New Here

Scoredog

Hi,

I am a new poster and a hack at Gypsy Jazz but have fun with trying it against different genres.
I had no desire to understand the medium till recently but having fun trying to improve though it is a time drag to my main profession as a composer.

For the fun of it I fused it against smooth jazz a while back. Some may find it a bastardization of the genre but I like doing different things and have few aspirations to be a virtuoso Gypsy player and not sure that is even possible at my age.

Anyway here is a little piece I wrote, arranged and produced.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/317 ... 0Strut.mp3

Cheers

Craig

matty42

Hi Scoredog!

Neat piece there. Sometimes a little too smooth sounding for me, but definitely had it's charm. The muted trumpet against the guitar sounded pretty cool. Nice guitar playing too.

Have you heard "Symphonic Django" with Stochelo Rosenberg? That seems like something you would enjoy as a composer/arranger.

But anyhow, welcome! Pull up a chair by the camp fire...

Jazzaferri

indeed, a big warm welcome

spatzo

Welcome Craig and compliments it is a nice composition.

Maybe you can make some two voices arrangements on some of Django's compositions and/or you can try to explain us how to do so...

Best

pickitjohn

Hey Scoredog

Good to see you around again, welcome, nice piece, I'm sure you will find a way to incorporate Django into your signature sound. "Nothing wrong with doing your own thing" IMHO.

Just curious how your Manouche Moreno Modele Jazz, serial #054 worked out for you.

By the way Jazzaferri may be interested in that guitar if it's not up your alley.

pick on my friend

pickitjohn

pickitjohn

sorry double post

slow connection I hit submit twice :roll:

noodlenot

welcome!

Scoredog

Thanks for the nice replies

Hi Matty, the Symphonic Django is right up my alley, though I think it works much better for mid tempo to ballads. I am a smooth jazz guitarist so I do what I do...:)

Hi John,

The Manouche is way better than my Gitane 250M but wondering if a better guitar would sound more "woody" for lack of a better term, or it could be my lack of proper technique.

Hi spatzo,

so you want harmony to melodies or are you asking for something else?

spatzo

Yes I think it could be interesting to have a few hints on how we can harmonize a melody with two or three voices.

Scoredog

Generally it should be fairly straightforward of most scale like voicings, 3rds and 4ths and fifths depending on scale and passing tones in close voicing. Often the way brass is voiced in old Big Band, not sure if that helps. When something is a passing tone and not in the scale use a diminished harmony in between scale tones. There can be 2nds but try in general 3rds are better on the top 2 voices. Minor 2nds on top is a no no.
Not sure if that helps or do you need a specific example?

I could do a bar or 2 as an example but I have limited time.

spatzo

That's fine tks!