like volin oud is frentless but like lute can be use old days guy frets then use nylon frets but generally ouds are fretless becouse of eastern music is diffrent. tones