Hi Mark,
Now that you ask... Nylon is easier on the fingers than steel, and harder
to 'twang' - it's subtle in a different way. And there's nylon and nylon -
originally strings were gut and on some instruments I use Nylgut which
imitates the acoustic properties of gut but is another composition
altogether. It's easier to bend notes with steel strings, a displacement
sideways of steel (or composition) raises the pitch to a greater extent
thann the displacement of nylon (or composition). I have a very old gambus
here from near Nepal with the original strings - they're very thin gut and
I'm afraid if I play it, they'll break.
With the guqin or qin, it's other issues. They should be played with gut
strings, relatively low tension. Under Mao, who was responsible for the
dstruction of 300 antique qin, which went back centuries, the qin was
'modernized' to take steel strings. My two qin have steel strings, even
though one is centuries old; the gut strings tend to break and I don't
have the physical strength to replace them (another story). I have a
friend who plays and teaches a number of instruments; he has gut strings
on his reproduction medieval instruments.
The blues always used metal - it was what was available, but the strings
bent for the blues notes as well. And I don't want to say 'always' for
that matter, not sure of that. Electric guitars of course need metal
strings but you can electrify a classical guitar as well with contact/
vibration mics.
My sazs are all metal strings, as are my Albanian gifteli. The saz is very
very easy on the fingers.
The oud uses nylon or gut strings but a related instrument, used in local
Jewish musics, the cobza or kobza, uses very light gauge metal strings.
Old-timey banjos can go either way; mine has nylon or nylgut strings
(forget which now, like the latter more), bluegrass banjos always use
metal strings for their percussive quality.
The whole mandolin family, metal.
More than you asked for! :-)
Best, Alan
On Thu, 29 Feb 2024, Mark Hancock wrote:
Date: Thu, 29 Feb 2024 10:39:58 +0000
From: Mark Hancock <[email protected]>
Reply-To: NetBehaviour for networked distributed creativity
<[email protected]>
To: NetBehaviour for networked distributed creativity
<[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [NetBehaviour] long covid blues
Hey Alan,
That's really interesting. Any differences as a player between nylon and
steel? Apart from the twang?
Bloody long covid, what a nightmare it all is. Hope you're finding some
respite, or solace from it all.
Mark
On Wed, 28 Feb 2024 at 22:13, Alan Sondheim via NetBehaviour
<[email protected]> wrote:
Hi Mark,
The music is from a while ago, unfortunately my playing now is
stranger, more angular.
It was a steel string guitar, I still do blues on a nylon string
banjo, mainly for myself, but it doesn't have the 'twang.'
Years ago I remember finding a steel-body National guitar for Son
House through Al Wilson.
I got infected by free jazz.
Spoke too soon about being over long covid; today was one of the worst
days.
Best, Alan, exhausted and so glad you liked the music!
On Wed, Feb 28, 2024 at 4:15?AM Mark Hancock <[email protected]>
wrote:
I love that guitar sound, Alan. I need more of that,
please!
Reminds me (in my limited cultural references) of the guitar on
Psychic TV?s A Pagan Day album.
Glad you?re on the mend, that was my favourite verse.
Mark
On Wed, 28 Feb 2024 at 04:48, Alan Sondheim via NetBehaviour
<[email protected]> wrote:
long covid blues
https://youtu.be/c8zWeSeZDvM video
i got the long covid blues
i got the long covid blues
any way you choose
i got those long long covid blues
wake up this morning in the middle of the night
wake up this morning in the middle of the night
looking for the sunlight sight long covid fright
wake up in midday nothing left to lose
wake up in midday nothing left to lose
got those long longer longest long covid blues
they say there's nowhere to go but down the covid
hall
doctor comes i said yesterday maybe had a fall
i said maybe something else can't remember at all
said maybe that was it maybe was a fall
i got the long covid blues
i got the long covid blues
any way you choose
i got those long covid blues
--- >>>> *
* although i seem to be getting well and pulling
through
* anyway you look the mood's a lot less blue
_
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directory http://www.alansondheim.org tel 347-383-8552
email sondheim ut panix.com, sondheim ut gmail.com
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