Unhas - fingernails - Beau Bledsoe

I've attempted to make my own finger picks for playing the Portuguese guitar. This is a traditional practice that most of the guitarists utilize in Portugal. I have my own nails that I use to play so I think I may by pass on this practice altogether. Plus my hero Carlo Paredes seems to get along just fine without these artificial nails. But my family is out of town and I recently built a new work bench in the basement. Let us begin. Using the youtube video here and here I managed to initiate myself into yet another bizarre practice of the Portuguese guitar.




materials needed: CD case, slide, dremel tool, drill, scissors, surgical tape, exacto blade,  2X4, ruler, safety glasses, beer

drill hole

insert slide, note: failed other hole (too small)

assemble "mold"

cut acrylic piece out of CD case

drill hole for finger

heat brass slide and attempt to mold acrylic into a curve. Fail miserably

Try cutting a shape out of a pill bottle

success!

They go on the fingers like so.

Again...I think I may have to not use these. We'll see.

Renaissance madman - Beau Bledsoe

On July 16th, we all loaded up into a couple of cars and headed out to the home of Dave Bucher in Raytown, Missouri. There we received the grand tour of his home, libraries and guitar shop. Giuliano Mingucci helped us document the event. I edited down the half day into this 20 minute video of Dave explaining his construction methods, what inspires him and many historical lesson regarding musical instruments and art.

Personally I was struck by his "three elements" statement of instrument construction at the end of the video. In order; aesthetic, playability and then sound. For a musician, sound is usually the first thing - naturally. I once owned a really great sounding Conde Hermanos flamenco guitar that looked like a twelve year old had built it. But it had "the sound" that made their Madrid workshop so very famous. On the other hand, when I moved to Kansas City I apprenticed at a violin shop and learned much about violin construction. One day, The owner of the shop told me that Stradavarious was nothing more than a fine, methodical builder that used good materials. He also claimed that all we could aspire to do was to copy Michelangelo's David over and over again. The violin being a perfect form like David. Antonio Stradavarious and his Cremona contemporaries had perfected the violin design. Nothing more to add.

The sound of Dave's Portuguese guitar still remains unknown.  It sits in his workshop now, finish drying. It will be ready for strings in about two weeks. I hope his "three elements" ring true in the sound of the instrument. He certainly has aesthetics nailed down.

- Beau

What is this strange thing called a Portuguese guitar? - Beau Bledsoe

Today I received this in my inbox…"I keep checking back for updates!!!! What's happening? How about posting links to some samples on You Tube or something? What the heck IS a Portuguese guitar anyway? Inquiring musical minds would like updates. Thanks,"

Oh how flattered I am that someone is interested! Well reader, No new samples yet but I’d love to answer the guitar question.

The Portuguese guitar is an unusual instrument that bares little resemblance to the Spanish guitar that I play everyday. In fact that instrument is called the “viola” in Portugal. Confused yet?


Although there is much debate, most agree that it’s a direct descendant of the English guitar from the 1700’s, which is really a cittern. The cittern is a pear shaped string instrument that was very popular all over Europe dating from the Renaissance. For hundreds of years it was the premier instrument of casual music making much as is the guitar today.

English guitar

woman with cittern

It’s playing technique can be dated back to the 17th century. The instrument employs a very old right hand technique called “dedilho” or “dedillo in Spanish”. The fingers of the plucking hand are almost parallel to the strings and only the thumb and forefinger are used with few exceptions. The pinky finger rests on the soundboard which will surely give all of my former classical guitar teachers massive heart attacks. Observe the hand position in the oil painting below compared to the record cover of Portuguese guitar legend Carlos Paredes. Also many lutenists utilize a similar technique. In the Portuguese style, the right corner of the nail is used to pluck the string but many modern players have moved to using artificial nails made from tortoise shell or plastic. 

Another esoteric feature is that I have to make my own strings! I feel like those monastic oboe players that spend many hours diligently making their own reeds. Actually it’s not so bad. I have to buy the wire strings in spools and make my own loops at each end of the string using my new "alicate" (string winder). I understand that this is what many guitarists had to do in ye olden days.





I also have to get around to making my own “unhas” or artificial nails to play the guitar with. Thanks to the unusually thorough youtube videos of Ron Fernandez I think I’m going to be able to do this project with my dremel tool, some empty pill bottles and surgical tape. It all just gets more and more strange.





Oh…and for musicians only – Look at how this thing is tuned! Lord help me.





One aesthetic detail of the Portuguese guitar that I'm absolutely enamored with are the "Preston tuners" that grace the head of the instrument like a proud peacock. This design was invented by London guitar maker, John Preston (1753 - 1700). These are also know as "watch key" tuners.




My Portuguese guitar, made by my friend Dave Bucher, is supposed to be completed in mid August so I’ll let you know how things progress. I really hope this helps everyone grasp this strange and beautiful instrument because I'm still thoroughly mystified.

- Beau