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Guitarlift Classical Guitar Support Review
A Review of the Guitarlift, The Back Mounted Guitar Support
Guitarlift Website and Store
The Guitarlift has revolutionized classical guitar supports since its release. The back-mounted support works on a wider variety of guitars than most other supports and offers unprecedented levels of secure and stable guitar positioning. Never before has a guitar support been so quickly accepted and used by both professional and general guitarists on stage and off.When it was first released the size caused some hesitation but once you try it, that becomes a distant consideration. In this article I’ll review a few of the Guitarlift models as well as offer other considerations and comparisons at the end.
Summary: The Guitarlift is my most recommended professional level guitar support. It’s ease of use, stability, adjustability on almost any guitar or person, as well as the trusty back mounted suction cups make it a guitar support that I use and recommend without any hesitation. It simply checks all the boxes.
Models: One for All, Ultimate Black Matte Line, Premium Transparent Line, Professional Line, Young Student Line, and Silent Guitar Line.
Sizes Across Model Lines: Super Big, Big, Medium, Medium Long, Slender, Half, Crossover, Small, XS, Mini, Cutaway, Silent
Here is the YouTube review link in case you want to watch it there.
Guitarlift One for All ReviewThe newer One for All model is a fantastic evolution of the Guitarlift lineup. It’s made from 6mm thick transparent Perspex® which they describe as a “modern and extremely durable tempered acrylic glass, which is even more stable than the 4mm Plexiglas® of the Professional-Line models.” I found this to be true, it’s incredibly rigid and torsion resistant compared to the Professional Line which I already considered quite stable. I also appreciate the anti-reflective matte black coating which really places the guitar on display instead of the support.
How does it feel to play? The One for All model is even more stable and secure feeling than the professional line. The extra console that attaches to the side of the guitar really reduces flex from the suction cups and the new rigid material contributes to even more stability. It fits on my both my regular sized guitar and my small scale instrument without any compromise to my preferred position. I also love the leg cutout angle which I find very comfortable.
Does it stay on? I trust the Guitarlift to stay on during concerts and other situations completely. As long as I keep the suction cups clean I find they work great even on my French polish. If they get dirty and greasy I clean them with dish soap and warm water but I only do this every few months. In general, the back mounted suction cups on the professional line stay on well but with the addition of the console on the One for All model, I feel there is even more staying power as well as support from under the guitar preventing gravity from putting stress on the suction cups.
This is my now favourite Guitarlift and I’ll be using it and recommending often.
Guitarlift Professional Line ReviewThe Professional Line Guitarlift is an excellent guitar support.I was hesitant about the size but I was pleasantly surprised at how it felt and positioned my guitar. Keep in mind that they have many different sizes to choose from. I tried the Large but the Medium works best for me. Here’s the YouTube Video Link if you want to watch it there.
Stability and Trust: I love how stable the Guitarlift feels and how I can get the perfect playing position. Those are the two most important things for guitar supports. For those two reasons I love the Guitarlift and trust it performance far more than most guitar supports such as the Ergoplay. It also doesn’t slip on my left leg and might even keep the guitar vibrating longer and louder since the back wood of the guitar doesn’t rest on my chest. For some reason, the back mounted suction cups almost never come off compared to something like an Ergoplay. Keep them clean and they work great. I clean them every few months with dish soap and warm water.
Initial Positioning: It was a new experience to position the Guitarlift at first but once you get a good position you could work out a quick system either with your suction cup protectors or by marking the position. I don’t need to mark the position anymore, I just know where the cups go but when I started I used sticky tabs to mark the edge of the guitar for easy positioning.
Considerations: It’s bulky to travel with but it works so well that I can’t complain. I’ve used it on French polish and polyurethane finishes but I’ve been told to use caution on lacquer finishes, so ask your luthier. The leg rest shape angle (on my old model) isn’t perfect for me but I still like it. I’ve considered making it less cupped but it’s generally fine. I believe the new ones have a more relaxed angle (see the newer review video above).
Overall: A solid guitar support that feels great to play. It’s comfortable, stable, and secure. It’s on the big side but that is a small price to pay for something that works this well.
See more guitar support reviews here.
Guitarlift Promo text (guitarlift.de): “Are you searching for a perfectly adaptable, stable, reliable and good-looking guitar rest? Then look no further with Guitarlift®! The absolute novelty of the patented product is the attachment of the support to the back of the guitar. This allows you to precisely adjust the angle and height. The distinctive leg cut provides the strongest non-slip hold. Individual requirements for positioning, stability and reliability encompass a variety of solutions. You can find your own unique solution through the vast range of models from our three product lines and also in the accessories shop. Our philosophy is that we only use durable and high quality materials. We produce exclusively in Germany and offer you excellent services.”
Comparisons and CompetitionGuitarlift VS Ergoplay – The Guitarlift is the clear winner with a much more secure feel, more adjustability, and way more trustworthy suction cups in performance. I actually like my Ergoplay but it comes off so much that I can’t use it on stage. The Ergoplay does fold up small enough to throw in your bag and it’s more affordable but that is not enough to compete.
Guitarlift VS Woodside Support – I find the Guitarlift feels more secure when playing, therefore making it my preferred choice. That said, the clamp system on the Woodside will appeal to many people who either don’t want to or can’t use suction cups. I’d be happy to play the Woodside both in performance or practice making it a great option.
Guitarlift VS Le Support – Overall, I recommend the Guitarlift to people more often as it’s more suitable to a wide variety of guitars and people in terms of sizes and positioning. My Le Support barely fits on my small scale guitar and I think I even compromise my position just slightly in order to use it. However, I love how Le Support makes contact on both legs making it feel super secure. I’m happy to play with either and I do use a Le Support but I’m more likely to recommend Guitarlift as a workable option for most people, especially when making recommendations online. So although I have a personal preference for Le Support, the winner in terms of usability and recommending something is the Guitarlift.
The post Guitarlift Classical Guitar Support Review first appeared on This is Classical Guitar.Edith Pageaud Plays Sonata 24 by Seixas
French classical guitarist Edith Pageaud performs Sonata 24 in D-minor by Carlos Seixas (1704–1742) on a 2023 Lucio Antonio Carbone Guitar. This comes via Siccas Guitars and their amazing YouTube channel. Great performance by Pageaud with such a direct intense aesthetic and rhythmic energy. When compared to harpsichord performances Pageaud really captures the vibrant style.
Just out of interest, here are some harpsichord performances via YouTube.
The post Edith Pageaud Plays Sonata 24 by Seixas first appeared on This is Classical Guitar.Practice at 3 Tempos (Never Stop Practicing Music Slowly)
A lesson on practicing music at three tempos and the need to continue to practice slowly even if you’ve brought your exercise or repertoire to a high speed. This is all framed within the idea to always practice at a high quality level. Here’s the YouTube link if you want to watch it there.
- Video Times and Topics
- 00:00 Intro
- 0:43 – Metronome Progress Tracking
- 2:08 – 3 Tempos to Practice
- 4:04 – Reasons for Each Tempo
- 8:23 – Pushing Beyond Performance Tempo
- 9:04 – Summary
- 10:11 – Memory Work
- 11:20 – Conclusion
Metronome tracking – You can use a metronome to track your progress for quality practicing. Be sure to keep the quality very high if raising the tempo. This can be a great way to boost your confidence by seeing your tempo raise over long periods of time.
Turn off the metronome – You’ll also want to turn the metronome off and work more on natural phrasing, articulation, and rhythm. The metronome is a great tool but it can also be a distraction so don’t practice exclusively with it.
3 Tempos – Continue to practice at 3 tempos even if you’ve reached your desired tempo.
- Ultra Slow – Rethink your muscle memory and challenge your knowledge of the piece. This will help you to not just play on automatic pilot. This is an opportunity to make solid contact on each note and be very precise with articulation.
- Medium – This is an excellent tempo to work on solid playing along with some phrasing that more represents the final musical product. It’s held back enough for maximum confidence but won’t contain performance flare and risk.
- Performance Tempo and Beyond – Still within quality levels but includes a test for calculated risk and challenge.
Memory Work – Practicing at various tempos can really help your memory work as well. Muscle memory in the hands can give you a false impression of how well you have a piece memorized. Playing ultra slowly might cancel your muscle memory so you can reexamine your memory of the piece.
The post Practice at 3 Tempos (Never Stop Practicing Music Slowly) first appeared on This is Classical Guitar.Stanislav Steshenko Classical Guitar Concert
Ukrainian classical guitarist Stanislav Steshenko performs a concert of works by Weiss, Llobet, Bogdanovic, and Callahan. This comes via Siccas Guitars and their YouTube channel where you can also see which guitars are being played in the description. Great performance by Steshenko with beautiful phrasing in the Weiss and Llobet and also some intricate texture work and articulation in the Bogdanovic and Callahan. Love the impressive and exciting risk taking in the The Red Fantasy by Kevin Callahan.
Repertoire
- 00:00 Intro
- 00:19 1. Fantasia by Silvius Leopold Weiss
- 02:13 2. Allemande by Silvius Leopold Weiss
- 05:34 5. Sarabande by Silvius Leopold Weiss
- 07:25 7. Gigue by Silvius Leopold Weiss
- 10:06 Mazurka by Federico Bufaletti (arr. Llobet)
- 13:49 Prélude et Toccata by Dusan Bogdanovic
- 19:01 The Red Fantasy by Kevin Callahan
- 27:16 Meditacion by R.Sainz de la Maza
La belle jarretière verte by Doug Jamieson
La belle jarretière verte from A Chopped Up Tale (1987) by Canadian composer Doug Jamieson. Performed on classical guitar by Bradford Werner and recorded with the composer’s permission. This is a charming little work which you can read more about below. As a special gift, Doug was kind enough to provide us with free sheet music for this work:
Jamieson is currently based out of Nelson, BC, Canada (my hometown) which is just a short distance from me in Trail. As the composer states: “In 1987, I wrote a suite for a puppet theatre company in Toronto called the Crankee Consort. It was created and directed by Larry Lewis and Jane Low-Beer. My suite used numerous fiddle tunes and Canadian folk songs as a resource. The instrumentation was classical guitar, violin, accordion and double bass.” See and hear more info about A Chopped Up Tale
Some More Recent Works by JamiesonSee more via Jamieson’s YouTube or Website
The post La belle jarretière verte by Doug Jamieson first appeared on This is Classical Guitar.Partita No.15 by Giuseppe Brescianello
Partita No.15 in A Minor by Giuseppe Antonio Brescianello (1690-1758). PDF sheet music arranged for classical guitar with video performance and lesson. Comes with both a notation edition with left hand fingering and a separate tab edition in the same pdf. The level is late-intermediate (grade 6-9) depending on your tempo, level of refinement, and ornamentation. PDF Download.
My pdf sheet music edition
Giuseppe Antonio Brescianello was an Italian Baroque composer and violinist. This Partita comes from his 18 Pieces for gallichone (gallichone or mandora, a type of lute). He mainly composed chamber music and operas but at some point after the dissolution of his leading positions in Stuttgart as Hofkapellmeister and Oberkapellmeister he composed the 18 Pieces for gallichone.
Although this work is at the intermediate level, once a faster tempo and ornamentation is added the opportunity for advanced performance technique and refinement exists. See the video lesson for more clarification. Here’s the YouTube link if you want to watch it there.
Sheet Music Samples
The post Partita No.15 by Giuseppe Brescianello first appeared on This is Classical Guitar.Klaudyna Żołnierek Plays Sarabande in G minor by Visée
Klaudyna Żołnierek (theorbo) performs Sarabande in G minor by Robert de Visée from the Vaudry de Saizenay Manuscript. This comes via Żołnierek’s YouTube channel. Wonderful performance by Żołnierek with such a beautiful rhythmic delivery and un-rushed forward momentum. I also love the setting, artwork, room and chair.
The post Klaudyna Żołnierek Plays Sarabande in G minor by Visée first appeared on This is Classical Guitar.Guitar Nails Kit – Removable Fake Nails for Classical Guitar
A review of Guitar Nails Kit, removable fake nails for classical guitar that use double-sided tape.
I broke my thumb nail off yesterday and 10 minutes later I was back to playing with a Guitar Nails Kit removable fake nail that use two-sided tape. I ordered these just in case I ever had a nail emergency. Please note, these are the first fake nails I’ve tried for classical guitar as I’ve always been apprehensive about glue-on nails as they can damage your real nail. However, this two-sided tape solution saved my practice day and, theoretically, doesn’t damage your real nail.
Application – I cut the pre-formed fake nail with scissors to a very approximate and long shape. Then you simply place the double-sided tape on the nail and peel off the top paper, press the synthetic nail on and you’re done. File into shape and polish as you would a normal nail. I recommend pre-cutting a few so if you had to do it in a concert you’d only need to go back stage for 5 minutes.
How Strong is the Tape? I haven’t dug into the string outrageously hard but I certainly played forte. I keep expecting it to just fly off but so far it is staying on really well. I use a fairly short thumbnail so that might be helping as it would have less leverage at the tip.
How Long Does it Last? I’ve had it on for 3 days currently. I’ve been practicing, washing my hands, showering, etc. It’s showing a bit of release at the edges but is still firmly on. I will update this as time goes on. A colleague mentioned they change them every 3-4 days but they are playing a ton and concertizing so you’d want to play it on the safe side.
How to Remove the Nails – The instructions say to remove the nail with sanitizer gel. I will post an update on this after I remove it.
Fingernails – I haven’t tried the fingers yet but I will update this post after trying them out.
Thumbnail – I have a freakishly flat and wide thumbnail so I did have to cut the sides of the fake nail off where they curve and then flatten it further with a hot spoon. But it worked great (see pic below).
More photos and video coming soon.
The post Guitar Nails Kit – Removable Fake Nails for Classical Guitar first appeared on This is Classical Guitar.Rupert Boyd Plays Estudo N.1: Harpa Eolia by Dozza
Rupert Boyd performs Estudo N.1: Harpa Eolia by Brazilian guitarist and composer Chrystian Dozza. This comes via Guitar Salon International and their fantastic YouTube channel. Beautiful playing by Boyd with fluid arpeggios and flowing phrasing. I don’t really know Dozza’s material but I this appears to be a direct reference, or actually, a reworking of Etude No.1 by Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959). It’s kind of delightful knowing the work so well overall but not knowing this version.
The post Rupert Boyd Plays Estudo N.1: Harpa Eolia by Dozza first appeared on This is Classical Guitar.Marco De Biasi Plays Scribbles Etude by Fontanelli
Marco De Biasi performs Scribbles Etude by Simone Fontanelli (b.1961) which is a new music project in collaboration with Roma Expo Guitars. This comes via Roma Expo Guitar’s YouTube channel. I like the highly expressive contrasts in this work and De Biasi’s concise delivery. Score available here.
Here’s the YouTube description of the work by the composer.
All my works share a constant feature: the musical ‘gesture’, which is also at the origin of this piece. This gesture may appear in several ways. It can be brief and concise as at the beginning of this piece, and then can become more and more complex and articulated. In all cases musical gesture creates situations within a process of transformation. As in a scene, the guitar is here like a character acting through this or that gesture, a protagonist on the stage evolving throughout the piece in a sort of rhapsodic, narrative form. The character of ‘narration’ is a basic element. Scribbles Etude, for instance, goes through different continuous moments of a story where several situations occur and several emotions are involved. None of them goes lost. At the end, in a sort of short Coda, the guitar takes us into a dreamy and melancholic atmosphere. – Simone Fontanelli
The post Marco De Biasi Plays Scribbles Etude by Fontanelli first appeared on This is Classical Guitar.6 Common Technique Problems Solved with a Better Guitar Position
6 Common Technique Problems Solved with a Better Classical Guitar Position. In this lesson I cover six technique topics that are helped by a better guitar position including: 1. Wrist and Posture Ergonomics. 2. Horizontal Stretch or Reach. 3. Vertical Stretch. 4. Barre Chords (using gravity). 5. String Clearance. 6. Perceived Scale Length (guitar size). Here’s the YouTube Link if you want to watch it there.
The main takeaway from this lesson is that finding your guitar position is a life-long study that requires constant refinement and adjustments as you progress and as you age. A series of small adjustments can really affect your technique on the instrument and make a huge difference. After all, many errors on the guitar are caused by small movements that require millimetre changes, therefore, small adjustments to your guitar position, not just your hands, can be the difference between success and hardship. Hope this helps, happy practicing.
Video Times and Topics
- 00:00 Intro
- 3:03 Wrist and Posture Ergonomics
- 5:24 Horizontal Stretch or Reach
- 6:56 Vertical Stretch
- 8:31 Barre Chords (using gravity)
- 10:17 String Clearance
- 13:56 Perceived Scale Length (guitar size)
- 17:20 Tiny Adjustments Make Huge Changes
- 18:42 Conclusion
My Full Lesson on Guitar Position
My Technique Book with Routines and Lots of Exercises
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The post 6 Common Technique Problems Solved with a Better Guitar Position first appeared on This is Classical Guitar.What I Saw in the Water by ChromaDuo
What I Saw in the Water
21st Century Works for Guitar Duo
ChromaDuo with Rob MacDonald Tracy Anne Smith
Naxos Records, 2024
Listen, Stream, Buy: What I Saw in the Water by ChromaDuo
Learn more about the album via Naxos
Wonderful to hear this new release from ChromaDuo who always feature excellent repertoire and beautiful performances. This album includes four new compositions written for ChromaDuo by Leo Brouwer, Sergio Assad, Dusan Bogdanovic and Dale Kavanagh. Also on the album is Simone Iannarelli’s Siete pinturas de Frida Kahlo. I particularly enjoyed the playful new work, The Circle Game (after Margaret Atwood) by Brouwer where the duo showcases their experience and ensemble skills in a tightly knit and intricate texture along with contrasting expressive outburst and murmurs. Read more about the album here.
What I Saw in the Water by Chromaduo features an exciting mix of new music both compositionally interesting and highly enjoyable to all audiences. Amazing ensemble skills and beautiful musicality are equally matched by a pristine recording sound and tonal palette. Fantastic music and thoughtful performances!
Video via ChromaDuo’s YouTube
Naxos Description: ChromaDuo, one of the world’s finest guitar duos, have greatly expanded the repertoire through friendships with leading composers. The five works featured on this album, four of which were written specifically for ChromaDuo, are all composed by renowned classical guitarists. Simone Iannarelli contributes a promenade to seven iconic pictures by the artist Frida Kahlo, whereas the writer Margaret Atwood offers the creative spur to Leo Brouwer. Dušan Bogdanović has created a stylistic hybrid in his Sonata No. 2, Dale Kavanagh has fashioned a marine ghost story, and Sérgio Assad fuses Brazilian and French elements in his moving tribute to Roland Dyens.
Repertoire / Track List
- Siete pinturas de Frida Kahlo by Simone Iannarelli
- No. 1. Lo que vi en el agua (What I Saw in the Water)
- No. 2. Unos cuantos piquetitos (A Few Small Nips)
- No. 3. Las dos Fridas (The Two Fridas)
- No. 4. Autoretrato, “El Marco” (Self-Portrait, “The Frame”)
- No. 5. El sueño (The Dream)
- No. 6. Mi nacimiento (My Birth)
- No. 7. El abrazo de amor de el universo (The Love Embrace of the Universe)
- The Circle Game (after Margaret Atwood) by Leo Brouwer
- Sonata No. 2 for 2 Guitars by Dušan Bogdanović
- I. Allegro
- II. Andante
- III. Moderato
- IV. Allegro molto
- The Ghost of Peggy’s Cove, Op. 14 by Dale Kavanagh
- Dyens en trois temps by Sérgio Assad
- I. Roland au Nord
- II. La Chanson et Roland
- III. Roland au Sud
Iliana Matos Plays A Solas by Juan Erena
Iliana Matos performs A Solas by Juan Erena (b.1970). This comes via her YouTube channel and filmed in Cuarto Real de Santo Domingo, Granada, Spain, in collaboration with European Guitar Foundation. Beautiful performance by Matos with a wonderfully clear sound and flowing musical phrasing.
This work comes from her new album A Solas. As she mentions: “This album features the incredible work of 8 amazing composers who beautifully narrate my journey through a traumatic period during the lockdown and the resilience I found to overcome one of the most challenging times in my life. Creating this album has been vital to my healing process, allowing me to voice my experiences.”
Juan Erena discusses the work in the liner notes: “A Solas is a piece that reflects deep introspection inspired by Iliana’s dramatic experience. To evoke this state of mind, I drew on elements of Andalusian music, particularly the flamenco tarantas, whose melodies are infused with both suffering and hope. The piece shifts from an ethereal introduction to intense, emotional passages, symbolizing memories and acceptance.”
Matos currently teaches at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada.
The post Iliana Matos Plays A Solas by Juan Erena first appeared on This is Classical Guitar.First Dynamics and Etude No.3 (Method Book 1)
First Dynamics and Etude No.3 (Sound Picture) from Method Book Volume 1 for Classical Guitar. This lesson in from my free pdf Classical Guitar Method Book Volume 1 and is the first introduction to playing dynamics on the classical guitar. I also cover two exercises for dynamics and Etude No.3 (Sound Picture) which has dynamics as well as being the first arpeggio piece with left hand notes. The dynamics I cover are piano (soft), mezzo-forte (medium loud), and forte (loud) as well as crescendo and decrescendo. Here’s the YouTube link if you want to watch it there.
Video Times and Topics
- 00:00 Intro
- 0:42 Dynamics Intro
- 1:30 Conceptualizing Dynamics
- 3:06 Five Dynamic Markings
- 4:17 Two Exercises for Dynamics
- 7:20 Written vs Unwritten Dynamics
- 8:45 Etude No.3 (Sound Picture)
This video was performed on a Douglass Scott classical guitar with Augustine Regal (Red) strings and a Le Support guitar rest. See all my gear here.
The post First Dynamics and Etude No.3 (Method Book 1) first appeared on This is Classical Guitar.Mara Winter and Robert Barto Perform Weiss
Beautiful performance! Mara Winter (traverso) & Robert Barto (lute) perform the Gigue from Duo-Sonata in D minor by Sylvius Leopold Weiss (1686–1750). This sonata is from ‘The London Manuscript’ (ca. 1717-1725), missing original duo part reconstructed by Karl-Ernst Schröder. This comes via Mara Winter’s Youtube channel.
The traverso, sometimes called a Baroque flute, is a wooden transverse flute that was used during the Baroque period and into the mid-19th century. Mara Winter is playing a Traverso after Buffardin Le Fils by Giovanni Tardino (Basel, 2024). Robert Barto is playing a 13 course baroque lute by Andrew Rutherford (New York City, 1996).
The post Mara Winter and Robert Barto Perform Weiss first appeared on This is Classical Guitar.Xvive U8 Acoustic Guitar Wireless System
A review and demo of the Xvive U8 Acoustic Guitar Wireless System. This is a clamp mounted wireless mic that works on classical or acoustic guitars.
I had a great time testing out the Xvive U8 Acoustic Guitar Wireless System. There were many reasons why I was interested in this product. Using a real microphone for playing gigs is very desirable as it produces a much more natural sound for the classical guitar compared to contact or piezo mics. Plus, the wireless aspect is very interesting, especially in a setting where movability is an issue (although classical guitarists are usually pretty static). Below you can see my video review or see it at YouTube as well as more thoughts and media.
My Video ReviewPros- Amazing usability: The clamp works great and takes only seconds to place on the guitar. It’s padded so I don’t worry much about damage. There are only two buttons! So clamp it on, push the on button, and you’re ready to play.
- Natural sound: Compared to contact mics and piezos an actual mic sounds so much more natural. I’m not saying it sounds perfect, but it does sound way more natural. Piezos sound like electric-classical guitars with a real different tone. This sounds like my guitar (very close mic’d of course). Contact and piezo pickups don’t pick up sound from around you which is very helpful in close-proximity gigs but they also don’t have the ability to change the sound as much as a directional mic that you can experiment with.
- Wireless: Very cool to be wireless. I mean, for static classical guitar it actually doesn’t make a huge difference to me but kind of neat to not have cables around.
- Very directional mic and gooseneck: This is good as you can either direct it at the sound hole for tons of loud signal or away to reduce right hand noise or an unnatural close mic sound.
- Channel selector: Finding the right channel is essential. There are 6 channels and I found testing each one that channel 4 was much less noise in my studio room. Very important feature!
- I noticed some white noise: Maybe this is just because my room full of electronics (recording gear, spot lights, tube lights, chargers, cameras) but it’s certainly there. This wouldn’t bother me too much in a live setup since the guitar sound is so much louder. In the studio (through my interface) I could hear it quite a bit, although I was able to almost get rid of it with post-EQ. Not a huge deal but you should know that it’s definately there.
- Bass rumble: I did notice the mic was having a little trouble with bass rumbling but I found that mounting on the lower bout was really helpful for this. I kind of show this in the video but experimenting is key to this issue. Modern high-end classical guitars vibrate a lot and so maybe it was even happening through the mount itself.
- The receiver is an XLR out so all you people with guitar amps without a mic input should keep this in mind. Maybe there are adapters you can get.
I love the usability of the U8, it’s so easy to setup in seconds and worked great. The sound is much more natural than any contact or piezo mic but did come with some noise and bass rumble (maybe in part due to my setup). Ongoing experimentation is key to finding the best sound with the device and your personal setup. I’d be curious if a wired system would be quieter but then again, the wireless aspect is very cool and might be an essential buying point for many guitarists. Very interesting product and nice design overall. I’m excited to keep experimenting with it and trying it out in different environments.
PromoXvive Promotional Introduction via their YouTube.
SpecsSee way more specifications at the Xvive U8 page.
- Receiver uses an XLR output
- 2.4 GHz wireless system with a 142 dB SPL supercardioid microphone
- High-resolution 24-bit/48 kHz audio, less than 5 ms latency
- 20 Hz – 20 kHz frequency response
- Dynamic range of 108 dB, signal-to-noise ratio of 108 dB
- Up to 5 hours of battery life
- 6 wireless channels
- Wireless range: up to 90 feet (27 m)
- Includes transmitter, receiver, microphone, clip, USB-C cable, foam windscreen and fur windshield, carry case
Matthew McAllister Classical Guitar Concert
Matthew McAllister performs a tiny concert including works by Rameau, Towner, and the folk song Wild Mountain Thyme. This comes via Siccas Guitars and their YouTube channel where you can also see which guitars are being played in the description. Beautiful playing by McAllister with flowing phrasing and such a nice bell-like tone. You can see more of his videos via his popular YouTube channel Gallery of Guitar.
Video Times and Repertoire
- 00:00 Matthew says Hello
- 00:32 “Entrée de Polimnie” from the opera “Les Boréades” by Jean-Philippe Rameau (arr. by Johabe Music)
- 07:23 Wild Mountain Thyme (arr. by Scott Tennant)
- 10:17 Always by your side by Ralph Towner