howlinpete
Strummer
Posts: 38
My main instrument is: K Yairi
|
Post by howlinpete on Aug 6, 2015 10:56:29 GMT
I wonder if anyone has a view on this.
I have a rare solo acoustic gig coming up soon and for a change I've been getting a bit more practice in on three songs in particular that I'm planning to play. To make the most of practicing opportunities I've taken a guitar into work to get half an hour in during my lunch break. At home I have two more acoustics, at the moment one is upstairs and the other's downstairs.
The three guitars are quite different in dimensions and scale lengths. The downstairs guitar (the one I'll actually be playing for the gig) is a K Yairi and is more-or-less an OM style. I don't have it to hand to check but I presume the scale length is 25.4", the upstairs guitar is an old Sigma 000 style with a shorter scale (24.9"?), finally the guitar at work is an Aria dreadnought with the same scale-length as the Yairi but a surprisingly wide fingerboard and string spacing. My question is, is there an advantage to practicing on a variety of guitars or is it best to concentrate on the guitar you'll actually be performing with?
Oddly enough, I tried a couple of the tunes on my mate's guitar yesterday and it was easier than on any of mine.
|
|
ocarolan
Global Moderator
CURMUDGEONLY OLD GIT (leader - to join, just ask!)
Posts: 33,973
Mini-Profile Background: {"image":"","color":"c0cfe1"}
Mini-Profile Name Color: 182a3f
Mini-Profile Text Color: 733a1c
|
Post by ocarolan on Aug 6, 2015 11:23:05 GMT
Hi Pete - good to see you around again.
Interesting post. I suppose ideally we should be able to pick up any guitar and play reasonably well after maybe a minute or two to adjust. But I can't always do this - I'm often completely thrown by almost anything - the shape/size making the guitar "sit" differently; presence/absence of f'board face dots (don't like them!) and string spacing/feel/response particularly.
As for my own 6 stringers, they are different body sizes, similar nut width 45 or 46mm with similar string spacings, no dots on f'board face and different tones/responses in different places on the guitar, different scale lengths. I tend to associate particular pieces with particular instruments and tend to play them only on that specific instrument - on the odd occasion when I try another of my guitars it's often the tone and response that catches me out, and sometimes hammer-on/pull-off things.
The more complicated the piece the worse this can be, though after a few minutes practice I'm usually OK. Instrumental pieces are the worst, especially in getting the right variety of tones at the right time. More song orientated accomps cause me fewer problems.
I tend to have different purposes for each of my guitars though, so for the most part the situation doesn't arise!
keith
|
|
howlinpete
Strummer
Posts: 38
My main instrument is: K Yairi
|
Post by howlinpete on Aug 6, 2015 12:46:35 GMT
Hi Keith
I thought I'd replied earlier but I must have hit the wrong button. Now I can't remember what I said. Something about taking two bottles into the shower... or was it two guitars to a gig? And how that's not practical for most of us etc.
Anyway, I suppose the thing is, at least I'm practicing.
Pete
|
|
|
Post by creamburmese on Aug 6, 2015 13:54:19 GMT
I find that practicing on very different guitars helps in some obtuse way. Particularly if it's more difficult to play or there are challenges in different parts with one guitar vs the other - sometimes getting it to work on the more "difficult" guitar then allows it to flow better when going back to the easier guitar. However I agree with Keith - some guitars just work better for some pieces.
|
|
howlinpete
Strummer
Posts: 38
My main instrument is: K Yairi
|
Post by howlinpete on Aug 6, 2015 14:14:32 GMT
Unfortunately the guitar that works best for one piece in particular (the one with the shorter scale length) is not really suitable for public performance as the intonation's pretty bad. I've tried to compensate for the difficulty of the longer scale length by going down a string gauge, the jury's still out.
|
|
leoroberts
C.O.G.
Posts: 24,550
My main instrument is: probably needing new strings
|
Post by leoroberts on Aug 6, 2015 14:15:44 GMT
Hang on... If the love of my life ever gets the impression that guitars are interchangeable there'll be a lot more room in my house... So shurrup, the lot of yuz...
|
|
howlinpete
Strummer
Posts: 38
My main instrument is: K Yairi
|
Post by howlinpete on Aug 6, 2015 14:30:25 GMT
Sorry Leo! I'll keep shtum from now on.
|
|
missclarktree
C.O.G.
Posts: 2,423
My main instrument is: It varies
Mini-Profile Background: {"image":"","color":"1979e6"}
Mini-Profile Name Color: 100605
Mini-Profile Text Color: 020a12
|
Post by missclarktree on Aug 6, 2015 15:57:16 GMT
Psst - can I just whisper this from the corner - I can appreciate it might be a good idea to play different guitars for general purpose practising, but I wouldn't risk it for playing in public. If it were me I'd be going for the safest option and sticking with the one to be played on the night.
|
|
|
Post by andyhowell on Aug 6, 2015 21:29:04 GMT
I would release solely on the guitar Inwas to perform with!
|
|
|
Post by colan on Aug 7, 2015 7:42:05 GMT
I agree, Andy- but there are many performing personalities to which it wouldn't be a consideration. True, their acts tend to consist of banter and jokes between slugging pints and they'd knock out a tune on a strung saucepan- but folk club audiences love 'em. However, if they forget their instrument and ask to borrow yours...........
|
|
Phil Taylor
C.O.G.
Posts: 4,410
Mini-Profile Name Color: 680908
Mini-Profile Text Color: 121311
|
Post by Phil Taylor on Aug 7, 2015 8:34:37 GMT
I have in the past 'mixed' the guitars I had in terms of scale length etc. and it always seemed to give me problems going from one to the other. Granted, they could have been in my head and perhaps in time overcome but I could not settle. I now have 2 Brook guitars. I got the Torridge 14 fret first, short scale with a 44mm nut and then I ordered a 12 fret, short scale with a 44mm nut specifically asking that the neck was/felt the same and of course it did. Now of course there is a difference between my 12 fret and 14 fret guitar but it does not seem to bother me too much as long as the necks are the same. I suppose what I am trying to say is it makes sense to me that anything you can do to reduce what your 'muscle memory' has to deal with without having to adjust to different dimensions as well can only be a good thing Phil
|
|
howlinpete
Strummer
Posts: 38
My main instrument is: K Yairi
|
Post by howlinpete on Aug 7, 2015 9:28:18 GMT
That's pretty much what I thought. I guess I was wondering whether it was best to maximise the amount of practice, even if by necessity it means practicing on different guitars, or make do with a bit less practice on the same guitar. Of course there is the argument for more structured practice and that a little regularly is better than sporadic bursts of long practice sessions. For a change though, I've actually been practicing a little every day for about a week or so and I think there's been some improvement, let's see what happens when the adrenaline hits!
|
|
howlinpete
Strummer
Posts: 38
My main instrument is: K Yairi
|
Post by howlinpete on Aug 7, 2015 9:30:35 GMT
Sorry, I tried to quote Phil but it didn't work. I was responding in particular to this sentence:
"I suppose what I am trying to say is it makes sense to me that anything you can do to reduce what your 'muscle memory' has to deal with without having to adjust to different dimensions as well can only be a good thing".
|
|