Why All This Happened
The following is a personal account with a bit of history and how the 8 String ‘Hei-D MOSTRO’ Guitar was born and what it means musically.
Beginning thoughts from Sicily:
The concept of the 8 String ‘Hei-D MOSTRO’ has been in my mind for over 20 years. I recall when I was living in Palermo, Sicily during the 80s, I already was working as a violinist in the Opera and symphonic orchestras when I decided to take one of my guitars to a luthier and ask him if he could replace the fretboard and make a 6 string fretless guitar. Well, that didn’t quite work because of the nature of the instrument and the problems with intonation. In the meantime, while in the orchestra, I was exposed to so many instruments, colors and timbers from the various species and I played many roles: violin in the 1st & 2nd section, viola, string quartet chamber orchestras, string quartet with guitar, violin and contrabass duo and many more combinations. Always exploring musically, I attempted to play guitar and violin at the same time, but it was a bit difficult to hold both instruments. I then worked on playing violin and contrabass together. That was a little more interesting because I would be playing the violin pizzicato with my left hand and with the bass bow I would be playing basso continuo. But that was not the best situation, so I gave that up.
Move to America:
In 1987 after five years as a full time violinist, I left the orchestra world and moved to the United States. Fate smiled upon me as I was fortunate to begin my American journey in the great jazz town of Detroit, Michigan. (Where I would also meet my future wife!)
I began working with a lot of horn players, drummers and bassists. I loved the walking bass - it was very interesting to me. The violin was put to rest (for the next 10 years) and the guitar became my full time working instrument. Sometimes in my group I would ask the bassist to take a solo for as long as he liked. It was very fascinating to me -- that kind of ‘fat’ sound. This is where I also met, and in 1994, married my wife singer/lyricist Heidi Hepler. We had a full time voice and guitar duo and then in 1999 we moved to New York.
I began working with a lot of horn players, drummers and bassists. I loved the walking bass - it was very interesting to me. The violin was put to rest (for the next 10 years) and the guitar became my full time working instrument. Sometimes in my group I would ask the bassist to take a solo for as long as he liked. It was very fascinating to me -- that kind of ‘fat’ sound. This is where I also met, and in 1994, married my wife singer/lyricist Heidi Hepler. We had a full time voice and guitar duo and then in 1999 we moved to New York.
Move to New York:
New York is where I met and started playing with 7 string guitar master Bucky Pizzarelli who exposed me to the extra range of the the 7th string. Shortly after that I had two 7 string guitars made. One was made by Michigan luthier Gary Zimnicki and the other by New York luthier Rich DiCarlo. After playing the 7 string for one year, I asked Rich DiCarlo if he could build an 8 string with 2 fretless bass strings. He told me that I was a little crazy because of the work involved, that there was nothing like that anywhere and that it may not work.
Birth of the 8 String Hei-D MOSTRO Guitar:
Anyway, we decided to do it. We named it Hei-D for two reasons.
Both related musically and romantically.
This 8 string guitar is a 6 octave instrument – amazingly – it is just one octave less than the 88 keys of the piano and it plays up to the High D.
My wife’s name is Heidi and she sings up to the High D and above.
So, Hei-D was the starting name…
“!WOW!...it works!” I told Rich. “Man this is a Monster…!”
Rich asked me, “How do you say Monster in Italian?”
I said, “MOSTRO”!
And, that’s why it took the name ‘Hei-D MOSTRO’.
Both related musically and romantically.
This 8 string guitar is a 6 octave instrument – amazingly – it is just one octave less than the 88 keys of the piano and it plays up to the High D.
My wife’s name is Heidi and she sings up to the High D and above.
So, Hei-D was the starting name…
“!WOW!...it works!” I told Rich. “Man this is a Monster…!”
Rich asked me, “How do you say Monster in Italian?”
I said, “MOSTRO”!
And, that’s why it took the name ‘Hei-D MOSTRO’.
Musical Concept of the 8 String Hei-D MOSTRO Guitar:
The idea of playing this guitar is the concept as if the player would be playing a string quartet. 2 violin (1st three strings), Viola (4th and 5th string) and Cello or/and Bass (7th and 8th string).
The point is to:
1. make use of the counterpoint
2. use inside voicings
3. and stress the fact the guitar has two bass strings.
But, most important is that the bass strings are fretless and can approach the comma system and quarter tones which are nonexistent in a regular guitar unless you bend the note -- but it still is not the same thing.
The point is to:
1. make use of the counterpoint
2. use inside voicings
3. and stress the fact the guitar has two bass strings.
But, most important is that the bass strings are fretless and can approach the comma system and quarter tones which are nonexistent in a regular guitar unless you bend the note -- but it still is not the same thing.
The Comma
The Comma is the measurement of the Tone and Semitone.
Each tone is made by 9 Commas.
Example:
C to D is 9 Commas. That is a whole tone.
C to C# is 5 Commas, that is a half tone.
And C to Db is 4 Commas that is also a half tone.
So basically C# and Db in most instruments is the same enharmonic note (enharmonic notes are notes of the same pitch but of different names) but, in instruments like Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass or wind instruments C# and Db are not the same because of the precision of perfect intonation.
For me a C# is a C# and not an Db.
Each tone is made by 9 Commas.
Example:
C to D is 9 Commas. That is a whole tone.
C to C# is 5 Commas, that is a half tone.
And C to Db is 4 Commas that is also a half tone.
So basically C# and Db in most instruments is the same enharmonic note (enharmonic notes are notes of the same pitch but of different names) but, in instruments like Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass or wind instruments C# and Db are not the same because of the precision of perfect intonation.
For me a C# is a C# and not an Db.
