Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jim_N on May 8, 2015 at 11:51am

Definition of a musician:
Someone who puts $5000 worth of gear into a $500 car to drive 100 miles to a $50 gig.

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Permalink Reply by Bad Finger (Eric) on May 8, 2015 at 12:50pm

How do you know if there's a bad drummer at your door?

Knocks get faster.

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Permalink Reply by Dane Donato on May 9, 2015 at 1:05am

What is the difference between a violin and viola? Violas burn longer. 

An oboist and violist get into a fight during orchestra rehearsal. After they break up the fight, the conductor demands an explanation. The oboist says the violist broke my reed. The violist says yes I did, because be broke on of my strings, but won't tell me which one. 

Use an accordion, go to jail. 

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Permalink Reply by Bad Finger (Eric) on May 9, 2015 at 1:26am

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Permalink Reply by Dane Donato on May 9, 2015 at 7:21am

The best bass clarinet ever. 

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Permalink Reply by the anonymous pick on May 9, 2015 at 2:32am

drummer  dig at the   end  ;-} 

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Permalink Reply by Dane Donato on May 9, 2015 at 7:25am

So, you admit you stalk each customer. And in the sequel, you really should end up being the Devil. 

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Permalink Reply by the anonymous pick on May 9, 2015 at 8:08am

you  sound like a   drummer .

Permalink Reply by Jim Morris on May 8, 2015 at 5:34am

Ahhh, Dane I hesitate to get into a music theory discussion with a Berklee alumni. But I've found that all the chords are there on 3 string instruments. You have to do like Tommy E. advised and go for the sound in your head. I don't know if you caught my recent vid of God Bless the Child with my daughter singing. Done in 1,5,1 tuning, and this old Billy Holliday song has some interesting chords to find on 3 string. I came from "normal" 6 string playing and had to figure out many of these chords on my own but they are most definitely playable. One other note of interest - a sax and flute player I know who has a doctorate in Music Ed wondered aloud to me "How much could you really do with one of your one string instruments?" I responded to him asking how many notes can you play at one time on a sax or a flute? One at a time. You can arpeggiate chords to let the ear know what the chord is or you can let the listener's ear decide. I sometimes do that on 3 string but I've also found ways to play Maj7, dim, add6, as well as minor chords. It's a lot less work if you play it on a tuning like standard 6 string if you're already are familiar with that but I remember struggling hard to first learn these chords on 6 string! Already knowing how the chord is supposed to sound actually made it easier on 3 string. Not saying there's anything wrong with standard tuning but even on 6 strings many alternate tunings are used to wonderful effect by great guitarists.

https://youtu.be/WJjtP-dob38      Just in case you care to listen!

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Permalink Reply by TN Twang on May 8, 2015 at 10:10am

Wow! Good thread...

I've read from beginning to end, but it sounds like y'all are mostly using frets. I guess I'll learn frets someday. I hear some guy named Martin makes fretted guitars with either 6 or 12 strings. Until I can get the money and get to town to buy one, I pretty much need an open tuning so that I can grin and barre it.

(NOTE: Out of habit, I list pitches from low pitch to high pitch.)

My builds so far have been pure slide instruments--looking to understand what could be accomplished using only junk found on the back porch. My action is so far above the woodburned fretboard that fingering a pitch is not a real possibility.

After about 3 years of practice, I've gravitated to Dad (or Gdg or Ebe or whatever 1-5-1) as the best for simplest beginning strumming and for the most complex melody-and-accompaniment cross picking.

Somewhere in between those two extremes, you might try tuning the top 3 strings of a 6-string set to a triad with the third on the bottom. I first used G#be and then F#ad. You miss having the low root of the chord (That's why you might prefer Dad.), but when I'm sitting in with a group, there are already people playing the bass and it's nice to be able to play a full major chord up high--either strummed or, more likely, finger picked banjo style.

For minor chords, just pick the 2 highest strings and leave the 3rd out of the harmony. Any other kind of chord is probably not bluegrass! To form a dominant 7th, I've learned to slide up 3 fret markers from the main chord and pick only the lower 2 strings.

If you're a blues or country rock fan, this tuning is the top half of the open E tuning used by Duane Allman and Bonnie Raitt. At least portions of their published slide solos can be played on these 3 strings. Or, if you're more into Elmore James, the minor third between the lower strings can be used for all sorts of bluesy wails--some of which "fit" the harmonies and some of which don't.

I've been aware of Keni Lee's Dgb tuning from day one. If I were a "real" guitar player, I'd probably prefer it because it's already on the standard 6-string. I've tried it, but so far it's not working for me. Guess I'll keep practicing!

Meanwhile, I've veered off into 1-string diddley bows. They're all tuned to "R," because, wherever you go, there you "R."

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Permalink Reply by Jim Morris on May 8, 2015 at 10:29am

Good stuff TN Twang. I have a bass player friend and when I aked him to play his D string he said which one is that? I said "don't you know your string names? He said well yes, this one's Fred, this one's George, here's Joe, and this one's Tom. I said OK, play an open Joe for me. We were on the same page after that!

 

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Permalink Reply by Dane Donato on May 8, 2015 at 11:13am

Now, this is the type of discussion I was hoping to see. Lots of food for thought, so thanks with much gratitude to everyone who is adding their insights, and perhaps will in the future. 

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