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TapTheForwardAssist posted:
Could you give me some suggestions of a good synthetic didgeridoo shop to buy from online that will ship to the states?
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May 11, 2014 15:10
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quote:Could you give me some suggestions of a good synthetic didgeridoo shop to buy from online that will ship to the states? That one I don't have a lot of good gouge on; do we have any didj players in the thread this week? QuantumCrayons posted:...I'm currently torn between the Irish bouzouki (or a cittern, if I were to find one), a mandola or a 12-string guitar. Essentially, the mandolin has made me realise that double courses are what I need in my life. How easy is the bouzouki in terms of tension? I'm finding that due to the mandolin being so small, the strings don't ring for all that long compared to a guitar, so I'm trying to find the perfect combination of mandolin-style sound, but able to hold a note. Being in the UK isn't as disadvantageous for CBOMs (citterns, bozoukis, octave mandolins/mandolas) as it is for a lot of other instruments; there's a good selection at decent price and sizeable used market. Unless you're dead-set on having more than 4 courses, I'd stick with 4 since there are very few <£1000 options in 10-string citterns, but tons of affordable 8-strings. Mentioned earlier in the thread is Hora or Blue Moon, Romanian-made bouzoukis. I've generally heard these are okay for the dirt-cheap price of £100-150. Though if you get one, do the reading for how to tweak the action to make sure you QC your axe. The next step up are the semi-generic imports, Johnson/Ashbury, Trinity College, Goldtone. Some Korean-made, some Chinese, relatively similar design with differing levels of attention. Maybe £300-400 used on a good day if you check around, and I've seen some of the smaller non-famous makers pop up at decent used prices on eBay UK.  As a terminology aside: for Americans it's violin:viola::mandolin:mandola, so a CGDA instrument, but the Brits and some others use "mandola" also for the Low GDAE instrument. One potential in-between option, which I've seen some folks mention online: you might be able to get an OM/bouzouki and then get some lighter-gauge strings meant for a CGDA tenor banjo, and thus get a long-scale mandola. That'd be if you want an instrument not as deep as the OM, but want the string length to get good resonance. If you have decent-sized hands, I say go for one of the longer-necked options if resonance is a key concern. And even though you're used to mando/fiddle GDAE, don't be shy about trying out alternate tunings like GDAD and the like to get the proper droney sound. Does this at least give you something to start with?
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May 12, 2014 03:57
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TapTheForwardAssist posted:If you have decent-sized hands, I say go for one of the longer-necked options if resonance is a key concern. And even though you're used to mando/fiddle GDAE, don't be shy about trying out alternate tunings like GDAD and the like to get the proper droney sound. Definitely, thanks! I play guitar in both standard and DADGAD, so I'd be going for the GDAD bouzouki tuning. I'm happy enough for a deeper sound, so I'll look into the makes you suggested. Cheers!
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May 12, 2014 17:11
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QuantumCrayons posted:Definitely, thanks! I play guitar in both standard and DADGAD, so I'd be going for the GDAD bouzouki tuning. I'm happy enough for a deeper sound, so I'll look into the makes you suggested. Cheers! A couple more ideas come to mind: - eBay UK has an entire "bouzouki/mandola" section, probably worth perusing, or hitting the "Used" option on to see just those - Hobgoblin.co.uk carries a pretty good range, new and used. Note they call the Lo GDAE instrument "octave mandola"and the high CGDA instrument "tenor mandola". I really think the US terminology is easier. I'll correct myself slightly: not so much in the US, but in the UK a few of the generic brands do indeed make 10-string cittern instruments, so if you are set on having a fifth course there are Blue Moon (£199) and Ashbury (£499) options for those, though still not as developed a market as 8-strings. I'm amused too that Hobgoblin lists Portuguese guitars (the 10-string things with the twisty-pegs) under "Citterns".  EDIT: Posted another cheap 20-button Anglo concertina on SA Mart: http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3634019 TapTheForwardAssist fucked around with this message at 21:49 on May 13, 2014 |
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May 13, 2014 17:01
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TapTheForwardAssist posted:Hobgoblin.co.uk carries a pretty good range, new and used. Note they call the Lo GDAE instrument "octave mandola"and the high CGDA instrument "tenor mandola". I really think the US terminology is easier. Whilst I love the look of the Hobgoblin range, the nearest one to be is around 300 miles off; don't think there's any folk chains up here in Scotland. Anything good you know about the Ashbury cittern? Or, even, Ashbury as a general make of many-coursed instruments? Although I am looking to spend a little more and I've experience in fretted instruments now, £500 still feels a lot of money to drop on any instrument; that said, I don't want to spend £200 and not get a very good sounding piece of kit. Hopefully this outlook will change once I'm finished uni and in a job. QuantumCrayons fucked around with this message at 20:57 on May 14, 2014 |
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May 14, 2014 20:43
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I know it's not really a weird instrument, but does anyone have any advice on buying/learning violin/fiddle?
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May 19, 2014 00:25
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Power_13 posted:I know it's not really a weird instrument, but does anyone have any advice on buying/learning violin/fiddle? Stentor is a pretty good intro/student brand to buy if it's available in your area; pretty much everyone starts off with one in the UK as far as I can tell. They're not incredible, but they do the job. Other than that, definitely get a teacher for a wee while, even if you've studied stringed or fretted instruments before. There's a lot in regards to posture/holding etc. that you need to be told off about a lot before it sinks in. Also, be prepared to sound like a cat for around 3 months at least.
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May 19, 2014 00:33
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Power_13 posted:I know it's not really a weird instrument, but does anyone have any advice on buying/learning violin/fiddle? I am currently learning Old Time fiddle. I would say first off, join the Fiddle Hangout. Do some research and decide if you want to learn classical violin or some time of folk fiddle tradition (if fiddle, try to decide what genre of fiddle music you want to do, such as old time, bluegrass, Irish, etc.). While there are definitely people who learn fiddle on their own, I strongly recommend getting a teacher, at least in the beginning. You don't have to necessarily do lessons every week, but occasional lessons will help you correct mistakes and bad habits, so you don't have to unlearn them later. If you can't find a teacher near you, you can do online lessons with a teacher (I do this) Skype or Google or something. Also a teacher can help you find a good instrument at a decent price (for example, my teacher sold me one of his old fiddles and bow). If you do the online route, You can find. Several amazing teachers on Fiddle Hangout. There are also threads for advice getting your first fiddle (you might also be able to catch a deal from somebody selling their starter fiddle when they upgrade). If you by any chance choose old time fiddle, I can advise some good books and maybe YouTube channels. I'm laertes22 on FHO, as well.
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May 19, 2014 01:48
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Ran across a band in my iTunes that QuantumCrayons might find interesting, since half the duet is bouzouki: Murphy Beds, saw them play a small house concert in DC. I like their overall selection of tunes and voices, though I find their particular noodly style to get repetitive after a while. But overall fun, and they have a scattering of good YouTube clips: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sc2Zyz-JNdQ
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May 24, 2014 07:10
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TapTheForwardAssist posted:Ran across a band in my iTunes that QuantumCrayons might find interesting, since half the duet is bouzouki: Good call on this! Really like the "noodliness" of these two, if only because it gives me something to aim for in regards to my own playing ability. I've also considered the choices over the past three weeks of coursework and exams and I've decided that the bouzouki is for me. Now to head to Edinburgh and find one that suits me!
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May 24, 2014 15:22
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QuantumCrayons posted:Good call on this! Really like the "noodliness" of these two, if only because it gives me something to aim for in regards to my own playing ability. I've also considered the choices over the past three weeks of coursework and exams and I've decided that the bouzouki is for me. Now to head to Edinburgh and find one that suits me! Sounds awesome, are you headed to check out Scayles Music? Just glancing around Google, that's the one that jumps out at me for Edinburgh shops that have a good selection of 'zouks. Like, surprisingly good. They have a decent span of affordable imports, but also carry the better-quality Fylde, so you'd be able to compare the budget models to a higher end one to get a feel.  With the budget models, I'd definitely suggest that you do some basic action work to improve the one you get. MandolinCafe has folks that can surely give good advice on that, or your local guitar shop can probably do it some good for £50. A cheapie with good action is leagues better than a cheapie with poor action.
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May 24, 2014 17:47
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TapTheForwardAssist posted:Sounds awesome, are you headed to check out Scayles Music? Just glancing around Google, that's the one that jumps out at me for Edinburgh shops that have a good selection of 'zouks. Like, surprisingly good. They have a decent span of affordable imports, but also carry the better-quality Fylde, so you'd be able to compare the budget models to a higher end one to get a feel. Aye, it'll be Scayles; got both my violin and my mandolin there, so I've got a little brand loyalty. Plus, the variety is the best I can find in central Scotland, let alone Edinburgh itself.. Both the Countryman and Tonewood models have caught my eye, so I'll try them both out and get the one I find most appealing. Speaking of improving the action, should I have done similarly on my mandolin? I'd never really given it thought.
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May 24, 2014 20:54
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Long time no post. Spent my afternoon grilling and drinking assorted beer with a friend while Mad Caddies shiny new Dirty Rice album cranked in the background. Ordered a pbone as a result of our mostly sober conversation that he should play bass balalaika and we should start busking as a terrible ska band with a couple belligerent friends. Currently noodling with trumpet as I have for years and being a former euphonium player, as well, any suggestions for learning trombone for those who already know a bit about brass? And some quick updates: Concertina: The squeezebox needs regular fiddling to keep minimally functional and I would need a better one to take it seriously. It will happen in the next few years. Very grateful that TTFA sold it to me and let me realize how satisfying it is to play. Ukulele: Stalled by domestic life and other hobbies, but I noodle around with it when I have a bit of free time. Mandolin: Don't have time, but it is super fun to play and pretty easy to learn for a string. More of you should get one. Gadulka: I really hope to give it some real time once the kids are older and need less constant supervision. Finding someone to help me with bowed instrument form would help a bunch. Harmonica: Still not my thing no matter how much I want to like it, but available for the kids. Same for Yamaha fife-thingy. Penny whistle: Fun on a bun. All of you buy one. Assorted Autoharp and stuff TTFA gifted: Set aside until the kids are old enough to make projects of.
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May 26, 2014 01:33
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Butch Cassidy posted:Concertina: The squeezebox needs regular fiddling to keep minimally functional and I would need a better one to take it seriously. It will happen in the next few years. Very grateful that TTFA sold it to me and let me realize how satisfying it is to play. Huh, what specifically is going wonky on your Stagi? Is it the reeds/valves, the buttons, general airtightness, which? We should be able to diagnose this and get it smoother. So far as 20-button Anglo, the good news is Gary Coover put out a new book, Civil War Concertina, which is all based around the 20-button, since such limited 'boxes were the common variant of the time. Gary includes some sample tunes in this thread: http://www.concertina.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=16582 and will also be posting demos of many of the tunes on YouTube as a learning aid. In the meantime here's Jeff Warner doing a Civil War song backed up by (albeit English) concertina: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDud8Q377zE&t=1s I really do love concertina backing up voice; yet again a reminder that I need to bring my singing up to par so I can sing along with my squeezebox for shows. Here's Jeff Warner and his vintage English; btw Butch, is your long-term intent to pick up a sturdier Anglo, or to try out an English or Duet? 
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May 27, 2014 05:42
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Some sleeve and button arm issues plus "I'm learning as I go servicing this thing." Which is fine to toss in a bag on a river walk, but I will want a sturdier Anglo in a while.
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May 27, 2014 05:48
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Butch Cassidy posted:Some sleeve and button arm issues plus "I'm learning as I go servicing this thing." Which is fine to toss in a bag on a river walk, but I will want a sturdier Anglo in a while. Hmmm, are the sleeves dried out and cracking? That's one of the most common problems with Stagis and similar makes, and one of the easiest things to fix. This article is a bit dated, but gives a rough idea on how to fix it, with maybe $3 of materials off eBay: http://www.concertina.net/gs_stagirepair.html The article hasn't been updated in forever, but there are a bunch of threads on Concertina.net/forums with better pictures and more info.  When you eventually upgrade to a nicer Anglo, note that the 20b models are way cheaper than the 30s, so if you find the number of buttons you have now sufficient, and just want better quality, refurb vintage 20s are great. I was surprised that you didn't pipe up a few months back when alpenhorns came up again; you're among the goons I could imagine scavenging a bunch of PVC and building a 15ft long horn. EDIT: Huh, a skiier playing his crutch as a small alphorn. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62fAm1QvEIk 
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May 27, 2014 23:14
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I'd build a PVC, step belled alpenhorn in a heartbeat if I found myself some cheap/free pipe.
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May 28, 2014 01:05
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Double-Post for terrible picture of full size Pbone that, sadly, does not match the Delica 4 in my pocket: The embouchure is pretty different than trumpet and euphonium, But I think I will take to it fairly well. While the included translucent mouthpiece is cool, a proper metal one would be a decided improvement in tone. And I am going to have to play a bunch to expand my brass player's bald spot* as my mustache is on the rim of the mouthpiece. And, I don't know why I am, but I am surprised the Pbone has a spit valve. The thing is a neat piece of kit. My son already thinks it is super cool and I may get him a mini Pbone in orange once my finances recover/I finish other projects. And I am about to e-mail my high-school band director to see if he can suggest some learning material. * Play brass regularly and you develop a semi-circular bald spot on your upper lip where the mouthpiece is placed. E: One friend who busks regularly plays accordion/classical guitar/four-string domra/is trying to learn electric violin, another friend plays accordion/trumpet, one more is a percussionist and new band director, and I play ukulele/trumpet/tin whistle. Once I get this Pbone down, best or worst ska ensemble? 
Butch Cassidy fucked around with this message at 16:07 on Jun 3, 2014 |
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Jun 3, 2014 15:55
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Hello thread. I was at the thrift store last night and happened to see this sitting in the window. It's a 4 string mountain dulcimer made by Double Eagle Dulcimers of Branson, MO and is crafted from the finest burled-wood printed cardboard money can buy. $25 and a trip to the music store for some new strings and I was set. It is a little on the quiet side, but has a nice clear sound and stays in tune very well. Now to find some Beatles tabs. If this thing was born to play "Blackbird" it has no purpose in life. TECH SPECS: I strung it with .012-.012-.015-.022w Ernie Ballsack strings and tuned it to D Ionian (D-A-A)
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Jun 7, 2014 04:57
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I keep wanting a three-string mountain dulcimer and spending the money on other hobbies when I have it. Probably going to break down and just get a cardboard box model. It would be right at home with my wire spool deck tables: Also, thread needs more brass, that H.N. White King Liberty belonged to a professional jazz musician and made a living for his wife and kids. His widow kept it after his passing, and their children gave it to me when she died. None of them played and wanted it to see continued use. Also also, my high-school band teacher got back to me and is offering free trombone books for me. And offered to let me rummage through his bike boxes in his garage for parts to fix up my mother's old road bike from the '80s because he is a massive cycling nerd. Now I'm hoping he doesn't retire until my kids get a chance to study under him for a while.
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Jun 7, 2014 17:59
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So I've thought about getting one of these for four and a half years, and sat on a waitlist for a while and fuuuuuuuck it's amazing
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Jun 14, 2014 04:34
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Jun 14, 2014 05:27
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WAFFLEHOUND posted:So I've thought about getting one of these for four and a half years, and sat on a waitlist for a while and fuuuuuuuck it's amazing What is that?
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Jun 14, 2014 14:30
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laertes22 posted:What is that?
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Jun 14, 2014 15:10
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Hippy drum
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Jun 14, 2014 15:24
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laertes22 posted:What is that? It's a handpan, a relative of the steel drum. Flipperwaldt posted:Dude on a bench spanking his pet ufo. Clearly. Also this. withak posted:Hippy drum http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDQgU1CPpis
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Jun 14, 2014 20:15
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TapTheForwardAssist posted:I'm very curious to hear how Paper Clip Death's hunting horn experiment has worked out I made a "French horn" hosaphone as well - got some decent sounds, although I think I need to shorten the hose.
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Jun 15, 2014 16:29
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WAFFLEHOUND posted:So I've thought about getting one of these for four and a half years, and sat on a waitlist for a while and fuuuuuuuck it's amazing What actual one is that? The Bali Steel one? How long was your wait?
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Jun 16, 2014 13:59
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And why do they have to be so expensive  That probably won't stop me though. To add an actual question here, I've recently bought a house and it has a cool grove area up on a hill that we are hanging out in a lot, just enjoying the outdoors. I'm looking for instruments (like the Hang) that would be awesome for just spacing out and playing. What would people suggest as cheaper ones?
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Jun 16, 2014 14:28
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Chin Strap posted:What actual one is that? The Bali Steel one? How long was your wait? Zen, made by a guy in Cali who has quite a lot of positive feedback. I was on the waitlist for a while for a D minor when he sent out a blast e-mail to his wait list and said he had a D minor someone wanted to swap out and he was willing to sell it at 50% of the going rate as long as the buyer understood it wasn't as good as the new models (this is one of the first ~30 or so he made). I set up a phone interview since he wanted to be sure I wasn't an eBay scalper, and when I asked him how it was different he said "It's shittier" which was the kind of honesty I could get behind. Even as it is, it sounds better than a Bali Steel or Innersound handpan.
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Jun 16, 2014 18:41
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Chin Strap posted:And why do they have to be so expensive If you're up for a little DIY then you might consider a Hank drum. There's a buncha videos of 'em on YouTube. I'd link one but am posting on a borrowed iPad and have no idea how to copy/paste urls on this thing.
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Jun 17, 2014 03:27
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WAFFLEHOUND posted:So I've thought about getting one of these for four and a half years, and sat on a waitlist for a while and fuuuuuuuck it's amazing Hot drat dude I'm quite jealous. Those sound freaking awesome and I want one realbad. I thought about getting a Hapi drum instead because they're cheaper, but that's what I really want. How loud is it compared to other hand percussion instruments like a djembe or doumbek?
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Jun 18, 2014 02:15
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They're not super loud, though if you really thwack them they'd overcome pretty much any noise but I can't imagine that being great for the tuning. There's a guy making tongue drums out of Ukraine that look absolutely incredible, I'll try and find a link in a bit.
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Jun 18, 2014 22:41
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Chin Strap posted:And why do they have to be so expensive This is a pretty tricky question, so I'd hope that users like WAFFLEHOUND might have some good insight. Long story short, as I understand around 2001 some Swiss dudes invented the [it's totally not a drum] Hang instrument, a basic pod with toned percussive points. That crept up in popularity, and other folks developed pretty near-equivalents of surfaces with dimpled and pitched points, and other folks found a cheaper/easier way to do it by cutting out "tongues" of material into a metal surface rather than the more laborious process of dimpling. None of these is completely novel, as dimpling metal sheets for pitch was well-developed in the Caribbean in the 1930s or so and undoubtedly known in East Asia far earlier. The specific "Hang" style gained popularity going into the mid-2000s, got YouTube and wider interweb fame, and folks started working up copies/takeoffs. Eventually the Swiss Hang folks totally severed from that scene and started making instruments that deliberately didn't fit into standard musical scales, focusing on "tonal sculpture" or whatever term they're using. In any case, you end up with "hand pans" being metal surface with dimpled tone points, and a "steel tongue drums" where more cheaply/expediently instead of dimpling a metal surface the makers instead cut out "tongues" of metal which vibrate at given pitches. For what it's worth, as an outsider I consider these pretty related. Both involved a metal body that you smack your hand into to make a specific note. The dimpled tongue drums produce a note with clearer harmonics that fade more rapidly, cut tongues produce a note with richer tones that last longer, but the former is harder to achieve and thus rarer/pricier. It's pretty similar on some level to concertina, where "true concertina" reeds have fewer overtones and behave slightly differently, but for half the price you have concertinas using accordion reeds which have a richer but less sharp tone that responds slightly differently. In "hand-pan" circles there's some debate as to whether a device with cut steel tongues is a decent "substitute" or simply isn't comparable to a true dimpled handpan. At risk of being a dick, I'll note that the tone is somewhat different, but the general "smack hand here, get note" concept is pretty similar. While dimpled and cut-tongue pans certainly sound somewhat different, me personally I don't think it a terrible compromise to try a cheaper cut-tongue pan if you want to try out the idea, and in the end you may like it more than a dimpled perhaps (same as "accordion" vs. "true" concertinas).  Tongue-style  Dimple-style My vague impression is that the HAPI line ($200 for their cheapest models) is amongst the cheaper and more popular tongue-type steel drums. A lot of these instruments are made for playing in just one scale, so bear in mind these aren't so much piano-like versatile instruments so much as somemthing (like the Native American flute) that you can freely wander around on and make patterns without worrying about key or clashing notes. I do genuinely think it's a great area to expand music for a broader audience but still responsive to experts, so look forward to both dimple-type and tongue-type steel pans expanding in the market. In the shorter and smaller/cheaper term, pentatonic kalimbas and synthetic Native American flutes are capable of similar levels of expression-with-simplicity.
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Jun 27, 2014 06:51
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You're pretty close, though "Hang" is the name of a specific instrument made by Panart and they get all pissy at people for using it as a generic. As far as I know they got pissed at the aftermarket and startups and went to create a new instrument, the Gubal, which is like a handpan with a wart and looks impossible to carry. Honestly, I've heard both and I think you're discounting how different they sound in person. Tongue drums are great instruments in their own right, but they tend to sound much more metallic and percussive than the airy-reverb-y sound of a handpan (Bali Steel excluded, which sounds like a steel drum). You might have also heard some of the more common small manufacturers, which are not as great at the whole handpan sound vs. the look. Also, Spacedrum makes a chromatic handpan if you're feeling really adventurous.
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Jun 27, 2014 08:06
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Haven't yet gone to buy my bouzouki yet, but I have a feeling that it may be a while as I've decided a 12-string guitar may be more to my current liking. I'm probably going to go buy a Freshman because it's cheap-ish at £300 and I've had the brand recommended to me buy another couple of 12-string players I know. Oh, I also bought a ukulele on a whim. It's so cute. EDIT: As I work long-distance/abroad half the week, I'm really glad the ukulele fits my cabin bag perfectly. 
QuantumCrayons fucked around with this message at 23:25 on Jun 30, 2014 |
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Jun 29, 2014 13:51
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What have you done to me, thread! When browsing around I found this thread. I read it and moved on. After all, I suck at music. So, why should I bother? But... The thread stayed in my head. Under the influence I had my wife create a paper ocarina for me. It was interesting. Then I bought a cheap plastic one. I was so happy with it. Then I bought a great plastic one. It was so much better. There I took a break, just played with what I had. But the thead remained in my head. I bought a Clarineo. Wonderful instrument. A week ago I got a full-size plastic clarinet in Bb. For free! It needed cork replacement, but it plays very happily now. Beautiful. And now I'm hunting down good quality and low-priced clarinets needing a recork. I aim to fix then and then to sell them on craigslist. You know, to be able to get a bass clarinet one day. (Or maybe something like a soprillo saxophone, a xaphoon, etc...) So... ummm.... Thanks!
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Jul 1, 2014 23:07
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I'm looking to learn a stringed instrument, and after reading some info on the lute and cittern in this thread I'm a bit confused as to which instrument to get into. I have never played the guitar or the ukulele, or any string instrument. I played the flute for a few years and the piano when I was young but I would not call myself musically inclined. I would like to learn a stringed instrument, but I'm wonder if I'm getting in over my head and should I just start with the guitar or something? I think it would be cool to start with something like a medieval stringed instrument, but maybe I'm jumping in the deep end without swimmies?
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Jul 2, 2014 04:15
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quote:So... ummm.... Thanks! Infected for life; someone get some cork grease and trace "WELCOME TO THE MUSICIAN CLUB" on his bathroom mirror. RebBrownies posted:I'm looking to learn a stringed instrument, and after reading some info on the lute and cittern in this thread I'm a bit confused as to which instrument to get into. Really interesting question, did some pondering on this one last night. A few questions that would clarify: - Overall what kind of music do you want to play, and for what purpose? Do you mention "medieval" in the sense that you want to play some historically-based repertoire, or just like the overall sound of historically-influenced modern neo-folk/metal etc bands? Or is it more that you've listened to some recordings of Ren music and thought "that sounds good, I'd like to be able to do that"? - Are you looking for a committed hobby step, like buying a decently nice instrument and taking lessons, or are you looking for something more inexpensive and casual that you can pick up, putter around with while learning technique from YouTube videos? Fretted, non-bowed string instruments aren't unduly hard to learn (as a huge generalization), and most of them aren't any harder than guitar, just there are fewer teachers and learning materials out there. The modern cittern is inspired by the medieval/Ren one but kind of a new creature, but if you like the sound and aren't dead-set on historical accuracy, a cittern/bouzouki/octave-mandolin is a fun instrument. Almost all the learning materials for them are Celtic-based, but if that doesn't bother you that's a good way to get at least a base feeling, and then expand repertoire from there. If you want something that's less formal to play, and something more intuitive (albeit limited) both Anglo-Saxon lyre and kantele are pretty inexpensive, and the kind of instruments you can just tune up and then wander freely around in puzzling out chords and tunes by ear. Lute is one of those instruments you have to kinda seriously step in to, since a decent lute is at least a grand, and the lute scene is pretty formally set so an instructor would be advisable. If you're in love with lute music, by all means, it'd just take a bit more focus to break into, but not necessarily crazy hard.  If budget/space is a concern, historical accuracy not a huge deal, and you want something you can approach casually, in all seriousness people are doing some great lute-inspired stuff on ukulele these days, even including serious classical musicians. The ukulele is a reasonably close relative of the Baroque guitar, so works well for that repertoire too. If that sounds appealing to you, spend some time on YouTube searching "renaissance ukulele" or "lute ukulele" and see if that sound appeals to you. While a novice can't quite jump right into that style of playing, uke is pretty easy to get down the basics of string playing, learn some fun four-chord songs so you can play/sing R&B covers at parties, etc. And once you have the basics of strumming, you learn the basics of fingerpicking, and from that point on there are a number of good books of written tablature (that is, sheet music that says where to put your fingers instead of being abstract notes) translating old lute and Baroque guitar pieces to ukulele. Here are a few examples: - Rob Mackillop is probably the musician most famous for Baroque uke, done various albums and books: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQzirvk2kOM - Medley of Renaissance dances on uke: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-SS-YoNbbc - Some British lute music on 8-string uke: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTcANXGe3eA For contrast: - Renaissance lute music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_K5zRA2APo - Baroque guitar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-0ycGy8lpc If the uke option jumps out at you, hope over to the ukulele thread in A/T (might be a few pages in) to get the most current word on where to shop, what websites to learn from. Ukuleles are very affordable these days, there are tolerably decent ones for around $100, and the thread can direct you to which sellers do proper quality-control (vice just take them out of a crate from China and mail them out).
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Jul 2, 2014 23:10
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Thank you so much Taptheforward Assist for all the information!!!!  I really like the sound of medieval stringed instruments but I'm not looking to only play music from the repertoire I'm going to take your advice and check out the ukulele thread and do some research into the bouzouki! Thank you so much for all of the information !!
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Jul 4, 2014 02:54
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