RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 They seem expensive. I think it's like 2 handed tapping, but permanent. Obviously more involved than that. I think that it's bass strings and guitar strings combined(but seperate) . How hard is the transition from bass? Anything else I need to know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarethFlatlands Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 Don't know if you've seen this thread or if it answers any of your questions but someone on there might be able to help out if you message them. [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/164195-the-stick-thread/"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/164195-the-stick-thread/[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 I had a play on one for a couple of hours. It was the most awkward thing to try to get a tune out of. The one I tried had 12 strings, in two sets of six. The bass side is bizarre, as the strings are strung upside down to a normal bass i.e. heaviest gauge string at the bottom; and tuned in 5ths. Also I couldn't resist wanting to 'dig in' and found my attempts at tapping to that extent were pretty poor. They are rather expensive for what they are, and if possible I'd certainly try to borrow one before buying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TorturedSaints Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 I bought a second hand one a while ago, because I thought the same thing as the OP. It's a really nice sound. You can play very complex basslines on it, and they don't sound like basslines written for normal basses because the strings being tuned 5ths apart - at least they don't to me! As well as that, it's better for playing bass chords on because of the voicing (the chords sound open, not muddy). There are instructional videos on youtube which explain this better than I can. In terms of transition from bass playing, I would say that it's different. I didn't do tapping on my bass before I bought my stick, so I can't say whether that would have made life easier for me in learning it. Going back from stick to bass, I have to be careful to fret with my left hand, rather than 'tap', but it's not a big problem really. However, the big downside is the amount of time that you need to learn it - I've been 'playing' it for over a year and haven't got to a standard where I would be confident gigging with it. I am more proficient on the bass side, but not so good on the treble side, where the strings are tuned in 4ths like a bass. I would say that if you are a proficient keyboard player as well (I'm not), you might pick it up more easily as you are used to having both hands doing separate things, if you want to play bass lines and melody at the same time. If you have lots of time to devote to it, then you will probably learn it quicker than I have, but I find it a fun challenge to learn. As you live close to London, you might well find a teacher, but otherwise it's self-teaching from books or skype lessons. The 'standard' stick is a 10 string (5 treble and 5 bass), which is what I have, but there are different variants. There is one (NSStick) that was developed in conjunction with Ned Steinberger and can be played like a bass with fingers/pick, but also can be tapped on the fretboard like a stick as well (Don Schiff of the band Rocket Scientists uses this for most of their recordings). Places to investigate are Stick Enterprises website at stick.com and stickist.com for info from people more knowledgeable and more skilled than I am. I hope this helps. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 (edited) [quote name='RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE' timestamp='1392036998' post='2363801'] Anything else I need to know? [/quote] I might be selling mine soon..... You can't really compare playing a bass or guitar to playing a Stick, it really is an instrument in it's own right & you'd probably get on better with one if you didn't think of it as a "bass with more strings"or whatever. There are many different turnings used as well, but this is less of a problem if you're a beginner as you'll struggle with all of them. Edited February 10, 2014 by RhysP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMG456 Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 On the face of it they are expensive but up till now they are all handbuilt to an extremely exacting specification. The Stick needs a very low action over a long and wide fingerboard and although the design may look a bit primitive, it's that way for a reason - functionality. I view myself as a reasonably competent bass player - self taught as was the style in the 70's and I've been bassing now for about 40 years (ouch!) and I have not found the transition to Stick to be an easy one. The treble side which is played with the right hand is tuned in the very familiar 4ths tuning like a bass but of course, you're trying to execute those notes with a hand which is not used to fretting so it's a bit tricky. The bass side is tuned in reverse 5ths which from a bass player's perspective seems completely foreign but makes sense after a while due to the kind of built in symmetry which then exists over the entire neck. I'm sure some talented people can pick it all up very quickly but it's been hard work for me over about 6 years now and it's only in the last year or so that I've felt even vaguely confident enough to use it at gigs. Having said all that, it's been a hugely enjoyable journey and every time I play it, it teaches me new things about music that I probably should have known a long time ago! By the way, the tunings are not set in stone - some players use a mirrored 4ths tuning which makes it easier to play fluid basslines at the expense of losing the open chordal voicings on the bass side and there are various options for the treble side which basically move that whole side up or down one or more tones giving different voicings to the instrument. As well as 10 and 12 strings you can get the SB8 which is a bass-centric 8 string stick generally tuned in familiar 4ths all the way across the neck and shorter scale 10 and 12 stringers - the alto Stick and SG-12. The newest Stick is the Railboard - a radical departure in manufacture with a one piece aluminium neck/ body/ fretboard which has been designed to lower the unit cost of manufacture and so should bring costs down - it's never going to be a cheap instrument though. Check out youtube to see some of the things which can be achieved - my favourite players are guys like Rob Martino, Bob Culbertson Kevin Keith and Guillermo Cides. Hope some of this helps. Cheers Ed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dingus Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 (edited) Some people have described the Stick as the most difficult stringed instrument in the World to play, and it is definitely geared towards the adventurous and musically -competent player.Most ( all) of the notable exponents I have ever seen were truly gifted individuals. I have never had a go on one myself , despite loving the way they sound, and I am sure that playing the bass guitar would be no real preparation for trying to get going on one of these contraptions. I am not dexterous at the best of times- I can't pat my head and rub my stomach at the same time ( a fundamental skill for Chapman Stick playing) , and I still struggle to tie my shoe laces the proper grown up way- and, from what I understand the Stick requires a Zen-like capacity for sideways thinking and unnatural-feeling movement. Edited February 10, 2014 by Dingus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 I tried one once and confirmed what my old piano teacher knew. I am a one note at a time kind of bloke. I still struggle to walk in a straight line when I think of one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambient Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 You have to wait until the 2 minute mark [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gl7FhO__8fM"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gl7FhO__8fM[/url] He uses it on a few songs with Steven Wilson. I'd love one, but as someone else said, I just don't have the time to learn to play at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TorturedSaints Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 Here's another vid, showcasing the half fretless NS/Stick. Music starts at 1.00 [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taQKRgP--bA[/media] I think I'm developing Chapman Stick GAS! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oggiesnr Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 The big thing is disassociation of hands. If you can play keyboard competently then you can play a Stick. If like me you can't then it's more of a problem. Reason is simple. I most of what we do on bass and guitar (and all the other instruments I play) the two hands work together, left hand fingers that string, right hand plucks said string. On a piano and a stick it is usually very different, one hand is playing a top part, the other doing something different underneath it. I fail miserably, I can't disassociate my hands enough to make a stick worthwhile much as I would love one. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazza 2905 Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 [quote name='RalphDWilson' timestamp='1392108310' post='2364655'] I think I'm developing Chapman Stick GAS! [/quote] Yeah, me too. Damn you Ray! Look what you've gone n' done!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Woodcock Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 I'll echo what others have said above in that it is best to approach it as a new instrument rather than a variation of a bass or a guitar - once I did this I made much better progress, and indeed a big part of its appeal to me is that it allows me to play very different things to what I would naturally play on the bass. I bought mine from a college friend many years ago so was lucky to try it out beforehand, however as a big Sean Malone fan (and of course King Crimson too) I was determined to persevere with it even if I didn't take to it immediately. To the OP, if you can make it out to SE London you are welcome to come and try mine if you like. In the meantime, here is a clip of it in action: [url="http://youtu.be/dmIim7rJP3w"]http://youtu.be/dmIim7rJP3w[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 [quote name='Stickman' timestamp='1393636823' post='2382964'] I'll echo what others have said above in that it is best to approach it as a new instrument rather than a variation of a bass or a guitar - once I did this I made much better progress, and indeed a big part of its appeal to me is that it allows me to play very different things to what I would naturally play on the bass. I bought mine from a college friend many years ago so was lucky to try it out beforehand, however as a big Sean Malone fan (and of course King Crimson too) I was determined to persevere with it even if I didn't take to it immediately. To the OP, if you can make it out to SE London you are welcome to come and try mine if you like. In the meantime, here is a clip of it in action: [media]http://youtu.be/dmIim7rJP3w[/media] [/quote] f***ing awesome! Still love this, brilliant Steve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE Posted March 8, 2014 Author Share Posted March 8, 2014 Thanks for the input guys. Thanks for the offer stick man . I may pay you a visit one day;) I think it's something that I couldn't play live in a pb, as I have too much nervous energy and would feel more nervous playing this instrument than a bass. It is a great instrument for home use obviously. One of the clips above, reminded me of stu hamms playing style on Linus and Lucy at the start. It looks like a tough instrument to learn . Maybe one day, I will go for it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.