Say hello to my lil' fren'.....!

[mystahr]

It's good to find the instruments that fit us like like gloves

[crazed one]

This is a pretty wacky looking instrument that looks like it is just begging to be played. I've never seen one of these before, looks like fun.

Have fun with it!

[Satasha]

How hard to do are pulloffs with your right hand?

[MidiSwede]

How hard to do are pulloffs with your right hand?

Pull offs are no problem with either hand or both hands for that matter. Though, typically, rather than plucking the string you would only tap it with the first finger. You can pretty much apply any guitar technique to playing the Stick. IMHO, overall you will achieve a smoother, more "clean" tone with the Stick.

Cheers,

Rob

[Har]

How hard to do are pulloffs with your right hand?

Pull offs are no problem with either hand or both hands for that matter. Though, typically, rather than plucking the string you would only tap it with the first finger. You can pretty much apply any guitar technique to playing the Stick. IMHO, overall you will achieve a smoother, more "clean" tone with the Stick.

Cheers,

Rob

Yep...so far with the right hand I've no problems with hammer-ons and pull-offs when needed. If anything, I can do them better with the right than I could with just my left on a guitar or bass since it's my stronger hand!
In general, I can zing out notes a lot faster and more cleanly with my right hand on the Stick than I ever could on the guitar, which makes me really happy because my normal guitar picking technique leaves a bit to be desired when things got really fast (which is probably why I play so much long note droning ambient stuff these days...try to turn the weakness into a strength ).

Left hand...about the same thing.

The only thing I find I have to watch out for is trying to emulate some of the stretching reaches I'm seeing in the Bob Culbertson Stick training videos...my hands aren't really that large (if anything, they're kinda small in comparison to the mammoth size hands many bassists and pianists seem to have...on a piano keyboard I can only span a 9th with either hand), and I find that I can quickly wind up bending my wrist into ways that are kinda painful. So I'm trying to work my way around those kinds of things for now.

[MidiSwede]

(which is probably why I play so much long note droning ambient stuff these days...try to turn the weakness into a strength ).

Glad to hear that I'm not the only one!

The only thing I find I have to watch out for is trying to emulate some of the stretching reaches I'm seeing in the Bob Culbertson Stick training videos...

Go catch him live. After getting an up close look at how effortless his fingering is you will feel quite insignificant as a Stickist.

Rob

[Kriminal]

So what is it, a skinny guitar?

[kevvvvv]

Just watched all three Greg Howard videos at the cville gigs.

Wow

So as krim, what is a Stick? How does it make its noise? Does it need an add-on or does it plug right in? (does it use humbucking pickups )

Har ... your public demands to know more

[Har]

So what is it, a skinny guitar?

Kinda, yeah...think of it a string instrument that couldn't make up its mind whether to be a guitar or bass, so it decided to be both at once.

[fitch]

at last it's arrived


it looks gorgeous ... totally addictive i'd say !!


left hand... is that the "bass" hand? do you play "over" or under the neck like the guitar..

then is your right hand plucking and playing the same time?

i'm intrigued

[Har]

So as krim, what is a Stick?

Good explanation of what it is and hwo it came about here: http://www.stick.com/history/stick/

...and here:
http://www.stick.com/articles/birth/

How does it make its noise?

Basically, you tap the strings with each hand independently instead of plucking, picking or strumming. This allows you to play two completely independent lines on two separate sets of strings: bass and melody/guitar, similar to the way each hand can do that on a piano.

The other 2 Greg Howard online videos here explain how the technique actually works:
http://www.stick.com/method/

Does it need an add-on or does it plug right in?

The pickup is split so that each set of strings is sent to it's own output, so you can send the bass stings to a bass amp, the guitar strings to a guitar amp (or into your computer on two channels, of course ). This utilizes a kind of specially wired Y-cable, with the one end plugging into the pickup, and then splitting off into two separate plugs.

(does it use humbucking pickups )

Yep! Actually, there are several different types of pickups available (I got the standard one myself). Info on the different pickups available at: http://www.stick.com/instruments/pickups/

It also comes in 8, 10 and 12 string versions, and with a variety of different tunings:
http://www.stick.com/instruments/tunings/

(this is the tuning I got on mine: http://www.stick.com/instruments/tunings/10/dmr/ )

And if you feel so inclined, you can also get a MIDI pickup for it to play your various VSTi's :
http://www.stick.com/instruments/midi/

[Har]

left hand... is that the "bass" hand? do you play "over" or under the neck like the guitar..

The "usual" playing technique is what they referred to as "crossed"...the left hand plays the bass strings and comes under the neck like it would with a regular bass guitar. But the right hand plays the melody/guitar strings over the top of the fretboard, reaching over and across. Both hands tap downwards onto the strings to sound the notes, in a mechanical motion more akin to playing a piano keyboard, really.

There are variations on this of course...some people like to play "uncrossed", which would be reversed: left hand playing the guitar strings like it would on a guitar, with the right reaching over the fretboard to play the bass. But there are advantages to not doing this...playing crossed allows the fingers on both hand to reach across the neck in a much wider spread out range, as opposed to a more claw-like way which limits the range between fingers.

then is your right hand plucking and playing the same time?

Nope....neither hand is needed to pick or pluck a string in tandem with the other to sound a note, and that's the whole point of the Stick, actually: because you don't use two hands to sound one note like on a regular guitar or bass (left hand to fret the notes on the neck, the other to pick, pluck or strum that note....hmmm, same deal with the cello! Left hand frets the note while the other hand bows or plucks)....you have the ability to play two completely independent parts like you would on a piano.

Check out the info and the videos in the my post above...should help explain further.

[kevvvvv]

Har, thanx for all this explanatory info.

Astonishing beastie, isn't it

I hope your widow is coping

[Har]

Had my first Stick-related panic attack today. I hadn't played it for a couple of days (damn work...), and the humidity around here has been kinda awful (even though my place is still air conditioned). I plugged the Stick in today, and ...holy crap, the first couple of frets on the high melody/guitar strings had bottomed out and were practically unplayable! Wtf?? Oh nooooooo!!

I immediately figured it was every Stick newbie's dreaded nightmare...I'd have to adjust the neck's truss rod. to be sure, I called up SE and spoke to Yuta, Emmett's wife. She was wonderful at getting me to relax and explained that making these adjustments on a Stick is pretty simple, and something good to get confortable with (she said Greg Howard even makes quick fine-tuning adjustments on his right on stage on occasion).

She explained the whole process, and when I finally gritted my teeth, grabbed the wrench and did it....presto! Right back to perfect again with one tiny, quick 1/6th turn of the wrench. What the heck was I so worried about??

I was so relieved, I sat down and figured out most of an arrangement of Alice Cooper's "Hello Hooray" on it...maybe once I get it smooth I'll record and post it.

[jmh]

I still get lured into reading this because the topic brings out disturbing images in my head... and I get disappointed every time

JMH