I'm looking for an eight string stick for my melody playing and see the bass stick has 8 strings and is in mono... exactly what I want if it's flexible enough to be used without bass strings. Will it work?

You can put any string up to a high D (a whole step below guitar open high E) on a 36"-scale Stick.

That's perfect.

Thanks

I sent Emmet a tuning chart saying I would like a baritone tuning for an 8 string bass starting with a D on the largest lowest string (not bass strings as I said before. The tuning is D F Ab Cb D F Ab Cb. I'm wondering about the Cb/B on the highest string. What would that be equivalent to on a guitar, keeping in mind this starting in the baritone register.

Thanks.

An exciting project you've got going there! Can't wait to hear what your multi stick setup will be capable of. Makes me think about Jan Laurenz idea to use guitar and alto Stick simultaneously (although a different musical style)
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSTJ1pQcBYI[/youtube]

I very much regret that I am unable to watch (or for that matter easily upload) any video whatever. Our connection here on the North side of Mt Agung is too slow and unreliable. I know I'm missing out on a lot.

As far as my project being exciting I agree. I've tuned my classical guitar to the tuning I want and playing it flat on my lap. I've figured out which voicings will be easiest at a fast tempo. I've practiced the basic and minor jazz song form changes initially in C, first with vanilla chords then with altered chords just like they would be in one of my compositions. Then I practiced them in every flat key. I've started adding motion to the fifth in the bass and have also practiced moving to both fifths and thirds. I just started doing walking bass lines but that's quite the workout and hopefully in my fusion style won't be needed all the time. But I'm very happy that they are possible at all while holding chords.

If I practice hard in the first year I could be all that and a bag of chips. The bass will be the thing that needs to be held together more reliably than everything else so I'm really focusing on that now. If the music is just fifths and thirds without much rhythmic complexity then its a cinch. With more rhythmic complexity in the bass I might not be able to pull off jazz improvisations later when I start adding lines in my right hand although I might be able to memorize some lines that sound like improvisations wink.

The hardest thing is going to be arpeggiate the chord while moving the bass perhaps in syncopation. Just that is going to take some practice but very possible. The real problem is playing an interesting bass while arpeggiating AND playing any kind of a complex melody line. But actually, if that's going on, the melody can be kept very simple. Perhaps down to one held note. The cool thing about this tuning is that is at all possible.