A network for historic guitars and vihuelas

vihuela - how to start?

Hello friends,

In a few weeks I should receive my first vihuela ever, so as you can imagine I can't wait. I played guitar before, but I will have to prepare music for historical theatre play so I decided to buy historical instrument instead of using regular guitar.

I found a lot of facsimiles in internet but my question is:
which author do you suggest would be the best for start? Narvaez. Mudarra?? Just to go step by step from easy pieces to more complicated. As you imagine it's very easy to get frustrated while at the starting point we choose too difficult material. By now I played "Guardame las vacas" on guitar and it gives me a lot of pleasure.
What do you suggest?

have a great weekend

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Permalink Reply by Rob MacKillop on August 2, 2014 at 17:33

As much of the music is polyphonic, I suggest learning Fuenllana's 2-part music. By trying to articulate two voices, you will learn a lot about what makes this music tick. And they are wonderful pieces.

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Permalink Reply by Rob MacKillop on August 2, 2014 at 17:36

Also the so-called four easy pieces by Valderabano. You can a PDF of the tab on my website here:

http://robmackillop.net/guitar/vihuela/

Good luck!

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Permalink Reply by Adalbert Arbuscula on August 3, 2014 at 13:06

Than you very much.
I will definitely go through your advice.
I saw on your web page that is's possible to organize lesson via skype, so as soon as I will receive vihuela I would like to contact you. It would be great to receive some tips not to make mistakes from the very beginning of playing.
thanks!

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Permalink Reply by Tonyyyy on August 11, 2015 at 12:36

I just got my first vihuela 2 days ago ( a nice instrument by Paul Baker And I am thinking how to progress . I do play a bit of lute , as well as Classical guitar. Like you I have played Vacas etc on guitar, but I think I would try to avoid playing the pieces I already know until i get used to the spacings and 'personality of the new instrument.

I am revising some easier lute pieces - see Lynda Sayce's excellent lessons http://www.lutesociety.org/pages/beginners . I want to try to get a nice touch on it. I dont know whether to do thumb under or thumb out. Maybe thumb under - I was getting reasonably good at that on lute before i got lazy and stopped practicing!

And how to hold the little beast? Like a CG on L leg? - it seems too far away down there. Im using a strap and holding it high resting on R leg , as i hold a lute. I will see how that works