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Comment by pluc

7 hours ago

12 strings is one thing, but how about microtonal? That's instead of adding strings, you add frets!

If you haven't heard them yet, you're in for a wild ride: https://www.youtube.com/@AnginePoitrine

It is still worth noting that the microtones used by Angine de Poitrine are usually just transient notes, and could instead be played portamento with smooth transitions between the notes (eg on a fretless board) in most situations. It still sounds really cool, though, and certainly a technical and musical accomplishment. But the music itself still follows the usual patterns closely.

That's the first time I've heard microtonal work in a rock setting. Pretty good!

I see your added frets, and raise "add frets on the fly using Lego":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPCEImSfCwc

  • > That's the first time I've heard microtonal work in a rock setting. Pretty good!

    Really? I highly recommend Flying Microtonal Banana.

    • Awesome band. Most of their songs sound so familiar to me because they are actually influenced by our folk music. :)

    • > Really?

      Really? Most people's first intro to microtonal guitar is recent and brought to them by Angine de Poitrine.

Why frets? Orchestral strings don’t use frets.

  • For plucked instruments, besides ease of use, it adds clarity and sustain. Orchestra AFAIK only has Pizzicato where that would matter.

  • Frets make chords possible.

    You only have to put your finger somewhere in between two frets to get a particular note, so you can play more than the tiny handful of chords that can be played on something like a violin.

    There are non-fretted guitars but they are rare, and I think early banjos were not fretted.

  • Sustain

    in college a good friend was a very good Oud player (plucked, some number of strings.... more than 8? I forget), and it definitely sounds different from guitar due to less sustain. Clearer notes and chords, but they don't linger as long or loud.

    Edit: apparently it's 11 strings? ok.

  • What's the difference in sustain time between a cello played pizzicato and a plucked guitar string?

    • On fingered strings the guitar sustains for about 10 seconds until the note is very quiet, but still ringing.

      On a Cello a fingered string is gone in 2 seconds.