Maton guitars - Page 4

ukejon · #46 02-15-2020, 07:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BluesKing777

Ukejon - learning just one TE tune can be a major achievement, but 18!!! Can I ask how you went about learning the 18 for myself and others that are interested in learning? By ear? Video course? TAB? I ask because after getting my first Maton SRS808 a few years back, I thought I had better do a few TE's, so I did a few online courses but their TAB/music was a drag to print out (for future reference and playing without the iPad). I bought a TAB/music book and that has its own foibles - jumps from really easy to excruciatingly hard the next song. I then bought his online lessons where he appears to be at home - the songs, sound are great but there is no TAB or any clue except watching him, due to copyright ownership of the songs.... Some of the stuff is sort of "just do this like me" but no explanation of how he arrived at that combination of lots of things, so we can practice and practice and 'parrot' TE but can't make our own thing. Unclear sorry but...

BluesKing777.

Once I land on a TE song to learn, either from an album or video, the first step is to digest a tab....learn the basic moves so to speak. There really are pretty great PDF versions of his songs online that you can print out. Often I’ll then jump back and forth to the video to make sure I have a sense of what he is doing. It can be unexpected because he constantly creates new chord inversions or uses different bass notes to give complexity and variety to his arrangements. For example, sometimes TE will play both the D and G strings in an A chord on the second fret (the E and A notes) with just the tip of his pointer finger. Man With The Green Thumb has this interesting fingertip mini-barre. Keep in mind that the online tabs can be wrong and again turning to the video can be essential to figure out what he is actually doing. Moreover, he will change things up sometimes live and these alterations are more appealing than what is on the tab. So I’ll add those modifications to the arrangement as well.

Memorizing the two to four parts or sections of each song is the initial goal. Usually can do it in a day and then the goal is to build up to putting the parts together. Playing his songs in slow motion helps a lot! With each passing hour of learning I become more deeply obsessed with the song....and the subsequent task of playing it over and over again hundreds of times to achieve some level of competence is a joy.

Just keep at it! Often I’ll hit a part and think that it can’t be learned but break the move down and play it over and over again and then it usually it can be achieved. There are some that I just can’t do, for example the Bb chord in To B or Not To B, in which he uses his thumb to play not only the 6th string F note but also the 5th string A# note while still holding the rest of the Bb chord. His hands are huge and he is crazy strong but I can’t make it happen!

Try learning The Duke...beautiful slow tune with amazing chord inversions. Digger’s Waltz is another good one. Lovely lilting waltz timing with a very innovative chorus or B part.

And a final thought: It is ok to make the song your own. Sometimes we simply can’t play as fast or we can’t do the amazing lead runs. Not a problem. Just figure out how the song sounds best in your hands. TE’s timing and dynamics are unreal and I copy as much as I can. But strict imitation isn’t always the right path. For instance, I play Man With The Green Thumb literally twice as slowly as TE by pretty much doubling each measure and greatly slowing down his upbeat tempo. To my ear it is a beautiful song when slowed down, so that is what I do.

Good luck.

BluesKing777 · #47 02-16-2020, 05:12 PM

Thanks for the reply, Ukejon.

I have the Truefire tunes, but they have this disclaimer:

NOTE! Due to licensing restrictions, tab & notation is only available for Cowboy's Dream and Mr. Guitar.

It doesn't matter - I can find TAB versions online for some but it is an unusual way of doing things for me. (I prefer to have the TAB printed or have a book - even better!, so I don't have to stare at a screen every time I practice).

They are great to watch - well made:

https://truefire.com/acoustic-guitar...fied-gems/c196

BluesKing777.

ukejon · #48 02-16-2020, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BluesKing777

Thanks for the reply, Ukejon.

I have the Truefire tunes, but they have this disclaimer:

NOTE! Due to licensing restrictions, tab & notation is only available for Cowboy's Dream and Mr. Guitar.

It doesn't matter - I can find TAB versions online for some but it is an unusual way of doing things for me. (I prefer to have the TAB printed or have a book - even better!, so I don't have to stare at a screen every time I practice).

They are great to watch - well made:

https://truefire.com/acoustic-guitar...fied-gems/c196

BluesKing777.

Good to know about this site. As for TAB, I print out the PDF’s that are online.

BluesKing777 · #49 02-16-2020, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ukejon

Good to know about this site. As for TAB, I print out the PDF’s that are online.

All worthwhile! Beginner fingerpicking to fabulous!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bz5chnh9-Q0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjJDxeqwBg8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QVE-VCqDoc

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

The first 2 have TAB - the last 2 are TABLESS and you need to listen and watch like a guitar teacher/some tabs online but not all.

No affiliation....

BluesKing777.

texaspicker · #50 02-19-2020, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by colder

How many folks do we have here who are playing Maton guitars? What's the consensus on these?

There are no dealers near me, but I am intrigued by them and some of the clips I've seen of Matons being played online, and there is a dealer within a half day's drive or so. I see a lot of comments about how well they record, but not much else. (Maybe there aren't so many of them here in the US?)

I love unique and offbeat stuff, so I'm hoping for some opinions on the Messiah, the TE, or any other Maton.

Have you played them? Own them? What do you think, AGers?

Of course one of my all time favorite players to listen to plays one. The great Tommy Emmanuel!

I've never played one and don't know of any dealers in Texas. But if Tommy plays one if can't be that bad...

Yeah · #51 03-18-2022, 10:47 AM

Hey, reviving this thread to show a song recorded using my maton mini 12 string diesel.

By far, the most playable 12 string there is. Also quite beautiful and has a very nice WOW factor, since it is very unique, being a travel size 12 string.

Unplugged sound may not be THE BEST, but it is quite good.

On the other hand, the plugged int sound is AMAZING.

CHeck this song, I am playing the maton you see in the picture, and doing ONE overdub with the same guitar.

https://youtu.be/VF0nqFdQblk

https://youtu.be/VF0nqFdQblk

fpuhan · #52 03-18-2022, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yeah

Hey, reviving this thread to show a song recorded using my maton mini 12 string diesel.

By far, the most playable 12 string there is. Also quite beautiful and has a very nice WOW factor, since it is very unique, being a travel size 12 string.

Unplugged sound may not be THE BEST, but it is quite good.

On the other hand, the plugged int sound is AMAZING.

CHeck this song, I am playing the maton you see in the picture, and doing ONE overdub with the same guitar.

https://youtu.be/VF0nqFdQblk

Sounds nice, thank you. I had not considered Maton as I've been hunting small 12-string guitars. Yikes, that thing has the shortest scale yet: 580mm (22.83"). I've been looking at the Taylor BE 652ce WHB which runs a bit more than the Maton I see on eBay.

Of course the eBay is listing a used guitar while the one I'm looking at is new. Food for thought. Thanks!

Mike McLenison · #53 03-18-2022, 07:55 PM

Sounds like the perfect rugged amplified guitar via Tommy E. I know Eric Johnson has one because of Mr. Emmanuel's sound.

OKCtodd71 · #54 03-19-2022, 07:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Misifus

Btw, TE relies heavily on the electronics. I did a workshop with him, and demonstrated that his stage guitar was nearly unplayable unplugged.

Unplayable or unlistenable?

elninobaby · #55 03-19-2022, 07:30 AM

I bought an EBG808TE last summer. I have some hand issues and wanted something easy to play. I played a couple of nylon crossovers (a Cordoba and a Taylor) and also a Martin M36 and a higher-end Taylor (614 I think). I found that the Maton played easier than the nylons and sounded as good or better than the Martin and the 614. Since then, I play it a lot. I love it. Do I love it more than my other guitars? Hard to say. I do like it better than the Martin 0017, which is probably my most valuable guitar. And I like it better than the GS Mini. I’m going to call it a tie with my Stonebridge, Martin, Emerald, and the other Taylor. They’re all great, all slightly different, all bring me joy in different ways.