A question for Jinder & Buc...

[Guth]

Hey Guys,

 

First off, congratulations on your new smaller bodied guitars (in case I failed to throw that out there already). I've found that I certainly enjoy small bodied guitars in general have owned an OM sized guitar for almost 15 years now. I've noticed that any given guitar I happen to pick up tends to influence my playing, both technically and creatively as well (in many ways the two certainly overlap). However, I don't sing and therefore am working up instrumental-only pieces.

 

I realize that it might be a bit soon to throw this out there, but I would be interested to know how the switch to the smaller bodied guitars has influenced your creative process both as players and as songwriters (if at all). Certainly one reason that I ask is because you both used SJ200 variations in the past, so you've made a fairly significant change in terms of body size. Other than that, I simply find it interesting that you are both songwriters and am curious if you have noticed any specific impact on that part of your creative process. Certainly there would seem to be considerable impact from a technical standpoint, being able to play pain-free, but I would imagine that this would carry over to your creative process as well, whether consciously or not.

 

All the best,

Guth

[Buc McMaster]

That is an interesting question. For a solid answer I will have to put in some more time on the new CJ, but..........

 

I did play the little jumbo for about three hours last night and noticed a few things. The shorter scale makes for a much more "hand friendly" guitar for certain. I experienced very little of the pain playing my SJ caused me - this was worth the price of admission on it's own! I found I was easily able to make some odd-ball chord shapes that I had long ago given up to a long scale guitar. This will, I'm sure, allow me to explore some new progressions, leading to new melodies.....

 

One writing approach I use is "guitar part" first. Find a suitable chord structure that flows nicely and might have a little odd twist in it somewhere, maybe not. I play this progression over and over and over, playing with different wordless melodies, pieces of melodies, slowly putting together a complete one that works well with the chords. Then it's time to find lyrics that first of all actually say something coherently and secondly work within the loose frame of the melody. Adjustments to both over time make the two come together as a finished song. Perhaps this is oversimplified a bit, but you get the idea.

 

I think that this approach will best benefit from my new found freedom on the guitar. Though I do work in other ways to write, this one is the most common, and the ability to move on the fretboard of the CJ will, I'm sure, strike new directions for me as a writer.

 

More later as I learn the guitar all over again on my "compact jumbo".

 

ps..........as others with CJs have made note of, the guitar did seem to loosen up tonaly after an hour or so of playing. I'm thinking the Tonerite will make a difference in this little guitar.

[Jinder]

Interesting question!

 

I've always worked as a writer in two ways, for upbeat stuff i tend to write whilst strumming with a heavy pick, and for slower or bluesier tunes I tend to write whilst playing fingerstyle.

 

I would say I have leant a little more towards bluesy fingerstyle songs whilst writing with the BK, but I still pick up the '200 if a pacier tune calls for it.

 

The biggest impact the BK has had on me is on my live performance...the thing sounds really lively and responsive, really different to a big box like the '200 that you have to hit hard to get some air moving.

[Red 333]

Good question, and interesting answers.

 

Red 333

[Guth]

Hey guys - I really appreciate the detailed answers! I look forward to reading/hearing more about your respective experiences as you continue to bond and develop with the new guitars.

 

As a side note, even though I'm not an art connoisseur, I do tend to appreciate artwork — if only at a higher, less detailed level. As a result I've been to a few art museums in my travels. One experience that really stood out for me was the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam. His paintings were arranged chronologically so that you could easily start at the beginning of his career and visually follow his change/progress as an artist. There were noticeable stages throughout his career where his work was visibly influenced by one thing or another (a change in location, switching color palettes, etc.). I found this to be somewhat fascinating, beyond the impressiveness of the artwork itself.

 

When I first thought about someone making the switch to a totally different guitar, thoughts of my visit to this museum came to mind.

 

All the best,

Guth

[KenRosier]

Hey Guys' date='

 

I would be interested to know how the switch to the smaller bodied guitars has influenced your creative process both as players and as songwriters (if at all).

Guth[/quote']

 

 

I spent many many year playing dreadnoughts mainly and jumbos here and there. I later started acquiring smaller bodied 00, 000 and OM style guitars and there was a huge change for me both technically and creatively. It’s hard to define some of the changes because they just happen subconsciously. The scale length changes seem to be a huge facter on style, phrasing and fingerings. I have a very large collection of guitar and nearly every one of them bring out something a little different in my playing and songwriting. These days I find MOST of my songwriting takes place on smaller bodied guitars.

 

Currently, my most common songwriting approach is to start with the "guitar part". I will compose a chord structure that works nicely and then start humming or singing wordless melodies over the progression. I will then continue to modify the progression and melodies and build it up to something that works well. I may then work on a bridge or other turnaround before trying to introduce words into the equation. This process is the inverse of the approach that I seem to take with dreadnoughts were I tend to start with lyrics or introduce then earlier in the process. Also, keep in mind that I play mostly finger style on the smaller bodied guitars and maybe 50/50 on the larger ones. I have also had many situations where I start writing on one guitar then continue on another and it take things in a very different direction. What much of this is, is inspiration you are receiving from you instrument both technically and creatively.

 

Also, I have recently been doing a lot of songwriting on a Taylor 714 Cocobolo and because of the immense rich thick tone and rich overtones, it takes me in directions that none of my other guitars take me. I tend to use a lot more open strings in voicing that are up the neck and more harmonics and such.

 

Anyway, I hope this helps.