Another great year at Django in June 2015

DragonPL

Getting honest but legitimate criticism is a great way to learn but, I always find it funny when a teaching musician makes these comments: " If 'so and so' was here, he'd tell you 'this and that'". The best reply is "when I meet and play for 'so and so' I'll be sure to ask him.

Jazzaferri wrote: »

One of the top tenor sax players tells a story of in his final year at Berklee winning an opportunity to study for a day with Dave Leibman who proceeded to tear his playing into shreds. At the end of the day Leibman explained to him. "Your good man....95% of people hearing you would think you are great.....but if Sonny Rollins or Wayne Shorter walked in they would know right away that you hadn't done your homework. A few years later Leibman helped him get his first major recording contract.

My sax coach who is an awesome jazzer tears me apart every time I see her....after a day or two I pick myself up off the floor and start trudging down the road again.

Jim Kaznosky

I prefer the honest criticism rather than "you sound great, man." I'm looking more for "do more of..." or "your playing could use ..."
I got some of this from Damien, William, Tim Klipuis, and Dallas/Remi this year. I also get that it is hard to compare progress to some of these guys that are absolutely unbelievable. I try to use all this stuff to progress. However, it's sort of easy for me to get distracted by all of the resources that are popping up. I lose the structure that I intend to stick to each year. This is why DiJ is a good reset for me.

Jazzaferri

I am really hoping to finally make it next year.....

Karlo

Jim Kaznosky wrote: »

One of my favorite classes were Remi's rhythm class. The rhythm exercises are great for me to work away from the guitar on...I do these things on the subway.

If you find the time, could you please elaborate this one (Remi Oswald's rhythm lesson)? I think husy also mentioned it, as in working on it "on the subway".

Sounds like all you guys had a wonderful time. Don't know much about the program (many european musicians, though), but I'd have loved to attend the classes. They seem very specific, even peculiar.

A bit off topic, but you know how it is when something's exciting: Angelo Debarre is going to include a morning "masterclass" when he arrives to play near me in August. I'm so impatient, but being self-taught and lacking any jazz manouche related feedback, I really have no idea what to expect.

mntnmike

This was my first year and guys it was absolutely incredible. First day was sobering. After that I got over myself and enjoyed every second of it- except for the hangnail infection I got on my fretting hand Monday before I left, proceeded to play with a bandaid most of the week.

@karlo and everybody else asking about it, I became mostly obsessed with Remi after this week, and I'm posting a video to other guitar friends walking through the left hand exercise(s) Remi gave us, particularly this count-to-31 thing that's freaking everybody out. I'll post that here as well? I'll do that later today. Seriously, so incredible to meet everyone and a special public thank you to Carolyn for dealing with my staggered registration.

tomcunn

i have been doing the binary to 31 thing; very cool; you mentioned similar tricks from Adrian - can you share those as well?

husy

@tomcunn the other exercise I referred to is about left hand control for the more difficult chord fingerings (say G69 with thumb grip).

1) Finger difficult chord, 2) play all strings individually, making sure each one either sounds very clean or is fully muted, adjust left hand if necessary until you get a satisfactory sound 3) release left hand, put it away from the neck for a few seconds and GOTO 1

You could also alternate between different chords that give you trouble, or alternate between fret positions.

kevingcox

What I appreciated most about Remi's approach was that he showed "Here is HOW to practice some things" rather than "Here are some things to go practice"

alton

This was my first DiJ. It was such an awesome experience. I will go every year that my situation allows me to. Many thanks to Andrew for all that he does to make it so amazing.

Here's a few things that I learned:

1)I am not as good as I thought. And that is a good thing! Since django in june, I have started taking lessons for the first time since 1992! Seeing and hearing so many great musicians in one place is so humbling and overwhelming, yet so inspiring.

2)I need a new guitar! Or just MORE guitars.

3)I have a pick collecting problem.

4)Bringing chocolate makes friends.

5)Everyone there is cool by me! Seriously, where else can you get 200+ people together, add music, alcohol, and sleep deprivation, and not have any trouble?

From my first moment there, when I was welcomed by MarkA, the only face familiar to me, to my last moment there, when I was walking towards downtown and I came across Denis and Joscho in the pouring rain, the whole time was just wonderful and magical.

This next year is going to be a long one...

Jim Kaznosky

husy wrote: »

@tomcunn the other exercise I referred to is about left hand control for the more difficult chord fingerings (say G69 with thumb grip).

1) Finger difficult chord, 2) play all strings individually, making sure each one either sounds very clean or is fully muted, adjust left hand if necessary until you get a satisfactory sound 3) release left hand, put it away from the neck for a few seconds and GOTO 1

You could also alternate between different chords that give you trouble, or alternate between fret positions.

This is very practical. Dario taught me an exercise where he runs through arpeggiating rhythm changes chords very slowly. The idea is to have every single note clean. It helps to develop that two string barre.