About Early Music

Frequent questions and subjects of general interest about early music and historical instruments.

What is Early Music: Musical periods, What changed in the Renaissance?

Typical instruments by musical era

The Early Music Revival and its protagonists. Authentic Performance. Replicas of early musical instrument

Taking up an Historical Instrument

Getting an Historical Instrument: Choosing your instrument. Make or Buy. Making an instrument

Travelling with an instrument

Playing: Repertoire, Recommended listening, Learning the technique

Academy

The Academy of Musical Science and Technology (AMST) is the place where you can take instructor-led courses on all aspects of the musical acoustics, organology and musical instrument building, including ergonomics, technology, decoration…

Topics are similar to those of the Encyclopaedia, but in the academy you will receive instruction while in the encyclopaedia you are invited to participate and contribute to its contents.

Encyclopaedia

The Encyclopaedia of Musical Science and Technology is the electronic edition of a collection of theoretic and practical articles on all aspects of the musical acoustics, organology and musical instrument building.

Topics include acoustics, materials, dimensions, decoration, ergonomics, technology, manufacturing tips… History, iconography, musicology are also appropriate if related to the design or construction of the instruments more than to the music produced with them. The Encyclopaedia is not devoted to music theory and music performance except in their relation with the instruments.

Acoustics: Physical acoustics (Waves…), Musical acoustics

Instrument Making: Materials, Tools & procedures, The secrets of our ancestors, Workshop tips, Tying Fret Knots, Scale length and Compensation in Stringed Instrument

Music theory: Notation (Tones, Notes & Octaves), Music Fundamentals, Music Stiles

Materials and Tool Resources

Info about Historical Instruments

Taxonomy of Historical Instruments: Musical instrument classification, What instrument is this?, The names of the musical instruments, History and Iconography of musical instruments, Voice classification

Getting a Musical Instrument: Make or Buy, Can an instrument built from a kit be good enough for musical purposes?, The first questions

Travelling with a musical instrument: Travelling with your musical instruments can be illegal. Your instrument can be seized and you can face heavy fines and imprisonment.

Bookstore

We have selected a wide range of books about musical instruments (technique, history, collections, design, construction…)

Vocabulary, dictionaries

Musical history

Performance, methods

Acoustics, Design, Tuning

Miscellaneous: Collections, Experimental

Keyboards: Clavichord, Harpsichord, Spinet, Virginal, Piano, Organ

Percussion

Stringed: Guitar, Lute, Harp, Lyre, Mandolin, Dulcimer, Hurdy-Gurdy, Violin, Viola, Cello

Pianola, music box

Winds: Flutes, recorders, Reeded, Brasswinds

Links

More related web pages about early music, musical instruments and instrument building.

Makers

Shops

Journals

Societies

Schools

Festivals

Performers

Record Labels

Publishers of Sheet Music