Percussive (slightly) playing technique -- is there a term for this?

[SunnyDee]

Daniel Champagne is one of my favorites in the genre. I love the creativity and the way he wrings everything possible out of that guitar, not to mention he plays with his whole body and still manages to detune in the middle.

[rogthefrog]

[QUOTE=dkstott;5353566]

Originally Posted by rogthefrog

It's par for the course on AGF. "Be nice" doesn't seem to apply to people who play anything ever so slightly differently from the average player from the 60s.

I think everyone WAS nice. Most simply said that we just don't like it. Maybe my "guitar is not a bongo" was off-putting..

But if you would prefer that this method be trashed, I'll be happy to oblige.

No need, I've read enough reactionary posts about the topic for a lifetime.

[perttime]

Originally Posted by Paultergeist

...

I think part of what may be driving me forward with this line of inquiry is the realization that this style of playing seems to work better -- or at least seems much more prevalent -- on steel-string (as opposed to nylon-string) guitars.
...
My pickups / pre-amps just seem too sensitive -- maybe it is because they are saddle-transducer types -- but when I try that kind of technique on my current guitars, it seems way too harsh and loud....

Flamenco is really the original percussive guitar style, and it is done on nylon string guitars - ideally not classical but specific flamenco guitars. There's some videos on Youtube, on amplifying flamenco guitars.

According to videos and articles on Jon Gomm, he uses 3 different pickups on his Lowden: undersaddle pickup, inside the body microphone, and magnetic. I've understood that the microphone picks up his percussive hits on the guitar body. Then he runs everything into a pedalboard with separate EQs and what not.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4ECPsHpI_Q

Rodrigo y Gabriela play rock on nylon string guitars, and Gabriela is the rhythm section. Looks like she has several piezos in her guitars to catch the flamenco style percussion stuff.
They have been playing Yamaha guitars:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmdJyjDfek4

[SunnyDee]

Originally Posted by perttime

Flamenco is really the original percussive guitar style, and it is done on nylon string guitars - ideally not classical but specific flamenco guitars.

Yes, if you're into this, it's worth getting a flamenco guitar. I was just traveling in Spain and visited many. They really are quite different with very thin tops.

[Denny B]

There's a number of really talented people who use the technique in varying degrees, and I do enjoy a bit of it every now and then...

But I couldn't listen to it on a daily basis, and I'm not really sure I could get thru a lengthy live performance or even a full CD of the style...

Most of the Candyrat artists of that nature tend to fall into my category of "a little bit of that goes a long way..."

[s0cks]

There is a technique I'm currently learning that takes this a little further.

Slap the bass strings with the thumb, but at the same time play a note on the higher strings with the back of the nail. This means you can still keep the melody going while introducing that 2 4 slap with the thumb.

It's not easy. Perfecting use of the back of the nail while slapping the bass strings with the thumb is a bit of a fine art. I'm getting there though. Another couple of weeks and I hope to have it down pretty well.

From there I'd also like to start thumping the wrist on the body for a kick bass sound. I really think this percussive use can bring so much extra flavour to solo arrangement when used tastefully.

[Rwillits]

I believe the correct term as I heard it from michael hedges himself is wakkita wakkita guitar