One of the most visually interesting aspects of Cliff Art is the odd choice of instruments.

Here is Cliff Art performing at a wedding (no, really) and you can get a pretty good sense of the instruments (that is the dulcimer that is on the stand in front of Cliff) and even see some of the electronics. Fortunately, the amount of electronic gadgetry has been much reduced since this picture was taken (22 May 1999).

"Show me all the pictures"

Appalachian Lap Dulcimer

The Appalachian lap dulcimer is a primitive instrument whose name gives away a lot about it. It was used extensively by the people of the Appalachian region of the Eastern United States. The original way it was played was to be placed on the performer´s lap with the strings running perpendicular to the performer´s thighs and the tuning pegs to his/her left. The strings were then strummed with the right hand and the notes were picked out using a wooden dowel in the left hand.

As with many primitive instruments, it is tuned to a particular key, so that songs in that key are relatively easy, but songs outside that key are nearly impossible. Cliff´s dulcimer is tuned to D major, in fact, the frets are placed "diatonically" so that they describe the key of D major. In other words, the first fret is not a D#, but is an E instead (the major 2nd of the key). Cliff does not use a dowel to pick out the notes, but fingers them like a guitar instead.

Here is the tuning of the dulcimer that Cliff uses:

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Eight-String Bass

The eight-string bass is really just a four-string bass with each string doubled. One string is tuned in the same range as a "normal" four-string bass, while the other of the doubled strings is tuned one octave higher. The result is a very bright and big sound. This is very similar to the 12-string guitar, which you might recognize from "Turn, Turn, Turn" by The Byrds.

Cliff has both an electric and acoustic 8-string bass. The electric is made by Alembic, while the acoustic was a custom job by Dave Maize.
(trademark disclaimer)

Here is the tuning of the bass that Cliff uses:

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Chapman Grand Stick^TM (trademark disclaimer)

The Chapman Stick^TM is a modern instrument that grew out of the guitar family of instruments. The Stick is designed to be tapped using the tips of the fingers on both hands at once, much like tapping the keys of a piano.

What does it look like? The instrument looks like a very wide fretboard from a guitar except that there is no guitar body. Sometimes, the group describes the instrument as a guitar that has been run through an old ringer washer, resulting in a long thin guitar.

The usual set-up for a Stick, is to have two "sides"; a high side (also called the melody side) and a low side (also called the bass side). Each side, is a complete equal set of strings. In Stuart´s case there are six strings on each side. (Stuart´s Stick is called a "Grand" Stick. There are other models with fewer strings.)

The instrument is worn in a manner much different from a guitar or bass. To wear the Stick, there is a belt hook on the back, near the bottom. Simply hook that into your belt and you are half-way there. The top is kept more or less vertical (and somewhat parallel to your body) by a strap attached to the side of the neck just below the tuning pegs (the head).

When worn normally, the high/melody side is farthest from the performer´s face, while the low/bass side is closest to the performer´s face. During performance, the hands cross over the instrument; the high/melody side is intended to be played with the right hand, while the low/bass side is intended to be played with the left hand.

The high/melody side is tuned in straight fourths, while the low/bass side is tuned in perfect fifths. The result is that the tunings are "mirrored". Any position performed on one side of the Stick can be reversed on the other side.

Stuart uses heavy guage strings and follows the "standard" tuning:

By the way, Stuart´s Stick actually is a shade of purple. It is made from a single piece of purpleheart maple.

Note that the tuning of the low/bass side carries the same note names as a six-string bass. However, the note frequencies are in reverse, where, on the Stick, B is the highest bass string and C is the lowest bass string.

If you have ever heard of Stanley Jordan, they you have a good idea of the type performance technique used on the Stick. However, the Stick has some features that make tapping more effective:

• first fret mute
  There is a mute under the strings at the first fret. The mute allows the player to let go of the strings without continuing to sustain. Because of this feature, the performer can change positions fluidly without unwanted, and unpleasant, chord tones. The mute looks to be made of a piece of Velcro(TM).
  
• low action
  The strings are very close to the frets so that there is no need to hit the strings with great force.
  
• larger than average frets
  The Stick was designed with much larger frets. This results in very positive contact between the string and the fret, making for much clearer and more ringing note articulation.
  
• low string tension
  Not only are the strings close to the frets, the tension is lower than on a bass or guitar, making the strings easier to set in motion with a simple tap.
  

Basically, the Stick is very easy to play.

For more information, you can visit the official Chapman Stick web site.

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Drum Set and Percussion

Dave plays a Premier drum kit and more cymbals than you can count. (The drum set is a lovely shade of teal.) The cymbals come from most of the large name companies, including Zildjian, Paiste, and Sabian.
(trademark disclaimer)

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Cliff´s Signal Chain

Once upon a time, Cliff had a very complicated signal chain that all started with an Alembic F-2B pre-amp and just going through more and more stuff until it reached a Roland amplifier.

These days, it is impossible to keep track of Cliff´s chain. It usually changes from gig to gig. If you are interested, you should probably just show up and find out what he is doing for that gig.

We can say that, at various times, Cliff has used a small Mackie mixing board (about six channels), a small Gallien-Krueger bass amplifier, and any number of other pieces of equipment from other manufacturers. In fact, to get an idea of the type of equipment used by Cliff, just go to your local music store and look around. He probably used one of whatever you see.
(trademark disclaimer)

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Stuart´s Signal Chain

Because each side of the Stick requires individual signal processing, Stuart begins his signal chain with the effects processors: two identical Alesis MidiVerb4 units. Those two units are summed together and run into an Eden Navigator bass pre-amp.
(trademark disclaimer)

Right now, Stuart is looking for an additional pre-amp that will be dedicated to the high side of the Stick. The new signal chain will have each side of the Stick go into a pre-amp dedicated just to that side. The effects will be run through effects loops. The result will be piped into the PA and/or a powered amplifier/speaker.

If anyone has any suggestions, Stuart would be willing to hear them so email him some ideas!

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Trademark Disclaimer

The trade names of all equipment listed on this page are to be considered the legal property of the companies manufacturing and doing business under those names. The names covered by this disclaimer include, but are not limited to (in alphabetical order by corporation):

• "Alembic", "Alembic F-2B", and "F-2B"
  - trademarks of Alembic, Inc.
  
• "Alesis", "Alesis Midiverb4", and "Midiverb4"
  - trademarks of Alesis Corporation
  
• "Avedis Zildjian", "Zildjian", etc
  - trademarks of Avedis Zildjian
  
• "Dave Maize", "Dave Maize Acoustic Guitars"
  - trademarks of Dave Maize Acoustic Guitars
  
• "Eden", "Eden Electronics", "Eden Navigator", and "Navigator"
  - trademarks of Eden Electronics, Inc.
  
• "Gallien-Krueger"
  - trademark of Gallien-Krueger
  
• "Mackie"
  - trademark of Mackie Designs, Inc.
  
• "Paiste"
  - trademark of Paiste America
  
• "Premier"
  - trademark of Premier Percussion USA, Inc.
• "Roland"
  - trademark of Roland Corporation US
  
• "Sabian"
  - trademark of Sabian Ltd.
  
• "Chapman Stick", "Chapman Grand Stick", "Grand Stick", "Stick", and "Stick Enterprises"
  - trademarks of Stick Enterprises, Inc.
  

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