Tech: Guitar chord helper

Subject: Tech: Guitar chord helper
From: Naemanson
Date: 11 Jun 22 - 07:36 PM

As many of you know I have lost the fine motor skills in my left hand through nerve damage.* I had resigned myself to never playing guitar again. Then one day I saw an advertisement for a gadget that attaches to a guitar neck and plays chords at the push of a button. I approach EVERYTHING on the internet with an abundance of caution so I didn't pay much attention to the ad. Now I think such a gadget might be the answer to my desire but I don't even know what to call it for an internet search. Plus I'd like to know what users might have to say about using one. Thanks, Naemanson

*Note: IF you suspect you are losing dexterity run, don't walk, to a GOOD neurologist.

Subject: RE: Tech: Guitar chord helper
From: Piers Plowman
Date: 11 Jun 22 - 09:42 PM

I think you might mean this: rock-it barre

There was a thread about it in March or April but my more recent postings aren't listed when I try to find them, presumably because of the recent technical problems here.

I evaluated it as best I could without actually shelling out however much it cost, which seemed like a lot to me, and the result was:

1. Too expensive

2. Maybe useful for somebody for something, but probably not for someone who can already play the guitar.

As a better alternative, I suggested a pedal-steel guitar with maybe more pedals and knee-levers as usual. Also not cheap, but within the reasonable range of prices for instruments.

It's basically a slide with a mechanism for making it possible to fret one fret up or down on one or two strings. It requires tuning the guitar in a non-standard tuning and having one position (and voicing) for any given chord.

I think the proportion of good idea to hype is not too good.

Hope this helps.

Laurence Finston

Subject: RE: Tech: Guitar chord helper
From: Piers Plowman
Date: 11 Jun 22 - 09:43 PM

Typo: "and knee-levers as usual."
Correction: "and knee-levers than usual."

Subject: RE: Tech: Guitar chord helper
From: Piers Plowman
Date: 11 Jun 22 - 09:53 PM

"Then one day I saw an advertisement for a gadget that attaches to a guitar neck and plays chords at the push of a button."

I was going to make a joke about how if you left out the guitar neck, that would be an accordeon (I didn't say it was funny), then I suddenly recalled the autoharp. That might actually fill the bill, although I think it does require dexterity, but not as much as fretting a guitar needs, and if you're not Bryan Bowers.

We used to have a Chromaharp but my Dad used to like giving things away, so one day he did. I would say I played with it rather than that I played it, but I sure wish I had it now.

I don't have an autoharp but I do have a concert zither, which wouldn't help you. However, I can say that tuning zithers isn't too bad. Mine stays in tune remarkably well. I never have to retune in the course of a day. If you tune it every day, you only need to adjust a string or two each time. If I don't play for awhile, it takes about 15 minutes to tune it. I always forget, I think it has 63 strings. Thank goodness for electronic tuners!

Subject: RE: Tech: Guitar chord helper
From: Piers Plowman
Date: 11 Jun 22 - 09:56 PM

Typo: "fill the bill"
Correction: "fit the bill"

Somebody is interfering with my typing.

Subject: RE: Tech: Guitar chord helper
From: GUEST,Don Meixner
Date: 11 Jun 22 - 10:28 PM

https://www.ebay.com/itm/304496389991?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&itemid=304496389991&targetid=1529314448390&device=c&mktype=&googleloc=9005105&poi=&campaignid=15428210793&mkgroupid=129606026639&rlsatarget=pla-1529314448390&abcId=9300764&merchantid=570767917&gclid=Cj0KCQjw-pCVBhCFARIsAGMxhAfYsbU57JMzIs_VMq2vFQB-3NOngs3S0cdtGuJvjZENgFHNue7vfOAaAvdvEALw_wcB

Subject: RE: Tech: Guitar chord helper
From: Naemanson
Date: 11 Jun 22 - 11:52 PM

Thanks Piers, appreciate the link. I'm afraid that rock-it-barre wouldn't do the trick. The usefulness of my left hand is limited to my index finger and middle finger. My pinky and ring fingers are almost useless. I have no control of them and sometimes I have to use my eyes to see where my pinky is.

Thanks again.

Subject: RE: Tech: Guitar chord helper
From: Helen
Date: 12 Jun 22 - 12:09 AM

The man who made my Celtic lever harp, using plans from Markwood in the U.S., also made a lot of other stringed instruments and he played a mountain dulcimer which he had made. He was a carpenter by trade and lost the top of a couple of his fingers in a work accident, but he played the dulcimer beautifully. I think, from memory, he may have sometimes used a block like a barre, moving it up and down the strings or maybe that was someone else I saw playing one. He passed away about 20 years ago so it has been a while since I saw him playing.

A lap guitar with the barre device might also be worth checking out.

The other thread is here:

Guitar: Rock-it barre device. Anybody tr[y it?]

Subject: RE: Tech: Guitar chord helper
From: MaJoC the Filk
Date: 12 Jun 22 - 12:20 AM

Just a vague thought: If you've still got the full use of your right hand, have you considered playing left-handed? Apologies if I speak out of turn.

Subject: RE: Tech: Guitar chord helper
From: Piers Plowman
Date: 12 Jun 22 - 12:44 AM

Here's another link: Adaptive Equipment

I just discovered it and haven't had a chance to really look at the devices. The first one seems closer to what you meant than the rock-it barre.

Of course, I'm sorry about your disability, but this is a topic of great interest to me. I think there are many possibilities for making it possible for people with disabilities to play instruments.

I once had an interview at Otto Bock, which is a manufacturer of prosthetic devices near to the town where I live. "Near" is relative in this case, because Duderstadt, Germany, is in the middle of nowhere and a very strange place to put a factory. Unfortunately, I didn't get the job but I later heard that the working atmosphere there isn't too great.

One of the recorder manufacturers in Germany, either Mollenhauer or Moeck, offers lots of optional key systems for their recorders which make it possible to even play the recorder with one hand. Of course, recorders sound best when the air flow is blocked, but they haven't solved that problem yet.

I would think that it would be possible to play with two fingers, though not chords, of course. It could still be good.

A lap steel would also be an alternative, if the idea of a pedal-steel doesn't appeal or isn't possible for some reason.

Subject: RE: Tech: Guitar chord helper
From: Piers Plowman
Date: 12 Jun 22 - 01:30 AM

I've looked at the "adaptive equipment". The only one that looks interesting to me is this one: E-Z Fret. For $12.95, I might buy one myself just to try out, even though I don't need it. It doesn't appear to help with the problem of fingers that can't be used, though. I would think it would work to buy several and have them in other positions, not just first.

I have a couple of other ideas and I apologize if they seem a little far-afield:

A problem with the acoustic guitar is that single-note playing sounds a little thin. I think people tend to play the things that sound good on their instrument and avoid doing other things. Wind instruments don't sound thin with single-note playing and I started to do more on the guitar after I started playing trumpet. I think that happened because I recognized the possibilities of it and could imagine the way it could sound, even though it still sounded thin.

I bought an oud not too long ago because I wanted an instrument without frets with a guitar-like range. I'd already had a fretless bass guitar for several years. I always used to say that violinists, violists, cellists and contrabassists were just too cheap to pay for frets, but I'm finding it very addictive to play the fretless instruments. It opens a whole new world and you really learn to use your ears in a different way. And chords don't work.

Another possibility is a bouzouki. They are _loud_ with lots of overtones and single-note playing doesn't sound thin. I have a three-course one and the typical style is to play the melody and often use the other two courses for rhythmic accents on the open strings. I definitely recommend this, too.

Subject: RE: Tech: Guitar chord helper
From: Piers Plowman
Date: 12 Jun 22 - 01:33 AM

Actually, the wheelchair guitar does look interesting to me, but for a different situation.

Subject: RE: Tech: Guitar chord helper
From: Piers Plowman
Date: 12 Jun 22 - 01:47 AM

I forgot to mention the mandolin, mandola and mandoloncello, where the same thing applies.

Subject: RE: Tech: Guitar chord helper
From: Naemanson
Date: 14 Jun 22 - 12:41 PM

Thanks for the comments. I'm still following and researching your suggestions.

Subject: RE: Tech: Guitar chord helper
From: Piers Plowman
Date: 14 Jun 22 - 01:43 PM

You're very welcome. I'm sure you'll find something suitable, whether it's one of my suggestions or not.

Apropos (Greek) bouzouki: I'm very happy with mine. I bought it last August new for 389 €. In September I bought a mandola from the same manufacturer, Matsikas, for 369 €, also new. I paid something extra for a "technical and optical examination", because the store I bought them from wouldn't do setups like for guitars. However, there was nothing wrong with either instrument. I think those are very reasonable prices and I would buy another instrument from this manufacturer again anytime.

I might actually buy a four-course one, when the exchequer allows, so as to be able to play chords better. I wanted a three-course one because I wanted to be able to play rembetiko in the traditional style, if there was sheet music available, which there isn't.