In the previous post I took a rather circuitous journey from the lute through to the Chapman stick – a lute-like modern fret based instrument that occupies a unique space in between the guitar , the lute and the piano. If you have ever wondered why the mathematical complexities of a 6 string guitar account for the 3rd string anomaly then here’s Bob Chapman’s illumination upon the matter – it`s all about playing in keys… followed by Hettory playing the Stick.

What’s interesting about the stick is it’s ability to play chords, leads and bass parts simultaneously.

This is an invaluable mode of thought when approaching the guitar and most players want to bridge these gaps – the long sustain capabilities of an electric guitar for example mean that with some manual dexterity you can attempt to create some interesting harmonic combinations – plus blending in tapping techniques like those of Eddie Van Halen and Joe Satriani stretches the Stick metaphor. If you`d like to venture into modern acoustic territory then have alook at some of the newer percussive styles of playing:

Cheers,
Jake Edwards