Chapman stick?

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Eric Knapp
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Re: Chapman stick?

Post by Eric Knapp »

Steve Sawyer wrote: Thu Oct 22, 2020 5:25 pm Those are interesting - and surprisingly reasonably priced! I'd still like to build one though... :D
Heh, that’s the attitude of most of us here, eh? I’d build my own house and car if I could swing it. I have yet to finish an instrument, you are ahead of me by several now. I hope to catch up, someday.

-Eric
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Steve Sawyer
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Re: Chapman stick?

Post by Steve Sawyer »

It's addictive for sure. Hard not to be always thinking about the next build!!
==Steve==
Keith Howell
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Re: Chapman stick?

Post by Keith Howell »

The Acoustic version looks very interesting.

Having watched and listened to Yoyo playing I am surprised there is enough string energy for the acoustic.

And yes the pricing is surprisingly good.
Steven Smith
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Re: Chapman stick?

Post by Steven Smith »

Just saw this video of Rodrigo Serrão playing a Chapman stick. Pretty darn cool but for me, I think I have enough trouble with the acoustic guitar!

https://kksound.com/artist-of-the-month ... &year=2020
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Eric Knapp
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Re: Chapman stick?

Post by Eric Knapp »

Steven Smith wrote: Mon Oct 26, 2020 4:32 pm Just saw this video of Rodrigo Serrão playing a Chapman stick. Pretty darn cool but for me, I think I have enough trouble with the acoustic guitar!

https://kksound.com/artist-of-the-month ... &year=2020
Rod is an amazing player. He is an example of someone coming to the Stick already a top musician on other instruments. He has not been playing the Stick all that long and is now one of the premier players in the world. He is also a very nice person. He has come to the US to teach at a Chapman Stick workshop once and I hope to meet him at a future one. Every time I’ve chatted with him online I’ve learned something and was impressed with his knowledge and warmth. He’s the kind of musician we would all love to make instruments for.

-Eric
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Steve Sawyer
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Re: Chapman stick?

Post by Steve Sawyer »

Steven Smith wrote: Mon Oct 26, 2020 4:32 pm Pretty darn cool but for me, I think I have enough trouble with the acoustic guitar!
I'm finding that learning a musical instrument is "additive". I played (mostly electric) 6-string guitar for many, many years. Started noodling with a bass a few years ago, and picked it up fairly quickly, although I have to admit studying theory at the same time helped a lot with learning bass. Started taking drumming lessons in January, and it has improved both my bass and guitar playing, and all the rhythmic figures were perfectly familiar (except 5's - like triplets, but 5 instead of 3 - those are really strange to me). The challenge is really getting the "muscle memory" engaged which just takes practice. I was surprised how quickly working with a drum set came to me after working just the snare for more than 6 months. As a musician you hear music differently, and when you learn a new instrument, you start hearing that instrument in the mix to a degree you never did before. With drums, as with guitar and bass I'm finding that there are three learning stages - first, reading the music and counting it out to get the rhythm right, and then just listening and playing what I hear. The sooner I get to the second step, the faster I progress, and the muscle memory starts to develop. The last step is practicing enough that I begin to "own" the piece, and am playing almost by "instinct" and locking in with the piece I'm playing.

I would expect that learning the Chapman Stick would be similar.
==Steve==
Steven Smith
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Re: Chapman stick?

Post by Steven Smith »

Steve Sawyer wrote: Mon Oct 26, 2020 6:49 pm
Steven Smith wrote: Mon Oct 26, 2020 4:32 pm Pretty darn cool but for me, I think I have enough trouble with the acoustic guitar!
I'm finding that learning a musical instrument is "additive". I played (mostly electric) 6-string guitar for many, many years. Started noodling with a bass a few years ago, and picked it up fairly quickly, although I have to admit studying theory at the same time helped a lot with learning bass. Started taking drumming lessons in January, and it has improved both my bass and guitar playing, and all the rhythmic figures were perfectly familiar (except 5's - like triplets, but 5 instead of 3 - those are really strange to me). The challenge is really getting the "muscle memory" engaged which just takes practice. I was surprised how quickly working with a drum set came to me after working just the snare for more than 6 months. As a musician you hear music differently, and when you learn a new instrument, you start hearing that instrument in the mix to a degree you never did before. With drums, as with guitar and bass I'm finding that there are three learning stages - first, reading the music and counting it out to get the rhythm right, and then just listening and playing what I hear. The sooner I get to the second step, the faster I progress, and the muscle memory starts to develop. The last step is practicing enough that I begin to "own" the piece, and am playing almost by "instinct" and locking in with the piece I'm playing.

I would expect that learning the Chapman Stick would be similar.
I certainly agree with what you've said; I have played many instruments over the years clarinet, sax, recorder, french horn, bassoon, baritone, bass trumpet(yep), drums, mandolin, banjo, electric guitar and acoustic guitar. I've played most of these in bands or orchestras. In the last 5 years or so I have tried to focus all my energy into the acoustic guitar and it seems to be helping me to improve my skills. Maybe it's just that as I get older I'm less able to multitask, who knows?? Regardless, that Chapman Stick is cool.
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Steve Sawyer
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Re: Chapman stick?

Post by Steve Sawyer »

Hah! I hear you about getting older and wondering what effect it has on learning! I'd just turned 70 when I started drum lessons. There have been many days when I wonder "can I really do this?" Hard to say whether I'm learning slower or if it's always slow, and now I have a reason to be concerned about it. :) You're obviously MUCH more accomplished a musician than I am. To be honest, my biggest problem is having time to keep my skills up to snuff on multiple instruments. Because I have a deadline-and-deliverable every week when my lesson rolls around, the drum set gets daily attention. Bass and guitar are whenever I can find an extra hour or so, which doesn't happen often enough! :( :roll:
==Steve==
Steven Smith
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Re: Chapman stick?

Post by Steven Smith »

I don't know about accomplished but when I was young I sure did like try different instruments. Being retired lets me practice for an hour of so every day. I play in church and we usually get the music with only a few days notice. It can be challenging when a song pops up and has an acoustic solo part but I love doing it.

My apologies to the OP for drifting down the rabbit hole :?
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Steve Sawyer
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Re: Chapman stick?

Post by Steve Sawyer »

Steven Smith wrote: Tue Oct 27, 2020 6:34 pm My apologies to the OP for drifting down the rabbit hole :?
I think the OP is fine with it!! :lol:
==Steve==
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Steve Sawyer
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Re: Chapman stick?

Post by Steve Sawyer »

I just thought I'd put a period to this thread. The more I learned about this instrument, the more I realized that building one would be as much (or more) an engineering project as it would be lutherie. The geometry of the neck is quite different. There is little to no "relief" - the strings remain parallel to the tops of the frets throughout the length, with apparently just a smidge of relief for some of the bass strings. The very long strings (most are 34" and 36" scale lengths) are carefully matched to the tuning used by the musician (there are probably a dozen different tunings in use). The pickups & electronics, the "bridge" the "nut" (there isn't really a "nut" per se) are all unique to this instrument. Some day the patents that Emmett has will run out, the instrument will become more popular (Emmett says he's only built about 7500 instruments since he started the company in the early 70's), and luthiers are bound to start trying their hands at making these. That will lead to a body of experience in the process that mechanics like me can draw upon.

In the meantime, if you want to play a Stick, you have to buy one. I ordered mine (a 10-string Railboard) a few weeks ago. Now it's just waiting for them to get to mine in the queue. They originally quoted 6-8 months, but they have developed alternative electronics that substitute EMG pickups for the Villex pickups which have become a serious bottleneck (apparently another Covid-related supply-chain disruption) in their production, so maybe I'll be getting mine sooner than that!! Here's hoping!

Blue Railboard.jpg
==Steve==
Allyson Brown
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Re: Chapman stick?

Post by Allyson Brown »

[/quote]

I certainly agree with what you've said; I have played many instruments over the years clarinet, sax, recorder, french horn, bassoon, baritone, bass trumpet(yep), drums, mandolin, banjo, electric guitar and acoustic guitar. I've played most of these in bands or orchestras. In the last 5 years or so I have tried to focus all my energy into the acoustic guitar and it seems to be helping me to improve my skills. Maybe it's just that as I get older I'm less able to multitask, who knows?? Regardless, that Chapman Stick is cool.
[/quote]

Have you played in blue grass bands?
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