It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 2:13 pm




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 39 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2, 3, 4
 Next Level Stuff 
Author Message
Resident Contributor
Resident Contributor
User avatar

Joined: Wed Mar 28, 2012 12:05 am
Posts: 315
Post Re: Next Level Stuff
I've been dealing with many of the issues that you describe from technique to musical styles.

My solution to the playing posture is that I've completely abandoned playing seated. Whenever I practice or play, I stand.
If the practice sessions are longer I find that having a 10min break every 45mins helps a lot and I don't get too tired.

The instrument position for me that's comfortable is more towards the position of a guitar, maybe more vertical, a little more than 45 degrees from the floor - maybe 50 to 55.
The headstock is also a bit more away (forward) from my body.

What also helped my wrists was modifying the belt hook with spacers, so that it's not angled.

This requires that you train to play blindly most of the time, with an occasional glance when doing larger shifts. I was very bad at this at the beginning, but after about 6 months it got much better.
This also is good for the neck if you look straight ahead instead of peeking the fingerboard.

And for the stylistic preferences you mention, I think it's very liberating to forget that you can play two parts at the same time on the stick once in a while.
It frees amazing possibilities of what you can do as a single line with two hands - speed, complexity, the unexpected.

Keep in mind that I'm a beginner still...

Kaspar

_________________
http://www.kaspartorn.eu/


Sat Dec 16, 2017 4:41 am
Profile
Member
Member
User avatar

Joined: Thu Sep 05, 2013 6:55 pm
Posts: 54
Post Re: Next Level Stuff
Carbon wrote:
I've been dealing with many of the issues that you describe from technique to musical styles.

What also helped my wrists was modifying the belt hook with spacers, so that it's not angled.

This requires that you train to play blindly most of the time, with an occasional glance when doing larger shifts. I was very bad at this at the beginning, but after about 6 months it got much better.
This also is good for the neck if you look straight ahead instead of peeking the fingerboard.

It frees amazing possibilities of what you can do as a single line with two hands - speed, complexity, the unexpected.

Keep in mind that I'm a beginner still...

Kaspar


Thank you for the thoughtful post, Kaspar.
One of my main reasons for seeking out comfortable ways to play seated has to do with the concept of placing a straight road directly over a hill...
That's why the band harness was useful; the distance at the bottom end of the stick was farther away.
HOWEVER, I take your points about hand positions, the angle of the instrument, and especially the idea of "playing blindly". Greg Howard made the same suggestion and I did try it for a while, frustrating! But I do know if I stick with it I will master the technique. Being a pianist I learned that lesson long ago and I became a better pianist when I stopped looking at my hands and trusted 'the force' :idea:

As to the idea of letting go of playing two distinct musical ideas simultaneously, one backing up the other, and using both hands toward the same musical expression, I'm 100% with you! Many of my favorite clasiccal composers, as well as fellows like Tony Levin, Kerry Minear, and a number of the stick players I met at last year's get-together, provided masterful examples just asking to be emulated :-)

Thanks again
Cheers
Harry


Sat Dec 16, 2017 3:08 pm
Profile
Resident Contributor
Resident Contributor
User avatar

Joined: Wed Mar 28, 2012 12:05 am
Posts: 315
Post Re: Next Level Stuff
@lminor7
Cool!

Edit to my previous post:
Got to check the neck angle with a CAD program :) Actually it was more vertical than I initially thought - about 60 to 65 degrees.

And also, I found that I adjust the angle a bit, depending where on the fingerboard I play. Like a guitarist (which I was) would bring the neck vertical when soloing on the higher frets.

_________________
http://www.kaspartorn.eu/


Sun Dec 17, 2017 3:35 am
Profile
Resident Contributor
Resident Contributor

Joined: Tue Feb 19, 2013 2:59 pm
Posts: 411
Post Re: Next Level Stuff
I once read in a piano technique book about "throwing the hand". Sometimes, to make the fingers work right, you have to "throw the hand" into position, and I've found, away from the instrument, imagining some difficult passage (specifically, Steel Drivers' "Reckless Side of Me") that I have to move my entire hand up and to the left a little to make my RH pinky work correctly in the passage.

I still don't have it up to tempo,esp. my band's tempo (they love going faster than the original!).

I hope that helps. Slow practice may give you similar ideas.

BTW I got a major inspiration from one of your videos, that helped me with RH articulation. I'm working on that now.

R


Sun Dec 17, 2017 8:31 am
Profile
Elite Contributor
Elite Contributor
User avatar

Joined: Sun May 18, 2014 9:43 am
Posts: 4039
Post Re: Next Level Stuff
Cool replies, guys. Thanks for the input, I (for one) appreciate it all.

I was able to replace the lap dawg's threaded studs with slightly longer ones, so playing seated and hand access to the notes I wish to play (all of them) is no longer an issue. The Lap dawg is great, I highly recommend it!

And yes, I know that slow practice is a key part of getting faster, clean execution, rhythmic control, phrasing, accents, etc etc. I spend many hours a day with a metronome doing a lot of different things... polyrhythms, rests, tied notes, odd note groupings, etc, etc

I do practice standing sometimes, and when standing it's really not an issue (the hand access) but I have to be able to be seated for some of it. Gotta take notes, enter stuff in the computer, adjust tones, answer the phone things like that. Some seated practice HAS to happen (for me) it just does.

Remember, I am nobody. I just ask questions and try out the suggestions posted. If "it" works for me, I use it. If not, "it" gets discarded in favour of a more efficient, and practical method. I take my fun seriously...

For me, "next level" means a few different things, but mostly just "what I'm working on next" heh :D

_________________
GUITAR RULES
https://www.facebook.com/scottsguitarstuffMy FB Page


Sat Dec 23, 2017 9:52 am
Profile
Elite Contributor
Elite Contributor
User avatar

Joined: Tue Mar 17, 2015 11:19 pm
Posts: 1719
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Post Re: Next Level Stuff
This was my solution to the problem. Fully adjustable.
http://www.stickist.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=12070
Sit or Stand... no longer a problem.
I prefer playing laying down though. 8-)

Jayesskerr wrote:
:D Hmmn, I'm thinking that I have perhaps just not phrased my question very articulately. Maybe this video will help clarify?

Thanks for the replies thus far, I take everything you guys seriously, and as such I'll try it all. Repeatedly if I have to. I will resolve this one way or the other, but I thought I'd ask the same as I always do.

The video of suck...


_________________
#404 Stick - (1978) Angico hard wood.
#6460 Railboard - Black with glow inlays.


Sat Dec 30, 2017 7:39 pm
Profile
Elite Contributor
Elite Contributor
User avatar

Joined: Sun May 18, 2014 9:43 am
Posts: 4039
Post Re: Next Level Stuff
WerkSpace wrote:
This was my solution to the problem. Fully adjustable.
http://www.stickist.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=12070
Sit or Stand... no longer a problem.
I prefer playing laying down though.


Very cool, Werkspace. That's pretty excellent!

_________________
GUITAR RULES
https://www.facebook.com/scottsguitarstuffMy FB Page


Wed Jan 03, 2018 6:43 pm
Profile
Artisan Contributor
Artisan Contributor
User avatar

Joined: Mon Nov 16, 2009 8:03 am
Posts: 724
Post Re: Next Level Stuff
BSharp wrote:
I'll "harp" on this theme again because I find it so useful. For very fast lead lines, try fingers 1, 2 and 4 per string until you get to that pair of strings that require an ascending pattern of a whole step followed by a half step. Here switch to fingers 1, 2 and 3 with a slight twist of the wrist.

It's all a three fingered technique, conceptually, that is, but you're using four fingers and can feel the torque strength at both sides of the hand. Of course you'd have even more of that if the thumb were involved as on keys (no so practical, however, on strings).

If this approach feels good on the fast melodic passages, then slow it down and use it everywhere. You'd never have a problem reaching across five frets wherever your right hand lands on the board.


Since I was off social media (still am) and most online forums for a while, I missed this thread - very interesting and helpful. Emmett mentioned his 1, 2, 4 finger method to me last week and I have spent some time working with it on the Grand Stick and NS/Stick. The torque strength is a real advantage - plus you can very easily play a whole step-minor third interval very fast (if you are into that sort of thing). The challenge for me is switching back to 1, 2, 3 cleanly. BTW, this technique is especially useful on the NS/Stick where a wider reach is needed. Thanks, Emmett!

Jeremy

_________________
Grand Bamboo Stick, PASV-4
10-string Plum Railboard
8-String NS Stick Ash/Wenge
Alto Stick, Padauk, Stickup
Stick Guitar Bamboo EMG

http://jeremycubert.com
https://jeremycubert.bandcamp.com/
https://soundcloud.com/jeremycubert


Thu Mar 15, 2018 11:44 am
Profile
Master Contributor
Master Contributor

Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2023 4:45 am
Posts: 1183
Post Re: Next Level Stuff
Thanks Jeremy, for trying out my RH 3-fingered concept using 4 fingers, and for supporting that instruction here. If it turns out to improve Stick players' melody prowess, that would of course be good all around, for The Stick instrument and players.

There are several substantial benefits to this fingering technique on uniform 4ths (to infinity), including the following two:

1) You have 5 successive strings using fingers 1, 2 & 4. It feels like 1, 2 &3 and you can rip thru scales and lines when you want a dense guitar lead legato style. Typical guitar type fingerings have a basis of 3 notes per string for all modal scales and if the tuning is all 4ths, the overall pattern follows my "Strings in Fourths to Infinity" chart, Free Hands page 41. The pattern covers 7 strings (even tho there are only 5 or 6 melody strings), but all 7 finger patterns show up if you play at different RH scale positions along the board. The 2 remaining strings in the 7-string pattern are played with fingers 1, 2 & 3 (and a slight twist of the wrist).

2) For 2-finger pentatonic scales, especially those interspersed within 3-finger modal scales, you have an extra resource, a double right hand! Fingers 1 & 2 can play a pentatonic, omitting those modal notes played by the 4th or 3rd finger. Fingers 2 & 4 then have their own pentatonic, still within the mode but omitting the 1st finger.

Why shouldn't guitar lead melody be within the scope of Stickists? It's the reward, after all.


Thu Mar 15, 2018 2:38 pm
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 39 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2, 3, 4


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 6 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  

board3 Portal - based on phpBB3 Portal Powered by phpBB © phpBB Group. Designed by Vjacheslav Trushkin for Free Forums/DivisionCore.
Heavily modified by Stickist.com. Stickist.com is an authorized Chapman Stick® site. The Chapman Stick® and NS/Stick™ and their marks are federally registered trademarks exclusively licensed to Stick Enterprises, Inc., and are used on Stickist.com and NSstickist.com with SEI's permission.
Click here for more information.