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Thread: Cittern tuned GDADG - recordings?

  1. #1

    Default Cittern tuned GDADG - recordings?

    After being in the market for an inexpensive octave mando, I lucked into an unexpected ebay buy-it-now deal on a cittern (a Kennaquhair by Douglas Dieter of Indiana) and I'm loving it. I've tried a variety of tunings, and for now, I've settled on GDADG as one that matches my instincts and my ear. I know there are a few clips of tunes in this tuning on You Tube, but I'm looking for more recordings of players who use this tuning, especially in a group setting. Any thoughts?

    Thanks!
    Joanna

  2. #2

    Default Re: Cittern tuned GDADG - recordings?

    This is not an ensemble setting, but Doc Rossi's 'Celtic Cittern' instructional book, readily available on e-Bay, comes with a CD (solo), and the book is tabbed for a GDADG tuning. It is not quite what you are looking for, but depending where you are on the learning curve, it might be helpful.

    Ron

  3. #3

    Default Re: Cittern tuned GDADG - recordings?

    Quote Originally Posted by klaezimmer View Post
    This is not an ensemble setting, but Doc Rossi's 'Celtic Cittern' instructional book, readily available on e-Bay, comes with a CD (solo), and the book is tabbed for a GDADG tuning. It is not quite what you are looking for, but depending where you are on the learning curve, it might be helpful.

    Ron
    There are some duets in the book, there's an audio sample of a solo piece on this page

    Coincidentally I've just had a copy delivered this morning, some really nice arrangements from listening to the accompanying CD

  4. #4

    Default Re: Cittern tuned GDADG - recordings?

    Thanks, both. I ordered Doc Rossi's book yesterday.

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    Default Re: Cittern tuned GDADG - recordings?

    Quote Originally Posted by joannajetson View Post
    After being in the market for an inexpensive octave mando, I lucked into an unexpected ebay buy-it-now deal on a cittern (a Kennaquhair by Douglas Dieter of Indiana) and I'm loving it. I've tried a variety of tunings, and for now, I've settled on GDADG as one that matches my instincts and my ear. I know there are a few clips of tunes in this tuning on You Tube, but I'm looking for more recordings of players who use this tuning, especially in a group setting. Any thoughts?

    Thanks!
    Joanna
    Interesting tuning -- apparently an established one? What it the thinking behind this tuning with appears to be intervals of 3rd, 4th, 3rd 3rd between courses - i.e., not like a guitar not like a mandolin? Thanks -- also what range and string gauges are you using thanks.

    Interested because I just converted a The Loar arch top guitar to a 5 course mandocello (or cittern) - -tuned CGDAE (like mandocello-octave mando) which seems a more typical arrangement -- or maybe not! (the blue around the bridge is tape I used in setting the intonation for the first time).
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    Bernie
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    Default Re: Cittern tuned GDADG - recordings?

    Quote Originally Posted by Bernie Daniel View Post
    Interesting tuning -- apparently an established one? What it the thinking behind this tuning with appears to be intervals of 3rd, 4th, 3rd 3rd between courses - i.e., not like a guitar not like a mandolin? Thanks -- also what range and string gauges are you using thanks.

    Interested because I just converted a The Loar arch top guitar to a 5 course mandocello (or cittern) - -tuned CGDAE (like mandocello-octave mando) which seems a more typical arrangement -- or maybe not! (the blue around the bridge is tape I used in setting the intonation for the first time).
    Hi, Bernie,
    I like your conversion - I looked at the photo before I read your post and thought it was an old Slingerland at first. My scale length is only about 22", so if I try going down to C at the bottom, it sounds really floppy and dull. I tried GDAEB - like an octave mando with the extra 5th on top - but I like the shorter reach for the 3rds. So then I tried GADEA, which a lot of people seem to use, but I'm used to DADGAD guitar and I really like those big open chords and 2-note chords, and that brought me back to the GDADG. I use light gauge strings - .09, .14, .18, .30, .40.

    How do like the sound of your conversion? My cittern's in a nice sweet spot between jangly and warm, but every time I listen to Mike Marshall's mandocello clips, I get all quivery...

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    Default Re: Cittern tuned GDADG - recordings?

    The GDADG tuning has the Irish bouzouki tuning on the bottom four courses with a high G on top. You can get a lot of bouzouki material. The top course can be tuned up to A for some keys. There is an available file online with zouk chord forms.

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    Default Re: Cittern tuned GDADG - recordings?

    Quote Originally Posted by joannajetson View Post
    Hi, Bernie,
    I like your conversion - I looked at the photo before I read your post and thought it was an old Slingerland at first. My scale length is only about 22", so if I try going down to C at the bottom, it sounds really floppy and dull. I tried GDAEB - like an octave mando with the extra 5th on top - but I like the shorter reach for the 3rds. So then I tried GADEA, which a lot of people seem to use, but I'm used to DADGAD guitar and I really like those big open chords and 2-note chords, and that brought me back to the GDADG. I use light gauge strings - .09, .14, .18, .30, .40.

    How do like the sound of your conversion? My cittern's in a nice sweet spot between jangly and warm, but every time I listen to Mike Marshall's mandocello clips, I get all quivery...
    Ha yes I can see how one might look at "The Loar" and recall a 1930's Slingerland Type 81 arch top -- good observation -- I had not thought of those when I inlaid that MOP-Abalone diamond on the head stock! I had covered the it with 0.6 mm ebony veneer to hide the old guitar holes -- there are a couple of strings in this CBOM section on the details of the conversion (look for The Loar cittern in the title).

    The sound is pretty amazing -- the high E course is the same note as the guitar so it kind sounds like a screaming monster -- a cross between a mandocello and a 12-string guitar if that makes any sense to you.

    I've done several arch top-to-mandocello conversions but never to a citten. That higher course makes a dramatic difference in the over all sound -- one tends to hear that course better (I think) so it adds a lot of drama/inspiration to the sound. The other big advantage is you can just use your mandolin fingerings since you have the E course. The sobering side is you could get the same thing with a octave mandolin and have much less stretching between frets! LOL!

    The scale is 24.75" and I have it strung 0.066"; 0.045"; 0.030",0.020" (all wound) and 0.013" (C to E) - this set maintains very constant tension across all 5 courses.

    I will be selling this cittern soon - it was just a fun project and I don't need it. I need to run it past Will Kimble first of have him check out how I have it set up. In a few minutes he can give you a pretty good idea what needs to be done yet with the set up. I'll be at a Celtic festival in Prince Edward Island but when I'm back I'll get it ready to go out the door probably on the Cafe classifieds.

    If you have a pic handy it would be good to see what your Kennaquhair looks like. You mentioned that Douglas Dieter is in Indiana -- I'm in Cincinnati so maybe I should check him out and get to know him! BTW those are some pretty light string gauges then again you are on the long side of an octave and the short side of a mandocello -- might be a great compromise now that I think of it. I'll bet it plays in the hand a lot more like an octave - and believe me that is a good thing.

    When I hear Mike Marshall I wonder why in the "h" "e" double toothpick I even have a mandocello.
    Last edited by Bernie Daniel; Jun-04-2014 at 8:12am.
    Bernie
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    Default Re: Cittern tuned GDADG - recordings?

    Quote Originally Posted by vernob View Post
    The GDADG tuning has the Irish bouzouki tuning on the bottom four courses with a high G on top. You can get a lot of bouzouki material. The top course can be tuned up to A for some keys. There is an available file online with zouk chord forms.
    Thanks good information!
    Bernie
    ____
    Due to current budgetary restrictions the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off -- sorry about the inconvenience.

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