Mick plays guitar?

Livia · #1 12-22-2005, 04:52 PM

http://www.gizmag.com/go/4951/

The Transperformance self-tuning guitar
(link to this article)

December 22, 2005 For most people, tuning a guitar takes three to five minutes and when they have finished, the final result is not very good. These people will love the Transperformance self-tuning guitar which takes less than a second to lock into perfect tune. While most guitars will only ever see standard tuning (EADGBE), a goodly proportion of popular music is played with alternate tunings. Just as each guitar sounds different, musicians will change the tune of a guitar to create the sound they require and that’s one of the reasons you often see a dozen or more guitars on stage at a rock concert. The Transperformance guitar has the additional advantage of being able to change from one custom tuning to another (it holds 240 custom tunings) which can be selected from the face of the guitar or toggled with a foot pedal. As Jimmy Page (the man who wrote and played “Stairway to Heaven”) says of the Performer, “you've just got to witness what it is ... it's accurate, it's fast and it makes people's eyes pop out."

The self-tuning guitar mechanism is naturally enough controlled by a computer, which is mounted inside the guitar. Almost any guitar can be fitted with the system, though Fender Stratocasters and Telecasters and Gibson Les Pauls seem to be the most prolific as the cost is in excess of US$3000 and only very accomplished performers will be able to justify the expenditure. Having the system fitted to such exquisite instruments will not change the sound, tone or feel as the self-tuning aspects are entirely separate from the audio system of the guitar, keeping the pickup and audio the same.

The Transperformance site has some very compelling video footage showing how useful the instant tuning can be, with video endorsements from Page and Graham Nash (The Hollies and Crosby Stills and Nash), video examples of the benefits offered by the system, and a technical rundown on how it works. In essence, the bridge and tailpiece are replaced and the circuitry and motors for each string are all fitted to the guitar with beautiful workmanship.

Alternate tunings expand the sound of the guitar and the creativity of the composer but as previously mentioned, make life very difficult for the performing musician and waste a lot of very costly studio time. The Performer has a back-lit LCD read-out mounted on its top edge for easy viewing of current tunings (you can quickly check the tuning of all six strings simultaneously) and system status.

Other celebrity owners of the guitar include Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Mick Fleetwood (Fleetwood Mac), Robert Hunter (Grateful Dead), Kenny Loggins, Peter Buck (REM), Eddie VanHalen (VanHalen), Pete Townshend (The Who) and technology afficiando Paul Allen (Microsoft, LINK).

The transperformance guitar has been in existence for 16 years, but despite this elite clientele its commercial history has been rocky – targeting only elite performers with a high tech instrument has not provided the long term volume required to make a specialist business such as this viable. Accordingly, the company is planning a “lite” version due out around 12 months from now, with lesser functionality and a price tag around a third of that of the current unit. The new unit will fit almost any guitar and will be squarely aimed at the millions of less-well-heeled guitarists around the world. The premium product will be retained for the elite guitarist, so don’t suddenly expect all that functionality at a third the price.

The prototype for the new lower cost self-tuning guitar recently took first place in the consumer products division of the Colorado Inventor Showcase.

SortaSavageLike · #2 12-22-2005, 05:23 PM

Not unless they've invented an electric guitar that makes engine-revving sounds and shouts of pain..

SteveMacD · #3 12-22-2005, 05:37 PM

Actually, he played lead guitar on "These Strage Times" off the "Time" album, and I believe he played on "Lizard People" as well. If you think about it, it makes sense. The guy's been in a band with Peter Green, Jeremy Spencer, Danny Kirwan, Bob Welch, Bob Weston, Lindsey Buckingham, Billy Burnette, Rick Vito, and Dave Mason, AND is close friends with Eric Clapton and a butt load of other guitarists. He's had one of the best seats available in rock guitar class for forty some years now! He SHOULD have picked something up along the way.

Sahara · #4 12-22-2005, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

Actually, he played lead guitar on "These Strage Times" off the "Time" album, and I believe he played on "Lizard People" as well. If you think about it, it makes sense. The guy's been in a band with Peter Green, Jeremy Spencer, Danny Kirwan, Bob Welch, Bob Weston, Lindsey Buckingham, Billy Burnette, Rick Vito, and Dave Mason, AND is close friends with Eric Clapton and a butt load of other guitarists. He's had one of the best seats available in rock guitar class for forty some years now! He SHOULD have picked something up along the way.

Very true. I reckon the guys in the Mac could play just about anything at this stage .... if you're musically inclined, you're musically inclined.

Livia · #5 12-22-2005, 06:28 PM

Oh yeah-I'd forgotten about Lizard People.

And I don't own the Time album.

I respectfully disagree on the musically inclined comment. I'm musically inclined (piano, guitar, tambo, etc.) but I can NOT play drums! Getting both hands and feet coordinated is not my forte! And I know plenty of drummers who can't play other instruments at all!

David · #6 12-22-2005, 07:13 PM

Mick has laid down some guitar tracks on some Mac songs, as already pointed out, but he's essentially an amateur guitar player. Don't get the idea that he's capable -- or anything like -- of what his guitarist bandmates can do. Christine is probably at least as good as Mick on guitar.

jannieC · #7 12-22-2005, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David

Mick has laid down some guitar tracks on some Mac songs, as already pointed out, but he's essentially an amateur guitar player. Don't get the idea that he's capable -- or anything like -- of what his guitarist bandmates can do. Christine is probably at least as good as Mick on guitar.

Similar to Stevie on the piano?

HomerMcvie · #8 12-22-2005, 09:37 PM

Mick most likely has the self-tuning guitar, as it's the only way he can get one in tune! Have you ever witnessed an amateur guitar player attempt to tune a guitar? It takes forever, and is painful to watch!

What do you call a guy that hangs out with musicians?

A drummer!
Did you hear about the bass player than locked his keys in the car?

It took him three hours to get the drummer out!
What do you call a drummer without a girlfriend?

Homeless!

Lala · #9 12-22-2005, 11:51 PM

I'd argue that most people could figure out the guitar. I mean, hell I did!

HomerMcvie · #10 12-23-2005, 12:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lala

I'd argue that most people could figure out the guitar. I mean, hell I did!

Yeah, but we're talking about Mick.....the man who's blown through several fortunes....

SteveMacD · #11 12-23-2005, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

Yeah, but we're talking about Mick.....the man who's blown through several fortunes....

But, to be fair, WAS manager of Fleetwood Mac from "Heroes" through "Tusk." Yeah, he's blown through fortunes. But hell, he was responsible for most of those fortunes anyway!

HomerMcvie · #12 12-23-2005, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

But, to be fair, WAS manager of Fleetwood Mac from "Heroes" through "Tusk." Yeah, he's blown through fortunes. But hell, he was responsible for most of those fortunes anyway!

Yeah, he wrote most of those songs, didn't he?

SteveMacD · #13 12-23-2005, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

Yeah, he wrote most of those songs, didn't he?

And, who saved the tapes from the white album from being erased, insuring that those songs would be heard in the first place? And who sought out an independent producer to remix "Over My Head" for AM radio? And who's idea was it to take the band on the road before the album was released? And, who was it that won over promoters by giving back money whenever they didn't sell-out a show? (And, who was on the cover of the white album AND "Rumours"

) Hell, who was it that suggested Lindsey and Stevie join the band in the first place?

C'mon, man. You work in the industry to some extent. You know that a good song and a quarter buys you a newspaper. Success doesn't just happen. One has to play the game, and Mick did that very well when he was managing the band.

SteveMacD · #14 12-23-2005, 01:49 PM

Oh, and Homie, I forgot, but who was managing Bob Welch when he was on the charts?

HomerMcvie · #15 12-23-2005, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

Oh, and Homie, I forgot, but who was managing Bob Welch when he was on the charts?

Why can't he manage all of them to the top of the charts NOW?

Alright, alright.... Mick's a saint. I'm sure the sun rises and sets in his arse.
He was always very good, at cultivating the talent of OTHERS.
Those who can, do. Those who can't, cultivate!