Greetings music lovers! I been dying to learn to play the Lute, and being a string instrument, I figured it would be close to a guitar. Can any players tell me if it plays just like an acoustic guitar or are there any major differences? Thanks for reading :)
Drake,
The standard lute tuning is equivalent to a guitar with the 3rd course tuned to f and with a capo up four, and if you're going to use the lower strings that aren't present on a guitar, you have to get used to those. There are some technique and position adjustments for the shape of the instrument and the two-string courses. That's pretty much it.
I recommend the Fred Noad book, "The Renaissance Guitar," as being the ideal introduction to period technique and repertoire.
The lute is a quiet instrument, ungainly to carry or to play while standing, short lived due to the lack of bracing, and fiddly in uncertain weather. A great instrument but not well suited to the performance situation at fest.