Renaissance guitar - a beginner's impression

[Tonyyyy]

 I have the use of a ren guitar for a couple of months, so this is ataster for me. I should say that my main instrument is classical guitar, but I have played some  lute and ukulele. I have been playing it a little each day for about two weeks. I would very much like to try baroque guitar afterwards

Left hand isn't really a problem; there is the advantage of short scale length and low action. But obviously the fingers sometimes miss the correct place and with a different angle of holding it I found initially there was a slight ache after about 20 minutes playing

Holding the instrument...I didnt really get on with  a strap. Most comfortable for me is a guitar cushion on left knee or sitting on sofa having it on right knee

Problems with  right hand tone - it will take some time to get the subtle plucking details right.....
With the tiny distance between the string and fretboard it is easy to misjudge things. I sometimes try a guitar 'swing' at the string and find the fretboard in the way.
Im using no-nails (long nails nails would make it virtually impossible to play without ruining the  finish on the top.
Though it is a little odd for me I can appreciate the value of planting the pinkie to help find a good position. The Classical position just isnt really right and planting stops me doing automatic CG plucking strokes. (In comparison I found that  on lute I could use classical technique much more easily)

When I take it really slowly and play something easy, and listen carefully it certainly helps with getting a clear ound . Unfortunately I am a bit impatient  I want to play the renaissance pieces I know already at full speed!

Plucking both strings...it sometimes  happens , but not reliably . I havent worked out how and why yet  !

I try not to use  ring finger. (Though if I had played a piece before on guitar or ukulele it does want to play) Best to just play new pieces I think
Thumb-index runs sound right on the instrument and for its music


Four-note chords .....p-p-i-m often seems to work well, or just a thumb downstroke if I do not need to get back quickly. Sometimes an upstroke with index sounds good, or thumb on bass with index upstroke for the other three notes.   (I think I read somewhere that this might have been used on the instrument) The piece I am thinking of here is Morlaye's Cinq Pas

Strumming is fun. To avoid damaging the surface I have been doing it over the 10th fret. I have been experimenting with different combinations of thumb, index, all fingers, upstrokes and downstrokes

 

Any comments or suggestions  would be interesting and  very useful

 

Best wishes

Tony

 

 

[Jelma van Amersfoort]

Dear Tony, it sounds like you are doing all the right things. Best to play new pieces indeed, and maybe some single-line stuff to help find a good sound? Isn't it fun to learn a new instrument! Please keep us posted, Jelma van Amersfoort.

[Valéry Sauvage]

About playing both strings of a course, I'll try to explain (but my poor english...)

With the classical guitar, you come from "far", hit the string and go away (shortcut description...) with lute or ren. guit., you put the flesh of the finger on both strings, push down and let the strings escape from the finger (is it clear ? try it slowly then faster as your feeling is good) Try to obtain a single sound as much as possible, not two distinct sounds, even with a very slow stroke.

For my sake, I use the ring finger sometimes for some chords. But what you're describing is fine.

Have fun !

V.

[Tonyyyy]

thanks Jelma and Valery  for your encouragement.

Val, what you say makes perfect sense. I tried it and the sound is good, and more reliable. ..Thanks.

Jelma , yes,I was just trying some improvised one line tunes with Val's suggested action;  part of the secret (with other instruments too) is to slow down, and play easy stuff and really listen.