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A new instrument found unusual success

theguardian.com

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Re: A new instrument found unusual success

#101

Post by gtani »

rollcat wrote: post #71
Jeff_Brown wrote: post #59

This needs to be multiscale. The treble sounds strained and whiny, because it's at too much tension, because it's too long. The bass sounds farty and unfocused, because it's at too little tension, because it's too short. There's a good reason bass guitars are bigger than guitars. Multi-scale guitars have been out of patent for years now. And if the harpejji was invented in 2007, then I believe it should go out of pat…

+1 for multi-scale. While on the topic: I have thrown some hard-earned cash at a multi-scale guitar a couple years ago (a Strandberg), and it both sounds great (well also thanks to craftsmanship), and is much more comfortable to play in the higher positions: the way the frets are fanned, the left hand's wrist remains in a more natural position. It'd be difficult to switch back. I've worked on my own instruments many…

Agreed, I have a few, a couple 8 strings with 2" fan are my sweet spot, tho I've never tried the Charlie Hunter designs w/wider fans (from Novax, Traugott, hybrid-guitars.com). Ideally i would get another custom with wider string spacing for 3 bass strings tuned in 4ths, but that's probably a pipe dream.

This tapping instrument seems very nice but certainly not bizarre, if you want bizarre, look under a d10 pedal steel. If i were to buy a tapping guitar, I would also look at Markus Reuters, touchguitars.com.

Re: A new instrument found unusual success

#102

Post by flangola7 »

eesmith wrote: post #91
flangola7 wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Read my comment again, as you obviously did not internalize it the first time.

I have done so, but did not find enlightenment about the true purpose of patents. Perhaps you did not explain it well enough and can provide more details? Without it, I see no serious conflict or disagreement between my quick summary and the more complete history at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_patent_law

> I have done so.

You very obviously have not. I'm not going to do your job for you and spoon-feed it to you like a child. This isn't complicated, any truly introspective person with critical thinking skills can handle this.

Re: A new instrument found unusual success

#103

Post by eesmith »

flangola7 wrote: post #102
eesmith wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have done so, but did not find enlightenment about the true purpose of patents. Perhaps you did not explain it well enough and can provide more details? Without it, I see no serious conflict or disagreement between my quick summary and the more complete history at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_patent_law

> I have done so. You very obviously have not. I'm not going to do your job for you and spoon-feed it to you like a child. This isn't complicated, any truly introspective person with critical thinking skills can handle this.

Perhaps you posted your comment using another account? The only thing I see from you on the topic is at https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37172256 , which is:

> "That is not what a patent is for. It may unfortunately currently be legal, but that isn't its true purpose."

I know the original purpose of copyright was to inhibit publication the government did not want, which only later became modern copyright. I cannot find anything equivalent for patent law.

If its true purpose is to make money for the elite, I think that's no surprise to anyone. But that seems to be the purpose of most laws, and no reason to single out patent law nor be so opaque.

Given that several others responded to your comment the same way I did, I suppose you think we are all like simple-minded children. I trust you realize that even the smartest of people may need more than "isn't its true purpose" as a hint?

I do hope your "study it out"[1]-like response isn't hiding some baseless conspiracy theory.

[1] https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2012/10/12/1143767/--Study-...

Romney Supporter: All you have to do is study it out. Just study it out and you'll see. You haven't done your homework, buddy.

Matthews: What do I need to study?

Romney Supporter: He's a communist. And those of us who are not voting for him know it.

Re: A new instrument found unusual success

#104

Post by raincole »

LeegleechN wrote: post #80
raincole wrote: post #32

Slightly off topic, but I really want an instrument that works like LinnStrument but with a synth built-in (so you can actually play it without connecting to something else).

Ableton Push 3 (standalone version). It's only an 8x8 grid though.

Too bad. If it's 8x16 I'll be much more interested. (I don't want to DIY something like "2 Ableton Push 3 combined".)

Re: A new instrument found unusual success

#105

Post by raincole »

xyzzy123 wrote: post #100
raincole wrote: post #32

Slightly off topic, but I really want an instrument that works like LinnStrument but with a synth built-in (so you can actually play it without connecting to something else).

You can bolt one in / under / on the side, and map controls for it. The MVP is duct tape but it's possible to get a small synth & battery into the case. I know it's not quite the same thing as you're asking for, but when you dig into the linnstrument it turns out to be very hackable.

The problem is a "small synth", like a Arturia Minibrute still feels quite large. And what should I do with it's keyboard? I use LinnStrument exactly because I'm not good at playing pinao-layout keyboard...

But maybe I didn't google the correct word for it.

Re: A new instrument found unusual success

#106

Post by chuchana »

raincole wrote: post #105
xyzzy123 wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can bolt one in / under / on the side, and map controls for it. The MVP is duct tape but it's possible to get a small synth & battery into the case. I know it's not quite the same thing as you're asking for, but when you dig into the linnstrument it turns out to be very hackable.

The problem is a "small synth", like a Arturia Minibrute still feels quite large. And what should I do with it's keyboard? I use LinnStrument exactly because I'm not good at playing pinao-layout keyboard... But maybe I didn't google the correct word for it.

Do you know what kind of synth you are looking for?

The Disting Ex [0] Eurorack module contains nice ones and supports MPE. You'd also need a PSU [1] for it.

[0] https://expert-sleepers.co.uk/distingEX.html [1] e.g. https://frequencycentral.co.uk/product/microbus/

Re: A new instrument found unusual success

#107

Post by xyzzy123 »

raincole wrote: post #105
xyzzy123 wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can bolt one in / under / on the side, and map controls for it. The MVP is duct tape but it's possible to get a small synth & battery into the case. I know it's not quite the same thing as you're asking for, but when you dig into the linnstrument it turns out to be very hackable.

The problem is a "small synth", like a Arturia Minibrute still feels quite large. And what should I do with it's keyboard? I use LinnStrument exactly because I'm not good at playing pinao-layout keyboard... But maybe I didn't google the correct word for it.

You might want to email Roger Linn about it, he'll probably have some good advice / ideas.

Re: A new instrument found unusual success

#108

Post by Jeff_Brown »

TylerE wrote: post #64
Jeff_Brown wrote: post #59

This needs to be multiscale. The treble sounds strained and whiny, because it's at too much tension, because it's too long. The bass sounds farty and unfocused, because it's at too little tension, because it's too short. There's a good reason bass guitars are bigger than guitars. Multi-scale guitars have been out of patent for years now. And if the harpejji was invented in 2007, then I believe it should go out of pat…

I'm not sure it's even patentable in the first place. It's just a Chapman Stick with more strings.

The clever part, at least the only one I know about, is that each string is muted until it gets fretted, which completes an electrical circuit to unmute it.

Re: A new instrument found unusual success

#109

Post by braunboffel »

cush wrote: post #4
lmpdev wrote: post #3

Absolutely awful they are patent trolling so hard with this Feels exactly like E-Ink Let us have cheap copies for the masses!

> patent trolling They’re just not licensing the patent to other manufacturers. Patent trolling is an entirely different thing.

> They’re just not licensing the patent to other manufacturers

Who? Some data backing the claim up please.

Re: A new instrument found unusual success

#110

Post by uxp100 »

HelloNurse wrote: post #72
uxp100 wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is noise gated, which could be what you’re hearing. (This lets you play more piano like and not have to mute all those open strings)

Why do the strings need to be muted? Is there so much resonance that playing quickly would produce indistinct humming?

Probably a factor, but I think it’s more for ease of use with all those strings, so that incidental contact isn’t producing sounds, along with the pull off energy when releasing notes. You do a lot of subconscious muting when playing a guitar for example.
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