Jadran comissioned a lute for a Dowland project, this is how it turned out.
The lute is based on the Tieffenbrucker C45 in Vienna. Althoug an archlute, its 31 rib body has excactly the shape and dimensions that we needed for a 65cm lute in "g" (pitch a=392) . What makes this new lute special is how it meets the demands of the clear task: A lute to play John Dowlands music on. By careful balancing of the acoustic parameters, the stiffness and quality of the spruce soundboard that I cleft in my workshop, the size and placement of the harmonic bars and how this"membrane" system is working on top of the Helmholz cavity, or air "plug" resonance, if you want, I think we ended up with a lute of capable response, snap, dynamic range, tonal shades that feels right in your hands. No, nothing new, it is still a lute made in accordance with historical materials and style. My take on this, however, is always a pursuit of more specific models for understanding the lute as a resonator, an acoustical system of nodes and pistons in a spruce membrane, working on top of an air plug, the cavity resonance. Jadrans virtuosity inspires me to reconsider everything in search for the best instrument.
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