Alternative Stick Ergonomics??

[rjgoos]

A couple years ago, Jersey Ray and I met in Minneapolis to take in the Nordic Music festival. An ethnic Sami (Lapplander) group from Norway called Vajas was among the groups playing that weekend. One of the musicians, Nils Johansen, mostly played a synth, but he also played a Stick uncrossed, and standing. The belthook and shoulder strap had been removed, and a vertical support (not much more than a 1 x 4 board) attached to the back where the belt hook once was.

You can see Nils in action at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eveNk3o1ME

Whether it was a "good" or "bad" way of playing a Stick, I can't say, but it seemed to be a unique way of approaching the instrument.

[jamsire]

A couple years ago, Jersey Ray and I met in Minneapolis to take in the Nordic Music festival. An ethnic Sami (Lapplander) group from Norway called Vajas was among the groups playing that weekend. One of the musicians, Nils Johansen, mostly played a synth, but he also played a Stick uncrossed, and standing. The belthook and shoulder strap had been removed, and a vertical support (not much more than a 1 x 4 board) attached to the back where the belt hook once was.

You can see Nils in action at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eveNk3o1ME

Whether it was a "good" or "bad" way of playing a Stick, I can't say, but it seemed to be a unique way of approaching the instrument.

Loved it!

Sweet groove too. You know, I prefer the that leather "harness" that dude is wearing in the older Stick Method books. Looks real slick and "necessary."
This way is definately cool, I just feel like it can slip[ from under him at any time.

[PhoBucket]

What a huge fat sound he gets from his Stick. Very nice. I wonder if he even thought about creating an angled endpin ala Rabbath. It would take the weight of the instrument off of his thumb.

[rjgoos]

What a huge fat sound he gets from his Stick. Very nice. I wonder if he even thought about creating an angled endpin ala Rabbath. It would take the weight of the instrument off of his thumb.

I guess I didn't explain very well. Where the belt hook was, the Stick attaches to a board that is about as wide as the Stick, and extends to the floor. He is not bearing the weight of the instrument with his hands.

You can see a bit of it, if you look at the full-sized picture:

http://kunst.no/mellem/vajas/jpg/vajas032b.jpg

[PhoBucket]

No, I do not mean that he is holding it up with his hands, but his thumb is keeping the instrument from going forward or backwards, or side to side.

[jdstarrett]

[QUOTE=rjgoos;12558]A couple years ago, Jersey Ray and I met in Minneapolis to take in the Nordic Music festival. An ethnic Sami (Lapplander) group from Norway called Vajas was among the groups playing that weekend. One of the musicians, Nils Johansen, mostly played a synth, but he also played a Stick uncrossed, and standing.

I never understood why one would play with crossed hands in the first place, other than to accommodate the way the instrument was strung.

John Starrett

[rpmartino]

I never understood why one would play with crossed hands in the first place, other than to accommodate the way the instrument was strung.


For me it's an issue of leverage (at least speaking in terms of the width of a Grand Stick) - the fingers are more naturally outstretched and relaxed when going over a string set to get to the other, and more muscle groups are involved in playing (you can more easily "lay into" the notes with your whole arms, allowing a lot of dynamic control). When I tried uncrossed, the fingers tended to be more scrunched up unless both hands freely "float". The way the pitches are set up on string sets, I don't run into issues where the hands would risk colliding.

Plus there are a lot of musical possibilities when having all 12 strings under each hand- right hand thumb on upper bass strings, left hand notes on melody side and right hand harmonic higher on the neck, chords using strings from both sides, etc.

[traktor]

I'd agree with Rob. And in fact, I've tried to explain this 'feeling' difference a number of times, and never done it as well. So ... what he said.