Welcome to one of the most active flamenco sites on the Internet. Guests can read most posts but if you want to participate click here to register.
This site is dedicated to the memory of Paco de Lucía, Ron Mitchell, Guy Williams, Linda Elvira, Philip John Lee, Craig Eros, Ben Woods, David Serva and Tom Blackshear who went ahead of us.
We receive 12,200 visitors a month from 200 countries and 1.7 million page impressions a year. To advertise on this site please contact us.
I think I peak for a lot of flamenco players saying that we mostly don't care about such accesoires. At least those armrests are much more interesting for classical guitarists, who care a lot about least improvements of their sound.
'The armrests are marketed primarily to improve tone by reducing body contact is “By placing your forearm on the top of the guitar, you lose between 15% and 20% of the power and projection of the top of the guitar” the official documentation proclaims'
TBH, i dont care what accesoires a guitarrist uses. If his health requires the use of a footstool armrest bandage/tape then this is his problem, but why should i have a problem with it? Paco plays with footstool and that is regarded ok. But armrests are super evil? There is no reasoning, except how the player feels what is right for him. I dont use any gadgets (yet ), but this belittleing of guitarrists who do is a bit kindergarten. In a perfect world nobody needs any gadget and is never ill but thats not reality.
The point was that its nonsense to say that footstools are ok and other accessoires arent, there is no rational reasoning. The only existing thing is that some things are considered ok and others considered truly uncool. A bit like in your childhood maybe, where kids with expensive clothes were considered cool and when you get older nobody cares for these things anymore. You are wasting your time. People who want to use them will use them, and as long as they are good guitarrists not many will care if they play with footstool, armrest, in PdL position or in traditional position.
Doit, thats an awesome tool. I was thinking about such a protection lately. Where can i get one? Oh is that a souvenir from your trip by any chance?
foot stools actually have a purpose. all these guitar supports and rests are dorky and unnecessary
the guitar support i use does the job of putting the guitar into playing position for me better than crossing my leg or using a footstool
also, it is a quarter of the size and weight of a footstool, it is attached (though removable) to the guitar, and folds flat to put the guitar in the case (or walk get up and walk on/off stage or whatever), so i don't have to carry a footstool around, fit it in the case etc.
as i already said in this thread it is virtually invisible, noone ever even notices i'm using it. when i sit between 2 other guitarists in "PDL" position, the guitars are at same height and angle, in same relation to our upper bodies and arms. only difference is my leg is not crossed over, both feet are on the ground. i think some people just assume it is a variation of the "trad" position.
also, i spent about 3 minutes in the shop to buy it (no more than buying a footstool) and used it ever since for hours and hours of practising, playing, performing etc.
the guitar support i use does the job of putting the guitar into playing position for me better than crossing my leg or using a footstool
True that, I've tried one and they are extremely comfy. Actually made me want to buy one but I would worry about going into a coma due to extreme relaxation. Personally I haven't had any problems with the PdL position but a good chair is a must.
ORIGINAL: at_leo_87 foot stools actually have a purpose. all these guitar supports and rests are dorky and unnecessary unless you have some medical problem.
They sure look dorky because they are generally considered to BE dorky. Its public opinion. Foot stools look(ed) dorky for me too, and since i dont need them i could call them unneccessary too. Today i just dont care about what the player uses, but a foot stool is surely not less dorky than anything else. The point is the player decides whats neccessary for him, and considering the countless possible damages in health guitar playing can cause, i find these discussions more and more pointless and idiotic. Preventing unneccessary tension is also important, not just solving existing medical problems, and from what i read here, these thingies can help with that (along with doing sports, etc etc i would add).
deniz, it's not public opinion. i dont know what the rest of the world thinks of these gadgets. it's MY opinion! they look dorky and i'm sticking to my opinion!
mark, if you're talking about the gitano support, then ok, i admit, i once considered getting one of those.
many pros play without all these wristies, arm rests, special guitar chairs, strap on guitar supports, and guitar condoms. i think the world of guitar is pretty safe without these things, you wont die if you play without them. unless you have a larger/smaller body or medical condition, you can adjust to a normal sized guitar.
if you dont understand what im talking about, go check out a classical guitar forum. the focus seems to be on buying strings, guitars, and supports that will make you play well and comfortably. nothing ever about technique. i know im going to get attacked for saying that but i cant help what i see.
imo, these things are just shortcuts and you can become dependent on them. what would you do without them? not play?
Mind you, they can show you how to use a mean broom as you pointed out in a previous post.
Did I write something about man brooms? I can´t remember... Maybe I used the term old broom as synonym for an old scary lady with red hair who talked my into sleep at the beginning of a concert? In Luxembourg? It could also be that I fall asleep because I don´t understand french.. Just imagine you would be forced to listen to a nothing saying monologue of 40mins in klingonian...
Did I write something about man brooms? I can´t remember...
Hi Doit,
I was thinking about that funny story you wrote about when you were a student and had a part-time job as a cleaner in a block of flats of old people...
And when you were brushing the stairs, an old lady grabbed the broom off you and said something like "Oh...you stupid young people..you don't even know how to use a broom" and proceeded to sweep up the stairs quickly and efficiently.
the guitar support i use does the job of putting the guitar into playing position for me better than crossing my leg or using a footstool
also, it is a quarter of the size and weight of a footstool, it is attached (though removable) to the guitar, and folds flat to put the guitar in the case (or walk get up and walk on/off stage or whatever), so i don't have to carry a footstool around, fit it in the case etc.
as i already said in this thread it is virtually invisible, noone ever even notices i'm using it. when i sit between 2 other guitarists in "PDL" position, the guitars are at same height and angle, in same relation to our upper bodies and arms. only difference is my leg is not crossed over, both feet are on the ground. i think some people just assume it is a variation of the "trad" position.
Could you tell me which support this is, and where it can be seen on a website. Thanks.
Never mind, Mark. I just figured out it must be the Gitano that some members mentioned on this thread. I've been thinking about trying out a few different supports. Based on what you say I think I'll take a good look at the Gitano, assuming that's what you're referring to. On a classical forum, someone recommended something called the Tenuto Support. Has anyone here ever tried that one, and if so, what are your thoughts. Thanks.
many pros play without all these wristies, arm rests, special guitar chairs, strap on guitar supports, and guitar condoms. i think the world of guitar is pretty safe without these things, you wont die if you play without them. .
if you dont understand what im talking about, go check out a classical guitar forum. the focus seems to be on buying strings, guitars, and supports that will make you play well and comfortably. nothing ever about technique. i know im going to get attacked for saying that but i cant help what i see
"you wont die if you play without them. . "
I agree!
Many internet guitar conversations are weighted heavily towards posture and avoiding strain and injury and tiredness etc..and all the other sheer dangers of playing the guitar... little is said about actual technique etc.
Hey....here are some other things to help you play a guitar, without killing or maiming yourself l ..
lol, maybe one could summarize it as... use every thing that YOU find helpful to YOU, and not others ;) practice technique practice every thing that you feel need to work on in other words:do everything you want, but do it well rest is BS imo.
Printable Version
), but this belittleing of guitarrists who do is a bit kindergarten. In a perfect world nobody needs any gadget and is never ill but thats not reality. 
I can´t remember... Maybe I used the term old broom as synonym for an old scary lady with red hair who talked my into sleep at the beginning of a concert? In Luxembourg? It could also be that I fall asleep because I don´t understand french.. Just imagine you would be forced to listen to a nothing saying monologue of 40mins in klingonian...
New Messages
No New Messages
Hot Topic w/ New Messages
Hot Topic w/o New Messages
Locked w/ New Messages
Locked w/o New Messages
Post New Thread