Members simplygoodmusic Posted June 15, 2007 Members Posted June 15, 2007 I was just sitting, listening to some Tuck Andress, and I noticed that he gets all these amazing sounds from his L-5 just by playing the sensitivity of his electric. There are all these different naunces and half notes that are really something. I really love his style, but it sucks not being able to pull out all the sounds out of the instrument that he can. The acoustic just doesn't have the same kind of sharp respone. How do I go about enhancing what little naunces I can get from an acoustic in a solo, fingerstyle situation?
Members Freeman Keller Posted June 15, 2007 Members Posted June 15, 2007 You can vary the attack on the strings, use more nail or flesh, move towards the bridge or towards the neck. Add finger and/or thumb picks (or take them off). You can use your thumb on the trebles, your fingers on the bass strings. You can dampen with either hand. You can play more purcussive (look at Rory Block) or with a light touch. Play the same chords but in different forms up the neck. Tune down, capo up. Increase string gauge, decrease string gauge. Add a bottleneck.... In the Brozman tv show I linked to he showed the incredible dynamic range he gets from his old Nationals - so I would add - get a National or become Bob Brozman.
Members simplygoodmusic Posted June 15, 2007 Author Members Posted June 15, 2007 Ooo...I think I might try that last one. All I need is a beard and some glasses and I'm halfway there. In all seriousness though...what I mean is, not just how to get different sounds. Rather, I mean, how do I ENHANCE these sounds, so it'll come closer to the electric one. Listen to tuck and you'll see what I mean.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diZjE1lYoQw Those things seem to jump right out.
Members Freeman Keller Posted June 15, 2007 Members Posted June 15, 2007 Ooo...I think I might try that last one. All I need is a beard and some glasses and I'm halfway there. I've got a beard and used to wear glasses, I tell my wife I need a 1927 Style 2 tricone. But I still wouldn't be halfway there. Re: Tuck, I don't know diddly about electric guitars but he seems to be doing something with his left foot too... Maybe thats the clue.
Members drnihili Posted June 15, 2007 Members Posted June 15, 2007 I've always loved Tuck's playing, he's not one of those guys that makes it look effortless though.
Members marder explorer Posted June 19, 2007 Members Posted June 19, 2007 It sounds/looks like he has a volume pedal hooked up and is using it quite a bit. I'd suggest just working on getting the lower volume stuff you play to ring clearly, but still quietly. That's been a struggle of mine since I started playing fingerstyle and realizing that it's quite hard to play quietly with a pick of any sort.
Members garthman Posted June 19, 2007 Members Posted June 19, 2007 He might well be using an effects pedal or at least an EQ pedal. But looking at his skill and technique he probably doesn't need to - it's just icing on the cake when you can play as well as that. Follow Freeman's advice about mastering different fingerpicking styles and/or positions and fretting techniques and it will be a most valuable lesson learnt.
Members Sisyphus2 Posted June 19, 2007 Members Posted June 19, 2007 As much as anything you have to be in the zone psychologically to get the feel and sound that people like Tuck get - its not just effects, pedals or technique but that ability to harness his feelings..........?
Members Mike_C Posted June 19, 2007 Members Posted June 19, 2007 The acoustic guitar is a remarkably constrained instrument. Solo guitar playing is truly about harnessing a very intimate energy, and operating within a space which is superficially extremely limited. If you can focus in that space, and see it as limitless, this very small voice and convoluted way of achieving counterpoint, you can start working within the instrument's voice in a truly idiomatic way to the acoustic guitar. Not as an extension of electric, not as an accompanyment device, but as a solo instrument of tension and release... the big problem, I think, is that the guitar, being such a relatively small voice and 'miniature orchestra' is almost lost to the average mass-media fed ADD fashion plate. I mean, it takes focus to hear these things, let alone try to play them, and who stops to hear a small, evocative, beautiful voice? well, that aside, it sounds like you're talking about focus and awareness of the energy of the (acoustic) guitar. It might help to play some minimalism, to really get inside the wood and play with timberal shifts and dynamics. Maybe.
Members Tony Burns Posted June 20, 2007 Members Posted June 20, 2007 Wether this is applicable or not - but i gain alot of warmth and tone from just about any guitar by limiting how much the instrument is touching me ( 2 places minimum) -also by not putting my arm on it - it helps the guitar ring better , and sound is not mutted - you can also tip the guitar up slighly up when its played , rather than the sound going just forward, you can also hear its response better. Ive been trying to help any resonant that comes from the neck as well , with a lighter attack to the neck hand ( not wrapping my hand around the back of the neck - this is kinda tough , but i have noticed that some guitars sound dramatically changes. Good luck
Members simplygoodmusic Posted June 21, 2007 Author Members Posted June 21, 2007 Thanks for all the help guys
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