While the guitar does not look like a percussive instrument, in the hands of a virtuoso, it can be. We’ve seen this applied in guitar playing for Spanish songs, and we’ve seen how electric bass guitar players are able to slap and pop their strings to add a percussive effect to their sounds as well.
Now if you’re a somewhat novice player but you’d like to check out the musical possibilities of a percussive guitar, you might be interested in a Kickstarter project called the Hammer Jammer. The Hammer Jammer is essentially a device that you can attach to either an electric or acoustic guitar. It comes with “buttons” that when pressed down on, will create percussive like sounds on your guitar.
Due to the way it is setup, it does seem pretty ideal for players who have yet to fully master the instrument, and also will allow for more accuracy when choosing when string to “attack”. However while it does seem like a good idea and a potential way to expand the guitar’s capabilities, the Hammer Jammer can also help guitar players with arthritis or other issues where plucking strings might prove to be a challenge.
It’s an interesting invention and if you’d like to learn more about it, head on over to its Kickstarter page for the details. Its creators, Big Walnut Productions, is seeking $50,000 in order to make it a reality. So far they have managed to raise a little over $3,000 at this time of writing. You can also check out the Hammer Jammer in action in the video above.
Filed in . Read more about Crowdfunding, Kickstarter and Music.