Notes from the workshop - a Luteshop documentary

A glimpse into the working life of Martin Shepherd, lutenist and lutemaker. This video features interviews, as well as performances by the luthier on his own instruments.
Click 'show more' for full list of music. Best watched in HD.
Subtitles presently available in English. French subtitles will be added soon.
Filmed, directed and edited by Francis Shepherd, music played by Martin Shepherd.
1. Robin is to the Greene wood Gonn - Anon. (Folger lute book, f.16)
2. [Recercar] (Ness 8) - Francesco da Milano (Siena lute book, f.20)
3. Fantasia (Ness 82) - Francesco da Milano (CUL Dd.2.11, f.16)
4. [Prelude] - Anon. (CUL Add.3056, f.10v.)
5. [Recercar] - Francesco da Parigi (Siena lute book, f.25)
www.luteshop.co.uk | luteshop

[@herwinleal202]

Congratulations Sr. Martin, so beautifull all .

[@williamh123456789]

Really nice to watch these videos

[@tatopiano]

Amazing... there s still people I thought didn’t exist anymore... I think they are kind of saints :)

[@zidanidane]

what a very tasteful documentary

[@paulojose8516]

Wonderful work! Wonderful informations!

[@vesper25actual]

I adore this. You are a time capsule and Yoda whisked through time into a glorious recipe.

[@edurbrow]

Really well done video. You should get the BBC to air it.

[@RozarSmacco]

Those racists/sexists at BBC will zealously advocate for a WHITE’s complete cancellation should they even begin to suggest an angle on race they don’t like. Now their remit seems to be (like Hollywood films/TV) “how can we insult or make fun of **THE** most conservatives possible.

[@ukeydukey]

Fascinating. I've made a (rather crude by your standards) lute-guitar using "clinker" boat construction and yew wood strakes (ribs to you) that did not want to bend to a tight radius (too thick at 2.8mm), so I made a transom at one end of the sound box and a bow end plate at the other. Looks ok and it's much easier to make, so good for my purposes. But them I'm not a luthier - I simply like the lute shape. A large gourd cut in half and hollowed out can make the same shape as a lute for the sound box of a soprano ukulele - has a natural flow to it.

[@patstevens8970]

Bravo bravo... a genius indeed!

[@pjc1954]

What a wonderful video.

[@aarfeld]

Beautiful crafsmanship, and playing.

[@RobMacKillop1]

Beautiful playing, Martin. Very nice and interesting video. Well done.

[@renaissancestrings9264]

This was such a pleasure to watch. Thank you sir.

[@janepeters4846]

Incredible. And I love lute music.

[@pinacoco2]

Dear Martin, Great video, very inspiring. I am thinking of building my first lute - have been building some acoustic guitars so far… but want to expand to other instruments and woodworking technics. thanks a lot for sharing your knowledge and passion. very nice background music, btw!!! Yours Uli

[@microdrone]

Please do! At some point I would like to do the same, I'm beginning experiments with fretted necks, have to start somewhere!

[@7REDDRACO7]

beautifully crafted as well as the music.

[@bobaldo2339]

Very good sounding lute, and playing thereof.

[@bernardmurphy4762]

thank you so much for this!!!!! i am embarking on my first lute build after several hammered dulcimers. I am also a classical guitar player, and find myself playing more and more Renaissance music. I am starting to build a 10 course lute: 1612 Dieffopruchar.

[@sergiobortolotti8870]

un verdadero gusto ver como se construye algo tan hermoso que después nos regalara tan bella y sentida música

[@AdamMundok]

I enjoyed this video. Well done. 🎶😌👍 Thanks for sharing!

[@fusion-music]

Thoroughly enjoyed that. Beautiful music too.

[@franciscomartinez279]

Beautiful, thankyou.

[@FBpolitical]

wow, i cant believe you made that! So impressive and beautiful.

[@GavinCawley]

fascinating video, with great music!

[@C6H12B26]

Superb ! Great thanks !

[@alandana]

Lovely!!!

[@TataMataAkrobata]

masterful playing.

[@Ibaneddie76]

Nice lutes I've actually been thinking about building a lute myself lately, don't know why I'm so drawn to them, I build electric guitars witch are miles away stylistically from lutes but when I watch someone playing them I understand the patterns so it's intriguing and carving custom roses looks like something I would definitely be into. You do very nice work and your playing is great as well.

[@renatoaraujo6108]

youre amazing martin

[@basedmedic]

Dear Martin Shepherd I really love your videos. All of your videos helped me a ton. I have been wanting to ask you for quite a while: At what age did you start playing lute transcripts on the guitar, and at what age did you move on to the lute? My father has always owned two lutes. One 8 course and a 10 course. I decided to pick up the 8 Course at the age of 16, but quickly lost interest again. After quite a while playing bass in various punk bands, I one day looked up Jozef Van Wissem and realised I had to hop back on. Thanks to your videos, I have recently managed to put new strings, polish and tune the 10 paired lute. The relationship between my father and I has florished in a way I never thought possible. We jam and discuss lute, and he seems genuinely proud, that I continue to play the lute. I like to think that your helpful videos have helped greatly in my success with the lute. PS: I performed my own 5 minute lute concert in front of my school two years ago now, and people really liked it. Now that I think back on it, the piece I made was really rubbish. People cheered loudly though. It must be the instrument. Have you perfomed with the lute? Yours sincerely, Axel

[@luteshop]

I'm really pleased to have had such a positive influence! I played the guitar from age 17 to 24, then lute (only) from then on. I've been performing in concerts since 1980, but less frequently in the last few years. The importance of performing is that it is about sharing one's love of the music and the instrument - I've found the lute often has a huge impact on people who have never seen or heard one before. Good luck with your playing!

[@bearshield7138]

so very sweet

[@alfredbarten4901]

Wow!!!!

[@euledj79]

Absolutely fantasic video and fascinating inside-view of your workshop. I'm ready to build my first lute soon and I am glad that one of the best current lute makers uses rather simple tools instead of big machines and tons of supporting devices. Ok, you spent lots of money for good planes and chisels but thats all... great! Don' t you use any sanding-machine to thin the ribs and veneers... just with planes?

[@luteshop]

Thanks for your appreciation. Sanding is a very modern thing - the old guys didn't have sandpaper! But they sure knew what they were doing with scrapers and planes. I have increasingly started to use a scraper plane for thicknessing ribs, because it needs sharpening less often. Obviously it would be possible to speed things up even more by using machines, but I've never researched them. My only absolute must-have machine is the bandsaw, for cutting ribs and (to a lesser extent) doing all kinds of other things more easily. Good luck with your first lute, Dirk, and let us all know how you get on!

[@adrh47]

Lovely video, beautiful playing & gorgeous lutes: thank you, Martin. I am very pleased that you intend to identify the pieces that you play on the film - one of them in particular (the second one: Milano?) is very familiar and I have played it, but I would struggle to find it in less than an hour!

[@luteshop]

Hi Alan, you should be able to see the full list in the description now. FS

[@kmhob]

Anyone know of any sites that are good for us that wants to check out the lute be using the open tuning of EADF#BE. I thought that if I could get some starting point by using this open tuning, the later transition would perhaps be more easy. Can't afford a real lute yet.

[@brbjuke45]

We are watching a genius

[@Ibaneddie76]

Hahahaha, come on now! Einstein was a genius, this man builds nice instruments there is a big difference. I build and play guitar does that make me a genius too?

[@hoopie_304]

Einstein was a hack.

[@dermord00]

hello, can you help me? I need to know in what are the tuning for a medieval lute with 4 courses and 1 string? ( a nine strings lute? ) and in what temperament is usually a medieval lute? thank you :) (I´m making a lute and I´m stuck with the lute frets and strings (dont know how many and dont know what temperament to use )

[@luteshop]

I don't think there is any direct evidence about tunings for the five-course lute, but the usual tuning for the top 5 courses of a 6c lute (fourths with a major third between the third and fourth courses) must have been common. There were probably alternatives. Lutenists seem to have mainly used an approximation to equal temperament, but of course they tuned purely by ear and so probably adjusted their tuning to their own taste or the other instruments they played with.

[@Specto0]

I find it absolutely (pardon the pun) fascinating that you just up and started making lutes. As of recently, I've had the desire to play on such instruments but like you, I can't afford them, with university tuition and all. How simple/complex is it to start a project like building a lute? Thanks for the great video!

[@luteshop]

You don't know how easy it is until you try! I thoroughly recommend David Van Edwards' "how to build a lute" courses - see www.vanedwards.co.uk/renlute.htm. It's also well worth subscribing to the Lute Society (www.lutesoc.org) even if you don't live in the UK and also the Lute Society of America (www.lutesocietyofamerica.org). Good luck with your adventure! And feel free to ask questions.

[@StevenWatsonMusic]

This is utterly fascinating. Thank you so much for the video! May I ask what the first lute you built was like?

[@paulstonger1566]

Been scouring the internet for someone who can play the lute half as well as Kvothe...

[@user-kq5qp6dh8l]

do u have a retail outlet

[@stevenedwards4470]

I think you downplayed your capacity as a woodworker a bit. I would've liked to see more on the peg box construction.

[@owly33]

Thank you for a very interesting video. Are you going to be holding any building courses in 2015? :-)

[@luteshop]

I don't hold building courses as such, although another maker, David Van Edwards does. I am always happy to provide advice and assistance to would-be makers of lutes, though - check out the website (www.luteshop.co.uk) and send an email.

[@owly33]

Martin Shepherd Thanks, just ordered a kit for a 7-course lute from the Early Music shop. I have a fair amount of woodworking knowledge so I should be able to finish it :-)

[@luteshop]

Excellent. Do let us know if you have any questions or queries. We have some experience of the EMS kits.

[@DadoSimicStudiostriver]

Do you maybe ship worldwide or know for any online store where such a isntrument could be purchased?I live in Europe as well,but its very small country,Bosnia.I always wanted to own lute,myself playing a lot lute songs on classical guitar. Or even just website where I can get exact measures of the instrument that I can give to luthier to made it for me. Best regards.

[@luteshop]

+Dado Simic Even if it was possible to buy a lute online, it would be a very bad idea to buy one without trying it and/or getting expert advice. My customers usually collect their instruments in person as it is the safest (and usually the cheapest) method, however I can ship to anywhere in the world if necessary.

[@DadoSimicStudiostriver]

Martin Shepherd It makes perfect sense.But for me impossible thing to achieve. It would still be a bad idea to give measures to luthier in my country who never made one and specialized for making acoustic/electric guitars,but I guess that would be my best choice. I went to your website Mr.Martin,just wow!.Prices are £4/8000.I do not possess anything in my life that cost so much. But I respect you mastery and persons who can afford such a expensive instrument. I personally can`t spend not more then about 1000$ for one. Are you familiar with websites where I can get correct measures for making 7 course lute? Kind regards.

[@luteshop]

+Dado Simic I think the best idea would be to find a secondhand lute. All the lute societies have lists of "Lutes for sale". Have a look at www.lutesoc.org and www.lutesocietyofamerica.org

[@playbossanova]

Hi there. Are the renaissance lute frets tuned in natural tuning or equal temperament?

[@luteshop]

+playbossanova I usually use an approximation to 1/6 comma meantone. Historically it seems that a roughly equal temperament was common, but there is also some evidence that some players adjusted frets by ear to get sweeter intervals.

[@playbossanova]

+Martin Shepherd (Luteshop) Can you play in all mode transpositions or select ones? If so which ones? Are there any wolf intervals? Thank you very much.

[@luteshop]

+playbossanova Often you can move frets to get the notes you need and there are no "bad" notes. Other times you have to accept some "bad" intervals e.g., Ab instead of G#), but with 1/6 comma they may be bearable, especially in contexts where a little sharpness is OK (e.g., leading notes). The trouble with 1/4 comma is the "wrong" notes are so wrong they are unbearable (wolves), so you can't pass off an Ab as a G#, for example. In modern terminology, "minor" keys are more problematic than "major" keys.

[@spiffylute]

Martin-- I gather from your comment about model airplanes that you were talking about free flight rubber powered? I have made many light models too.

[@luteshop]

Hi Sterling - yes I flew all kinds of outdoor free-flight (Junior National Champion 1970!) before moving on to indoor. I was lucky enough to be in at the beginning of the revival of indoor flying at Cardington in 1969 and made the British team for the 1972 World Indoor Championships. I last flew there in about 1980, before all sorts of other things - lutes included - took over.

[@jonathanmosebach7107]

how much would you charge to make one...i would love a therobo

[@luteshop]

The price depends on the size, the materials and the level of decoration. My current price is about 9000 Euros. If that seems expensive, you should know that it represents about 3 months work.

[@Philrc]

Is that 8 frets I counted?

[@brianmcfann3988]

Is that (the seven course instrument after Venere that you play at the beginning) the model with 60cm string length (number 3 on the 7 to 9 course page of your catalog)?

[@luteshop]

Yes, it's actually the same instrument shown in the catalogue. The other instruments featured in the documentary are a 6c after Gerle (made in 1985!) and a 7c after Venere (67cm string length, made in 2011), all of them strung in gut.

[@brianmcfann3988]

Martin Shepherd Do the additional 7 cm of string length on the "7c after Venere" model (#7 in your catalog, I'm guessing) produce a fuller tone than the strings on the 60cm model? What reasons might a player prefer one model over the other?

[@luteshop]

Brian McFann In the 16th and 17th centuries lutes were made in a variety of sizes. The modern tendency to want a lute "in G" at modern pitch has led to a preponderance of lutes around 60cm string length, whereas larger sizes were perhaps more common in the past. The 67cm lute is tuned a tone lower, about F at modern pitch. As you suggest, the sound is perhaps fuller and more flexible, excellent for accompanying the voice as well. People are often afraid of long string lengths because they think they will be hard to play, but usually these fears are unfounded.

[@mariemacfhionghuin11]

+Brian McFann 7c stands for 7 course

[@loiseaunoir1021]

How many hours of work for a theorbo?

[@TechTins_Projects]

Is that a clavier you have there in the background? And did you build it?

[@luteshop]

+Tech Tins It's an Italian virginal, 90% made from a kit many years ago by a friend of mine. I finished it off in 1986 and it has been with me ever since. It sounds good but voicing and regulation are a constant battle.

[@TechTins_Projects]

+Martin Shepherd (Luteshop) Interesting. I wonder if that is the same kind of instrument that is in the painting by vermeer called "the Music lesson" they look similar. How difficult was that to construct? Do they still sell such kits? I bet in their heyday the voicing was difficult to. I suppose they represent an early evolutionary step towards the piano.

[@luteshop]

+Tech Tins Well of course the Vermeer painting shows a Flemish style virginal, rather different in sound from the Italian version, but the point about all these instruments is they were in much the same relation to a full-size harpsichord as is an upright piano to a grand piano - a cheaper and smaller instrument for domestic use. I would say these instruments are not at all "primitive" compared to a piano and have their own repertoire and charm. I think kits are available from various sources - the best kind would probably be from an individual builder who also produces kits.

[@TechTins_Projects]

+Martin Shepherd (Luteshop) That is fascinating info. Could easily get hooked into these old instruments, so many stories. Thanks. This has got me very interested. I found some kits but way too expensive. But I've also just found the plan drawings for a clavichord for under £100. I am so tempted!. Thanks you have inspired me.

[@fadel1254]

hi do you tray make a Arabic oud? thanks

[@luteshop]

I find ouds interesting but I've never made one.

[@fadel1254]

+Martin Shepherd (Luteshop) if I want oud from u can u make. how much. thank you

[@Kashaku3]

Hi Martin. Would I ever be able to buy a lute from you?

[@luteshop]

+Kashaku3 Your question is quite broad, but if you are interested, take a look at my website: www.luteshop.co.uk - you can find there all sorts of information about types of lute, pricing, and advice for first time buyers.

[@ashburnliang2583]

how much

[@yurigoddess1932]

i would love to play lute i used to play electric guitar

[@mariemacfhionghuin11]

+Yuri Goddess Lutes are very different from guitar, even the finger-picking style is different.

[@yurigoddess1932]

Just because they are different does not mean i cant want to play one or learn

[@mariemacfhionghuin11]

Yes, you can learn to play, but they are still nothing alike, besides the fact that they are both plucked string instruments. It's like the difference between the flute and the ocarina.

[@luteshop]

+Yuri Goddess The guitar and the lute are different, but no more different than the different types of guitar. If you play electric guitar, you may find some similarities - close string spacing, low string tension, all kinds of left-hand techniques, etc. You don't know until you try, how the lute is going to feel to you. If you do decide to try the lute, I do recommend that you get some good advice on the lute itself and the technique, from someone who is a lute specialist, not just a generic guitar teacher who has an interest in the lute. Feel free to ask questions!

[@Lucas-yq5qo]

Imagine how u need travel with theorbo, its pain...

[@andrewwheeldon3957]

wonky - ha!

[@jonathanmosebach7107]

do you make Therobos...

[@luteshop]

Yes, I've made quite a few, including the one featured in the video which dates from 1996. My attempt to explain what a theorbo is can be found around 13.00-15.00 in the video.

[@rodney73991]

bottom looks like boat.

[@bleikrsound6127]

A Master acoustics teacher will scold you for allowing your arm / sleeve to press on the top of the instrument, thus muting the sound.