Travis The Dragon
AFTERGLOW!!!
http://www.metalsucks.net/2015/01/28/24-string-bass-continues-battle-string-supremacy/
That's completely insane!
That's completely insane!
A 24 string bass. I'd love to see Steve try this out!
- Thread starter Travis The Dragon
- Start date
In my opinion, that's not a bass. Playing something like that is more like playing a piano; this instrument just takes the hammers out of the process. Instead of "finger presses key, moves mechanism, makes hammer hit string", this is just "finger hammers string".
I'm quite fond of this one.
Yep. I have to admit I'm not fond of this recent internet fad of instruments with a bunch of strings. Even something like a 9 string guitar is too much. The instruments look cool and there's no doubt that it takes a certain skill to handle them, but I don't see any musical quality that would make me want to use one.
I like 7 and 8 string guitars. There's a lot of versatility in them compared to the traditional 6 strings. While they're most used for metal, there's a lot of untapped potential in what they can do outside of that. For example you could have an entire jazz arrangement played on one guitar. Use the bottom strings to make a walking bass line, the middle strings to do chords, and the top two strings play the melody.
I draw the line at 9 only because I haven't seen any use for it outside of heavy chugging riffs. Plus when you see people play it they barely use the rest of the strings. You might as well tune down a 7 string or play bass.
I draw the line at 9 only because I haven't seen any use for it outside of heavy chugging riffs. Plus when you see people play it they barely use the rest of the strings. You might as well tune down a 7 string or play bass.
It's not about the number of strings to me. It's about the playing action. Bass strings are generally plucked or bowed, going back for centuries. Tapping is an extended technique from modern times. When your entire technique is purely modern, it doesn't matter that your instrument is modeled on something intended for a different playing style.
If you can play piano, you can easily transfer much of that skill to organ, harpsichord, synthesizer, etc. If you play guitar, extending to more strings with otherwise normal technique is not a big deal. But you can't expect a normal bassist to be able to play that thing - nor does that playing prove skill on a normal bass. It's not the same instrument in any significant way.
If you can play piano, you can easily transfer much of that skill to organ, harpsichord, synthesizer, etc. If you play guitar, extending to more strings with otherwise normal technique is not a big deal. But you can't expect a normal bassist to be able to play that thing - nor does that playing prove skill on a normal bass. It's not the same instrument in any significant way.