Tapping Scene in Japan ?

[traktor]

Hello to new member Mark Rende!

I noticed that you list your home as Tokyo, and I wonder if you could tell a bit about the tapping scene in Japan. It seems that there are always a few japanese tappers showing up here and there. It tapping a popular thing there? A cult? Are there many tappers on Guitar? On Balisets, Stix, and such?

Just curious. But since you're there, I thought I'd ask.

[Mark Rende]

Hi Traktor,

Good questions. I wish I had the answers!

I've just started tapping, and I'm now using a six-string strat copy while I'm waiting for my Warr to arrive. I haven't met any other tappers here yet, though through searching the web I've come across one or two websites. However, they don't seem to have been updated recently, so it's hard to say if those players are still active or not. Once I get my Warr, I hope to try to find out more - whether there IS a tapping scene here or not, for instance.

I hope there is - it would be great to get together with people and swap ideas and jam, etc. As was organized in Jersey recently.

If I find out more, I'll post the info for sure. I do know that the Ishibashi Music store in the Shibuya part of Tokyo is the official distributer of Sticks here in Japan. You have to order through them, and there's quite a back order - so there must be players and interested parties around.

By the way, I really enjoy your website. Thanks!

Best,
Mark

[traktor]

Glad you like my website. I assume that you mean the www.traktor.com site. Many of the links there are also out of date, but alas I've just not had time to redo them. The web moves so fast!

I have sent a couple of megatars into Japan, but learned very little about how big a scene exists there, so will be interested to learn about what you learn. Also, if you were willing, if you hear about any tapping events or concerts, it would really be great if you could post them on the Tappistry calendar.

[Mark Rende]

Traktor,
You can be sure I will do that!

Thanks,
Mark

[wmlusk]

There is a Stick player named Kevin Ramsey that lives in Hiroshima that I know of. You may want to look him up. He is the moderator of the 'tapboard' Yahoo Group. Very nice fella.

[Mark Rende]

Thanks - that's good to know. I'll check it out.

Mark

[rockola]

Back in '97, two Japanese tappers visited the European Tap Seminar. One was Akira (I forget his last name), the other was Yo****aka Koyabu, who apparently also has a web page (http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~zp4y-kyb/) - was this one of the pages you saw, Mark?

Yoshi made a lasting impression on everyone present by being the fastest Japanese bluegrass Warr guitarist we'd ever seen. He has made a CD called "Grand Impact"; I don't know about the availability, but there's a page about the CD on his web site - unfortunately my Japanese is a bit rusty so I've no idea if he's still distributing it or not.

[Mark Rende]

Yep - that was one of the pages. I see that it was last updated in August of 2000. I can't tell whether his album is still available, but there is an email address listed for inquiries.

His site stuck in my mind partly due to the cool photos he has of his prototype custom tapping instruments. One of them is really beautiful.

Speaking of websites, I'd like to thank you for yours, which has all the great info and photos from the Tap seminars. I find it very inspiring - thanks!

Best,
Mark

[Tiptannick]

I find another Japan Touch-Player: Yoshiharu Shibata (http://homepage3.nifty.com/yoshiharu-touch/)

Yoshiharu use A Koyabu Board made by Yo****aka Koyabu.

And I find another Japanese Tapping Instrument: The V-Touch by TSC (http://www.proix.com/product/v_touch/)

[Mark Rende]

Thanks for that - he has some good links on his site, too. I guess there are quite a few players here. I'll have to investigate further.

It's good to see that there's some kind of community - or the makings of one - here in Japan.

Best,
Mark

[traktor]

Dear Mark,

Since you're going to be contacting some of the japanese tappers, when you correspond with them, please extend our warmest invitation to come join us here at Tappistry.Org.

All tappers, on all kinds of instruments, are welcome here.

Your post about 'community' reminded me of something that Jim Wright said several years ago. It was at the Los Angeles NAMM show, and Jim and myself and Frank Joliffe were talking at Mark Warr's booth, and Jim said something to the effect that he'd been playing for a number of years but he'd always felt sort of alone in the world, and just recently he'd met a bunch of other tappers and for the first time he realized he was part of a community, and that felt really good.

Makes sense to me. So, as you make some new tapping friends, I hope you'll invite them to join this community as well.

[Mark Rende]

Hi Traktor,

Yes, I certainly will invite those I contact to join us. Thanks for the anecdote - I really agree with what Jim was saying. It does feel good to know that we can share in a community of people with some similar interests. Just look at the locations of all the people who have contributed to this thread! It's nice to see the technology allow us to find each other.

I hope I can encourage other players here in Japan to join us.

Best,
Mark

[traktor]

Dear Mark,

I just searched on Sound Garage pickups, and discovered Quest (appears to be the manufacturer or Japanese distributor) and LA Guitar Works (either a branch or US distributor). I've put an email in to them, asking about their two MIDI products (a piezo system and the pickups like on your guitar).

Have you been satisfied with the response on your Sound Garage midi pickup? How is the 'normal' magnetic sound out of the pickup? Did you purchase their strat kit, or did it all come on the guitar? And last, do you have any other info about whether Quest is the manufacturer?

I'd be curious to know. While I'm happy with our Photon Midi pickups, they are too sensitive to use on normal bass strings. I have some RMC piezos, but this is a relatively expensive solution, so I'm curious about the Sound Garage products.

[Mark Rende]

Hi Traktor,

My guitar has "Metal Driver" on the headstock - perhaps you noticed the brand on the Quest website. The guitar came with the Sound Garage pickups installed already. There was no documentation with the instrument, so I don't have a lot of other information on the manufacturer.

It sounds good, though. The tracking is good with both the VG-8 and the GR-33, and the mag sounds are pretty good single coil tones too.

Traktor, do you know Aure (Aurelius Prochazka) or George Pootnik of the VG-8.com site and Yahoo! Group? There is some information about Sound Garage on that site (it's Aure's group, I think), and I believe Aure has been ordering in batches for those who are interested. I remember when he and George first found the pickups, they were writing how much better they liked them than the GK-2a. I think Aure or George even posted some kind of technical comparison - maybe a quick search of the archives would bring it up.

I'm satisfied with the set up for now, but I'm looking forward to my new RMC-equipped Warr too.

Hope this helps,
Mark

[traktor]

Dear Mark,

Thanks for the info on Sound Garage and the postings on the other list; I'll check into it.

The RMC piezos should do a good job for you. Back when Mark was first experimenting, I also got a set of prototypes from Richard McLish (RMC) and installed them on a Santucci TrebleBass. I found their natural sound wonderful, and the tracking of bass-gauge strings (through an early Axon brain) was quite good. On the TrebleBass strings, they tracked well for the Roland brain (an earlier model than the GR33), but produced false triggers going into Axon. (This does not mean it would always do that on another instrument, or through current Axon brains -- every different scale length produces a different sound burst for the neural net, and I've not tested any current Axon in any event.)

To put it briefly, there seemed to be no downside to RMC other than their cost. They are very, very finely made, so the cost is reasonable. However, so as to reach the masses and multitude it would be nice to find a cheaper alternative, especially in those cases where you don't plan to take advantage of their brilliant natural sound.

So I think you're in for a big treat!