Thunderbird Club

[dagrev]

In a round about way, you are claiming that lefties playing right should be better players...

@BklynKen agree?

My own experience trying lefty, it was much more challenging than I expected. In part because I assumed that everything I learned right would transfer easily. It didn't. I think if I had the patience to stick with it longer, I would have made progress, but it would be like learning to play from square one all over again. The only advantage would be already knowing some songs.

I have thought that for a teacher, there would be an advantage to playing lefty. In demonstrating to a student, it would be like looking in a mirror, which is a view we are accustomed to. My teacher opined that the advantage to learning to play lefty would be empathy - having a recent memory of how difficult playing can be when it is new.

I am proof that this hypothesis is nothing more than that. If it is true, I'd be horrible playing as a lefty. Um, more horrible.

 

[Engle]

Some also suggest that he uses a different guitar on each song as they are all tuned/capoed to play a song with little more than bar chords (the quip being his guitars play a song if they are dropped).

Keith Richards has been using open tunings and guitars with 5 strings (no E string) since the late 60’s early70’s. Many of the classic Stones riffs don’t sound right played on a normally tuned guitar.

 

[Engle]

I have wondered the same about how he plays with his fingers so gnarled like that. Backing tracks or something similar wouldn't surprise me.

They might use backing tracks for some parts, but I’d be very surprised if Keith was faking. If he couldn’t do a part, Ron Wood could take it.

 

[Engle]

Fine looking bassist….
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That bass suits Veronica right?

 

[JJR58]

The magic is in the detailing. I wouldn't want to replicate a sig bass, but make a better sounding one for less in a finish/colour of your choice. A (your name here) signature bass. Hey.., that's good... could replace "your guitar should dress like a star"

You'd be the one to build a BK Ken Sig bass.

 

[TBird1958]

Not sure anyone knew this, but this Gibson Thunderbird once belonged to Gary Thain, the bassist for Uriah Heep. I wouldn't be able to tell you what songs he used with this Thunderbird, but he certainly owned one. He also played a 1962 Fender Jazz Bass on a lot of Uriah Heep albums, before he died of a drug overdose in 1975.

I wonder who actually owns this Thunderbird and what year it was manufactured. It might be a 66 or 67. I know he had 2 brothers, so I suppose it is now in the possession of his family?

Hopefully someone will shed light on the T-bird.

That's a very strange Thunderbird, center is painted? If not, it doesn't appear to be 9 ply. Pickup spacing is a bit strange too.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Geddy is quite amusing about it.

As he tells the story, early on when recording, they were concerned about reproducing songs live. As a result, the studio arrangements were organized around how they would be able reproduce the song on tour. Later, they stopped worrying about it and assumed they would figure something out. Then says "Alex, do we really need a 100th guitar track on that?" Alex: "Yes!".

and a 12 string track at that…

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

You're correct. It would seem to make more sense that the more dexterous hand would be on the frets. Weird.

that’s a tough one, I’m a lefty playing righty and always thought the dominant hand should be the plucking hand….could be wrong but I believe it has handicapped my fingerstyle somewhat but then again, this may just be a subjective perception….who knows..

 

[JJR58]

I'm happy to have given my left hand something to get decent ("good", lol) at, but I might have been a better player if I'd insisted... I felt wrong for a long time, but everyone around me said, "Meh. Just practice!" I suppose maybe they were right, and after 40+ years, well, I've done some reasonable stuff...

Well, the recordings you've posted of your playing with bands you were in prove your worth, just sayin.

 

[Stealth57]

You're correct. It would seem to make more sense that the more dexterous hand would be on the frets. Weird.

Nothing to do with bass playing, but your thoughts are exactly why hockey is the only major sport dominated by left-handers. It's not that they are really left handed, it is that players were taught that having their dominant (dexterous) hand on the top of the stick provided more control.

 

[BklynKen]

In a round about way, you are claiming that lefties playing right should be better players...

@BklynKen agree?

On principle, yes.

I have thought that for a teacher, there would be an advantage to playing lefty. In demonstrating to a student, it would be like looking in a mirror, which is a view we are accustomed to. My teacher opined that the advantage to learning to play lefty would be empathy - having a recent memory of how difficult playing can be when it is new.

This is definitely advantageous.

 

[JJR58]

Who’s a happy girl?

 

[PillO]

Appears to be a II.

Wouldn't it be a U II?



I'll show myself out.

 

[PillO]

Sometimes they are to the back out of sight and never mentioned ( as with a couple favorite bands I won't mention).

As sin which you are guilty also it appears...

 

[PillO]

I'm happy to have given my left hand something to get decent ("good", lol) at, but I might have been a better player if I'd insisted... I felt wrong for a long time, but everyone around me said, "Meh. Just practice!"

Ahem! And you lose the novelty of the clumsy stranger. Wait, we might not be discussing the same thing...

 

[dagrev]

As sin which you are guilty also it appears...

Yeah, but I had others in mind not yet mentioned.

 

[PillO]

This is definitely advantageous.

I might spend a little too much time thinking about things...

 

[PillO]

Nothing to do with bass playing, but your thoughts are exactly why hockey is the only major sport dominated by left-handers. It's not that they are really left handed, it is that players were taught that having their dominant (dexterous) hand on the top of the stick provided more control.

Indicating that perhaps the only determinant is which way you start in the first place.

But maybe not. One way "feels natural" vs. the other way even when starting.

On the other hand, there are no "left-handed" pianos... But it would be amusing if there were.

 

[MCF]

that’s a tough one, I’m a lefty playing righty and always thought the dominant hand should be the plucking hand….could be wrong but I believe it has handicapped my fingerstyle somewhat but then again, this may just be a subjective perception….who knows..

It’s a subjective perception. I didn’t know you were left handed and certainly can’t tell by your playing.

 

[PillO]

Who’s a happy girl?
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It is great seeing the pictures of the GTG for those of us who could not attend.

The picture of Jio playing the Jackson Bird needs colour correcting; the green Bird looks blue. Or perhaps all the other pictures of it need colour correcting to make it appear the correct shade of blue...