I strive for two part play. Further, I want both parts to stand on their own so if I ever lose control over one hand or the other(medically speaking, I mean- not necessarily just getting lost in the moment) what I have left is still musically valid not to mention, rehearsed. Be prepared.

Mike

Mike, without a doubt. The interplay possibilities are absolutely staggering if you think about it. I mean, thinking about what Greg posted a while back, left hand only playing that Bach bit... Pretty cool. This instrument could go anywhere...

Of course, I am still an absolute beginner... so all I can do is dream and practice, practice, practice!

One thing I teach is that independence and interdependence are not always so clear cut, and that we are often somewhere on a continuum between the two sometimes clser to one and sometimes closer to the other.

The experience of "being in the moment" is being able to move along that continuum with unconscious ease. That is a big part of what it means to be a Stickist, in my opinion.

Thanks for all the replies everyone.

I learned to play one song, two-part-play. Other than that, I've been using the stick as a song writing idea-tool, one side at a time. Been playing keys for decades, so it's easy to fall into the well worn ruts if I am playing keys. Fiddling around on the stick takes me away from the ruts and into completely new musical territory.

As an added bonus, with my relatively new multi-effects unit, I can satisfy my guitar envy with power chords and cool lead sounds. Yes, I could do that with keys, but on the stick I get all the wonderful noises in between the notes. Much more authentic.

Someday I will start working on 3 hours worth of solo stick ( two-part-play, of course). For now, one-side-at-a-time with both hands.

I use a combination of these.
If i am having trouble grasping the songs bass and melody i break it down into parts.
Since most songs have recurring bass and melody i try to get the bass side down first then the melody.
Then i put them together in sections.
It works well for me. Disecting it seems to help me get it faster.
But i always play the song with both at the same time...eventually lol

....having a main mode of play??....

....does this mean, one isn't a versatile player??....

I recorded some tunes with "sandwich" melodies tracks layering, and love that process, a nice way to create natural chorused colors, rythms and arpeggios...

Joel thats how I do it too....

I've found in the last few years that I'm able to change the way I phrase melody parts on the fly too, (push a note here, pull a note there, type of thing) without detriment to my left hand parts, which are all 8th notes mostly.......
Thats been a pretty cool breakthrough for me. I'm starting to feel like not so much of a pretender anymore.

cheers,
kev

ps....
survey says most of us are playing the Stick like it was intended to eh? Then you get guys like this Andre chap ( who brings something totally different) pushing the envelope, yet still playing two parts.....progress comes from doing things differently.....forget who said that.....

Balta......elaborate pls

cheers,
kev

My vote was 2 part play, but I am so green I am not sure I qualify yet!
I try to learn one part of a song first, and then the other part. I have a few songs I am working hard to learn, and breaking it down into one hand parts, I can gauge my progress in learning to play. Once I put the 2 parts together, some of it seems to go ok for a bit... then *kaboom*! I blow up!! But I am getting further along in the songs with practice before the shyte hits the fan. Practicing technic, scales (for position of notes on the fretboard) , etc. I WILL get this... eventually lol!!!