collin rodriguez posted a status
May 17
looking for advice on best way to tune a renaissance lute in G 392 pitch sixth comma meantone scale is it best to tune the open strings // or tune chanterelle to G then 2nd at 5th fret , 3rd at 5th, 4th at 4 , 5th at 5th etc
..
or tune third to A note then tune rest of strings to thirds and octaves.. ive tried to tune by this method which I hoped would give pure third and the lute sound more sonorousbut find several strings are out of tune further on the neck and 4th string becomes several cents lower in pitch when compared to third . please advise folks

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  • Sean Smith May 17, 2022 at 3:20pm
    Tuning to A=392 is basically tuning your G lute to F, that is, down a whole step. Labeling it "G" does help you if you're used to thinking in G. What are you using for a reference? A fixed tone? An app? If an app, after choosing the Temperament mode (1/6...), set the frequency to 392 and choose C/G for the Temperament root. Of course you can use 440 and tune to F and use F or Bb as your Temp root. First tune and check 2nd or third courses--never the chanterelle--at each fret to make sure they are in the right places, then go for all the open strings. One idiot check for a true string is to make sure the 7th fret harmonic plays the same note as the fret directly underneath at exactly 1/3 the string length. You'll notice frets 2, 5 and 7 are in the same places as in equal temperament. Eventually you'll want to tweak the frets and tuning to make it as exact as you'd like ... or can, given there's no absolute perfect tuning for the lute. If your music calls for G#s in G tuning you might want to put your 6th fret at the lower (sounding) position to pick that up on the 2nd course.
    • collin rodriguez > Sean Smith May 19, 2022 at 11:17am

      thanks so much for your time and advice

       Sean ..you have give me a dependable method to follow each time... 

       

       

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