Acoustic-only?

TTony

TheOtherDennis said:

And yes, a man who has been told 1000 times he can't sing is singing. A man who once was completely unable to breathe whilst playing (seriously) is now singing and playing, and in front of people, too.

     @TheOtherDennis ;;

GTC

Aside from the sheer versatility, you actually feel the music through the vibrations of an acoustic guitar

I feel a paraphrased quote from Swiss Tony ( car dealer comedy sketch show character from  "The Fast Show") coming on ….. "Playing an acoustic guitar is like ……."

ToneControl said

have you ever seen Clive Carroll playing live with his Mrs? Worth seeing

I've never seen him with his Mrs. - but he did a surprising gig at very short notice in my village's small 12th century church a few years back. Brilliant!

Martin Taelstrom is worth looking at - and tabs can be downloaded for many of his arrangements (some for free)

stimpsonslostson

This is an interesting discussion, there seems to have been a revival of acoustic based music over the past few years. 
I’m a big fan of singer songwriter stuff & really enjoy seeing songs laid bare. 

I was in bands at highschool, but now am MUCH more likely to volunteer to do a few songs at an acoustic open mic than to play “on stage”. I’m another who struggles with singing- I’m told I have a good voice, but that it’s lower than I think so I need to sing in the right key. Tuning to D standard helped me immensely. 

Living in Edinburgh it’s relatively easy for me to find acoustic folk nights & it’s a great way to hear music even if I don’t want to play that night. 

I listen to a LOT of metal/hardcore punk, but this is balanced by my addiction to the likes of Chuck Ragan, Kris Drever, Dave Hause, Dustin Kensrue, Tim Barry etc. 
I saw the Revival tour a few years ago and it was BRILLIANT- Chuck Ragan (Hot Water Music), Dan Andriano (Alkaline Trio), Dave Hause (Loved Ones) and Brian Fallon (Gaslight Anthem) playing with only acoustic guitars, a double bass, fiddle and each other in backing vocals. 

I’ve posted both of these before, but here you go (it’s not delicate, but I love it)
https://youtu.be/mqkUBy2H9nY

I also was knocked out by Corey Taylor’s acoustic show (via YouTube).
https://youtu.be/uetFO7y8WPA

ToneControl

GTC said:

Aside from the sheer versatility, you actually feel the music through the vibrations of an acoustic guitar

I feel a paraphrased quote from Swiss Tony ( car dealer comedy sketch show character from  "The Fast Show") coming on ….. "Playing an acoustic guitar is like ……."

ToneControl said

have you ever seen Clive Carroll playing live with his Mrs? Worth seeing

I've never seen him with his Mrs. - but he did a surprising gig at very short notice in my village's small 12th century church a few years back. Brilliant!

Martin Taelstrom is worth looking at - and tabs can be downloaded for many of his arrangements (some for free)

his Mrs is Lily Neil
https://open.spotify.com/artist/1ClGDsgA2JVZxx009wMtnG?si=g54PYXrcSBaE85n6ii0Q5A

She is an excellent harp player, I love listening to harp
At the small gigs I've seen her play, Clive joins in for quite a few pieces

ToneControl

GTC said:

Martin Taelstrom is worth looking at - and tabs can be downloaded for many of his arrangements (some for free)

yes, someone shared a few links of his stuff with me a few months ago, lovely playing and arrangements

TheOtherDennis

I have to say, though, no matter how much I enjoy playing and listening to music on acoustic guitar, I hate - sorry, but I have to use that word - the sort of drippy, watery, whiny stuff that some people play. An acoustic guitar can take being hit hard to make some big noise, and yes it’s capable of delicate stuff but one man’s delicate is another’s wishy washy.

And anyone who knows me knows that I don’t do delicate!! :-D 

Glenn Matlock did an acoustic version of pretty vacant on the radio once and it sounded awesome. Not a huge fan of status quo, but their aquostic stuff worked really well too.

There’s a time and a place for heart breakingly beautiful music. Call me a philistine if you will, but unfortunately, it’s not when I’m around. (That’s not to say I don’t like something gorgeous played well, but there’s a certain sense of wispiness and fey farting around that gets my goat. As my missis has heard me yell at these people on many an occasion “stop emoting all over my telly, you’ll make it rust!”)

TTony

^^
I went with LOL, but Wisdom would have been equally appropriate.

ESBlonde

I was reinspired to use my acoustic a lot more in recent years after watching T Bone Wolk playing for Daryl halls band in the series of Daryls house. He gets about the fingerboard like some silky smooth electric, and is so tasteful it can only inspire.

Sadly no longer with us, but those sessions are available on line e.g.

There is no electric guitar on this, it's all Tom with that yamaha.

Ditto but a Gibson

Just Daryl, Tom and Nick Lowe

Just a sample there and probably not the best, but theres alot of material to look through.

DLM

ITT: DLM puts "Don't Stop Believin'" on repeat.

thomasross20 said:

folk have preferred me playing acoustic as opposed to electric solos if they've been over

You really must watch the company you keep, Tigger. Bad influences, the lot of them, I tell you.

thecolourbox

I'd like to get into acoustic playing as a sort of no-nonsense no-frills kind of experience, similar to how I enjoy the piano as it's standalone and requires no extra kit than just the instrument. I like the idea of some kind of epiphany such as that described above but I'm fairly sure it's exactly just that - I like the idea of it but the reality just wouldn't do it for me.

That could be, as somebody else has said, because I have a less-than-ideal instrument (Big baby taylor) that it hurts to play for too long as I'm used to electric strings and action. Anything bigger might sound better, but I can't reach to play it (I'm fairly minimal in terms of size), anything smaller and they don't seem to sound any good. Upgrading to a decent one seems to cost a lot more than elecrics. Also as the tone (frequencies?) of the acoustic guitar does not seem to suit my voice registers, I think a Baritone range of notes would work better but they are even more money for me to not get on with it!

I also don't get on very well with the disconnect of sound. I find they sound better to the listener in front of the instrument than to the player because of projection. As I use my ears for trying to vary dynamics and touch etc that is hard, especially as I suffer from not being able to focus on sounds if there is background noise.

I'd have to look into what I could do about the neck action and strings befoe I could give it a fair crack of the whip but I'm not sure the outlay to get it done would be worth it for my purposes

TheBigDipper

thecolourbox said:

I'd like to get into acoustic playing as a sort of no-nonsense no-frills kind of experience, similar to how I enjoy the piano as it's standalone and requires no extra kit than just the instrument. I like the idea of some kind of epiphany such as that described above but I'm fairly sure it's exactly just that - I like the idea of it but the reality just wouldn't do it for me.

That could be, as somebody else has said, because I have a less-than-ideal instrument (Big baby taylor) that it hurts to play for too long as I'm used to electric strings and action. Anything bigger might sound better, but I can't reach to play it (I'm fairly minimal in terms of size), anything smaller and they don't seem to sound any good. Upgrading to a decent one seems to cost a lot more than elecrics. Also as the tone (frequencies?) of the acoustic guitar does not seem to suit my voice registers, I think a Baritone range of notes would work better but they are even more money for me to not get on with it!

I also don't get on very well with the disconnect of sound. I find they sound better to the listener in front of the instrument than to the player because of projection. As I use my ears for trying to vary dynamics and touch etc that is hard, especially as I suffer from not being able to focus on sounds if there is background noise.

I'd have to look into what I could do about the neck action and strings befoe I could give it a fair crack of the whip but I'm not sure the outlay to get it done would be worth it for my purposes

If you can, try playing facing a flat hard wall - about 6ft away or so. That works for me.  I've also played a couple of (too expensive) guitars with sound ports on the upper small bout and that seems to help give the player the full tone of the instrument that is otherwise lost by projection.

ToneControl

TheBigDipper said:

thecolourbox said:

I'd like to get into acoustic playing as a sort of no-nonsense no-frills kind of experience, similar to how I enjoy the piano as it's standalone and requires no extra kit than just the instrument. I like the idea of some kind of epiphany such as that described above but I'm fairly sure it's exactly just that - I like the idea of it but the reality just wouldn't do it for me.

That could be, as somebody else has said, because I have a less-than-ideal instrument (Big baby taylor) that it hurts to play for too long as I'm used to electric strings and action. Anything bigger might sound better, but I can't reach to play it (I'm fairly minimal in terms of size), anything smaller and they don't seem to sound any good. Upgrading to a decent one seems to cost a lot more than elecrics. Also as the tone (frequencies?) of the acoustic guitar does not seem to suit my voice registers, I think a Baritone range of notes would work better but they are even more money for me to not get on with it!

I also don't get on very well with the disconnect of sound. I find they sound better to the listener in front of the instrument than to the player because of projection. As I use my ears for trying to vary dynamics and touch etc that is hard, especially as I suffer from not being able to focus on sounds if there is background noise.

I'd have to look into what I could do about the neck action and strings befoe I could give it a fair crack of the whip but I'm not sure the outlay to get it done would be worth it for my purposes

If you can, try playing facing a flat hard wall - about 6ft away or so. That works for me.  I've also played a couple of (too expensive) guitars with sound ports on the upper small bout and that seems to help give the player the full tone of the instrument that is otherwise lost by projection.

same advice from me

TheOtherDennis

TTony said:

^^
I went with LOL, but Wisdom would have been equally appropriate.

Happy with either, thanks

MichaelWatts

Welcome to the acoustic side of things, it's very beautiful! 

The steel string guitar has been my main instrument since my teens and I love it in all its forms. I still play some electric but I'd say I'm 85% unplugged

Chris_J

MichaelWatts said:

Welcome to the acoustic side of things, it's very beautiful! 

The steel string guitar has been my main instrument since my teens and I love it in all its forms. I still play some electric but I'd say I'm 85% unplugged

I could have written that.

I still pay electric occasionally, but, the lack of time I spend playing electric shows these days. Still enjoy it though! I depped for a band on electric last year and found it really hard adjusting when I play acoustic almost daily.

ToneControl

I played electric last night, was a bit rusty, mostly not familiar with the string tensions

Schnozz

I don't think I could go OOO/OM only - I really like Les Pauls and Jazz Basses too.

...And get the urge for a Superstrat now and then.

brojangles

I could happily live with just an acoustic. I very rarely plug an electric in at home - they're for volume! And yes, less satisfying in a solo context. (Good for low volume sofa noodling when not plugged in though.) Sometimes I think about selling all my gear and just getting a nice D28.

CHRISB50

I did it.

Sold all my electrics and kept one acoustic. 

A lovely Lowden O22C, mahogany b&s and redwood cedar top. 

I then sold that and gave up guitar. Haven’t looked back since

Careful what you wish for! 

thomasross20

Sorry for tardy replies from me - it's been a rough couple days!

@ToneControl - what did you learn at the John Renbourne workshop? 
Does Tony McManus live near me lol!?
I've seen Clive Carrol at IGF years ago and it left an impression (not sure if with his wife). 
I also prefer more "acoustic style" on an acoustic. Also not into acoustic "drumming"
And while I like some instrumental stuff, I REALLY like fingerstyle PLUS singing (like Lindsay Buckingham)

@TTony I need to plug my electric in so I don't forget how....!
Ooooh nice boxset - I miss the days of leafing through CD booklets (I just buy mp3s now)


@TheOtherDennis you are too kind!! Best thing about band was the Wednesday rehearsal - something social to break up the week. Apparently there are lots of folk-type things in Edinburgh so I'll have to get along. Do you have recordings?

@DLM hehe  

Thanks for song suggestions!!