Mandore (instrument)
Tuning
Tuning
------

### According to Praetorius

[thumb\|upright\=0\.5\|A modern built mandore. This one has five courses of strings; 4 single strings and one set of double strings](/wiki/File:Carlos_Gonzalez_Marcos_made_Mandore.jpg "Carlos Gonzalez Marcos made Mandore.jpg")
Michael Praetorius detailed four tunings for the Mandore in his book *Syntagma Musicum* in 1619\. He listed three tunings (with one repeated) for tuning the mandore. His tuning illustrates tuning for both 4\-stringed instruments and 5\-stringed instruments.

#### Fifths and fourths

The listed tunings using fifths and fourths between strings are:
C\-G\-C\-G
C\-G\-C\-G\-C
G\-D\-G\-D

#### Fourths and fifths

The listed tuning for fourths and fifths tuning is:
C\-F\-C\-F\-C

### According to Mersenne

Mersenne indicates in his book that there were many ways to tune a mandore, but three ways predominated: tuning in unison, tuning with a lowered string, and tuning in a third.

#### Tuning in Unison

For a four\-string mandore, Mersenne said, "The fourth string is a fifth of the third; the third string is at the fourth of the second, and the second at a fifth from the treble string." In other words, the mandore used a combination of fourths and fifths the courses of strings, such as *c\-g\-c\-g*.

#### Tuning with a lowered string

Mersenne indicated that this was less common than tuning in unison. To tune this way, "the treble string is lowered a tone, so to make a fourth with the third string." In other words, going from tuning *c\-g\-c\-g* to *c\-g\-c\-f*.

#### Tuning in a third

In tuning a third, one "lowers the treble string down a minor third, so it makes a major third with the third." An example is going from *c\-g\-c\-g* to *c\-g\-c\-e*.

### According to the Skene Manuscript

The tunes in the Skene Manuscript are for a mandore tuned in fourths and fifths. Dauney points out in his editing of the *Skene Manuscript* that the tablature is written strangely, that although it is tabbed for a four\-string instrument, it is marked under the bottom line, indicating a five\-string instrument: (the *Skene manuscript*)
A\-D\-A\-D\-A

and also an older lute tuning in fourths (except between F and A, which is a third):
C\-F\-A\-D\-G


Are there any potential risks associated with using lowered strings in instrument tuning?