The Passerelle - By Kaki King and Atelier Rosenkrantz - My First Thoughts

[@MichaelWatts]

Hello everyone! Here is my first look at the Passarelle by Kaki King and Atelier Rosenkrantz - let me know your thoughts right here!

[@josephtimmins1974]

Thank you for sharing this.! I would have never found this otherwise.

[@MichaelWatts]

You’re very welcome

[@MisterNiles]

Pencils and drumsticks also work. I still want one of these even though I've been using household objects to achieve the same thing for decades.

[@alasdairmackenzie515]

What an interesting thing! Looking forward to hearing what emerges in due course. Best aye!

[@MichaelWatts]

Alasdair MacKenzie Thank you Al! I’m looking forward to getting in amongst it and sharing the results right here!

[@RADThird1]

How interesting!

[@MichaelWatts]

I know right?

[@DAMusicalHQ]

Fascinating. Totally different instrument now. Incredible.

[@MichaelWatts]

It is a bit of a headfuck! I'm enjoying it so far though!

[@jacsvihus]

Sometimes learning a new technique can help me with the techniques I am focusing on, an augmenting distraction if you will. Of course I did not have a Passerelle so I immediately tried with a fat pencil, fun times. I look forward to hearing what you come up with Michael.

[@MichaelWatts]

Thanks for watching Jeff! I'm enjoying myself so far, might even get some other ideas going into the mix!

[@johnnyb357]

Great

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you Johnny!

[@tydanco4123]

Quite cool. May have to build something in the wood shop. Off hand, other than in a cast metal, I'm thinking of something like an archtop bridge, then experimenting with different saddle material--wood, fretwire, bone, maybe bronze. What materials might you suggest for initial experiments? Be they for a saddle or for the base passerelle?

[@MichaelWatts]

Check out David Torn's earlier videos, his approach was a piece of ebony with a fret in the top which should be pretty easy to recreate!

[@Ahimsaabbott]

I’m asking everyone that has really good tune with passerelle. What string brand and gauge are you using? Thank you it sounds great.

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you very much! I am an endorsing artist for Elixir strings.

[@jimdoner3443]

Does the top vibrate substantialy more or less

[@clarkgrizzwald5443]

Any chance you would share what tuning you used in the video or any other tunings you have discovered that pair well with the passerelle?

[@MichaelWatts]

Hello Clark! I think I was in DADGAD for this but I don’t honestly remember. I did spend a couple of days exploring the passerelle and then real life got in the way but I’ll be back on it soon!

[@bbb12228]

You should try this on a Weissenborn

[@MichaelWatts]

If I had one I would!

[@daniquayle3164]

Hello, i'm looking to purchase one. What sort of a acoustic shape would you recommended this works best for? And also best woods if that makes a difference. Thanks Dani

[@MichaelWatts]

Hi Dani! I don't think it matter what guitar you use, you're still guaranteed a lot of fun!

[@andorrasrevenge1683]

Hey Micheal, I’m getting one in the mail today, think it was the last one? Got any tuning recommendations?

[@MichaelWatts]

Not sure yet to be honest! Have a go and let me know what you come up with!

[@carlosapers1344]

Two thoughts: on the 16th fret upstring and downstring are a quint apart, on the 12th fret is not interresting for obvious reasons but on the 7th fret the interval is a full octave: could be usefull. Second thought: i’m definitly going to try this on a alterred 12-string guitar: a koto is traditionaly a 13-string guitar so that could come close to an afordably koto

[@MichaelWatts]

Carlos Apers thanks for watching! Yes that’s absolutely right! I’m keen to try the 7th fret at some point

[@damianainscough]

Is it rigid? I'm wondering about the impact of its design and shape. Functional or aesthetic?

[@MichaelWatts]

damian ainscough it is extremely rigid, being solid brass. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that the shape is as vital a part of the design as the positioning. It seems independently resonant to some extent which is pretty cool

[@comicbookguy7583]

Would someone be nice enough to tell me How High and Wide this thing is, and the space between the groves, before I buy one? My son's guitar is a Special size for the Handicapped 🚷and I want to Know if it fits..

[@squallchen487]

Interesting! Another sound like some old type of instrument in the east

[@MichaelWatts]

Squall Chen exactly! Pretty cool!

[@kevinwagner8697]

sounds like Andreas Vollweider's harp

[@sbolfing]

Thank you so much for this! About 2 years ago, Tony Polecastro showed one on his KZbin channel (Acoustic Life); however, he did not go into as much detail as you have (I was amazed at how many videos have been produced since that time).The sounds made are ethereal. I cannot help but wonder what it would sound like on a Wiessenborn style lap guitar (with that hollow neck)

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you for watching Steve! I hadn't even considered a Wiessenborn guitar - that would be outrageously cool!

[@dalgguitars]

You should sent that thing to Samari Guitarist in Canada. He does weird guitar accessories videos.

[@chriscrevelsguitars]

Detuning maybe a whole tone would surely make the guitar sound very chinese "gu qin esque", as it has a broader spectre, worth checking out!

[@MichaelWatts]

Veshevi Thank you! That’s a very good point.

[@jimdoner3443]

Might help open up top woods faster maybe

[@papasmamas1]

I dont want to sound negative, but build a koto-like instrument is not ver expensive. Use a good guitar only to make it koto-ish, not my thing. This gadget is a fun thing, but only for 2 seconds. But great video.

[@MichaelWatts]

Diego Funes well, given the huge amount of tunings you could use and the subtlety of expression possible with the bends I certainly wouldn’t see this as limited in the first instance... and I don’t feel like just imitating a koto is the only end game. I’ll see what I come up with... Thanks for watching!

[@paulboden7850]

🤔

[@LouisLiuMusic]

古筝，Gu Zheng

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you! Please excuse my ignorance!

[@kevingreene6893]

I feel it removes the tonal qualities, along with the touch, feel and presence of the guitar and moves over towards a harp-like interpretation. Somewhat disconcerting if I am honest. Useful tool from a research and discovery approach if you are looking for a new sound - something different that’s not a guitar...

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you for watching Kevin! Yes, it certainly takes you away from the guitar's voice itself which, let's face it, is kind of why we play the thing in the first place! Still, I'm enjoying experimenting!

[@iuliusguitars]

I personally do not like the way it changes the attack angles on nut and bridge and adds a load just over the sound hole, modifying the forces applied to the whole guitar structure. I would not do it.

[@MichaelWatts]

Yeah, I’m not sure about that, it certainly doesn’t feel like there is extra strain over the sound hole. I think the pressure may be mollified but the shape of the passerelle itself and also the fact that I’m not using a particularly high tuning and heavy strings.

[@viarnay]

Kaki King is not a guitarist but a performer..

[@MichaelWatts]

Why not both?

[@STAY-GOLD-VINYL]

Handmade lol hecho in china

[@MichaelWatts]

What makes you say that?

[@paulboden7850]

🤔