Gypsy Jazz

BigLicks67

I've got Romane's book L'Esprit Manouche and the truth is as a style it is rock hard which require hours upon hours of practice.

Also, check out JohnWhetcroft's breakdown of all the solos in minor swing if you can find it online.

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DLM

BigLicks67 said:

Also, check out John Wheatcroft's breakdown of all the solos in minor swing if you can find it online.

Just fixed that typo so that Tigger can google the name! Wheaty should be familiar from Guitar Techniques.

Tiggs, divert your gassing over here: https://www.tfoa.eu/en/shop-products/118/acoustics?subcats%5B191%5D=1&orderBy=price&orderDir=DESC

EricTheWeary

musteatbrain said:

This video has some good tips.
Especially around the picking element when he chooses to throw in the odd non alternate picked note in some of the high speed runs.

Just watched the introductory number. Shit a brick. Some 'stunt' guitar but never loses the melody for long. Awesome.

DLM

thomasross20 said:

won't require brand new technique (am I wrong?)

I think you might be, authentic Gypsy picking is quite different to the styles used in rock. Troy Grady explains how, I'm sure you've seen that.

Check out all Denis Chang's stuff on YouTube, he's got videos with many of the major exponents of this style (and some other awesome players, too, you'll remember Ewan Dobson/Triforce).

thomasross20

Woah they're expensive. Don't think I'd go as far as to get something like that!

Link to the Troy Grady vid? Are you talking about how the pick is slanted very oddly a la George Benson, I think (I know he's not Gypsy jazz..).

Jalapeno

thomasross20 said:

Woah they're expensive.

Yep ! But those are mostly handmade, you'd pay that much for pretty much any handmade acoustic.

There are cheaper mass produced ones, like the Gitane brand,

thomasross20

Doing Austin Filingo's jamplay course. 

3.5mm picks!? Jeezo! 

The picking hand is at an odd angle like George Benson does. 

Players seem to focus on down strokes when moving across strings rather than strict alternate picking and some people even restrict many lines to two fingers a la Django but that's madness IMO - if Django had all his fingers, I'm sure he'd have used them all!

DulcetJones

I love the old "Hot Club of France" records with Django Reinhardt and Stephan Grappelli, never got into playing it though.

thomasross20

Sweet Jesus.......... I just watched bits of the videos posted and I'm blown away!! Unbelievable musicianship and technique!

thomasross20

That Bireli guy is astounding. 

And Steve Trovato's playing... wow - never heard of the guy but his licks are sh!t hot. 

Forget rock!! This is is where it seems to be at!

Aidanspaghetti

EricTheWeary said:

musteatbrain said:

This video has some good tips.
Especially around the picking element when he chooses to throw in the odd non alternate picked note in some of the high speed runs.

Just watched the introductory number. Shit a brick. Some 'stunt' guitar but never loses the melody for long. Awesome.

I saw Joscho in a tiny room in Kilkenny castle - really really cool gig! He is unbelievable...

@erictheweary I believe John Jorgenson's Shadows number is "Man of mystery". There is a great version on his Franco American Swing album....

I'm in the process of learning Gjazz at the minute.

Big technique change and the necks on (my) gypsy Jazz guitars are quite large so its quite physically demanding. I love it though!

Theres a couple of great Truefire courses as well.

thomasross20

WOW that man of mystery track was amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I must buy his music and also more shadows..!!

Jalapeno

thomasross20 said:

That Bireli guy is astounding. 

And Steve Trovato's playing... wow - never heard of the guy but his licks are sh!t hot. 

Forget rock!! This is is where it seems to be at!

You knows it Daddy-o !

Jalapeno

thomasross20 said:

Doing Austin Filingo's jamplay course. 

3.5mm picks!? Jeezo!

I use 3mm for ordinary jazz, 5mm Wengen for the Gypsy stuff.

The picking hand is at an odd angle like George Benson does. 

Players seem to focus on down strokes when moving across strings rather than strict alternate picking

It's ALL about the downstrokes baby !

 some people even restrict many lines to two fingers a la Django but that's madness IMO - if Django had all his fingers, I'm sure he'd have used them all!

If you get the Cruikshank book he discusses this - he thinks that only 2 functioning fingers made him what he was, playing a specific way.

EricTheWeary

Trovato is better known as a country player, does tutorial stuff for companies like Lick Library. I have a Bireli Lagrene cd somewhere that he recorded when he was 12. Makes JoBo look like a late starter.

thomasross20

I'm going to keep ploughing through my Jamplay lessons just now. Honestly, it's so difficult! Basically 18 lessons teaching how to play "Dinah" and remembering the chords is hard enough, never mind lead playing!

DLM

thomasross20 said:

Link to the Troy Grady vid? Are you talking about how the pick is slanted very oddly a la George Benson, I think (I know he's not Gypsy jazz..).

Grady constantly references Gypsy technique all over the place, because it's an established "school". Downstrokes for new strings, as you say.

In Grady terms: Benson is a downward pickslanter, but the "odd" thing is the "edge picking", Benson attacks with the trailing edge  of the pick first, i.e. the edge closest to the bridge. This makes his hand look twisted backwards. Shaun Lane, pre-Racer X Paul Gilbert, Mark McGuigan, etc. All trailing-edge pickers, as was Grady to begin with.

Steve Trovato is a beautiful player. Check out his REH video, so tasty. That's more country focused, though, not heard him in the Gypsy idiom, but there's a lot of crossover going on. Gary Potter is also a beast a country-sounding stuff.

thomasross20

Man I haven't progressed with this at all - just haven't had the time. 

I think this might turn out like the times I tried to learn jazz & flamenco - just too big an undertaking. 

Maybe best stick to perfecting my rock guitar and enjoy this music. 

viz

There are loads of really easy little licks and tricks and techniques that you can learn really quickly that you can just start to incorporate, even in rock playing, to add a soupçon of jazziness.

viz

Caught this chap, Andrea Tonni, from the band Zisa busking in Basel this evening. Beauteous playing, super chap.