Designed to act as a fully polyphonic chordal instrument, it looks like a wide version of an electric guitar's fretboard, just longer and wider. Unlike the guitar and the bass, it is played by tapping the strings rather than plucking them.
My Chapman Stick is 10 strings. I bought it from the bass player of one of the bands I used to play, back in Brazil, but never had the opportunity nor the time to play it. Or should I say to tap it?
The tapping is not the only challenge
The "Free Hands Two-Handed Tapping" technique, a two-handed tapping with the fingers of both hands perpendicular to the strings, is harder than just tapping a guitar! It requires dedication! Tuning is another challenge. There are several different options, but the original 10-string Classic Stick tuning is still very popular, and it is my preferred one.An awkward tuning, based on open fourths and fifths intervals
The first 5 strings are called "Melody" strings, and are tuned as D, A, E, B and F#. Each string downs a 4th from the previous one. The next 5 strings, called "Bass" strings, starts with a deep C (a 2nd down the bass E) then G, D, A and E. They are upped a 5th from the previous one.All together: D, A, E, B, F#, C, G, D, A, E. It is a pretty awkward tuning for those used to guitar/bass tuning.