Official Luthiers Forum!

I'm currently recording, for the college archives, some John Dowland lute pieces. I recently recorded a piece on the lute that I had previously recorded on the guitar, albeit a slightly different version as the guitar transcription differs from the original manuscript. I thought that some of you might like to make the comparison. The piece is Lady Hunsdon's Puffe, by John Dowland (1563-1626).

The guitar used was by Kevin Aram, and the lute my own Venere 10-course.

Hope you enjoy them.

Colin

Guitar

Lute

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

Fantastic playing.

I like both versions for their own unique properties; the guitar's more focused, punchy abeit a little darker interpretation and the lute's delicate, sweet and shimmery tones, the notes seem to dance elegantly across the strings.

The piece seems more suited to the lute.

Thank you for the comparison Colin. Your playing is excellent and the tonal range and sonority of each instrument becomes quite evident in listening to them both. Actually, I prefer the guitar arrangement primarily for it's nice bass line. It seams to sound a bit sweeter and has more resonance.

The melody has just enough counterpoint to be interesting and sings nicely in the higher registers when listening to the lute arrangement.

Again, my thanks... It is very nice when we can share not only the appearance of our instruments but the sound as well, for that is truly what we intended them for.

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Peter

Now there's a wish come true. Enjoyed them I did!
Colin, you are amazing. If ever they kick you out of geologic circles, you've got a nice fall-back in your playing. I can see a series of concerts where you not only display the instruments you've built, but play them to the delight of the listeners. I know I'd pay to hear/see. Of course, you're spoiling us by posting these things for free....

Many thanks,

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Great job Colin. I love it when playing through my list on ITunes when your pieces come up. Always enjoyable. I haven't an opine, as I like 'em both. Thanks for sharing it!

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com

Excellent playing, sincere congratulations! Also both instruments sound very nice. One minor thing, if I may say so, i prefer the recording setup of the lute much better. Seems to have less compression artifacts.

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Build log

Colin,

Fantastic stuff - a luthier, player, gentleman and true artist. We need a CD of the lute stuff you are recording when it's done.

My appetite is whetted - Colin very generously sent me a set of lute plans yesterday and sometime later this year I hope to be a true "luthier".

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Dave White
De Faoite Stringed Instruments
". . . the one thing a machine just can't do is give you character and personalities and sometimes that comes with flaws, but it always comes with humanity" Monty Don talking about hand weaving, "Mastercrafts", Weaving, BBC March 2010

Very nice, Colin. I love the lute sound. There is an interesting depth to it that guitars don't have. Hard to put my finger on it. I just know I like it. I believe your guitar is equal to your Aram, at least. I'm gonna have to go listen again to yours. All of it is awesome. When does your CD come out?

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

That sound sends shivers down my spine.....I have made two Irish Bouzoukis, which are a branch of the Lute family, and its by far the best sounding instruments.....Great job.....some day when I get to Heaven, I hope to play like that......Larry

Just wanted to say that I really enjoyed your playing Colin. Back in the day, I used to play that piece - but never like that! Pleasure to listen to on both instruments.

Pat

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There are three kinds of people:

Those that make things happen,
those that watch things happen,
and those that wondered what happened.

I too wish to commend your playing Colin! I think the lute sounded fuller...almost like a whole consort. In college, I had the opportunity to play in a guitar orchestra. We'd play some Dowland lute pieces in four parts. I think that is what the lute sounds like. Lovely.

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Joe Breault
Merrimack, NH
Perpetual novice

Thank You Colin
Very nicely played and a very interesting comparison. I appreciate it. I do have a Colin file on my Ipod and these two pieces are ovbiously going there. I play your tunes when I need real inspiration in the shop.

John

Colin, Thank you very much!
That was quite a treat and your playing was just excellent. It was nice hearing the two instruments playing the same piece back to back. I've never experienced that before.

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Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com

Sounds Old World. Something Irish. I like the Lute.

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"After forty-nine years of violin building, I have decided that the search for a varnish is similar to the fox hunt. The fun is in the hunt."
Jack Batts Maker and Repairer of Fine Violins

Colin,My wife says," Sting ain`t got nothin on You."
James W B

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James W Bolan
Nashville Tennessee

Wonderful Colin!!
Thanks for sharing.

What kind of woods on the lute? Very nice! The Lute and the music go together perfectly, dont they? The guitar body is too fat, a thinner body might sound better.

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Here is what a Parlor Guitar is for!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEa8PkjO6_I

Colin - Beautiful work on both instruments, and they do indeed have their unique voices.

I had a question that I meant to start in a new thread, but I'll ask it here since this came up. If someone were to have an interest in building a lute, but the idea of learning to construct the bowl back were daunting, what would be the result of building an instrument with a guitar-like body but a purely lute-like top and neck? I guess a Portuguese guitar would be a close cousin overall, but I'm thinking of something that would be lighter and wouldn't handle the steel string tension of a portuguese guitar or most citterns.

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Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

I think that rather than making a hybrid instrument, you should consider a 4 or 5-course Renaissance guitar, this is a recording I made using a Villan 4-course.

Villan 4-course guitar

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

Thanks everyone for your kind comments on these pieces. I think every now and then we should step back from the sawdust and reflect what these elaborate constructs of wood are made for.

I think the general concensus is that the piece is best suited to the lute, which is no surprise really as it is a lute piece! Though music of that time was generally written, in it's base form, as being 'suitable for instruments of all kinds'. What I was keen to demonstrate is that the lute is not just an archaic predecessor to the guitar but was a finished instrument in its own right.

Frei, the lute has a bowl of yew and of course a Euro spruce top, the only wood acceptable for a lute soundboard. I think it's in the archives somewhere.

Dave, I know you'll build a great lute and with your playing ability in altered tunings you'll pick up the playing in no time at all.

James, we don't use the St... word!

If anyone would like to hear some more of the lute pieces, let me have a PM with an e-mail and I'll send a couple. I've got about a hundred that I have to record!

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

Colin - Thanks, that was beautiful too. I'll look around for info on Renaissance guitars - are there readily available, good sources?

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Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

Me thinks there's a need for a set of OLF Lute plans, as drawn by Sir Colin of England. Also, said plans should be available in a kit - which should include one set of picea abies from Europe, and one set of uncarved Yew staves from Sherwood Forest or the March.
Sign me up...

Colin, you continue to inspire us all with both your exquisite playing, and your tremendous skill at building such wonderful works of art.

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

I also agree. I have two commissions to fulfil, but after that, I was seriously planning to build a lute to add to my instrument arsenal.

My wife would also like me to build a lute.Where are those plans Colin? James

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James W Bolan
Nashville Tennessee

Collin, I want all of them!!

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Here is what a Parlor Guitar is for!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEa8PkjO6_I