It seems [to me]that the masters of this instrument play almost exclusively w one hand in the bass and the right hand in melody-piano style. I have been frustrated that I am very awkward using only one hand for melody and that I cant riff as easily as I do on Guitar bass or piano-unless I use 2 hands on the melody side. Not van halen style,hammer on/off but using what I can only think to call "drone tones" - frinstance-tap 2 fingers, on c and e
2 more on c and e on different strings BUT THE SAME NOTES. by doing this its like a chugging guitar riff w the notes staying the same but the timbre changing subtly in beat [did that make any sense?]

Also blues soloing is much easier w 2 hands-I even figured out a way to bend up a whole step,guitar style,pulling the string w my left hand while holding the note down w my right. Ive never seen anyone else do this but it works!

So I hope to one day play melody w only one hand but until then,I am feeling guilty how easy it is to play with 2.

I'd hate to say that I'd dedicated myself to a particular way of playing...it's all good...no rules...if it sounds good, it is good...yadda

Two free hands on the bass...two free hands on the melody...catch extended chord tones with the tip of your nose...play slide...use an Ebow...strum it...hit it...fingerpick it...one hand across both sides...it could go on forever.

Correct response.
Tip of the nose is one of my faves.
Try hand over hand, thumbs, knuckles,...
How 'bout 3 melodies-- right hand on melody strings, left hand as well on different melody strings, right thumb on high bass strings, all simultaneous. Add tip of the nose for harmonic statements.
This approach works for me.

Ellis Dee

The chordal pull-off technique that Steve uses is a nice example too.

it 's absolutely not cheating. However, We should all keep trying to stretch out and explore, so I wouldn't give up on other ways of playing just because they are not as "natural"at first.


Brett

Guess Im overthinking this stuff huh?
I never learned much music theory but have decided to learn enough theory on the Stick to be competent in nearly any situation,so I can gig at all! Its too easy [for me]to put down free Hands ,turn the digital dimension on the Bass side,digitech rp 250 on the melody and I can shimmer and volume wah dly pedal into the night--NO!!!
MUST LEARN CHORDS!
MUST KNOW EVERY E ON THE NECK!!!
[how many are there anyway?}

perhaps a more balanced[fun!]approach would be best...

I bet it is tough for someone that has allot of experience with another instrument to suddenly be thrown back into newbie land with the Stick. I would think that it would try ones patience.

At the same time, like I heard someone else on this forum say..."With the Stick the learning curve may be steep, but the ceiling sure is high." If someone knows who said that please credit it for me.

-Curtis

That's why I think a 6 string, guitar tuned Stick would be a killer product. Instant familiarity for millions of guitarists.

But back to the OT. If it works, it works.

Phred, I think what you are talking about is the old "two hand independence" thing or the lack of it.
One of the wonders of the Stick is exactly what Emmett says in Free Hands. It's a "blank slate".
He means just that; its all about discovery.

Every "off" way of approaching the Stick unlike some bad guitar habits, usually don't come back to haunt you. In fact almost everything can be used as music making technique especially two handed melody or bass patterns.
I have been having a lot of success with pull off's and mutes and muted drones like you mentioned

But back to just regular old "T,H,I" ( two hand independence). I have been playing
guitar again lately and with finger picking I thought 'this is two handed independence'.
Why is it any harder on the Stick? i think that it just comes down to familiarity.

So to make practice more fun use a mirror. Watching your hands in a mirror does something
to the brain It unscrambles the upsidedown and backwards thing that happens
when you are new to the inverted bass and you are looking down at your fingers
trying to figure it out. It might take about twenty minuets simply gazing at your fingers moving but patterns will begin to emerge and over time those patterns will start
to evolve and connect to each other. The great thing about this "trance mirror"
approach is that the patterns will ultimatly turn into songs and they will have your
signiture on them.
jrj

It IS cheating. A loser like Eddie Van Halen will never get anywhere by 'cheating' using two hands on the fretboard, will he.