# Harp Guitar clip. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 24, 2010, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harp-guitar-clip/526222 "2010-01-24T13:23:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2010, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harp-guitar-clip/526222/1 "2010-01-24T13:23:28Z")
I just came across this YouTube clip of [Andy McKee](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cvar4ZsqsEo), and I felt the compelling need to share. I’ve been working with a theorbo player for the last few weeks, and damn it all, now I’m jonesing for some extra strings… ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2010, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harp-guitar-clip/526222/2 "2010-01-24T15:22:41Z")
Those are a whole 'nother beast. It’s like watching [Charlie Hunter play an 8-string guitar](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWyiezH8KGo) where he is laying down bass lines while working the melody. Basically a form of “lap piano”… Just out of my realm. (and notice that Hunter’s 8-string guitar has the frets laid out in a slanted pattern so the bass strings have a longer scale necessary for their tone while the higher strings have a normal-guitar scale length… ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2010, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harp-guitar-clip/526222/3 "2010-01-24T19:44:17Z")
Yeah, longer term I may be looking into a Baritone Classical Guitar, and one of the considerations is whether or not to get the bugger fan-fretted. Other considerations include whether to get the Napoleon Coste style free floating 7th string, and while you’re at that, why not put harp clips or banjo hooks on it so you can tune the open string more easily, then I start thinking why have only one open string when you could have a full set of eight all the way down, and the next thing I know, I’m looking at this [picture](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dc/Napoleon_Coste.jpg) and the GAS alert is going off. Meanwhile, my friend Ben hasn’t posted any clips yet, but here are some fun things I’ve found mucking about today… [Tommie Andersson plays Alessandro Piccinini](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lo-McCLbpVI&feature=related) [Tommie Andersson talks about his theorbo](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmhmKUXxRlE&feature=channel) [Nelson Amos plays Kapsberger](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEGioEyoGPY&feature=related) ---
**Author:** ![Dijon\_Warlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9a28c/32.png) [@Dijon\_Warlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dijon_Warlock)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2010, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harp-guitar-clip/526222/4 "2010-01-24T19:51:58Z")
I gotcher harp guitars right here: [http://www.harpguitars.net/](http://www.harpguitars.net/) Oh, yeah… ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2010, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harp-guitar-clip/526222/5 "2010-01-24T21:24:12Z")
> [@Dijon\_Warlock](#): > > I gotcher harp guitars right here: [http://www.harpguitars.net/](http://www.harpguitars.net/) > > Oh, yeah… I’ll be in my bunk… ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2010, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harp-guitar-clip/526222/6 "2010-01-24T21:27:06Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > Those are a whole 'nother beast. It’s like watching [Charlie Hunter play an 8-string guitar](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWyiezH8KGo) where he is laying down bass lines while working the melody. Basically a form of “lap piano”… > > Just out of my realm. > > (and notice that Hunter’s 8-string guitar has the frets laid out in a slanted pattern so the bass strings have a longer scale necessary for their tone while the higher strings have a normal-guitar scale length… Beautiful! That’s just exquisite playing! Have I ever foisted my friend [Jason Crawford](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZY-_jYyhdo)on you? I must have… ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2010, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harp-guitar-clip/526222/7 "2010-01-24T22:00:06Z")
No - you haven’t! That totally rocks. What’s his story? ---
**Author:** ![Pray\_for\_peace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Pray\_for\_peace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pray_for_peace)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2010, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harp-guitar-clip/526222/8 "2010-01-24T22:55:33Z")
> [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](#): > > I just came across this YouTube clip of [Andy McKee](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cvar4ZsqsEo), and I felt the compelling need to share. > > I’ve been working with a theorbo player for the last few weeks, and damn it all, now I’m jonesing for some extra strings… That’s amazing. To my uninitiated ear, that sounds like at least three instruments playing at once. I still don’t know how he’s making the high-pitched ticka ticka that repeats over the top of most of the piece. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2010, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harp-guitar-clip/526222/9 "2010-01-24T22:58:21Z")
His head’s on upside down! ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2010, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harp-guitar-clip/526222/10 "2010-01-24T23:07:14Z")
> [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](#): > > Beautiful! That’s just exquisite playing! > > Have I ever foisted my friend [Jason Crawford](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZY-_jYyhdo)on you? I must have… is it just me, or are his fingers about 1.5 times normal size? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2010, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harp-guitar-clip/526222/11 "2010-01-25T01:12:27Z")
I have to say that as a guitar player this stuff all leaves my jaw hanging open, but as a music lover much of it is boring. I’m bowled over that they can do those things, and it’s fun to watch for a bit, but that’s about it. One exception might be Jason Crawford. I watched that and his other videos and liked them, particularly his version of “Now’s the Time”. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2010, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harp-guitar-clip/526222/12 "2010-01-25T01:16:07Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > No - you haven’t! That totally rocks. What’s his story? Here’s the best bio I’ve found for him on the IntarWebs - [Fusion Events](http://www.fusion-events.ca/Groups/Crawford/group_crawford.html) would appear to be his booking agent. I know him as a Toronto Transit Commission Subway Musician. He has said to me a couple of times that he makes better money selling his CDs while playing in the subway than he ever made playing the clubs. I’ve missed or been late for I don’t know how many appointments changing stations and running into him. And yeah, he really does play like that live. For hours on end. **Southern Yankee** I’m short fingered, myself, but I can’t say I noticed Jason’s mitts being that much bigger than every one else’s. Yes, there bigger than mine, but even Gimli the dwarf has got bigger rookers than me… ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2010, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harp-guitar-clip/526222/13 "2010-01-25T01:17:09Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > His head’s on upside down! Ha, ha, ha! _You_ tell him… ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2010, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harp-guitar-clip/526222/14 "2010-01-25T18:54:05Z")
You want to talk harp guitar, you gotta talk [Michael Hedges](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k035v_7dClE). ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2010, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harp-guitar-clip/526222/15 "2010-01-25T19:20:27Z")
> [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](#): > > Here’s the best bio I’ve found for him on the IntarWebs - [Fusion Events](http://www.fusion-events.ca/Groups/Crawford/group_crawford.html) would appear to be his booking agent. > > I know him as a Toronto Transit Commission Subway Musician. He has said to me a couple of times that he makes better money selling his CDs while playing in the subway than he ever made playing the clubs. I’ve missed or been late for I don’t know how many appointments changing stations and running into him. And yeah, he really does play like that live. For hours on end. Wow.