 There are many kinds of lute instruments But all of them are combined by tabulature: French,
Spanish (or guitar), Neapolitan, Italian and German. The last has styles:
Hans Neusidler, Hans Judenkunig and Hans Gerle. Lute tabulature consists
of six lines meaning strings. The most used are French and Spanish (guitar).
Lute fingering description see
Compare one and the same fragment in different kinds (Marco dall Aquila
"Recercare 5"):
 Modern
notation
for classical guitar.
French
tabulature.
First string is above. Letters correspond to frets in such order:
| a |
b |
c/r |
d |
e |
f |
g |
h |
i |
k |
l |
m |
n |
| 0 |
I |
II |
III |
IV |
V |
VI |
VII |
VIII |
IX |
X |
XI |
XII |
Spanish
(or guitar) tabulature.
Figures correspond to frets, first string is above.
Italian
tabulature.
Figures correspond to frets, first string is down.
Neapolitan
tabulature.
Frets count begins from open string, first string is above.
German
tabulature.
Originally, the German tabulature was worked out by Conrad Paumann (1410-1473)
for the 5-choired lute. When the 6-choired lutes became more common the
6th choir was introduced into the German tabulature, it had 5 versions
but more used is the second (*See the table). The main difference of this
tabulature from others is, that it can represent polyphony. 6 lines, unlike
the others, are absent because every note on the neck has its unique symbol.
Frets
Strings
 |
0 |
I |
II |
III |
IV |
V |
VI |
VII |
VIII |
IX |
 |
5 |
e |
k |
p |
v |
9 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
4 |
d |
i |
o |
t |
7 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
3 |
c |
h |
n |
s |
z |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
2 |
b |
g |
m |
r |
y |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
1 |
a |
f |
l |
q |
x |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 (1) |
A |
B |
C |
D |
E |
F |
G |
H |
|
|
| *(2) |
 |
A |
B |
C |
D |
E |
F |
G |
H |
|
| (3) |
|
A |
F
|
L |
Q |
X |
AA |
FF |
|
|
| (4) |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
| (5) |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Rhythmical
designation for all kinds of tabulatures is the same and corresponds to
the modern notation. Inscription can be anyone, it doesn't matter:
 |
