Bring it on!!!!!

[rjgoos]

I was just noticing that we here at the tappistry.org forum have been INVADED lately by those tapping regular guitars. Let's see, in the past week we have heard from:

Jesus Aunon
Adam Fulara
Tom Slusher
Jaquie Gipson
HP Crazy
Matt Cross
Skinny Devil
and probably others I've missed.

All I want to say is....BRING IT ON!! The new names, new links, new videos, new MP3s have been great!! This has been a great week on this forum.


RJ Goos

[lemur821]

It's inspiring to hear what some people are doing on just six strings. I always end up with something like a tangle of fingers when I try.

[SkinnyDevil]

Don't blame me, man - I was drunk....(hiccup)....

[mrINFINITY]

I have to agree, all of the 6 string tappers have been awesome. No offense to the tree trunk guitar neck tappers, but The 6 string tappers have this really awesome bright tone (probably from being on a normal guitar scale length) that I think sounds even better than the designated tap guitars. Maybe you guys should put shorter scales on the guitar side of your instruments?

[rjgoos]

(I suspect a pitch for the Tone Weaver is imminent)


RJ Goos

[mrINFINITY]

yes, the toneweaver does that, however it has to really sacrifice comfort having to reach so far with both hands. I'm nto saying it's not possible, but why would you want to if you didn't have to? I think you'd be much better off just laying a guitar scale on one half, and a bass scale on the other. Probably have all around better scale lengths for the whole instrument that way anyway.

[traktor]

Originally posted by mrINFINITY
yes, the toneweaver does that, however it has to really sacrifice comfort having to reach so far with both hands. I'm nto saying it's not possible, but why would you want to if you didn't have to? I think you'd be much better off just laying a guitar scale on one half, and a bass scale on the other. Probably have all around better scale lengths for the whole instrument that way anyway. Hi, mrINFINITY,

Your idea of combining the two lengths on one neck is an interesting one, and perhaps some day somebody will try it.

However, your "sacrifice comfort" comment is just NOT TRUE.

Don't feel bad. This is a common misconception.

If your posture is correct, and assuming that you have modest-sized hands, your fingertips can reach all the way across the board and perhaps an inch beyond.

At least, I can with my (somewhat small) hands.

If you hang the instrument like a guitar, nearly horizontal, you can probably only reach about three inches into a neck, because your wrist is bent, and your fingers bent from the plane of your palm.

However, if you hang the instrument with a properly designed and ergonomic support system -- (ahem. Can we say MegStrap?) -- with the tuners to the left of your left ear, and you bring your left hand comfortably up to the fretboard with your left wrist straight (or near straight), your finger tips can reach approximately 5 to 5 and a half inches with comfort and no particular strain. (At least I can with my somewhat-small hands.)

Test this for yourself:

1. Get a ruler.

2. Hold your left hand out in front of you and first bend your left wrist, and then bend your fingers approximately 90 degrees from the plane of your palm.

Now slide the ruler on the underside of your first finger until the ruler runs into your palm, just there by the knuckle. My first finger measures 3 1/2 inches. That's how far my hand can reach when arranged this way.

3. Now try it the other way. Hold your left hand out in front of you and do NOT bend your left wrist. Also do NOT bend your fingers. Now it's approximately a straight line consisting of your forearm, your palm, and your fingers.

Now slide the ruler on the underside of your first finger until the ruler runs into the web of flesh that connects your thumb to your hand. My first finger measures around five inches and my second finger five and a half inches; and I have somewhat small hands.

4. Now I'll measure the ToneWeaver (or any Megatar). In the area around frets two to seven, where most bass notes get played, the distance across the neck to the lowest bass note is from 3 and 5/8 inches to 4 and 1/8 inches.

5. Now that we know the distance to the farthest string, try this: Again hold your hand out in front of you, with your forearm, wrist, and fingers straight. Mark or hold your ruler at the four-inch mark, and slide your ruler below your left hand fingers, and into the web of your thumb. Wiggle your fingers, and notice that you can easily reach the furthest string with any of your four fingers. And notice that in many cases you've got fingers flapping an inch or more *beyond* the furthest string.


With decent, healthful posture, and a properly engineered ergonomic support system, it's easy to play the neck on a ToneWeaver (or any Megatar). It's easy and it's comfortable and it's healthy.

UNLESS you really and truly *prefer* to arrange your body with a bent wrist. But why would you want that?

Whether or not you would ever have an interest in Megatar instruments, for the sake of your strength and the health of your hands, I would sincerely urge you to NOT play ANY instrument with a bent wrist. I personally believe that the health of your hands may depend on it.

Try this exeriment. You may find it surprising.

[mrINFINITY]

Traktor,

I understand what you're saying because I play my classical guitar almost completely vertical as it is. Another thing I do is keep my thumb directly behind the string i' m playing on (yes i actually pick it up and move it back and forth while i play). This in my opinion is a far superior technique over anything because if allows you to keep your wrist perfectly straight and your hand in a uniform position almost all the time. I also use my bicep to actually fret notes by pulling back. I always tell my students to imagine a butterly wing lightly brushing their cheek, and that is how the thumb should be on the back. Instead of forming a clamp between your fingers and thumb you can set your fingers on the fretboard and pull your arm back to hold the strings down (if your hand is positioned correctly you can actually use gravity to fret the notes for you.
I've owned several guitars with pretty large necks, including a phalanx and I definately could reach all the way across the neck (of course it was uncrossed but I played with it a bit with 2 hands on one side at a time), but what's the point if you don't have to? It is not nearly as comfortable.
The Kinesthetics that I use are perfect for me, and they are not possible with that neck strung as it is.

[traktor]

Hi, mrINFINITY,

Of course, I'm not finding any fault with the way you play, and I'm sure your method of play is carefully worked out for the what and the how of your music.

I was really just responding to a common misconception. As you've experienced yourself, even fretting all the way across a fourteen-string instrument is possible, yet many people seeing the wide necks of these instruments and (naturally) drawing upon their past experience with two-inch guitar necks, think that it might be a big deal.

If one attempted to use guitar positioning and a bent wrist, it certainly could be a big deal, and not such a good one. But of course one doesn't use the hands the same way on a double bass as on a violin, nor on a megatar like a mandolin.

Done correctly for the style of play, touchstyle technique on a wide neck is quite easy and comfortable.

Of course, in these days, the uncrossed arrangement seems to be gaining in popularity, which kind of removes the question in general; but on the ToneWeaver, where fanned frets are employed to deepen the bass and strengthen the melody there is no way to string the instrument other than standard, crossed arrangement. And that demands a correct, straight-wrist positioning to be healthy and comfortable.

On a different subject, I'm also gratified to see so many standard six-stringers evolving, or perhaps migrating into the touchstyle universe. With modern amps and careful setup the instruments are capable, and I think there's a lot yet to be developed in the world of six-string tapping.

[rjgoos]

Traktor wrote:

>On a different subject, I'm also gratified to see so many standard six-stringers evolving, or perhaps migrating into the touchstyle universe. With modern amps and careful setup the instruments are capable, and I think there's a lot yet to be developed in the world of six-string tapping.<


I think that a long-term way of increasing the numbers of players of specialized touch/tap instruments (Stick, Warr, Megatar, etc.) would be to promote six string tapping as an introduction. The point of entry is much lower...instruments much cheaper and immediately available. My son's Les Paul knock-off is a fantastic tapping instrument.

Apart from Jimmie Webster, has anyone written an entry-level tapping introduction for six string?


RJ Goos

[mrINFINITY]

Traktor,
you could always fan two seperate directions to make it uncrossed. I don't know if people would go for that, but I don't see why not.

Rjgoos,
>Apart from Jimmie Webster, has anyone written an entry-level tapping introduction for six string?< Since there are plenty of experienced 6 string tappers on here, why don't you email a few of them and ask them if they'd be interested in maybe writing down some of their arrangements so they can be posted somewhere. The best way to learn is to just play music and do it.

[traktor]

Hi, mrINFINITY,

I have thought of making a "herringbone" instrument (mirrored) or a split fretboard (standard), but my main reservation is that physically doing it seems tricky, and I'm uncertain how having "disrelated" sides would seem. Maybe one day ...

As regards six-string method, there is a french gentleman who has written what appears to be a good method book for standard guitar. It's in French, but the charts seem pretty clear so I think a person could work it out without speaking French. Also, I'm pretty sure that Daniel Schell (of clic music and the Belgian E-Tap) carries these books for sale. Contact clic music through http://clicmusic.be.

[mrINFINITY]

>my main reservation is that physically doing it seems tricky, and I'm uncertain how having "disrelated" sides would seem. Maybe one day ...<

I have messed around tapping on my 4 string bass and electric guitar before, and it really feels surprisingly normal. I think they'd sell, or at least if I had to choose a touch guitar and that one was available that'd be the one i picked.