The Chapman Stick® : The invention that changed everything.

Raiders of the Lost Art EP22 : 8,000 Miles to TapTown featuring Paul Edwards, Randy Strom and Jim Wright. In this episode we get a glimpse into the early days of the Chapman Stick®, from the meetings born out of Emmetts house, to the playing styles, the techniques and the music. We also cover the evolution of Emmets Free hands™ technique and the evolution of the instrument. If you are interested in finding out more about this musical genre, the Chapman Stick, The Warr Guitar, the history of two handed tapping, Free Hands, Touchstyle, the stories about the band Kittyhawk, film composing or much much more, this is the episode for you, told by the people who were there, in the very early days, people who are still making incredible music thanks to Emmett's vision and invention. ................................................. 8,000 miles to TapTown. There are many Cities across the world immortalised for the music styles, styles that were either birthed or celebrated there, Memphis for the Blues, Nashville for Country, Berlin for Electronica, Ibiza for EDM and Trance, Seattle for Grunge, New York for Punk and Modern Jazz and New Orleans or Zydeco and traditional styles of Jazz. The City of Los Angeles holds many distinctions one being the entertainment capital of the world, L.A is a cultural mecca that has born so many music styles, from Surf Rock of the 160’s, Folk from Laurel Canyon in the 70’s, Sunset Strip Rock, Metal and Nu Metal from the 80’s to the 2000’s to the Rave capital of America 2010. There is however, one musical Genre that went largely un noticed in the Los Angeles scene, starting in the mid 70’s, a genre that redefined what was possible musically, a genre born from a new type of instrument called the Chapman Stick® and a technique called Free Hands. This technique fused instruments such as keyboard, bass, guitar and percussion by using both hands on a fingerboard, it was a musical style that was as innovative as it was imaginative, one that redefined what a musical instrument was or could do. This instrument and playing style was invented by Emmett Chapman a Los Angeles based musician / inventor. Into the later 70’s and Early 80’s more and more musicians were becoming transfixed wth what this instrument could do, and bands such as KittyHawk and King Crimson were bringing this style to the masses. The scene evolved and in the 90’s and Emmett's Free hands technique and the instruments evolved, with new playing styles, and ia new instrument coming to the fore, one with a guitar shaped body and multiple tuning and string arrangements. This instrument was developed by Mark Warr and is called the Warr Guitar. As a young guitarist I was mesmerised with this new playing style and the instruments that were evolving what was possible musically. I, like many other musicians around the globe, saw what ws going on in Los Angeles and desperately wanted to travel to LA to be part of the Scene It’s 8,000 miles from Melbourne Australia to Los Angeles (Taptown) the epicentre of this musical genre. This sub series of Raiders of the Lost Art is dedicated to those who were there, the inventors, the players, the innovators and those who now carry on this spirit evolving the style, the music and the instruments Come with us as we go on the journey and bring to life the birth of a scene that continues to grow to this day.