Robot hand trainer?

[tedmich]

check this!

The idea is to move the hand in the way the player wants to learn; and it trains the hand to do it. Makes sense, although in its current state its a bit bulky and expensive looking... PRS or Gibson the first to develop for guitar??

[Justin Thomas]

Looks like a cool way to develop muscle memory along with good/healthy technique or adaptability for disability/injury.

Jusrin

[Chuck H]

Since when did the creation of art need to adhere to specific execution??? I know that this sort of ideal and teaching has been a standard practice for time immemorial but does it really shake out for pop culture or creativity? And we inevitably land where new techniques and ideologies reshape the method. Rockers gonna rock. Players gonna play. Creators gonna create!!!

There is something to be said for training in classical techniques. They've been proven to allow for maximizing dexterity and execution. But players in pop genres break these rules ALL THE TIME and find themselves on the other side of able. I think the best practice for up and commers is to learn what "IS" and still be aware that there are no rules.

JM2C and I wish I'd been that dynamic for my own time experimenting. In other words... Take what I know about my failures and find success (he hoped for all).

[Justin Thomas]

While I certainly do not fall into that camp, I think PERFORMANCE definitely has its "rules" for form. It's not about creation, it's about how it's executed. When you demonstrate that you can do it "properly," THEN you can go off & do it however you want. But part of the judgement of a "good" performance is having the discipline to do it "right."

I've known more than a few musicians who were a LOT more interested in doing it "right" than "creating" anything. Even been soft-shunned out of bands because I refused to learn how to do (insert heavy snark here) "my part" "right." "Who said anything about art? You're a biomech jukebox!" (end heavy snark here)

Jusrin

[Chuck H]

Let's examie two players named Steve in brief...

Steve Vai - Plays with "proper" technique. ie: Thumb at the back of the neck and usually thumb end center. Fingering is idealized for any scale in a given position.

Stevie Ray Vaughan - Practices "improper" technique. ie: Thumb flapping all over and hanging over the finger board as often as not. Fingering technique improvised for riffs and note group "shapes" without regard for scale form.

Both creative artists. Who is the better player???

Trick question obviously. But I think it makes the point. Though my own ideology is in agreement with Justin. That you should be able to execute "correctly" before daring to break the rules for creativities sake. But even though I see this as ideal I didn't follow this as a rule when I learned to play. Jimmy Page was my first guitar hero and his technique is very sloppy. I did take some lessons after I'd already been playing for a few years to try and overcome some limitations caused by my bad habits and poor technique and that helped. But I still found unique and advantageous qualities in some of the "wrong" things I did. So I guess I came at it backward. Which is the only way I was ever going to come at it. Because when I decided I wanted to play guitar it wasn't because I wanted to participate in regimes and discipline. It was because I wanted the fantasy. I got a C in my high school guitar class and I'd already been playing for years. The reason is that Mel Bay didn't do anything to inspire me. And all the other guys in the class wanted to play like I did

[DrGonz78]

Then there is the technique of Django Reinhardt. He certainly could not use a hand trainer with such a massively deformed hand. I guess he gets to create rules for what constitutes as proper technique. Also there’s Jimi playing with his teeth. No machines will ever be able to train someone on how to do that.

[Justin Thomas]

DrGonz78 but I do think a robot trainer can be reprogrammed to meet the needs of the user. There's no rule saying it HAS to be used a certain way. It's just another tool in the box.

Jusrin

[g1]

I agree with Justin, I think it should be able to train you to do whatever you want it to. I haven't read the article (no link), but I'm not sure it is implying any particular methodology. Maybe you want to 'teach' your hand to stretch 5 frets or something, it helps you build up your muscle memory.

[DrGonz78]

I just play a bunch of Andy Summers lines when I want to get some muscle memory. He’s always stretching out his fingers across the fretboard. I don’t know if I trust robots controlling my body parts.

[Chuck H]

Here's an idea...

What if the robotic mechanism itself could be trained to what YOU do. Then it could act as an assist for players that develop any of the many old age or disabled maladies. This thing would look right in place on the hand of a guitar player at a metal show. And how cool would be if Jason Becker had one that was trained when he could still play? He could have someone strap that thing and a guitar on him and wheel him to the front of the stage. I love Jason and I'd go to that show.

[g1]

Then what if someone steals your 'hand' and starts playing your stuff perfectly?

[Chuck H]

Then what if someone steals your 'hand' and starts playing your stuff perfectly?

It's a new world to be sure !?!

[The Dude]

All ideas have merit here. I will just add this: Some players, like myself, have physical limitations that do not allow for "proper" technique or form. I not only have giant hands and fingers that do not allow for fingering certain chords, but also have index fingers that are quite substantially curved inward toward the other fingers. This makes 7 fret stretches impossible. The point is that a robotic trainer wouldn't work for some of us unless it was able to surgically reform appendages. Similar, if only slightly, to how Rick Allen has learned to play drums with only one arm, I have learned to play guitar with my own physical anomalies.

[Chuck H]

Similar, if only slightly, to how Rick Allen has learned to play drums with only one arm,..

One of my favorite stories in rock and roll. Rick fully expected to give up and be replaced but the band didn't move forward without him. They basically told him that they wouldn't be doing that and there would be no more Def Leppard if he didn't find a way to make it work. I don't even like Def Leppard but they get HUGE props for this.