thehitman in Bethlehem PA USA

[thehitman]

hi. i am a professional sound engineer and producer. i have 18 years experience working and making a living making music. i've recently started making my own music after not having done so for the last 15 years. i've already posted a couple of songs here and listened to several of the original songs that other members have posted. it's been a wonderful experience so far.

i have a wealth of knowledge and experience that i'm very willing to share with people here. i certainly don't have all the answers, but i can offer what help i can to those who hit me up with any questions or if you just want to talk shop, that's def cool too. i'm a gearhead as most of us are i'm sure.

i play drums and touchstyle guitar. i also program and sequence music. i'm open to collab if it's something i'm feeling.

this is a cool site and a nice community. i'm glad i found it.

[Blooby]

Kudos for willing to share your knowledge. The two posts I saw of yours were both super impressive, and I think I speak for many when I say we are more than intrigued with the Touchstyle guitar. The Chapman Stick has been discussed here before, but I can't say that I recall anybody posting  anything with one. Having said that, I have the memory of a salad.

Welcome

Blooby

[thehitman]

i think of the Touchstyle Guitar as i would a Chapman Stick. the only real practical difference is the price. i simply can't afford a real Stick. i got one many years (17-18) ago used for $700. i knew i was quite fortunate. i did some music back then and it's not bad stuff. i grew a lot as an engineer, producer, songwriter, and performer working on that stuff. i was working at Soundtrack Studios in NYC as an intern/Assistant Engineer at the time. i worked my way up to being a house engineer and by that point i was doing other people's music and there just was no time for me to do my own. after i left there, i worked on several projects but not as a performer. a couple years later i injured my right hand very badly. it required major surgery. rather than get into too many details it was pretty messed up. i also had financial troubles at the time and my life was sort of changing so i figured, i might as well sell the Stick because i likely won't ever be able to play again. sadly, i sold it for $700. here i am a great many years later and i really felt i needed to do my own music again. i was fortunate to learn about the Krappy Touchstyle by finding one on ebay as i was looking for a Stick. the price was within reach for me so i took a leap of faith and made it happen. to this day i still can't fully extend my ring finger on my right hand, but the range of motion that i do have with it is enough that i can still manage to play just fine. i can't let it be an excuse. this is too important. 

a big part of the reason i want to share my music is because of how much potential this instrument has. i think it could in time become a mainstay just like guitar and bass. there is definitely a place for this thing in the world of music. i think it's only a matter of time for people to take notice and find out for themselves that it's a truly worthwhile instrument. even for people who aren't guitarists or bassists. i think drummers and piano players can really take a liking to this. i never was able to play guitar. it never felt right. this feels right.

[Flash Harry]

Hello and welcome to the community, we are all about sharing and collaborating and it sounds like you will be most welcome here.

Interesting stuff about the touch - I have recently bought an early 10 string stick and I'm keen to get to grips with it. I'm still reading the books...

[Geir]

The Chapman Stick has been discussed here before, but I can't say that I recall anybody posting  anything with one.

it has, and at least one post includes a Chapman stick

[thehitman]

it's a big investment to make buying a Stick or even a Krappy like mine, but its money that is well worth the cost.

Hello and welcome to the community, we are all about sharing and collaborating and it sounds like you will be most welcome here.

Interesting stuff about the touch - I have recently bought an early 10 string stick and I'm keen to get to grips with it. I'm still reading the books...

i had Emmitt Chapman's Free Hands book when i had the Stick and regret not studying it as well as i could have. i'm basically self taught. i'm not anywhere as good as i would be if i had sought out instruction. Greg Howard does 1 on 1 lessons through Skype, but it's not cheap however. all the testimonials say he teaches a lot in a single lesson and that it's worth the price. i'm going to consider it when i can afford it.

i've translated many of my skills as a drummer to the Stick/Touchstyle. in my music, i obviously lean heavily on my drumming ability and background. it may seem to be intimidating to have so many strings, it really kinda isn't a big deal. the instrument is 5 bass strings and 5 melody strings and its tuned in a logical way that you can move pretty easily on both sides. i have short and stubby fingers, but even so, it's not that big a problem. maybe i could form more chords with longer thinner finger, but i can still do all the basic chords. i still haven't quite yet gotten much consistency riding a single note on the same string/fret with sixteenth notes. but im getting better. in the meantime, i just use 2 strings at different frets. the instrument is full range. i believe it covers nearly 5 octaves. so there's plenty of spots on the neck to get to the note you want from wherever. i'm terrible at naming the notes tho.

the playing technique is very similar to piano, so don't look at it as any harder than piano, and a lot of people can play piano.

[Flash Harry]

I believe that Prive played stick on one of Tim's songs, can't remember which one it was.

[thehitman]

I believe that Prive played stick on one of Tim's songs, can't remember which one it was.

i'd be happy to take a listen

[Groundy]

Loving your stuff Hitman, welcome aboard......Alex

[Greeny]

I believe that Prive played stick on one of Tim's songs, can't remember which one it was.

Yes. I think he did. He definitely has one.

My senility won't allow me to remember which song though. It was 7 or 8 years ago!