Medieval Lute - Musical instrument STEINBERG - Free user manual and instructions

Product Type	Medieval Lute
Brand	Steinberg
Model	Medieval Lute
Category	Musical Instrument
Material	Spruce top, maple body, rosewood fingerboard
Number of Strings	7 courses (14 strings)
Soundboard	Solid spruce with parchment rose
Tuning Pegs	Boxwood pegs, friction fit
Weight	Approx. 2.5 kg (5.5 lb)
Dimensions (Length x Width x Depth)	105 cm x 30 cm x 15 cm (41.3 in x 11.8 in x 5.9 in)
Body Shape	Pear-shaped with angled neck
Finish	Hand-rubbed oil finish
String Type	Nylon gut strings
Bridge Type	Fixed wooden bridge with string ramps
Sound Hole	Rosette-carved central rose
Included Accessories	None
Care Instructions	Keep at 40-60% humidity; avoid direct sunlight; wipe after playing
Safety Warnings	Keep away from heat sources; string tension may cause injury if snapped
Repair & Spare Parts	Contact Steinberg or a qualified luthier for repairs; strings available online
General Information	Authentic reproduction of a 12th-century lute; suitable for early music ensembles

Frequently Asked Questions - Medieval Lute STEINBERG

How do I tune a medieval lute?

Tune using a chromatic tuner. Standard tuning for a 7-course lute is G2, C3, F3, A3, D4, G4, A4 (from low to high). Turn pegs carefully to avoid breaking strings.

What type of strings should I use?

Use nylon gut strings designed for early music instruments. Avoid steel strings as they can damage the soundboard.

How often should I change the strings?

Change strings every 6-12 months depending on use. Replace if they show fraying or lose tone.

How do I clean the lute?

Wipe the body with a soft dry cloth after playing. For the fingerboard, use a slightly damp cloth and dry immediately. Avoid polishes.

What is the ideal humidity for storage?

Store in 40-60% relative humidity. Use a humidifier in dry climates and a dehumidifier in humid climates to prevent cracking.

Can I play modern music on a medieval lute?

Yes, but the lute is designed for early music. Modern styles may require technique adjustments due to gut strings and light construction.

How do I repair a cracked soundboard?

Do not attempt DIY repair. Take the lute to a professional luthier specializing in historical instruments.

What is the difference between a lute and a guitar?

A lute has a pear-shaped body, gut strings, a soundboard rose, and a pegbox with friction pegs. It produces a softer, more delicate tone.

How do I install new strings?

Thread the string through the bridge, up to the peg, and wind carefully. Tune slowly to avoid breaking new strings.

Why are there two strings per course?

Courses of two strings (unison or octave) produce a richer, fuller sound typical of medieval lutes.

USER MANUAL Medieval Lute STEINBERG

Thank you for purchasing the Lute.

How to install?

In order to properly install your HALion library please follow the instructions given on the Steinberg website or watch the, How to install" HALion instruments video.

For any kind of questions concerning the installation or registration of HALion instruments please contact Steinberg - in terms of the instrument please contact us at: [e-mail]

CINEMATIQUE INSTRUMENTS MANUAL

The instrument

Generally saying, Lute is a term for a most any string instrument having the strings running over a sound box. But if you are actually talking about a Lute one is meaning the European lute (or modern Near-Eastern oud) with characteristics such as a soundboard with a single decorated sound hole called the rose, a shell of thin wooden stripes and most known: a headstock which is angled back from the neck at almost 90°.

Our Lute is a renaissance Lute with 8 courses: (highest to lowest) a'e'b g d A G E . The courses are tuned in unison. Nowadays Lutes are equipped with nylon strings, the same as classica guitars today, but historically they where made of animal guts.

The lute is used in a great variety of instrumental music from the Medieval to the late Baroque eras and was the most important instrument for secular music in the Renaissance. But it is also used in score music such as in the recent Jim Jarmusch's movie 'Only Lovers left alone'.

The Concept

The Lute was carefully sampled in minor thirds on all the 13 strings in 3 dynamic layers and 4 round robin variations. We spent a lot of time to capture the seamless transitions between these layers and variations, so that the instrument feels as natural and smooth as possible.

But this lute is not just sampled notes spread on a keyboard. It is more than this. Like on real string instruments it is now possible to play the same note in different hand positions, each with a different timbre. By changing this position you can make a melody sound different and achieve a more natural feel when played - this all happens live via modwheel.

As if this wasn't enough, we also concentrate on the behavior of the course strings. Beside a separate volume knob, we furthermore defined the parameters flam and detune, which lets you vary the time and the tune in relation to the original string. This can be adjusted by separate knobs.

Finally we added some nice fx and sound options to shape the overall luie sound to our favourite requirements.

CINEMATIQUE INSTRUMENTS MANUAL

In Detail

This is the control bar of the HALion Lute:

Course Strings controls the global volume of the course string Volume ( 2^nd string)

Flam controls the time between the original and the course string

Length controls the overall decay/ release time (= Length)

Tone controls the general sound. Turning counter clockwise you will feature the bass frequency and reduce the high frequencies. Turning clockwise you will achieve the opposite.

CINEMATIQUE INSTRUMENTS MANUAL

Tremolo By activating this button you achieve a tremolo function. When releasing an already played key the instrument plays the note again. This lets you easily create tremolos - you can exactly control the velocity and tempo of the tremolo, simulation

Detune controls the amount of detuning of the course string

Auto Vel by activating this button, the Detune amount is controlled by velocity while the maximum detune amount stays at the current detune-knob position

Reverb controls the amount of reverb

Delay controls the amount of delay

Reverb Type By clicking on the name you can select from four different types of reverb: Room, Hall, Special and Infinite

Delay Time By clicking on the name you can select from three different delay times: 4 ^th , 8 ^th and 16th

Cabinet enables a cabinet simulation

CINEMATIQUE INSTRUMENTS MANUAL

We wish you a great deal of fun and inspiration using our instruments.

Thanks to René, Jumpel, Jonas and Niklas at Cinematique Instruments and Florian, Matthias, Michael and Frank at Steinberg.

Copyright © September, 2019 by Cinematique Instruments, Cologne, Germany