getting your chops back into gear on guitar

[Shane Sanders]

I've gotta say that fooling around with a baritone guitar really gets the old fingers strong in a hurry. It's weird, too, because I play bass a lot, but not like a guitar player plays bass so there are different muscles involved apparently.

But this new baritone guitar is really giving me a workout in a positive way. I highly recommend one even just for the exercise which can then be translated back to regular guitar. I picked up my normal strat and suddenly I'm grabbing strings with one finger and getting some montrous vibrato.

[Steven West]

I was always interested in hearing about these wild guitars and basses now. 7 string axes, 8 string basses and what all. But are they really worth it would you say Shane? How much more melody or rythem could you get out of one of these axes? I guess I should really get off my ass and go try one, but I'd rather get a real Sarangi or a Theorbo et al that's littered with symapthetic strings all over it if I'm going for that 'umph' in sound.

[morelia]

I thought this thread was going to reveal the sectre to playing like I did 10 years ago when I sat around all day doing nothing but playing guitar. Sadly no, there is no substitue for available time.

Thanks for the tip though. I had never really heard of a baritone guitar. I have noticed what you are saying about bass though. After a decent hit on a bass those finger stretches come with comparible ease on a guitar fretboard.

[Shane Sanders]

I was always interested in hearing about these wild guitars and basses now. 7 string axes, 8 string basses and what all. But are they really worth it would you say Shane? How much more melody or rythem could you get out of one of these axes? I guess I should really get off my ass and go try one, but I'd rather get a real Sarangi or a Theorbo et al that's littered with symapthetic strings all over it if I'm going for that 'umph' in sound.

Well, they're just guitars with a different range. I've noticed that it has been nice to use super familiar patterns and yet get the benefit of new keys without having to mentally transpose anything. But that will wear off.

This thing has already inspired several new pieces and it certainly has its own tone and lends itself to a certain way of riffing. It's an Ibanez and while in a store today I also checked out the Danelectro baritone guitars. They are less expensive and have a good tone, but for heavy stuff, I think I made the right choice. I think it was Neil Young that said there's a song in every guitar, and I sort of agree with that. Each of them has something about it that makes you play differently on it than what you're used to doing.

[Steven West]

I do alot of root 5th power chords per say, and really augmented open chords as well. How would something like that come off on one of these guitars?

And how would a capo fit on one of these I wonder? I really must make the time to check one out I suppose. I'm still skeptical - but you got me intrigued Shane.