Colorado Art RanchPhoto: David Peterson
 

 

benjaminDavid Tipton

Musician
Salida, CO

www.tiptonstick.com

The Stick® is a unique musical instrument invented by Emmett Chapman in 1969. It consists of a long fretboard with twelve strings spanning a bass and guitar range. Sound is produced when the strings are “tapped” against the frets by the fingers. An electronic pickup is used to amplify the sounds. This technique allows the musician to use both hands to play multiple parts, as on a piano, while having the direct fingers-to-strings control and feel similar to a guitar. See www.stick.com for more information.

Beginning in his early teens, Cleveland, Ohio native David Tipton played guitar and bass with a wide variety of musical groups. He also spent many years performing as a solo fingerstyle guitarist.
In the late 90’s, struggling with tendonitis in his left arm and pondering his musical future, David dreamed he was playing a multi-stringed instrument in the middle of a forest. When he woke up, he knew what he had to do... “I ordered a Chapman Stick, of course!”

Since he acquired a Stick in 2001 David’s guitars have been collecting dust. He found that the light touch and ergonomic position of the Stick allowed him to play for hours with no pain or discomfort.

“Playing the Stick led to a revolution in my musical world. I found that by learning the chord progressions in the left hand and melodies on the right hand, I could learn and memorize tunes faster than I ever could on guitar. The Stick’s unique tuning facilitates lush harmonic arrangements.”

In 2008 David packed up his belongings and moved from Ohio to a small town in the heart of the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Since moving he has been refining his craft, composing and performing exclusively on the Chapman Stick. In June of 2009 David released his debut recording of original music, “Residue.” The CD quickly garnered praise from fellow Stick players, including the instrument’s inventor Emmett Chapman.

“I like to consider myself a musician who happens to play the Stick. After all, it is the music that’s most important to me. The Stick provides me with a broad palette for musical exploration.”

 

About the DIA Project
As part of my ongoing affiliation with Colorado Art Ranch, my CD "Residue" is playing at the Denver International Airport during the exhibition.. 33 IDEAS!. 

Late last year Colorado Art Ranch invited the artists, writers, scientists, and thinkers who have been involved in Art Ranch programs to submit proposals for exhibits that reflected the vision and mission of the organization. The result is 33 IDEAS!, thirty-three unique responses to the belief that creative interdisciplinary thinking can (and should) be cultivated, valued, and used to solve land and social issues.

  

33 IDEAS!, an exhibit of art, writing and ideas
March 15-June 15, 2010

Denver International Airport

DIA PostcardThis exhibit showcases visual and literary artists associated with Colorado Art Ranch as presenters, artists in residence, or Nomads at one or more Artposia. The artists were selected because they use their passion, skills, knowledge, and talent to ask questions and react to the world around them. The work, in turn, inspires us to ask questions and view the world from different perspectives.

33 IDEAS! is on display at the Ansbacher Hall: The Art of Colorado, on the walkway between the terminal and A Gates before the security screening. The hall is accessible for everyone’s enjoyment.

For more information contact DIA Art Program at
(303) 342-2521 or visit www.flydenver.com/art

 

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