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06 Feb 01 - 01:39 PM (#391499) Subject: Stringed Instruments: Shapes and Tunings From: Doctor John How much difference does the shape of a musical instrument make to its sound. There seems to be two families: hourglass shaped (guitars) and pear shaped (lutes). Why are mandolins either shape? Mandolin (and fiddle)tuning seems "sensible", guitar tuning is too apart from the irregular interval between the 3rd and 2nd string (why?)whereas banjo tuning is chaotic. How are citterns and lutes tuned? Dr John |
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06 Feb 01 - 06:08 PM (#391687) Subject: RE: Stringed Instruments: Shapes and Tunings From: Giac refresh |
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06 Feb 01 - 07:46 PM (#391740) Subject: RE: Stringed Instruments: Shapes and Tunings From: GUEST,Arne Langsetmo How are banjos tuned? Differently. Cheers, -- Arne Langsetmo P.S.: And viva la difference. |
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06 Feb 01 - 11:17 PM (#391833) Subject: RE: Stringed Instruments: Shapes and Tunings From: Gypsy You forgot a huge family....hammered dulcimer, trapezoidal shape. And the whole piano family. Guess that harp would fall into a trapezoidal shape as well. Howzabout the autoharp......creep, creep, creep..... |
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07 Feb 01 - 11:32 AM (#392156) Subject: RE: Stringed Instruments: Shapes and Tunings From: GUEST,Arne Langsetmo Dulcimers, autoharps, pianolins, psalteries, cymbaloms, canun, are all of the techical group of zithers. Zithers are stringed instrument with stings across the box, and no neck. Cheers, -- Arne Langsetmo |
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07 Feb 01 - 11:46 AM (#392178) Subject: RE: Stringed Instruments: Shapes and Tunings From: catspaw49 Actually Arne, there are two groups of zithers....long zithers and board zithers. You're new here so you've missed all my bad jokes about Autoharps. We tend to use the word "harp" for a lot of instruments which are not harps at all and often bear no relationship........but the word sounds so good. I mean like who the hell would buy something called an "Autozither?" Just sounds nasty don't it? Yeah, let's get all the "Automatically Chorded Board Zither" players together and wank out a little "Wildwood Flower." Spaw(:<)) |
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07 Feb 01 - 01:47 PM (#392329) Subject: Our Monica... From: Bernard I've never understood how mouth organs came to be known as harps. Over here we call 'em 'Gob Irons' - much more sensible!! |
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07 Feb 01 - 01:52 PM (#392333) Subject: RE: Stringed Instruments: Shapes and Tunings From: Sorcha In reference to the original question, form follows function. The early viol family instruments had many shapes, from crywth to teardrop. In Italy, early 18th century, the Master makers decided that the hourglass shape gave the best sound......I would guess that is true of other instrumetnts as well. |
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07 Feb 01 - 01:58 PM (#392339) Subject: RE: Stringed Instruments: Shapes and Tunings From: sophocleese Some instruments were made from hollowed out gourds or other material besides wood and that determined their shape. |