|
It is currently Sat Jun 15, 2024 3:09 pm
|
View unanswered posts | View active topics
Is it possible to learn the Stick as a first instrument?
|
Is it possible to learn the Stick as a first instrument?
Author |
Message |
Use whose name?
Joined: Wed Jan 29, 2014 2:42 pm Posts: 2
|
Is it possible to learn the Stick as a first instrument?
Okay, perhaps Is it within reason...? (disregarding the obvious financial obstacle) would be a better question, but Is it possible...? is a little more provocative. Anyway, after skimming this section of the forum and sifting through an hour-and-a-half's worth of Google results, I didn't find any questions of this sort. It wouldn't actually be my first instrument; I used to play trombone, but I don't think that skill would be of much use. I can't afford to buy a Stick, so I'm really just asking out of curiosity, but I'm sure some other musically-inclined non-musician out there has seen a video of Tony Levin playing the Stick with King Crimson and wondered the same thing. And maybe that musically-inclined non-musician has either several buckets of cash lying around or (inclusive) a problem with impulse spending.
I'm going to go against my better statistical judgment by making this into a poll, although I'm really hoping for insightful comments.
|
Wed Jan 29, 2014 3:27 pm |
|
|
metalken
Artisan Contributor
Joined: Fri Apr 16, 2010 10:20 pm Posts: 504
|
Re: Is it possible to learn the Stick as a first instrument?
I would think if you can hook up with a decent teacher (Via skype maybe?) it wouldn't be a big deal. The big concern, I think, is the difficulty in finding a wide variety of materials to learn from. I mean, I can only think of ONE songbook offhand
_________________ -- "There can be but little liberty on earth while men worship a tyrant in heaven." ~ Robert G. Ingersoll
|
Wed Jan 29, 2014 3:53 pm |
|
|
Luc
Multiple Donor
Joined: Thu Mar 15, 2012 6:59 am Posts: 2593 Location: Maine
|
Re: Is it possible to learn the Stick as a first instrument?
Yes; I suspect it'd be about the same level of difficulty as piano.
_________________ Luc Bergeron #R6453 Railboard http://www.LucBergeronMusic.com http://www.facebook.com/LucBergeronMusic
|
Wed Jan 29, 2014 3:54 pm |
|
|
earthgene
Site Donor
Joined: Wed May 25, 2011 3:28 pm Posts: 4116
|
Re: Is it possible to learn the Stick as a first instrument?
What Luc said. Anything is possible if one has the gumption to commit to learning a musical instrument. Having knowledge of another instrument is almost assumed in this musical community, but not required.
_________________ Gene Perry http://www.geneperry.com http://www.freehandsacademy.com
Last edited by earthgene on Thu Jan 30, 2014 6:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
|
Wed Jan 29, 2014 4:07 pm |
|
|
AndyJPro
Site Donor
Joined: Sat Mar 02, 2013 4:34 pm Posts: 781 Location: Fargo, ND, USA
|
Re: Is it possible to learn the Stick as a first instrument?
I used to play trombone. The only immediate connect between Stick and trombone that comes to mind is that the slower the passage feels, the faster you need to move your hand(s) to retain fluidity. Being able to read bass clef (or any standard notation) is definitely of aid but not necessarily exclusive to the trombone, of course.
I say ye to the ability to learn it as a first instrument. A first time musician might become frustrated at the lack of instant gratification due to the lack of material specifically made around Stick. Not to say there isn't any because there is EXCELLENT material out there, along with superb instruction books/videos on behalf of Greg Howard, Steve Adelson, Dave Brosky, Josh Goldberg and Bob Culbertson. But it may not be as easy as strumming out two chords of "Working Class Hero"
Of course each instrument has its advantages and disadvantages as far as learning. But no reason Stick can't be learned first! I hope there comes a time where that's a feasible thing for more people!
_________________ Green Ash 10-string Stickup+StepABout = <3 Serial Number 6290
|
Wed Jan 29, 2014 4:21 pm |
|
|
canyon
Site Donor
Joined: Fri Dec 03, 2010 11:03 pm Posts: 76 Location: Bedford, TX
|
Re: Is it possible to learn the Stick as a first instrument?
I would think doing so would bear a bit of an advantage, even, in that you wouldn't have all those other-instrument habits getting in the way of grasping the methods.
_________________ Rosewood 12-string Grand, PASV-4, #6500
http://www.youtube.com/user/canyonkafer http://soundcloud.com/canyon-kafer
|
Wed Jan 29, 2014 5:00 pm |
|
|
Nomad Monday
Resident Contributor
Joined: Wed Feb 03, 2010 7:16 pm Posts: 250
|
Re: Is it possible to learn the Stick as a first instrument?
In line with what has been said, piano is often a lot of people's first instruments, and that thing is about as complicated as a Stick. Also, I can't find the exact quote, but I'm pretty sure Tony Levin, himself, said that playing bass lines on the Stick was like going to a piano and playing with just your index fingers.
_________________ "First, you learn all your scales and arpeggios. Then, you throw that all away and play music."
|
Wed Jan 29, 2014 6:51 pm |
|
|
Per Boysen
Elite Contributor
Joined: Wed Oct 14, 2009 8:05 am Posts: 2268 Location: Stockholm/Sweden
|
Re: Is it possible to learn the Stick as a first instrument?
Yes, certainly! Just be sure to learn music in the first place. It has never been a good idea to focus on an instrument as "a set of magic buttons that if punched in the correct sequence produces melodies to be heard".
_________________ Cheers / Per Bamboo SG12, Wenge SG12, Bamboo Grand. PASV4 on all. (+ Stickup modded by Emmett 4 the PASV4 blocks). Fractal Audio AxeFx-III, 2 x RCF NX-10 SMA, Apollo Twin USB http://youtube.com/perboysen
|
Thu Jan 30, 2014 3:08 am |
|
|
Shedua511
Resident Contributor
Joined: Sun Dec 30, 2007 10:11 am Posts: 432 Location: Oslo, Norway
|
Re: Is it possible to learn the Stick as a first instrument?
Of course it is. I guess the reasons it doesn't happen more often are that it is a lesser known instrument and that the price, even for the Railboard, is higher than what most people are comfortable spending for a fist instrument (usually the first instrument is bought by parents). That being said, I know of at list one kid who had the Stick as his first instrument: met him at a stick seminar in Belgium some years ago, he was about 10 years old at the time.
_________________ Ciao, Francesco
|
Thu Jan 30, 2014 3:12 am |
|
|
Per Boysen
Elite Contributor
Joined: Wed Oct 14, 2009 8:05 am Posts: 2268 Location: Stockholm/Sweden
|
Re: Is it possible to learn the Stick as a first instrument?
Shedua511 wrote: That being said, I know of at list one kid who had the Stick as his first instrument: met him at a stick seminar in Belgium some years ago, he was about 10 years old at the time. If this forum had "like buttons" I would have pressed one right away! I guess an Alto would be good for a child.
_________________ Cheers / Per Bamboo SG12, Wenge SG12, Bamboo Grand. PASV4 on all. (+ Stickup modded by Emmett 4 the PASV4 blocks). Fractal Audio AxeFx-III, 2 x RCF NX-10 SMA, Apollo Twin USB http://youtube.com/perboysen
|
Thu Jan 30, 2014 3:22 am |
|
|
|
Who is online |
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 15 guests |
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot post attachments in this forum
|
|