For those who struggle with following changes !

Lango-Django

Yeah, I too, enjoy singing while I solo and trying to make the guitar and voice do the same thing... not actually as hard as you'd think, and leads you to some interesting phrases you probably wouldn't have thought of otherwise!

OK, now here's the main thing I've been thinking about...

I have been playing this style for two years now, and I came from a similar rock and roll, pentatonic background.

For those of us who came from a folk/bluegrass background, this is an unexplored area, as much as it is super-familiar to former rockers like you and Anthony.

So my question would be, what if anything can be salvaged from your former pentatonic approach when playing GJ? For example, playing over rhythm changes...?

I've heard Django play some licks that sound sort of "pentatonic" to me. Maybe these ideas came from listening to US players and copying them by ear?

And I've also heard some players of "jump blues" or "swing blues" play some cool licks that sound to me like they would work with GJ...?

Just thinking aloud... I'm wondering if there's enough common ground for DiJ to offer a workshop with a guitarist (probably a North American player?) who toils in this particular vineyard, to show us what arp-ish players can learn from pent-ish players?

Or is this just a blind alley?

Ahab

I think Django must have been influenced by some of the American players, maybe when he was coming into contact with American servicemen at the end of the war. I have to admit my knowledge of the guitarists that he might have been listening too is quite limited but some of the pentatonic stuff that Django plays reminds me of Slim Gaillard.

kevingcox

I think he was listening to more american wind instruments than guitar, from what I have read and heard.

Jazzaferri

For a comprehensive understanding of the influences on Django you could read both books by Michael Dregni on Django. Available at Djangobooks possibly your public library

Buco

Lango-Django wrote:

So my question would be, what if anything can be salvaged from your former pentatonic approach when playing GJ? For example, playing over rhythm changes...?

I've heard Django play some licks that sound sort of "pentatonic" to me. Maybe these ideas came from listening to US players and copying them by ear?

And I've also heard some players of "jump blues" or "swing blues" play some cool licks that sound to me like they would work with GJ...?

Just thinking aloud... I'm wondering if there's enough common ground for DiJ to offer a workshop with a guitarist (probably a North American player?) who toils in this particular vineyard, to show us what arp-ish players can learn from pent-ish players?

Or is this just a blind alley?

I think you'd have better luck asking one the players at DIJ to improvise over a tune using pentatonic scales only and see/hear what they do with it. And who better to ask then Gonzalo, he's a fantastic blues player. I heard many GJ players put bluesy licks in their lines.
And take Grant Green's playing as a successful use of pentatonics in jazz, Gj is still jazz.
Besides, to paraphrase "when you hit a wrong note you're only half step away from the correct one", with pentatonics you're only a half step away from other scales as well.

anthon_74 wrote:

All in all, I have to say that focusing on ONE song, while less exciting, has been a revelation for my playing...

Anthony

In the "effortless mastery" book that's exactly what he's saying, mastering one song will be more beneficial to your overall improvement as a musician then knowing several songs on a lesser level.

Passacaglia

Just humbly toss in another book that has meant something to me, The Talent Code, first recommended to me by Adrian Holovaty. I loved this book. It concerns the literal, physiological effect of "deep practice," a very focused, intensive learning process, on myelination; literal nerve growth and wiring speed, based on what happens under different learning approaches. In my case, pretty crucial understanding, as I suffer from demyelination, apparently, and that's been the demon on my shoulders over the last several years. Highly recommend the book.

Jazzaferri

Tanks for the tip Paul. I will check it out.

Lango-Django

"The Talent Code"... damn!

NOW you tell me; after all the work I've put into my own book, "The No-Talent Code"...!

Passacaglia

You never told me you wrote my autobiography, Will!

Buco

Haha, yes like I'm thinking of stealing your title and publish something like this:
No-Talent Code:
pay me a dollar and I'll teach you in three easy steps how to go from a talented aspiring musician to amounted to nottin' in less time then you ever thought possible!!