MetaFilter posts tagged with lute

"Very few drums or vocals"

Doleful Creature — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 09:03:00 -0800

musicForProgramming(); a series of mixes intended for listening to while programming to aid concentration and increase productivity (also compatible with other activities). From the site: Music possessing these qualities [listed in the tags] can often provide just the right amount of interest to occupy the parts of your brain that would otherwise be left free to wander and lead to distraction during your work. More detail from the Aesthetic page. So far there are seven episodes. Each episode is a single .mp3 track compiled by a electronic/ambient musician (links to each musicians' website on the respective episode page): 01: Datassette* 02: Sunjammer 03: Datassette 04: Com Truise (previously on the blue) 05: Abe Mangger 06: Gods Of The New Age 07: Tahlhoff Garten + Untitled *Datassette (aka John Davies of videogame musicmakers PixelJam, games featuring their music here, posted many times on the blue but most recently here) is the primary force behind the site. His website also has a mix section. The aesthetic doesn't have the same productivity intent but the mixes are quite interesting nonetheless (especially the "business funk" mixes, here's the first one).

"Ask for forgiveness, not permission."

flex — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 22:46:40 -0800

Tricks for getting your violin on a plane, by Lara St. John.
How about an upright bass? A cello? A guitar? (previously) A trombone? A tuba (and other horns)? What about lutes, a djembe, a hurdy-gurdy, or bagpipes?
(Some general tips. More general tips - part 1, part 2.)

Hornlets and hornlings.

gamera — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 10:35:32 -0800

Specimen products is the workshop of Ian Schneller, a Chicago-based sculptor-turned-luthier. His site is worth a look if you are interested in unusual guitars and other stringed instruments (like this electic lute), eccentric amplifiers and speakers, or extreme guitar repair. Currently Schneller is collaberating with musician Andrew Bird on Sonic Arboretum, a musical perfomance/installation piece. Here is video of a performance at the Guggenheim in 2010, and a slideshow of the preparations for an upcoming performance at Chicago's Museum of Contemporary Art.

Dowland Downloads

Kattullus — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 19:34:32 -0800

John Dowland was a lute player and composer roughly contemporaneous with William Shakespeare. In a recent article Mark Padmore, a frequent performer of Dowland's work, compared Dowland to Morrissey and Bob Dylan. Whether that's accurate or not johndowland.co.uk is a fine website with many recordings available either in mp3 format or as videos. There are essays on the site but it also points towards many other Dowlandian treasures online, including this fine biography and lyrics. Among Dowland's best known works are Flow, My Tears, Stay, Time, Awhile and An Heart Thats Broken and Contrite [mp3 links] but my favorites are In Darknesse Let Mee Dwell and Sorrow Stay [YouTube]

Are You Ready To Baroque

motty — Wed, 07 May 2008 06:33:24 -0800

In addition to violins, violas and cellos, there are also Stradivarius guitars. Two still exist: one in South Dakota and one in the Ashmolean in Oxford (see a reproduction of the Oxford one here). These are Baroque guitars, strung a little like modern ones without the low E string and with the other five strings doubled. Instructions for Baroque guitar. Courteous and friendly Reader, as thou hast seene before what my good will hath beene to pleasure thee in the practise of the Lute, so heere in this ~~booke~~ poste thou mayest perceave my endevoure continued to acquant thee likewise with the stately Orpharion...