I've had my stick for 4 days now-

It's a Tarara Grand stick, deep matched reciprocal tuning, GK3, 2008. Really nice.

My initial impressions when I got it out of the case - This thing is really well put together, and nicely finished. The wood is beautiful, really nice colour and grain.

I'm coming from playing jazz guitar for 7 years, other styles of guitar for 40 years, some piano, violin, and also my Jon Shuker 6 string fretless bass.

I plugged it in to my VG99 and tried it. It makes a really nice sound, like a mixture of guitar, piano, harp, and dulcimer. I had to play with the balance and tone to get the two sides even.

I set the ACTV pickup to mono, and put a short patch lead from the output of the pickup to the input of the GK3, and connected the GK3 via hexaphonic pickup to the VG99, and got my ruler out to set up a custom pickup on my mac.

using the VG99 gives me such flexibility. I can set the treble strings to their own sound, anything I want, while I send the bass to a separate effects chain and amp simulator, I can layer a synth pad onto the treble acoustic sounds, or send all mono sounds to one side of the VG99, and use the multiple equalisers to correct the sound.

The pickup seemed quite noisy, and was picking up "computer noise" so I checked the battery- giving 8.5v, so replaced it with a new one - seemed to correct the problem.

I also tried the sound through my Korg Pandora - which seems to work really well, then I can slot the pandora onto my pocket, and I'm sorted.

So to the music. I've realised that when playing the guitar, my brain works in a certain way, like a hierarchy. My brain makes the music, it tells my Right hand what to do. The Right hand tells the Left hand to prepare a note, then the R hand delivers it. If I'm playing chord melody, then this happens multiple times, in parallel. Brain -> Right hand -> Left hand

For the stick, all of this has to change. The parallel messages have to go to both hands simultaneously. my right hand is no longer the boss hand. My left hand is totally amazed by this new responsibility, and is having some problems coping.

So, I've set myself an exercise. One note for my left hand on bass, a constant one note drone, one beat in a bar, regular, precise, musical.

I need to get my left hand happy to be taking responsibility for its own musical task, however simple..

When I get a chance in the next few weeks, I'm going to try one of Greg's Skype lessons. His advice to get the hands to take control, and get movement into the hands is making good sense. Like conducting - musical energy comes from movement of the hands..

I've having fun imagining the repertoire I can work on, with such a huge harmonic range - so many possibilities..

I'm setting myself the target of producing a video in the next 4 weeks of some music, maybe very simple music, but music..

>>>For the stick, all of this has to change. The parallel messages have to go to both hands simultaneously. my right hand is no longer the boss hand. My left hand is totally amazed by this new responsibility, and is having some problems coping.<<<

Although you've played guitar for many decades, remember this is a new instrument with different note layout and technique. As you stated you've played it for 4 days!
I once gave a Stick lesson to Pat Metheny. He was making some interesting sounds, when after 15 minutes he said "I can't ge the hang of this". I responded similarly, "You've been playing for 15 minutes" Try to remember how you sounded on geeeeetar after 15 minutes (or 4 days).
The guitar experience will help but it's not the same concept. I went through the same journey, having played guitar (mostly jazz) then switching energies to The Stick. It takes some time but it will become addictive and new paths will become obvious. My setup is like yours, Grand Stick through VG99, and I get inspiration every single day. You've made a great choice. Be patient. The rewards will come

Yeah!

Glad the hand movement message is getting out there.

It's not a guitar. What you know from the guitar may help or it may really slow you down. Getting the left hand to function on its own, without interference from the right hand, is the single greatest challenge guitar-playing Stickists face. Tackle it at the beginning, and your learning process will be much faster.

Think of it as "un-coordinating" your hands.

[quote] Getting the left hand to function on its own, without interference from the right hand, is the single greatest challenge guitar-playing Stickists face[/quote]

It seems so odd that this is true. One would think that the left hand for a guitarist would
have lots of "independence" but in the beginning the left hands coordination is
unflatteringly tied to the right.

I have had good success by keeping a beat or
repetitive pattern going with the right hand and then exploring melody(s)
with the left. sounds so simple right?

*j*
.~

I find it strange that my right hand quickly seems happy to find the right place to find frets, and can play scales without problem, but my left hand although it finds the frets, just sits there waiting for instructions, like a mindless automaton...

much more practice needed.....

There are no quick remedies. Only time and practice will give you that comfort zone combo of technique and creativity. There will be many Eureka moments during your Stick explorations. Playing The Stick is easy and at the same time, not. Allow hard work and time to get you to your goal. Musical gratification will be its own inspiration

Oddly enough, my experience was completely backwards from what you guys describe. I was fairly proficient with my left hand after a couple of days, once I got used to the inverted 5ths tuning, and my right hand still feels clumsy by comparison 6 months later.

Hi Matt,

Are you using a specific strategy in the right hand? (3-finger or 4?)

Hand movement is definitely more difficult to implement with 4 than 3, especially as the frets get close together.

>>Hand movement is definitely more difficult to implement with 4 than 3, especially as the frets get close together.<<

Some opinions ,may differ............

Odd grasshopper make your tea with both hands and all of your fingers