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Pico: which hand at the top?

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written by: sam

Hi all,

The short answer to this is - you can play with which hand at the top that feels most comfortable for you to play.

When I was building the Factory Setup 1, I was playing with my left hand at the top and my right hand at the bottom, as I found this would translate well on to the Alpha. It is also the way that you hold the Clarinet/EWI as you say in a previous post, so I thought players of these instruments would also translate quicker on to the Pico this way. I tend to be able to play most things with my hands in this position.

I hope this answers your question - please let me know if I can be of more help.

Sam
Eigenlabs Software Department

written by: expertsleepers

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:00:39 +0000 GMT

Being a clarinet/EWI player I instinctively pick up the Pico with my left hand uppermost. I just noticed in the tutorials though that the loverly Nick is holding it with the right hand uppermost. This also makes a bit more sense of the secondary mode key being upper right.

So I'm a bit torn. Is it worth me training myself to swap hands? If I stick with left hand at the top am I going to regret it later? Can't think why right now, but my experience of this instrument isn't very deep yet.


written by: scrussey

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:00:09 +0000 GMT

I play it with my left hand at the top also...
it feels more natural to play the lower notes with the left hand


written by: TomSwirly

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:07:42 +0000 GMT

Good question I've been pondering!

I concluded that it's a wash ergonometrically - either way, your right hand has to reach a little bit more over the slider but I find for most scale patterns top and bottoms hands do "similar" things.

On wind instruments you have the left hand at the top and it's probably a good choice if you're right handed, simply to get your dumber hand closer to where you can see it. :-D


written by: steveelbows

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:44:54 +0000 GMT

In the videos he is sometimes using it the left hand at the top.

There are so many possibilities in terms of fingering, scales etc, that I doubt there is a 'right answer' to these questions, the mind boggles at the possibilities and this can be daunting as well as exciting. Im already starting to think that I will end up playing it in a variety of different ways, depending on what software instrument I am playing with it.

Thow in the possibility to control more than one instrument at a time, mapped to different keys and my mind really starts to explode, and I can already hear my credit card moaning in anticipation of an eigenharp alpha purchase in 2010 :)


written by: TomSwirly

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 19:20:55 +0000 GMT

Daunting is the word for it. Wow. Yes, I think I'm going to end up with a playing technique for each scale and song. So my idea is to write arrangements of songs designed for the instrument...

However, I've realized that you really can't stick with your hands in one position. Suppose you are tuned in a chromatic scale and try to do a major arpeggio. Finger 1 has to hit the left and then the right key... it's much more natural to use finger 1 from your right and and finger 1 from your left and lets you play legato!


written by: sam

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:56:49 +0000 GMT

Hi all,

The short answer to this is - you can play with which hand at the top that feels most comfortable for you to play.

When I was building the Factory Setup 1, I was playing with my left hand at the top and my right hand at the bottom, as I found this would translate well on to the Alpha. It is also the way that you hold the Clarinet/EWI as you say in a previous post, so I thought players of these instruments would also translate quicker on to the Pico this way. I tend to be able to play most things with my hands in this position.

I hope this answers your question - please let me know if I can be of more help.

Sam
Eigenlabs Software Department



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