Soft Picking Style?

anthon_74 · May 2013

I feel, though, that a few different things are being talked about here.

Whether you're playing FAST aggressive staccato lines like many of the dutch play, or more lyrical lines like Fappy, etc, you're still doing gypsy rest stroke picking, which is louder then non rest stroke.
Maybe some pick softer, but it's still gypsy picking...

Anthony

AmundLauritzen · May 2013

anthon_74 wrote:

I feel, though, that a few different things are being talked about here.

Whether you're playing FAST aggressive staccato lines like many of the dutch play, or more lyrical lines like Fappy, etc, you're still doing gypsy rest stroke picking, which is louder then non rest stroke.
Maybe some pick softer, but it's still gypsy picking...

Anthony

Exactly. Gypsy picking does not equal shredding in any way. It's just the technique to get the stylistic sound. What one does with it is entirely up to them. Listen to Stochelo play electric Django style. I'd say it's softer but he still uses his technique, same way as playing fast: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1RK3kfUzUU

I'm also certain that Fapy uses gypsy picking, just not as many downstrokes as Stochelo would. But then again, downstrokes and rest strokes are not all that makes up gypsy picking. It's the hand position that doesn't damp vibration in the bridge.
Look here at Fapys right hand at 1:23: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wqrx48rgu6k

It's the gypsy picking hand position and predominantly downstrokes.

Stochelo and Fapy are my favorites. They sound very different but they both use gypsy picking. You can play a softer style with gypsy picking and be heard over the rhythm guitars, as opposed to other picking styles that will make sure you drown in the rhythm guitar.
Also, people should notice that Fapy picks where the soundhole begins, not close to the neck!
I don't know why anyone would pick close to the neck. I've seen a lot of videos where people do that, but when you watch the grand masters you'll see they never do that.

Of course, I'm not going to try to dictate people how to pick. I'm rather pointing out some aspects of picking that all the best players seem to have in common. To me it is obvious: I'm going to try to replicate the right hand technique of my favorite players.

But hey, you can succeed through other means too. There are alternate pickers and close-to-the-neck-pickers who are big names. Romane is picking predominantly from his ARM and not his wrist and he is a big name. A player I personally admire tremendeously.

So there are many ways to go about it. It's just that some ways are a bit more effective than others and more authentic.

Gorquin · June 2013

Hey guys.
I'm not looking to pit one against the other.
I look at it this way. There must be different "schools of thought" in Gypsy Jazz just as there are in blues. Two forms are Mississippi Delta Blues and Chicago Blues. Both Blues, both have some distinct differences. It doesn't make one wrong or right or better than the other.

Thank you for the listening suggestions.

dennis · June 2013

as far as gypsies go, Ritary Gaguenetti and Häns'che Weiss both have very light attack in comparison to their colleagues; so much that they prefer playing electric guitars...

Steveareno · June 2013

Thanks Dennis, for posting that clip of Hans'che. Had not seen that before. He's got a good picking' style. The rhythm player is pounding it out nicely and tapping that foot! Gotta say that recent video clip of you sampling all those vintage guitars demonstrated nice picking style too and good acoustic tone, even though it was the same tune over and over (Patrus video opening?). Looked like you were using an AT mic velcroed to the tailpiece.
Swang on,

CalebFSU · June 2013

Man..............Hans'che is a killer !!! Ritary is of course great as well. Thanks for posting that Denis. Any idea when that Hans'che video was recorded?