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 What have I gotten myself into?! :) 
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Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2007 7:54 pm
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Location: Richmond, Virginia
Post Re: What have I gotten myself into?! :)
I was playing Stick (filling in on guitar and mandolin when the song required) in a Christian folk quintet back in the late 1990's. A friend had written a folio of original worship music and wanted to record a CD of it to accompany the book (to aid other groups who might want to perform the songs), so he enlisted a bunch of his musician friends to play on it.

We rehearsed, then recorded the CD (I still have a stack of production copies), but realized we were having a lot of fun playing together (and drinking beer during rehearsals). We decided we were actually a band. We played together at churches and festivals for a couple of years. They continued together for a few more years after I moved away.

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Paul


Tue Feb 28, 2012 7:22 pm
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Post Re: What have I gotten myself into?! :)
Ha, cool!
Are you selling those?
Would love to hear it.

Found some training videos online last night.
Greg Howard and Bob Culbertson are my heroes. :)
If I could ever get 1/2 as good as either of them, I'd love this instrument to death.

Tunings, really looking at the inverted setups, but don't know yet if 4ths, 5ths or a combination would be best for me.
What would you say is the easiest to learn, form chords, and still get some range?
Also, which Stick configuration gives the best Bass performance without giving up the upper range? I might be looking for a Grand Stick...

Thanks!

~M

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Wed Feb 29, 2012 6:48 am
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Post Re: What have I gotten myself into?! :)
Okay, here's my two cents. Nothing is easier.

You will find the stick to be completely foreign to every other instrument you have played (some will argue otherwise, but I find that this is the case for most people)

You have to approach the stick as a completely new instrument.

Imagine your first piano lessons. It will be the same.

with that in mind I highly recommend 5ths in the bass. This has the best range and really
'opens' the instrument up.

All your theory and musical knowledge will transfer but it's a whole new set of techniques.

Good luck I think a Grand stick would be fine

Brett


Wed Feb 29, 2012 7:57 am
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Location: San Antonio TX
Post Re: What have I gotten myself into?! :)
Michael, I think I know you from WTR.

Yes, I too was bitten by the Stick bug and got mine last November. I'm still slowly getting the 2-dimensionality of the fretboard under my fingers and into my brain.

A whole new world indeed.

I strongly recommend you try a Stick before you buy one. I was able to get my hands on a grand for about a minute, and it was enough for me to know that I would be ordering a 10-string grand for the wider spacing.

My Stick also has midi on the high side. I haven't tried midi yet, but since I'm a keyboardist, I have a bunch of midi gear... no brainer.

One of the main challenges for me is to be a beginner again. I have yet to find some music that I want to learn that isn't way to difficult for me at this stage.

This guy is playing Stick in a worship context:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsXxJNWNlxs&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PLD760D5B45FA24C23[/youtube]

There are a very few others. Let's start a trend.

Best regards,
Dale

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Wed Feb 29, 2012 11:57 am
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Post Re: What have I gotten myself into?! :)
Thanks guys!
Yeah, that's me Dale. Nice to see a familiar face. :)

Totally agree spending time "in-hand" is the best way to go,
It's the only way to try the different sizes and configurations
and know what fits me best...But...
...I'm in a complete wasteland here, Central IL (Peoria area).
Does anyone know if there are shops anywhere near here that may occasionally have a stick?
3 hours will get you to Chicago, Indianapolis or St. Louis.
Maybe we have a pocket of members in that area?

Thanks!

~M

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Thu Mar 01, 2012 6:39 am
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Post Re: What have I gotten myself into?! :)
Michael Blue wrote:
Thanks guys!
Yeah, that's me Dale. Nice to see a familiar face. :)

Totally agree spending time "in-hand" is the best way to go,
It's the only way to try the different sizes and configurations
and know what fits me best...But...
...I'm in a complete wasteland here, Central IL (Peoria area).
Does anyone know if there are shops anywhere near here that may occasionally have a stick?
3 hours will get you to Chicago, Indianapolis or St. Louis.
Maybe we have a pocket of members in that area?

Thanks!

~M
Jim Storm is down in Carbondale, and Matt Tate in Chicago. I don't know anyone in your area exactly.

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Thu Mar 01, 2012 4:10 pm
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Post Re: What have I gotten myself into?! :)
Hi Micheal.

Welcome to the stick world. Here you will find lots of tips and advice on how to move forward with this instrument. As a matter of fact, this is the premier site for stickplayers.

For tuning purposes it will be best for you to start with the classic tuning or something called matched reciprocal. I think most guys start out here on one of these two tunings and then maybe modify as time goes on. 5ths on the bass, 4ths on the melody. Although I'm thinking mirrored 4ths may be the answer for me, I've not taken that step yet. (i am lazy)

Getting a used stick from Emmetts shop is most likely your best bet. Don't be afraid to buy a 12 string if one comes along........you will get used to any string spacing, 10 or 12 . I bought a 12 because it was close by and the price was right.

Like Brett says, this is a completly different animal that takes time, time and more time to get comfy with. Do not be surprised or discouraged at how long it will take you to make sweet sounds with it.

good luck,
enjoy the journey,
cheers, kev

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Thu Mar 01, 2012 8:22 pm
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Post Re: What have I gotten myself into?! :)
Looking at all the tuning charts, I'm definitely considering a 12-String Grand Stick. The tuning that sounds most interesting to me is "Deep Matched Reciprocal 12-string Tuning" with a "High Bass 4th".

Is anyone using that particular (peculiar?) setup? Any thoughts, ideas, tips?

Thanks!

~M

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Fri Mar 02, 2012 7:21 am
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Post Re: What have I gotten myself into?! :)
Hi Michael,

I strongly recommend the 12-string grand with classical tuning as a starting instrument. I also recommend the ACT2 pickups for the stereo/mono switch which comes in really handy.

Like you, I have played a number of intruments, piano, guitar, bass, at a moderate skill level, leading worship music in our church. I've been interested in the Stick for a few years now, but only bought my first one about a month ago. It is a lot of fun to play, and I'm progressing nicely.

Here's why 12-stings: For a new player, it is harder to move up and down the neck than across the neck within a box pattern. the 12-string models allow you to more easily get the full I-IV-V-vi pattern in 'the box' than on a 10-string. Some altered chords are also easier on 12-string (one more string on each side to get that extra note in). I was a little worried before buying mine that, for a beginner, the string spacing would be too tight on the 12 compared to the 10, but that has turned out not to be a problem.

Here's why classical tuning: Most resources can be used for all standard tunings, but most instructional resources and videos use the classical tuning for examples. It is nice not having to translate. Also, after playing the stick for a month, the depth of thinking that went into the classical tuning becomes clear and you start to appreciate the layout. Unless you have a strong reason for using a different tuning, I'd start with classical.

Here's why ACT2 pickup: The ACT2 pickup is the only one with the nifty switch that provides a mono-output while retaining the ability to adjust the melody and bass volumes independently. This is very handy if you just want to take your stick and plug in at church.

The only other recommendation is to go with either medium or heavy strings. The heavier strings have a nicer tone and better sustain that light strings.

If you want to get a stick quickly, you can buy from Stick Enterprise's 'Reserve Production', but you won't be able to customize. They'll send it out next day or two. If you want custom, you're talking months (and months).

Marty

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Sat Mar 03, 2012 2:14 pm
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Post Re: What have I gotten myself into?! :)
I love all the info you guys are giving.
As I read more about setups and tunings your advice is making more and more sense, too.

But I hope you don't mind if I ask questions.
* If you get the BassLab StepABout, does that replace the need for the stereo/momo switch on the ACTV-2, and is the PASV-4 a nicer pickup, if you have the BassLab pedal for routing?

* I'm really torn between starting with straight classic tuning and then modifying it slightly to Deep Matched Reciprocal 12-string Tuning, possibly with a High Bass 4th, or just starting with the tuning I think I'll end up with. I'm just not sure if translating or switching over would be more difficult; but I'm concerned about learning the instrument one way then changing. It doesn't look on the charts like the tuning is terribly different, so I don't know if just translating from the directions would be easier?

Of course, I've yet to even see a Stick in person or play a note, so I have no idea. :)

Thanks again for all the input guys!
I really appreciate it.

~M

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Sun Mar 04, 2012 9:35 am
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