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16 messages

Guitar or Bouzouki?

30 Sep 99 - 07:57 PM (#119556)
Subject: Guitar or Bouzouki?
From: John of the Hill

I am thinking of buying a second instrument and could use some advice. I mainly play British Isles music or American music with Appalachian or country feel. I've been using an alternate tuning on my guitar and instead of constantly retuning, I've decided to splurge on a new toy. Does anyone have any comment on whether to go with another guitar, a bouzouki, or a cittern. I'm interested mainly in song accompaniment, with a little picking when no one's around. Thanks, John


30 Sep 99 - 09:22 PM (#119586)
Subject: RE: Guitar or Bouzouki?
From: Malcolm Douglas

I'd go for a cittern. 5 courses will give a bigger sound than bouzouki, and you will already be used to the scale length and neck size. They're ideal for open tunings; both British Isles and Appalachian music positively beg for the drones that you will have available.

Malcolm


30 Sep 99 - 10:38 PM (#119611)
Subject: RE: Guitar or Bouzouki?
From: John of the Hill

Malcolm, I've seen several different scale lengths for citterns, would you recommend a relatively long scale around 25 inches (630 mm) or shorter around 22.5 inches? Thanks, John


23 Oct 10 - 12:45 PM (#3013766)
Subject: RE: Guitar or Bouzouki?
From: GUEST,BURNING CASTLES

THE CELTIC INSTRUMENTAL MYSTIC ASKS

   CAN YOU IMPROVIZE IN CELTIC MUSIC ?
   CAN YOU CREATE CELTIC NOODLES ?
CAN YOU CHANNEL THE CELTIC SPIRITS OF THE LIVING AND THE DEAD?

CAN YOU SPEAK THE ANICENT ONES TONGUE ?
DO YOU HAVE THE VOCABULARY OF THE PLANET OF THE ELVES UNDER YOUR FINGERTIPS ? IF SO GREAT IS YOUR MAGIC AND POWERFUL ARE YOUR SPELLS
BUT    WITH GREAT POWER COMES GREAT RESPONSIBILITY

AUNTIE GRAVITY IN G
CAN YOU PLAY THE G-FORCE LITER THAN AIR
CAN YOU EVOKE THE SPIRITS WITH NAIRIE A CARE
CAN YOU DANCE YOUR MUSIC AND NOT TOUCH THE GROUND
CAN YOU PLAY YOUR MUSIC WITHOUT MAKING A SOUND ?

OH AND CAN THE ELVES PLAY IN D..
DEPEND ON IT.. THE BRAIN IS A RADIO
PICKING UP SIGNALS FROM ACCROSS THE UNIVERSE
AND THE ELVES ARE BIOTEC SHAPE CHANGERS AND EMORTAL DIETERS TO BOOT
LISTEN IN ON THERE TELEPATHIC CHANNELS UNDER THE KEYS OF G + D

SO ME SINGIN BARD ER BIRD UNDER YOUR FINGERTIP MAJOR OR 3RD
AND A Bb F C D E G B Eb Ab ARE ALL MULTIDIMENTAL BEING CHANNELS
AS WELL NOT NESSISARILY ELF CHANNELS OF COURSE....

               YOURS    RUINS IN THE MEADOW


23 Oct 10 - 01:32 PM (#3013786)
Subject: RE: Guitar or Bouzouki?
From: Midchuck

A second guitar. Keep one in standard tuning and use for American music, mostly, and the other in DADGAD and use for Irish, etc., music mostly. Then if one is out of action, you can retune the other as needed.

Just one opinion.

I've fooled around with other instruments, but I don't want to try and make a real push to learn another until I've really learned to play the guitar. I've been 50 years trying, now. Maybe another 50 will do the job.

Peter


23 Oct 10 - 01:49 PM (#3013792)
Subject: RE: Guitar or Bouzouki?
From: Crowhugger

John, do you typically play solo, or are you often one of many guitars? In jams it's nice being able to add a different string voice. I don't worry about playing (or having) more instruments than I can master as I find that to make a fitting contribution is more about taste & restraint than dazzling skill. Been thinking along the lines of a mandola myself, though last week I was pining after a banjolin...


23 Oct 10 - 03:42 PM (#3013832)
Subject: RE: Guitar or Bouzouki?
From: alex s

I'd go for a guitar in DADGAD (and it's easy to switch it to open D and open G)


23 Oct 10 - 03:46 PM (#3013835)
Subject: RE: Guitar or Bouzouki?
From: Richard Bridge

If you use a C7 Shubb you have a DADGAD-alike sound at your fingertips. So go for paired strings. I think citterns need too much mastering whereas mandolin/irishbozouki/octavemandola fall pretty readily to hand. Or you could go for a 12-string guitar in standard with trick capos if it is so well set up that capos do not put it out of tune.


23 Oct 10 - 07:59 PM (#3013954)
Subject: RE: Guitar or Bouzouki?
From: GUEST,BanjoRay

If you want to play or accompany fiddle tunes in a typical Appalachian Old Time session, bring a guitar but please leave the Bouzouki at home - it doesn't go!
(runs for door)
Ray


24 Oct 10 - 02:20 AM (#3014045)
Subject: RE: Guitar or Bouzouki?
From: Crowhugger

John if you love guitar & aren't concerned with adding variety to guitar-heavy jams, check this out for one way to follow up Alex's DADGAD suggestion. The site has sound samples.


24 Oct 10 - 02:44 PM (#3014421)
Subject: RE: Guitar or Bouzouki?
From: Backwoodsman

This thread is 11 years old! Why are people suddenly answering a question which was posed 11 years ago?

I don't make no sense, guv'nah! :-)


24 Oct 10 - 03:30 PM (#3014450)
Subject: RE: Guitar or Bouzouki?
From: Crowhugger

Ah, cuz it's an interesting question. The OP's I mean. Most people I know are always weighing their options for a next instrument.


24 Oct 10 - 03:33 PM (#3014453)
Subject: RE: Guitar or Bouzouki?
From: Midchuck

This thread is 11 years old! Why are people suddenly answering a question which was posed 11 years ago?

Because this is the Mudcat and that's what we do.

No one ever asks why we have more British than US members on a group originating in US. This is the Mudcat and that's what we do.

No one ever asks why two people get into an argument that goes on for fifty back-and-forths between the two, on the public list, rather than taking it to private e-mail instead of cluttering the thread for everyone else. This is the Mudcat and that's what we do.

No one ever asks why all the women lust after Kendall when there's all kinds of other really sexy old guys on here, like me for instance. This is the Mudcat and that's what we do.

And so on and so forth.

Peter


24 Oct 10 - 04:42 PM (#3014513)
Subject: RE: Guitar or Bouzouki?
From: Wesley S

Why DO we have more British members than American? And are the British women the ones who are lusting after Kendall? And if so - what does that say about British men?

For that matter - what is folk music?


24 Oct 10 - 05:13 PM (#3014529)
Subject: RE: Guitar or Bouzouki?
From: Midchuck

And are the British women the ones who are lusting after Kendall?

Well....one of 'em bagged him....

And if so - what does that say about British men?

I won't go there. Ask the British women...

Peter


24 Oct 10 - 06:37 PM (#3014584)
Subject: RE: Guitar or Bouzouki?
From: ollaimh

if you want to try to enter the tune world,and be your own gig and rel player then go for a bouzouki or cittern. try both, i would recoment a short tomid scale cittern, then you can play tunes in a full range(the high string near or at the A on a mondolin, and still do lots of strumming accompanyment.

there's a hugh variety of makers out there now to chose from. usually you can find a local maker just as good as the famous ones and a bit cheaper--if you find tyhem before they get famous! so look around your own area.