Renaissance Lute Tuning
To mimic the tuning of the six string renaissance lute the
3rd string of the guitar can be tuned to F#. The guitar
then sounds a minor third below what is accepted as usual
lute tuning. However there would in practice have been
considerable variability in pitch and I sometimes use a
capo at position 2 rather than the more usual 3rd position
to give an approximation to lute pitch as it results in an
easier fingerboard with the 'equivalents' of D and A and E
at the 12th fret on strings 1 and 2 and 3.
It takes a certain amount of practice to get used to this
altered tuning but it makes many renaissance pieces easier
to play. However some pieces are just as easy to play in
guitar tuning, especially those in flat keys, eg the
Anthony Pavan (in my view
this piece also sounds perfectly satisfactory at guitar
pitch). My practice is to aim at arrangements at guitar
pitch and in guitar tuning if feasible and only to adopt
lute tuning if it clearly appears necessary.
Sometimes the best option for an arrangement is to
transpose the key. Often it is possible to make an
arrangement in the notional original key, a minor third
higher than a direct transcription (assuming a lute in G).
A good example of this that showed me how it could be done
is the arrangement by Michael Lewin of Dowland's Pavan,
"Semper Dowland Semper Dolens" in the Trinity College of
Music Grade Seven book for 1986-9. This is a difficult
arrangement to play even for grade 7, but sounds
exceptionally well. Alternatively transcription to a pitch
a fourth higher is sometimes possible. This enables the
preservation of some aspects of the fingering of inner
voices and gives a good pitch without resorting to the
capo. I have used this approach in the Wilson
preludes, which in
any case make very little use of the top string of the
lute.
Music
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