Alto is: Citius, Fortius

The subject heading is a play-on-words of the Olympic motto "Citius, Altius, Fortius". I have long-associated Emmett with the Olympic Games because of a reference he made to them in an article he wrote in the 1970s (I think it was 1976), which I read as part of press packet sent by Yuta when I was first considering buying a Stick some 15 years ago. The reason why it stuck out in my mind is that the content of the article was about music and The Stick as one would expect, then at as it was wrapping up, there was this odd (at least, it was to me at the time) reference to watching the Olympics and how it is a source of inspiration. The really interesting part, to me, was that it didn't come across as overbearing personal testimony. Instead, it seemed more like Emmett was talking about something much more fundamental than practicing or building an instrument, and that it was a kind of spirit which was accessible to anyone no matter what your particular endeavor was. I'm probably reading too much into it, but it was a formative encounter in my late teens with an instrument and a musician who continue to inspire me to this day. So it's in that spirit that I want to describe my first impression of the new Alto Stick.

I recently took delivery of my new Alto Stick made of Indonesian Rosewood, fitted with a Villex PASV-4 pickup. I was hesitant to get one since I couldn't get my hands on one first to try it out, but Greg Howard graciously provided me with a very descriptive account of his experiences with the instrument. I was interested in the Alto because one of my Sticks was tuned to a kind of double-guitar tuning, which I mainly use for composing. It seemed to me that the Alto was tailor-made for this purpose (and register), so I decided to go ahead — and I'm glad I did.

Citius:
The first thing that struck me is how it just looks like a mini-Stick; it's got all the parts but in smaller proportion. I was concerned at first (prior to receiving it) that it would feel too small to me—like a kind of toy—rather than as an instrument. This isn't because I have particularly large hands (in fact, my hands are pretty small), but because my XG Grand is a formidable piece of lumber (or petroleum product, in this case). The Alto feels very comfortable, and it is very light, allowing for an even lighter touch. There's an even greater swiftness and transparency to the instrument since you're less aware of its physical impact on the body. It's easier to sit with the instrument—not that this is a requirement—but it makes for easier noodling when inspiration strikes.

While I have always liked the fret rails, there is one thing about them that bugs me a little, but it has to do with the way that I play. When doing two-handed soloing, my fingers tend to get caught up on the frets when I'm doing long passages. It's not a big deal, but since I was looking for the Alto to be a "soloing" instrument, I wanted to see what could be done about it. Emmett recommended that he could file the rails slightly, which would maintain their function and design, while at the same time accommodate my idiosyncratic technique. The fretwork in and of itself is a work of art, and it's precisely this sort of detailed, custom work that you just don't find in a mass-produced instrument. For anyone who thinks Sticks are cookie-cut then assembled, know that the final set-up is as important and masterful as the design and manufacture of the instrument itself.

Fortius:
Having played the instrument for about a month now, this is certainly no toy, nor is it just an exercise in miniaturizing. The sound is full and rich in its own right, and the Alto takes its place in the Stick family just as there are members of other more familiar instruments such as the sax, clarinet, viols, etc. I wanted to be sure that the Alto wasn't going to be akin to having a travel guitar, or some kind of 'practice' instrument as a surrogate for the 'real thing'. It most certainly has its own identity, characteristics, function, and purpose independent of its older brothers and sisters. In this sense, it is 'stronger', inasmuch the Alto is a new iteration of The Stick as a musical principle, not just a re-fresh of an existing line.

If you're thinking of adding the Alto to your Stick lineup, consider yourself akin to a saxophonist who doubles on soprano and tenor. If you're considering your first Stick, the Alto is as much a Stick as any of its predecessors, and its smaller scale may be very appealing to guitarists who may be making a transition, or for younger musicians for whom a Grand Stick may be physically overwhelming.

I know there's a risk of being corny when you reference a quotation from a movie, but there's one that sums things up for me much better than I could do myself. The movie is "Without Limits", which was a biopic of the late runner Steve Prefontaine. While you're watching Pre run in the Munich Olympics, the voice-over by Donald Sutherland (who was playing Bill Bowerman, Pre's coach and mentor), stated something like:

"Citius, Altius, Fortius. It means, 'Faster, Higher, Stronger', and it has been the motto for the Olympics for the past 2,500 years. But it doesn't mean "faster, higher, and stronger" than who you're competing against. It's just, 'faster...higher...stronger.'"

Whether it's running, swimming, composing, performing, practicing music, or building an instrument, the this motto seems to embody the aspiration to reach for your very best. The Alto, to me at least, is an example of that same aspiration, found in both those who play it and the person who made it.