2 hands tapping from above?

[ixlramp]

i have been tapping my 6 string bass (tuned in fifths) by tilting the fretboard down to near horizontal, both hands tapping from above the neck. a bit like playing a piano

who else does this?

it's very comfortable for tapping the lowest strings and lowest frets, and i find it extends my reach considerably. i could tap an extremely long scale this way (bass scale plus 3 or 4 frets)

it seems to reduce the strain on my left wrist a lot

i was inspired by seeing a picture of Trey Gunn doing this :D

[billbowen]

there was a bassist named (i think) adrian something-or-other who was billed as the "world's fastest bass player" about 10-12 years ago (in bass player magazine, at least). he released at least 2 cd's. he played a 4 string bass, and sat it on his lap or a table, like a keyboard.

my experiments with this have been brief, but i have tried it. i found it difficult to see what i was doing, and hard to keep the bass in one position (having it away from my chest seemed to make it sway a lot more.) i would be very interested in seeing pictures of how you are holding the bass/how you it is strapped on/etc.

[ixlramp]

just in conventional sitting position with the bass neck close to horizontal

i don't like playing with the bass flat on my lap either

might do some pics i suppose.. :D

[ixlramp]

i have been here a while but haven't described my instrument

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v643/parramatta/bigblue.jpg

i play an ibanez BTB406qmbbl tuned in fifths:

G# .013 plain steel d'addario guitar string
C# .022 wound conklin snakeskin
F# .035 prosteel
B .060 prosteel
E .095 prosteel
A .145 tapered d'addario prosteel

i have string dampers under the top 5 strings, and mute the lowest string with my right thumb

[GaryOpenhill]

trey gunn: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NbJc4ANlq0&search=warr%20guitar

[Falstaff]

That's beautiful, Gary. I think that's the most beautiful thing I've ever heard Trey Gunn play. Thankyou.

I've played the clip about seven times straight. I might even have bought the Eyes Wide Open DVD if there were more on it like this. Do you know which song the solo is from?

[GaryOpenhill]

Originally posted by Falstaff
That's beautiful, Gary. I think that's the most beautiful thing I've ever heard Trey Gunn play. Thankyou.

I've played the clip about seven times straight. I might even have bought the Eyes Wide Open DVD if there were more on it like this. Do you know which song the solo is from?

Sorry, I have no idea. I thought the name of the song was "eyes wide open". I'm not a particular fan of trey gunn, but this is a nice clip.

[ixlramp]

ooh interesting...

anyway, sorry i have't described this very well (i think i was really tired)

normal playing position, sitting or standing, with the guitar neck about 30 degrees or less from horizontal. just bring the left hand around to the same side of the fretboard as the right hand

when tapping a bass, i find i can mute the low bass strings well this way

[GaryOpenhill]

I found in an interview with ned steinberger that before he started his co-work with chapman for their NS stick, he designed a tapper that should be played more like a piano, but he never got around to market it, since guitar players and such wasn't very open to it. I for one have visualized an instrument like this,. as i belive many others have too, but ned actually build one. very cool dude.

He said: "Reaching way back, I'd have to say that the String Console is the project that I most regret having to give up due to market realities. The console is a "universal fretboard" concept that ultimately lead to my collaboration with Emmett Chapman on the NS/Stick. But the console is quite different, in that it is a heavy instrument supported by legs. It is played horizontally with both hands, more like one would play a piano keyboard than a guitar.

There are 10 strings on a 34 inch scale, so the instrument can be set up with virtually any tuning. The instrument is now tuned in 4ths, starting with low B, with an octave crossover between the 6th and 7th strings. The strings can be damped beyond the 0 fret for tap style playing technique similar to what Emmett developed for the stick. There is also a capo to hold the strings down on the zero fret for more conventional picking style, except that both hands access the strings from the same side.

And that's where the problem lies. Guitar players have trained their left hand to finger the strings from the opposite side of the fingerboard. This proved to be a major barrier to acceptance. But the sound is fantastic! Due to the heavy contraction, it rings out forever without any dead spots on the fingerboard, and it has the tightest bass you can imagine. Thanks to your question, I've pulled the old girl out of storage and cranked her up. She still sounds sweet! I've included a snapshot of the instrument so you can see what I'm talking about.
"

THe whole interwiev and a photo of his prototype is here: http://www.steinbergerworld.com/askned-archv.htm

[Rayzcane]

I recently received this book as a birthday gift: OVER THE TOP, Advanced Two-Hand Tapping. Man, talk about truth in advertising! The front cover shows playing with both hands on the same side of the neck. But, inside the book, there is never a single mention of this method/technique. All of the photos and diagrams show the guitar being played in the conventional tapping way. Also, all of the examples on the CD and in the book are for the "linear style" of tapping. By linear, I mean playing several notes on one string using both hands. Here is a photo of the front cover:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/093175982X/ref=pd_sim_b_2/002-1375736-6488045?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=283155

To me, it seems amazing that more players are not doing the touch style thing with both hands on the same side of the neck. For one thing, if the instrument is played like a lap steel, it gets the weight off the neck and shoulders and back. And, for those who learn visually, the entire fretboard is right there in front of you. So, what is wrong with this idea? Why has it not caught on more? This style is often compared with a pianistic approach. Both hands on the same side of the neck would seem even more of a pianistic way to play.

Ray