Olli Soikkeli lesson

Charles Meadows

I had a great time with Olli Soikkeli and Adrien Moignard at Django Jamboree in Louisville. Olli is a phenomenal player. And I was a little surprised to see that he doesn't do 100% gypsy picking. He uses initial upstrokes a good bit, mostly when it will lead to a downstroke being accented. Can't argue with the results. He also mentioned that a lot of the gypsy players do as well. Paulus Schafer does this on fast descending arpeggios he said. Anyway a great lesson! And the concert was amazing.

dennis

Olli uses a fair amount of alternate picking to do some fast lines

However, I'm confused by your statement about starting a phrase with an upstroke. Using the Django style technique doesn't mean you have to start a phrase with a downstroke all the time. Quite the contrary, when the sound calls for it, starting with an upstroke is quite appropriate, there are many documented instances of this in Django's playing... For instance, the very first phrase in his 1937 Minor Swing solo.

Charles Meadows

Sorry - I meant he uses initial upstroke on a string (ie alternate picking)! ">

dennis

That's what I meant too ;-)

nomadgtr

Olli is a great teacher. Very patient and no ego at all. He was at Frank Vignola's GJ Festival/Workshop in Crested Butte, CO this year and was a real pleasure to hang with. No matter the level of expertise he spent time with everyone. He'll be back again next year too.