As a performer and teacher there's an analytical process that comes natural to the job. In the brief history of Chapman Stick music documentation from beginners to veterans, I offer this question. Beyond the easy to achieve ambient music and semi-classical offerings, has The Stick been explored enough in the groove spectrum? What's the future in this respect? Expression in lieu of exclusivity. How do y'all approach the ever elusive groove that geeeetarists and bass players do so instinctively.
youth wants to know.
steve A

Body movement and hand movement.

If you wants to groove you gots to move...

I do not think so, rather, not yet - let's keep it positive. What is groove music? Groove music, let's say something Jimmy Smith or the Meters, is more challenging for the Stick as this music requires an instrument dedicated to a big round bass sound in the bottom end. While the Stick can accommodate that range, the immediacy of the attack in the left hand is often in contrast to what I consider groove music.

Skip to 6:10 to hear Pungee. Skip to 13:30 to hear Funky Miracle (fav). Can a Stick do that?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Io0FzQqKYKQ[/youtube]

More often than not, a groove bass line, in a traditional sense, is compromised in the interest of being able to express one's self in the right hand. One would think two hands on the bass would "fix" that, but I have not seen it. There will be arguments that it can be done, perhaps it can. Perhaps there is a Stick Bass player or an NS player that has unlocked this, but I am not aware of it. I haven't heard it, but I know when I do, I am going to like it.

The Stick is capable of more musical creativity than we even know. The technique and expressive evolution grows each day. It can all be done. With my question I'm trying to steer the exploration toward this groove thang'. Have at it.
Steve A

OK, how the hell have I been able to live through the 60s and call myself a musician if I've never heard of the The Meters? I need some schoolin' here! I'm now watching this live concert from 1980:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_txom_4snjc[/youtube]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_txom_4snjc

This concept of grooving on the Stick has been the subject of my interest for a while now. My little adventure of a year ago left me with only my left hand for several months. I worked on Bach, but also started exploring what the left hand alone can do on a Stick. I have made some progress but I'm not ready to show anything yet. I'm working hard for an Interlochen reveal of the new me. My hope is that it qualifies as grooving.

-Eric

"Beyond the easy to achieve ambient music and semi-classical offerings, has The Stick been explored enough in the groove spectrum?"

Has any instrument been explored "enough" in the groove spectrum? It's kind of a silly question. For feel, listen to Jim Lampi, he's got the jump on the rest of us, I'd say.. I also dig where Filnt Blade is coming from, and of course Kevin Keith.

I love Tony's "groove", not The Meters, but always funky enough to make what could be excessively proggy music a little groovier.

The Groove feel really resides, IMHO, in the bass side. Your Melody side should just have a simple Dominant 7th chord, my favorite to "emulate" a R&B guitarist is to have the Root, Third and Dominant 7th, low to high, ie. C7 would be C, E, Bb - baritone tuning would be C on 6/5 string on 11fret, E on 5/4 string on the 10th fret, and Bb on the 4/3 string on 11th fret. Very nice voiced and powerful sounding chord. This chord could be played with a chop attack on on 2 an d 4. This simple but effective chord then allows you to concentrate on moving and grooving on your bass side with lines like C-E-F-F#-G-Bb-G-Bb. Think JR. Walker "Shotgun" or the Door's Soul Kitchen, slip and slide the notes, playing on, ahead or behind the beat depending on what sound you want.

Steve, when you, I, Greg, Bob C, Emmett played the First Annual Stickfest in 2006 in Ann Arbor, there was a Groove master Darrel Havard from Mississippi who toured with Afroman "Could've got high" and several other big name acts all on Chapman Stick. Darrell did a demo of both the Chapman Stick and the NS stick 8 years ago.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yg-Z2-WKNbM[/youtube]

I offer this to show you that it is out there. Yes, I think we all know Darrell went to the dark side and please do not start a flame thread here. His past work stands strong.

enjoy,
Dave B "DBro"

Hi Gene, sonically speaking roll off the highs, and compress the attack, or use an envelope follower like Jim Lampi does.

What I posted first is the best advice I can give. Watch the way these guys move while they play.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mggZfD2GMA[/youtube]

Considering what I've listened to lately I should say that Kevin Keith is really a groovin' stickist.

Grooving! One of the musicians who's driving me to explore grooving as a solo musician is Ben Lacey. He's on guitar, yes, but I can relate to that and there are a ton of lessons that can be applied. Here he is demoing his grooving style. Oh, and is he moving, just look at that beard!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sv4jHT28adk[/youtube]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sv4jHT28adk

Here's another example playing a jazz standard. This blows away really good guitarists.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9J6Fsz-t4Gk[/youtube]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9J6Fsz-t4Gk

And to top it off, he explains the concept in this one. I know we can't adapt this technique directly. But, there are a lot of lesson in groove building here.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3bHT1NfH4o[/youtube]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3bHT1NfH4o

I've been trying to find more ways to groove ever since Greg made a comment during the 2011 Interlochen workshop. After all the students played their tunes He remarked that we all played ballads. He then challenged us all to come back and groove at a future Interlochen.

Challenge accepted, see you there, Greg.

-Eric