Todd Wilson Posted October 23, 2008 Share Posted October 23, 2008 Every guitar player should play acoustic at home. No matter what else you do, if you don't keep up your acoustic work, you're never going to get the full potential out of an electric, because you lose that touch. You get sloppier. Electricity will give you some great effects and some great tone, but if you don't control it, it can easily take you over the edge into some supersonic nowhereland. If you're just on electric all the time, you don't keep the touch. I don't play electric guitars at home. I play acoustic. - Keith Richards =D> =D> =D> =D> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 I agree 100% with that. I read in the Nov '76 Guitar Player interview with Roy Buchanan that he always liked to have "an acoustic with really tough action" around the house so that when he did jump back onto the Telecaster he could "wrap the strings right around the neck". If I go on an electric kick (which is less and less frequent over the last few years) I find after about 3 days my fingers get really lazy and wussy. Of course I like my acoustics to play nice (duh!) but it's always good to challenge yourself a little.... don't set the action so low, your fingers will get lazy and your tone will suck.... go for the medium gauge strings if the guitar can take it, you'll get a monster tone every day of the week. Yep, I have to talk to myself like that sometimes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWilson Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 I'm really happy that Keith actually remembered that he did that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L5Larry Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 I have always likened it to a baseball player warming up to bat in the on-deck circle. They will swing a weighted bat to loosen up, and when it's time to step up to the plate with their normal size and weight bat, it will feel lighter and they will have better control. Since most acoustics are strung with heavier strings than an electric, and many do not have the action we associate with electrics, playing acoustic is a good work-out for the transition. Also figure in the fact that an acoustic is much less forgiving for sloppy playing, which helps develop better technique in BOTH hands, it's a win-win situation. I have my acoustic archtops strung with 14's, and my electrics with 11's, both on the heavier side of the string guage scale, but the differential is probably somewhat typical. Besides general playability, I also find that fingerpicking an acoustic also transfers over, and I find myself frequently "palming" my pick and using more right hand finger technique when playing an electric. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOESTONE Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 I'm not sure he's someone I would take advice from. I do love him though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jefleppard Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modoc_333 Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 I'm not sure he's someone I would take advice from. I do love him though.[/quote'] perhaps not on some issues, but i think we all should when it comes to guitar playing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLiveSoundGuy Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 Jeez boys, did we get old or what? Just think of life that man has lived. Seriously, the places, people, things. (and still going, and going) Man what a life! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Todd Wilson Posted October 24, 2008 Author Share Posted October 24, 2008 perhaps not on some issues' date=' but i think we all should when it comes to guitar playing.[/quote'] No joke. I just want to come up with one cool, simple riff like one of his many. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hall Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 Yea, K.R. does know his guitar dos & don'ts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thermionik Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 . . Yeah - like don't headbutt coconuts..... . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Todd Wilson Posted October 24, 2008 Author Share Posted October 24, 2008 .. Yeah - like don't headbutt coconuts..... . Hey, when I've lived 330 years in a 65 year span, I want to still be climbing coconut trees in Tahiti too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onewilyfool Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 Here's Keith playing a little Robert Johnson on acoustic....nice technique!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albertjohn Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 I heard an interview about 2 years ago with John Frusciante of the Red Hot C Ps. He says he writes all his stuff on an acoustic. Boring but true....Oh Yes it is! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thermionik Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 Todd - climbing the trees = good. Headbutting the coconuts = bad. Keef said - 'it could lead to brain damage'..... .....but the damage was already done=p~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 I saw him (on tv) when a "fan" rushed onto the stage.... Keef didn't know whether it was zeal or a threat, so he yanked his Tele off and drew back like he was going to swing it like a baseball bat. Just then security grabbed the guy and Keef just kinda smirked or chuckled, repositioned his Tele and kept on... I don't think the ashes fell off his cigarette! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Lee Walker Posted October 25, 2008 Share Posted October 25, 2008 Totally agree with the acoustic-baseball-bat-warmup analogy. I play more acoustic around the house, and when I am on the road all of my spare time playing is with an acoustic. Like someone else said, you have to be more precise and accurate when playing acoustic, therefore when you get on the electric the chops are more finely tuned. Great thread! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rambler Posted October 25, 2008 Share Posted October 25, 2008 Its not just the fretting hand, squeezing heavier strings; its the accuracy required of the picking hand -yet with enough force to get the top moving. Not sure how well that translates. Here someone who I think really bridges the divide, tho http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5GshY7CEEA&feature=related Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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