The Stickup:
Emmett's original pickup has a "growl" in the bass that makes it the best one for articulate two-handed bass, and also give the higher bass strings an "acoustic" edge, making them great for accompaniment. For the melody strings, this pickup is "multi-dimensional" to my ear, and the sound it produces is complex, with lots of clear low end and an "acoustic" high end. The attack is pronouced, and full of complex high harmonic clusters.

The ACTV-2
Something about this module makes it a great one for "unifying" the sound of the instrument. Listening to Bob's "Romantica" CDs or Nick's "Stick Insect" I hear a real pitch clarity and smoothness. These are two very different records, but the effect is the same. The Stick sounds like one BIG instrument. Last night I really noticed this as I moved to my 12-string with the ACTV-2 for the second set. I like to add a little "crispness" on my amp on the bass side to give it a bit more edge than the pickup naturally has, and overall I love the fatness of the sound. Melody distortion is superior and easily controllable with this pickup, and the true mono capability make it very versatile in performance routing. Of the two Block modules, I think I prefer the basic tone of this one, but it doesn't have the timbral versatility of the PASV-4

Oddly the nearest acoustic reference point I can think of for the higher strings (on both sides) is a nylon string classical guitar, hence Bob's successful use of the sound. But mostly, this pickup sounds very electric to me, and it makes me want to use it as an input device for lots of processing.

Of all the pickup choices I like the ACTV-2 pickup best on the Stick Bass (SB8), but in the inverted position, which makes it very edgy and percussive.

The PASV-4
I've spent less time with this pickup than the others, but I'm thinking of putting it back on my 12-string for a while just to explore. The tonal variety is the big plus here. And I think it shows up best when layering Stick sounds. I've heard Glenn Poorman do this incredibly well, and the tonal contrasts have encouraged me to use more radical filtering on my instruments without the PASV-4 (but the pickup would definitely be a better way to get the effect). When I hear Emmett play solo without effects, the tonal contrasts are like primary colors, mixing together to form distinct tones.

Each of these pickups has its strengths. Currently on my 10-string I have a hybrid EMG on the melody and Stickup on the bass. While these are my two favorite distinct applications of the pickups available, it does not feel as unified as having the same pickup on both sides, so this instrument is really becoming a two-sided one (something I also like), while my Grand becomes the BIG unified instrument, that like to morph into the two-sided one at will (Leo becoming Gemini, if you will).

If I were playing in a band with a bass player, I would chose the ACTV-2 or the PASV-4 to exploit the tonal varieties and BIG Stick concepts. Playng with a guitar player (especially acoustic guitar), I think I prefer the Stickup for it's tonal distinctiveness. With a primarily electronic setting, like synths and samples, I think the PASV-4 would be highly advantageous, because it would be easier to "fit" the sound into the mix.

My dream is an active quad Block, which would give us more of the sonic versatility found in the NS/Stick, something Don Schiff has demonstrated to us so well for so many years (oh, he's good...).

Happy Tapping,
Greg
http://www.greghoward.com

PS: Thanks to Ron Baggerman for all of the submissions. The bar has been raised:)

Hello Tapdancers:)

I'm proud to have interviewed French Stickist Pascal Gutman.
Check it out in English and French :
http://www.galaxygypsy.nl/page.php?pid=en_195

Check also a video file of his playing on http://www.tapeguitarallaire.fr.st check the 2001 edition and als Pascal site http://www.pascalgutman.com

Enjoy part of the "French Tap Connection,

Ron Baggerman
www.galaxgygypsy.nl

I've been asked, so, for those in the NY/LI area, here's some updates.
More TV show appearances on Great American Guitar Show (GAGS) in March.
In April I'll be playing a Guitar tribute show at the Tilles Center with Howard Alden, Bucky Pizzarelli, Jack Wilkins, and about 20 world class players. Also I'll be playing music at Roosevelt Field Mall for some sports extravaganza including Chad Pennington and Vinny Testaverde. In May we do the Classic American Guitar Show featuring thousands of vintage guitars and one Stick. And the summertime will bring distribution of my CD to most major stores as well as iTunes and other online venues. Plans under way for the 2004 Long Beach(NY) Jazz Festival that I will produce. Usual bar/cafe/restaurant/club gigs.
Stick Seminars in discussion.

Steve A.

Okay finally some basic RB tapping techniques in Sticknews.
Stickplayers ask me often how to get more inter- or independence.
Good question... there are several ways to improve this. Here's one simple idea to try:
-Play 2 notes with the left hand fingers 1 and 2 in the bass (c-g for example)
-Play 2 notes with the right hand fingers 1 and 3 in the melody ( e-b for example)

The Capital letters are the left hand fingers in the bass and the small ones the right hand fingers in the melody

Play these notes in serie in different orders :
-C as starting note :C-G-e-b C-G-b-e C-e-b-G C-b-G-e C-b-e-G
-G as starting note: G-e-b-C G-b-e-C G-C-e-b G-e-C-b G-b-C-b
-e as starting note: e-b-C-G e-b-G-C e-G-b-C e-G-C-b e-C-b-G
-b as starting note: b-C-G-e b-G-e-C b-e-C-G b-C-e-G b-G-C-e
Once you get this, substitute any of the 4 notes for another note or a chord.

It's not very hard, next time I'll follow up on this. And don't forget: don't treat this as an exercise: make music with it, play it soft/loud fast/slow accelerate/slow down and above all: make all the combinations yours and play them with attitude:)

Have fun exploring,

Ron B
www.galaxygypsy.nl

Hello String abusers:)

Just a little reminder that we've still got room for more participants for the Stick Seminar in Zaandam/Holland 2-3-4April 2004. So far we've got almost 20 participants.

The price is 230 euro after the 20th of Februari. For this we offer the Saturday/Sunday teaching of Bob Culbertson, Jim Lampi, Andre Pelat and yours sincerely. Plus the Fridaynight teacher concert in " The Kleine Kade" , the 4 Saturday teacher and pupils gigs in 4 different local pubs (at walking distance) , the sundaynight jamsession (teachers+pupils).

On top of this you get one dinner and two lunches plus a free communal sleeping place at Stickplayer/Singer/Organizer Frank Leurs Dental Technician's working space. If you want you can stay all 3 nights for free, just bring a sleeping bag and something like an airmatrass. If you prefer a hotel (cheap ones at the bottom of the seminar page) you can of course reserve it.

Please check the site for more details,

Stickingly yours,

Ron Baggerman
www.galaxygypsy.nl

GUILLERMO CIDES STICK TOUR 2004

-With Jethro Tull
-Tour Mexico, Spain and Argentina.
-Stick masterclass in mexico D.F.
-Festival Baja Prog Rock Mexico.
-Interview in National Radio Spain, now in mp3...and more.

The Stickista Guillermo Cides continues his Tour Stick 2004 for different countries.
At present, he is touring along Spain, where he has created Stick Center and realizes habitually activities as Stick's annual European Seminars in a farmhouse of Tarragona; his concerts in solitary and with newly released The Stick Trio together with the american Lampi and the dutchman Baggerman; besides the journalistic monthly collaboration with Stick Center's pages in the Spanish magazine Guitarra Actual interviewing musicians like Peter Hammill, Sean Malone, Emmett Chapman, Victor Wotten, Tony Levin and others. After his first visit to the Concerts of TV2, is published now the interview - concert made by the journalist Carlos Pina in his program Bienvenidos al Paraiso in National Radio Spain. 40 minutes of conversation and live music available now in mp3 - www.stickcenter.com.

The Stick Tour will bein three countries: Spain, Argentina and Mexico. In Argentina:
Cides is invited to open the concerts of the mythical band Jethro Tull on the 23rd, 24 and 25 March in the Theatre Gran Rex of Buenos Aires. Later he will continue his tour along different cities of this country.

In Mexico:
For first time Cides will play in Mexico lands with a series of concerts.
On February 28th: International Festival of Progressive Rock, Mexico D.F.
On February 29th: Cides + Cabezas de Cera band with the Stickplayer Mauricio Sotelo, in Tlaxcala city
On March 1th: Clinic for Stickistas and not-Stickistas in D.F.

On March 6th: Festival BAJA PROG 2004 with Allan Holdsworth - I. Q. - Anekdoten - Oxygene 8 and more artists.
In Spain:
Cides continues the tour Stick in spanish clubs presenting his "Primitive"
disc distributed now in this country by GMI Records and Discmedi.
The dates confirmed of the Stick Tour are:
14 Febrero 2004 Cides CAFé L'AUCA (Sta. Coloma de
Queralt) - 23:30Hs Conca de Barberˆ - Tarragona Espa–a
16 febrero 2004 Cides Teatro Batrina - c/ Major 15 - 20:30 hs Reus - Tarragona Espa–a
21 febrero 2004 Cides -show case Sala Ever Club - c/ Diagonal 353 - 21:30 hs Barcelona Espa–a
22 febrero 2004 Cides Golden Globes - c/ Jovara 186 - 21 hs Calella Espa–a
28 febrero 2004 Cides Encuentro internacional de Rock Progresivo con
Guillermo Cides (Argentina)
Cabezas de Cera (Mexico)
Gallina Negra (Mexico)
Pocos & Nuvens (Brazil)
Escuela Dim - c/ Jardin 14 Col. Atl‡ntida Coyoac‡n - 20 hs Mexico D.F.
29 febrero 2004 Cides + Cabezas de Cera Tlaxcala - Mexico D.F.
1 Marzo 2004 Cides- Masterclass for Stickistas and no-Stickistas
Escuela Dim - c/ Jardin 14 Col. Atl‡ntida Coyoac‡n - 9 hs por la ma–ana Informes: 56894391 - Mexico D.F.
3 Marzo 2004 Oxygene Eight Rock Festival Baja Prog - Hotel Araiza Inn - Mexicali Mexico
6 Marzo 2004 Cides Rock Festival Baja Prog - Hotel Araiza Inn - Mexicali Mexico
11 y 12 Marzo 2004 Cides L1 angel blau Jazz Club - C/ De la Borda, 4 - 21:30 hs Andorra La Vella Andorra
13 Marzo 2004 Cides Sala Mariscal L'estartit C/ Catedral 9 - 21 hs Girona Espa–a
14 Marzo 2004 Cides Sala L1 Arc C/ Barcelona, 51 - 23:30 hs Girona Espa–a
23, 24 y 25 Marzo 2004 Jethro Tull + Cides Teatro Gran Rex - Av.
Corrientes 857 Buenos Aires Argentina
26 Marzo 2004 Teatro Girona de Escobar Escobar Argentina
1 Abril 2004 Cides Bunge Argentina
2 Abril 2004 Cides Museo del Mar Mar del Plata Argentina
3 Abril 2004 Cides Teatro de Rauch Rauch Argentina

more concerts will be confirmed soon...
http://www.stickcenter.com
stickcenter@hotmail.com

Vycky and I haven't performed together since 1997, so I'm really loking forward to this show. She plays acoustic guitar and sings her own songs, which are really creative, beautiful and rhythmically extremely interesting. I would call her style "acoustic prog" and she's opened a tour for Jethro Tull and has a great new record out. We'll eahc play solo and then duos. I hope you can make it out to the Gravity Lounge this Wednesday Night at 8:30. Details at:

http://www.greghoward.com/events/2402

Thanks for supporting live music!
Greg

I've recently added three music files to my website, from a gig I had 2 weeks ago. The performances are a bit rough around the edges (please forgive my man-handling of My Funny Valentine), but overall I feel they faithfully represent my current progress. (One of the files ends rather abruptly because I edited out the disastrous ending.)

If you find the time to have a listen to one or more of these songs and have any suggestions, etc., please send me your candid comments, either publicly or privately.

Thanks.

--
ramuji
www.ramuji.com

Copyright 2004 by Greg Howard, all rights reserved, except where noted. The opinions expressed by subscribers and contributors to this digest are not necessarily those of the publisher. Any business transactions arranged by readers of Sticknews are solely their responsibility, and not those of Greg Howard.

Stick and Chapman Stick are registered trademarks of Stick Enterprises, Inc., and are used in the title of this digest with permission.

end of Sticknews #243