John Francis: Coral Sunset / 11 string solo guitar music eleven original

John Francis performs his original work "Coral Sunset" for the alto-guitar May 10, 2007 at KCTU TV studios in Wichita, Kansas. You may visit John's youtube channel at: http://youtube.com/johnfrancismusic

Higher Resolution Updated Video Can be Found Here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_UEF76Sw4g

Director/Photographer: Rick Dunbar. This particular alto-guitar was dubbed "Carollos" by the inventor, Georg Bolin of Sweden. Bolin did not like serial numbers. He built this guitar to order, in 1984, for late American guitarist and teacher Dave Markle. The alto-guitar (altgitarr or altgitarren) has 11 nylon strings. Its top six are pitched a minor third higher than standard tuning, like the Renaissance lute. It's five extra bass strings drop diatonically as F-Eb-D-C-Bb. This would be like D-C-B-A-G on a standard guitar. The extra basses are not usually fretted, but are played open. They may also be tuned to fit a particular key. The alto allows for the unaltered performance of Renaissance and Baroque lute literature, and opens new horizons for the guitar..

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As a composer and arranger for over thirty years, Francis has written & arranged music in styles ranging from Baroque to Blues, from Celtic to Rock, from Jazz to Samba to eclectic World Music. His primary emphasis has been the guitar in all its varieties.

"I enjoy writing and performing many styles and often blend the different elements together. From the simplest melody and rhythm, to the most complex harmony and counterpoint, I believe that music has the ability to captivate the spirit. For me, one of the most unique and important aspects of music is its ability to communicate, even without words. I try to express something genuine with each of my compositions." - John Francis

For more altgitarr videos search for Goran Sollscher here on youtube

For more info on this instrument you may visit the following:
http://sologuitarist.net/altgitarren_links.html

http://altoguitar.com/
http://johnfrancisguitar.com
http://myspace.com/johnfrancisguitar
http://www.reverbnation.com/johnjfrancis
http://www.facebook.com/johnfrancismusic

Category:

Music

Tags:

• John
• francis
• coral
• sunset
• guitarist
• composer
• alto
• guitar
• altgitarr
• altgitarren
• harp
• harpguitar
• original
• island
• song
• eleven
• string
• classical
• sollscher
• johnfrancismusic
• acoustic
• nylon
• samba
• garden
• september
• rose
• eight

[billm90]

I have to ask.

I watch a lot of these 8+ string vids. I want a 10+string guitar bad, and I am working on several projects to make some multi string variations. (8, 10 and now 11)

the question...

Do any of you guys with these guitars play anything fretted on the bass strings. like solo, or make chords mid neck?

I am constantly seeking a vid of this, but I guess it is not how the guitar works?

[SoloGuitaristNet]

You are fairly right about how the guitar works. The bottom four strings are not fretted, but tuned so to provide open basses. The nature of this instrument with the diatonic tuning drop basses, longer strings and extra frets does not lend to fretting those strings, as there are three strings that would have the same pitch when fretted straight across. However, they do lend to more melody on the bass 4 through 6, which are often neglected. They can now be accompanied by rich harmonies. -jf

[SoloGuitaristNet]

@billm90 Please see John's new Samba Garden video, which is filmed from inside of an eight string guitar. This video gives a clear picture of what the right hand is doing through the sound hole. Another video of the entire piece will be released soon. John even employs right hand bass tapping as the piece progresses.

[qball08411]

Amazing piece but the extra strings seem like more of a novelty, not really used much. I still want one though!

[SoloGuitaristNet]

Thank you for the compliment, but the piano has 88 keys. Only 7 of 12 are used for any key & within just a small range, but they are there for more than just "a novelty." In this three minute tune, 12 additional open basses were added & the piece benefitted from much sympathetic resonance. 10th String @ :06 8th String @ :21 11th string @ :54 11th String Twice @ 1:12 11th String @ 1:45 11th String @ 1:58 8th String @ 2:03 8th String @ 2:21 10th String @ 2:24 8th Sting @ 2:35 7th String @ 2:49

[Bubblemaker0]

i still can't get over how beatiful this song sounds :) -Lucas

[SoloGuitaristNet]

Thanks Lucas!

[icehawkemt89]

Absolutely Amazing piece of music! Performed flawlessly and Really captures the emotions. Thanks for this :)

[Ticlano]

Dear John,

Could you recommend luthiers that can build Alto Guitars?

All the best,

Glauco Souza

[wx5767]

this is pretty good... but lets see you do a barre chord

[johnfrancismusic]

@billm90 You may be interested in my piece, Last Season. It uses full barres & low bass lines on the 8 string, but the 10 & 11 strings are used for octave basses that are tuned for a particular piece. This was the practice for Renaissance & Baroque lutes. For example, many of Bach's pieces will use only two of the additional basses. There is also a group of 10 string players that follow Yepes' example of re-entry tuning and don't use them at all, other than for sympathetic resonance. Cheers!

[lizardlizzie]

Thanks John, you are a fantastic, expressive player and I really enjoyed your composition and your beautiful playing!

[shardprime]

Awesome! You've got an amazing talent there. Did you construct the guitar on your own? It looks and sounds beautiful. :O

[baconbag]

piano with frets anyone?

[oldpreach]

wow, that sure takes you a journey.

[801knight]

Very Gifted.

[TheYoYoB]

cool I just got one yesterday