Keith Medley & His 27 String Guitar (Yes, 27 Strings)

With everything going on in the world over the past week or so, my husband and I took Friday "off", meaning we unplugged from the world for a day and had our own version of a music festival. This usually entails plugging the computer into our stereo system and playing around on YouTube and this day was no different. It started out with the usual fare, songs of our youth from the 60's, and on to the 70's era and so forth. As per usual, he then started to just randomly follow YouTube links willy nilly to explore new music, and this day he hit on a gem... Keith Medley and his 27 string guitar. I don't usually become so enamoured with new music so quickly, but as they say, he had me at "hello" on this one. I hope some of you enjoy this as much as we did.

The reasoning behind the design of and the build of his 27 string guitar


Keith Medley - "Ride" Teaser video


Keith Medley - "Ancestors"

Brilliant stuff. Really enjoyed it thanks.

the tuning that thing requires

I want one now and i don't play

All I can say is...Bloody hell!!, I have enough trouble with 6 strings!!. Good find.
All the best.
B.V.H

EnigmaAgent
Brilliant stuff. Really enjoyed it thanks.

Really glad you enjoyed it and stopped by!

Indigent

the tuning that thing requires

I want one now and i don't play

I can't even imagine the tuning required for it, I think that alone would boggle my mind. The prep alone for a performance has to be time consuming. I would think basic 'maintenance' on that instrument would make most people shy away from it but he has a dedication to it that is well worth it for the listener.

Glad you stopped by and left a comment!

billyvonhelvete
All I can say is...Bloody hell!!, I have enough trouble with 6 strings!!. Good find.

All the best.
B.V.H

I know right? I can plunk out a barely recognizable tune on a 6 string (and I do mean barely recognizable!!) LOL My finger dexterity would never allow me to be able to play this with any success... but oh how I would love to!!

Thanks for stopping by and glad you enjoyed it!

i just added him on facebook and made a request! Picture him playing the theme song from sons of anarchy! it would be amazing!


Peace always

Daver2056
i just added him on facebook and made a request! Picture him playing the theme song from sons of anarchy! it would be amazing!


Peace always

You know.. I had to think about that one for a minute or 2. The feelings (personally) that his music envokes in me is so opposite to the premise of the show I was not sure about that. However, on reflection it may just work. He is such a master of his instrument that honestly I think he could pull it off.

Thanks for reading, listening and commenting. Glad I could bring something new to the ATS membership.

reply to post by MyMindIsMyOwn

Well? Still using the same 10 fingers we guitarists use...and...his piece "ANCESTORS" could be written out in music for one....it all boils down to an amazing fact.

Even though he's using a backing drum track....all the rest of that piece is overdubs...WITHOUT OVERDUBBING!!!!!

Amazing...

mysterioustranger
reply to post by MyMindIsMyOwn

 

Well? Still using the same 10 fingers we guitarists use...and...his piece "ANCESTORS" could be written out in music for one....it all boils down to an amazing fact.

Even though he's using a backing drum track....all the rest of that piece is overdubs...WITHOUT OVERDUBBING!!!!!

Amazing...

We did order his CD and should hope to have it by the end of the week. I am hoping that he has at least 1 purely accoustic work on there because I would love to hear the instrument alone without any back track. Once I can listen to it with head phones on I fully expect to hear even more non-overdubbed 'overdubs', or what I've always called layering, than I heard from across the room over regular stereo speakers.

Thanks for giving your perspective!

reply to post by MyMindIsMyOwn


I watched 'Ancestors'. It went on for one minute and 28 seconds before the first chord change.

reply to post by MyMindIsMyOwn

I watched him play that, and was thinking about it being written out: not entirely impossible: actually quite easy.

But! With his resonating-tuning to a chord plucking below-creating a drone effect...and his plucking the lowest baritone strings on the upper level of his instrument...those lowest notes cannot be played on a normal six-string. A harp, yes....but he wasnt playing a harp.

I suggest watching Steve Vai play his 4-5 neck on youtube...or any others there as well: there are several with strange configurations of strings on custom instruments.

PS One of my early teaching partners in the 1970's played a ten string classical nylon string. There are some amazing instrumentalists out there.

And "Ancestors"...showcases one of the best of them!

Howdy Y'all I'm the husband. If you liked those try this. It's my favorite.

reply to post by mysterioustranger


Ah yes... Steve Vai... thank you for reminding me of him. Another truly talented musician, as would anyone have to be in order to be connected with Zappa. (Zappa was never one of my favs, just never clicked with me... but even at that I have to admit to the talent the man had).

Just spent the last hour with my coffee and youtube getting reacquainted with the man and his talent. I always stand in awe of anyone who has mastered the stringed instruments, my hands and fingers just never allowed me to have any success with them. My instruments have always been my voice, piano, sax and french horn. (Yeah...you can laugh at that one, not too many french horn super stars out there. LOL)

At any rate, thanks for the suggestion and have a great day!

Astyanax
reply to post by MyMindIsMyOwn

 

I watched 'Ancestors'. It went on for one minute and 28 seconds before the first chord change.

edit on 10/3/14 by Astyanax because: it was a simple I-IV change, too.

if you don't count inversions as chords
a drone isn't always the root note of the chord
which i guess you don't know
nice opinion though

first chord change is at .20


star and flag OP
outstanding wake up thread...

you tube mix
www.youtube.com...

hey OP(us),
if your taste in husbands is as good as your taste in avs and music you prolly got quite a hunk under that hard hat

Danbones
you tube mix
www.youtube.com...

hey OP(us),
if your taste in husbands is as good as your taste in avs and music you prolly got quite a hunk under that hard hat

Hey thanks for the link! And yeah.. he's pretty alright in my book.... I think I'll keep him.. but shhhhhhh, don't tell him that. Don't want it going to his head or anything.. that's the last thing any of us need. LOL

Keep on keepin' on!
OP(us)

MyMindIsMyOwn

Danbones
you tube mix
www.youtube.com...

hey OP(us),
if your taste in husbands is as good as your taste in avs and music you prolly got quite a hunk under that hard hat

Hey thanks for the link! And yeah.. he's pretty alright in my book.... I think I'll keep him.. but shhhhhhh, don't tell him that. Don't want it going to his head or anything.. that's the last thing any of us need. LOL

Keep on keepin' on!
OP(us)

you saw DUFFY?