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08/15/02

Welcome to my Web site for the 10-string guitar!

The 10-string guitar (or "Laudarra") is just like a standard 6-string Spanish guitar except that it has 4 more bass strings than the 6-string guitar. Narciso Yepes is said to be the inventor of the 10-string Spanish guitar, but see here for a mention of an earlier 10-string guitar. Its strings can be tuned either in the baroque or modern style, ie:

Baroque tuning beginning with 10^th bass string:

A

B

C

middle-C

E

A

D

G

B

E

Modern tuning beginning with 10^th bass string:

G flat

A flat

B flat

middle-C

E

A

D

G

B

E

The biggest advantage of playing with 10 strings is that you can play music in the original keys. For example, the Lute Suite II (BWV 997) by J.S. Bach is usually played in A minor on a 6-string guitar. On the Laudarra, you can play it in the original key of C minor. From a musical viewpoint, it is very desirableto play in the original keys.

Another advantage of the Laudarra is sympathetic resonance, where unplayed strings resonate naturally and give extra colour to the music.

The large range of notes and mellow tones are what attract me most to the Laudarra.